Santa Barbara Community Convergence

The Santa Barbara Community Convergence is a participatory gathering rooted in the bioregion that brings together people from across communities to share ideas, build relationships, and create collaborative futures. Set on the ancestral lands of the Chumash people, we are converging local communities to connect with land, belonging, and inspiration. Together we’ll weave a community celebration filled with immersive workshops, shared meals, music, dance, storytelling, and ritual.

For 2026, our theme is “Growing Shared Possibility,” as this is our first time gathering together on this land to hold and breathe life into the flame of our communal hearth. Join us in laying the foundation, building the relationships, and planting the seeds to grow shared possibilities for community visions across our bioregion. 

Join community builders, visionary leaders, land stewards, healers, philosophers and Elders at this intergenerational, and culturally diverse community. Your participation will help forge our path to nurture thriving networks that support collective livelihood, community, and shared visions throughout the HearthLands.

Saturday, March 28th, 12 PM - 10 PM 

Near Gaviota | Hosted on Communal Land 30 Mins North of Santa Barbara 

Venue address shared after ticket purchase.

IMMERSIVE WORKSHOPS

• Listening & Thriving with Nature's Wisdom with Kimberly Pinkson

• Song Circle: Working with Songs as Medicine with Meghan Maiya

• The 3 Core Griefs: Why Some Communities Fail with Mark Tollefson

• The Glue that Holds Communities Together: Sunburst's Guiding Purpose & Spirituality, with Sunburst Community

• Spirit, Place, and Work: Cultivating a Regenerative Worldview and Business with Eric Pierce

• Wealth Salon: Grow Wealth from Wholeness with Jennifer Love

TEA, DANCE, and COMMUNAL DINNER

• Tea Oasis hosted by Flowing River of Drishti House

• Ecstatic Dance by KiaOra Fox

• Communal Dinner by Simone Temkin

For more details please view our Workshop Description flyer or go to our instagram: @hearthlands

BEING INTENTIONAL 

The Santa Barbara Community Convergence is guided by three core intentions that shape how we gather together.

⛰️ LAND: Deepen your relationship with the land. Connect to the ecological life all around you through song, reflection, and exploration.

❤️ BELONGING: Feel nourished by an abundant, growing network of relationships that support your endeavors and livelihood. We hope this gathering deepens all of our sense of belonging to place and to one another. 

🔥 INSPIRATION: Reconnect with purpose and possibility. You may leave with a clearer sense of how you want to express your life’s purpose and a renewed inspiration to contribute to community. Offer your ideas, creativity, and presence, helping us collectively spark possibility and momentum for what comes next.

EVENT HOSTS

HearthLands is stewarded by a collective committed to strengthening trust and regenerative collaboration in the Santa Barbara bioregion. We are a group of local community builders, land lovers, and vision-tenders co-creating the Santa Barbara Community Convergence. The HearthLands Core Team includes Alex Van Valen, David Effron, Laura Brower and Malia Josephine. Connect with us: www.instagram.com/hearthlands

THE LAND WE GATHER ON

This gathering is hosted in a long-standing intentional community located minutes north of Gaviota, California. The community is rooted in thousands of acres of land and has been stewarding peacemaking, conscious living, and earth restoration for over half a century. This sacred land is home to oak trees, horses, streams, and permaculture gardens. Exact venue address and further details on the community will be shared upon registration. We gather on the traditional lands of the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. We offer this acknowledgment with respect and a commitment to continued learning and awareness as we grow in relationship to this place.

GENERAL INFORMATION

⏰ EVENT SCHEDULE

• 12:00 pm Doors Open & Check-in

• 1:00 pm Welcoming Circle

• 2:30 - 6:30 pm Immersive Workshops

• 6:30 pm Communal Dinner 

• 8 - 9:30 pm Evening Celebration

  • Ecstatic Dance Silent Disco with KiaOra Fox

  • Storytelling Circle by the Fire

• 9:30 Closing Circle 

🎟️ TICKET OPTIONS

• Accessibility Ticket: $70

• Regular Ticket: $100

• Supporting Ticket: $130

• Family-Friendly! Kids 12 & under are Free :)

• Two Sponsorship Ticket tiers (Supports Growth & Diverse Attendance)

• Donations are appreciated!

• *** Tickets are transferable, but non-refundable ***

🥗 FOOD & DRINKS

• Local, seasonal vegetarian dinner buffet provided (vegan options available) 

• Bring your OWN cup / mug / water bottle

• Filtered drinking water on site

• Bring additional foods & drinks, as needed

🧺 WHAT TO BRING

• Pack your own lunch, water bottle (and tea mug), and snacks for the day

• Bring a journal + pen to use for workshops

• Sunscreen and sunprotection (day) / warm layers (cool nights)

• An outdoor blanket or comfy cushion to sit on

• Flashlight and/or headlamps are encouraged

❗️IMPORTANT INFO

• NO open flames or smoking on the land 

• NO pets - only service animals if necessary

• Kids are welcome!

• All tickets are non-refundable, yet transferrable

🚗 PARKING

Carpooling is encouraged! In the registration form, there is a carpooling and parking question. Upon arriving at the entrance gate, you will drive down a dirt road that will take you to a large parking lot. Signs will guide you and parking attendants will help you. 

Questions or Comments about this event? 

Talk with David about event volunteering, donations, contributions, involvement, or any other questions or thoughts you have. 

Text David, Core Team Member, #805-252-0788