When he was named to be the Grand Marshal of the Old Spanish Days parade in 2024, Rudy Castillo was the oldest surviving El Presidente of an event that itself was turning 100 years old. Even before he became El Presidente in 1976, Rudy was known to be one who led by example, always working long hours alongside board members and volunteers.
When Rudy was elected to the Old Spanish Days board back in 1962, he told the members, “I cannot bring status or financial assets to Old Spanish Days. I am not a doctor, lawyer, or businessman, but I can bring my back. If you still want me, I would be honored to become a board member.”
Rudy Castillo was born July 8, 1929, at home on Edison Avenue in Santa Barbara. He grew up during the Great Depression, his family, like so many others, struggling through the lean times with a large home garden where they grew all their fresh vegetables. During those years, his father, Isaiah Castillo, was a caddy at country clubs, working for 25 cents an hour plus tips. His mother, Isabella Ramirez, was a lemon sorter at Johnson Fruit Company in Santa Barbara.