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Santa Cruz County, CA

From the waves to the redwoods, it's all happening here.

Live music, festivals, art walks, surf contests, trail days and everything in between.

πŸ“
In-person only, on purpose.

Every listing is something you can actually show up to, from Davenport down to Watsonville.

No webinars No livestreams Just show up βœ“

β˜… Featured this season

Cannabis β˜… Featured Event Treehouse
Fri, Aug 7, 2026 Β· 5:00 PM

Treehouse Dispensary First Friday

πŸ“ Treehouse Dispensary Β· Soquel Β· FREE

Treehouse Dispensary hosts a monthly First Friday event on the first Friday of every month. These events feature live music, local artists, makers, and an art market with up to 20 different vendors, along with shop-wide discounts and community activities. The shop is open 8:00 AM to 9:45 PM daily. We're proud to offer everyday savings for our community: New Members: 10% off your first order Wisdom Discount (65+): 5% off Medical Patients: 10% off Students & Teachers: 20% off with valid ID Veterans: 20% off *Please note that discounts do not stack with other deals. Ask staff for exclusions.

Cannabis Art & Culture πŸ“ Soquel Details β†’
β˜… Featured
Sat, Sep 12, 2026 Β· Capitola Village

43rd Annual Capitola Art & Wine Festival

Stroll the festival with friends and family, sipping exceptional wines from Santa Cruz Mountain wineries while admiring the artistic talents of over 100 fine artists. Sway to live music and be inspired by local dance groups while taking in the ocean breeze and breathtaking view of the Monterey Bay. Feed your cravings with tantalizing cuisine from local food purveyors, and cruise through the Artisans Marketplace for locally handcrafted goods. If that isn’t enough, Capitola Village is filled with restaurants for every taste and charming boutiques to satisfy a shopper’s dream. Art, wine, music, and gourmet cuisine in the enchanting beach-side setting of Capitola Village…summer’s last hurrah, and truly a weekend in paradise! This event is from 10am to 6pm on Saturday, September 12 and from 10am to 5pm on Sunday, September 13. See link to the event in the orange box above.

Food & Drink πŸ“ Capitola
β˜… Featured
Mon, Sep 21, 2026 Β· The Cruz Room

The Cruz Room: Hosted Board Game Night

The Game Night Collective provides a curated experience. Every Monday night with a library of 30+ board games, guided game teaching, hosted featured games, and prizes! Whether you arrive alone or with a group, the goal is to make it easy to sit down and start playing. Hosted mic’d board games 5 – 8 Trivia 8 – 10

Family πŸ“ Downtown Santa Cruz

β˜€οΈ Happening today

Monday, July 20

48 events on today. No plans required, just go.

12:00 AM
See listing
Experiments in Nature Summer Camp
πŸ“ Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
Education
12:00 AM
See listing
Art and Science in Nature Summer Camp
πŸ“ Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
Education
12:00 AM
See listing
Bruno's Bar and Grill: Kick-Off Chaos!
πŸ“ Bruno's Bar & Grill
Food & Drink
6:00 AM
See listing
The Jury Room World Cup Watch Party
πŸ“ Jury Room
Sports
8:30 AM
$400
Art and Science in Nature Summer Camp
πŸ“ Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
Outdoors
9:00 AM
$895
Summer Production (3-weeks): Moana Jr
πŸ“ All About Theatre
Art & Culture
9:00 AM
$345
Summer Production (1-week): Moana Jr.
πŸ“ All About Theatre
Art & Culture
9:00 AM
$8600
Certified Massage Therapist Program
πŸ“ Cypress Health Institute
Community
10:00 AM
FREE
Natural Bridges Little Rangers Program
πŸ“ Natural Bridges State Beach
Outdoors

What's happening

Filter by category, date, or area. Everything listed is in person, county-wide.

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Showing 30 of 2081 upcoming events

Jul
20

Latte's and Learn

πŸ“ California Coffee
πŸ•’ 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Β· FREE

Join us Wednesday, May 21st from 12:00 PM- 1:00 PM at California Coffee for an informative and uplifting workshop you won't want tfor suo miss! Our featured guest speaker, Manas S. Kshirsagar, AD, MS a NAMA Board Certified Ayurvedic Doctor with years of experience in holistic wellness and healing, will be presenting "Tools for Stress and Anxiety". With today's fast-paced world and the stress levels many of us are unduring, this workshop will offer valuable insight, practical tools and wellness strategies to help bring more balance, peace and calm into our daily lives. Lunch Special Available: Half Sandwich + Chips just $9.99 California Coffee, 9105 Soquel Dr., Aptos, CA 95003 cacoffeeaptos.com Thank you from myself Sylvia Reyes, and my amazing team for supporting our small business and community events!

Education Wellness πŸ“ Soquel Details β†’
Jul
20

POKEMON ART CONTEST FOR KIDS!

πŸ“ Comicopolis
πŸ•’ 12:00 PM Β· FREE

It's time to get those crayons sharpened, paints mixed and markers at the ready for our Summer 2026 PokΓ©mon Art Contest for kids 5-12! To join in, create a picture of your favorite PokΓ©mon having a fun moment or striking a cool, dynamic pose. Submissions should be on 8.5 x 11 paper. You can use any medium you like, such as paint, marker, crayon, pencil, etc. No digital art. There will be prizes awarded to two age groups, 5-7 and 8-12. Entries accepted June 1st-July 31st. Winners will be announced on August 6th. BONUS: All participants will receive a free PokΓ©mon:Chaos Rising 11x17 mini-poster (while supplies last) when you hand in your art.

Jul
20

Preparing for Life's Transitions

πŸ“ Aptos Branch Library
πŸ•’ 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM Β· See listing

Brought to you by Village Santa Cruz - Topics covered are personal, legal, medical, financial, insurance, real estate, living options, daily living, crisis plan, home health, hospice and end of life. Licensed workshops STEP: Strategic Transitions and Essential Planning brought to you by Village Santa Cruz County. STEP is a workshop series designed for participants to gather all essential information in one place and easily accessed when needed. 6 workshops ; 12 topics a conversation with professionals; and workbook included! MAY 18: Life Information and Legal Essentials JUNE 15: Medical and Financial JULY 20: Insurance and Real Estate AUGUST 17: Living Options and Everyday Life SEPTEMBER 21: Crisis Plan and Home Health OCTOBER 19: End of Life Care and End -of-Life Planning

Wellness Education πŸ“ Soquel Details β†’
Jul
20

Preparing for Life's Transitions

πŸ“ Santa Cruz Public Libraries
πŸ•’ 1:30 PM Β· See listing

Monday, July 20 2026 12:30pm - 2:30pm Brought to you by Village Santa Cruz - Topics covered are personal, legal, medical, financial, insurance, real estate, living options, daily living, crisis plan, home health, hospice and end of life.

Community Education Details β†’
Jul
20

The Cruz Room: Hosted Board Game Night

πŸ“ The Cruz Room
πŸ•’ 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM Β· FREE

The Game Night Collective provides a curated experience. Every Monday night with a library of 30+ board games, guided game teaching, hosted featured games, and prizes! Whether you arrive alone or with a group, the goal is to make it easy to sit down and start playing. Hosted mic’d board games 5 – 8 Trivia 8 – 10

Jul
20

Hosted Board Game Night

πŸ“ The Cruz Room
πŸ•’ 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM Β· See listing

Hosted Mic’d Board Games 5 – 8 Trivia 8 – 10 The Game Night Collective is a Santa Cruz-based board game community that creates welcoming, hosted tabletop events where people can discover new games, meet new friends, and enjoy structured game nights without needing prior experience. Unlike a typical board game meetup where players are expected to know games or organize themselves, The Game Night Collective provides a curated experience. Each event includes a library of 30+ board games, guided game teaching, hosted featured games, community announcements, raffles, and opportunities to connect with other players. Whether you arrive alone or with a group, the goal is to make it easy to sit down and start playing. The flagship event takes place every Monday at The CRUZ Room, where attendees can enjoy open gaming, learn two featured games taught by founder Courtney Laschkewitsch, participate in trivia, browse the Merch Chest, and become part of Santa Cruz’s growing tabletop gaming community. At its core, The Game Night Collective exists to bring people together through board games. It combines the structure and consistency of a trivia company with the creativity, strategy, and social connection of modern tabletop gaming, creating a space where newcomers and experienced gamers alike can feel welcome.

Jul
20

Hosted Board Game Night

πŸ“ The Cruz Room
πŸ•’ 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM Β· FREE

The Game Night Collective provides a curated experience. Every Monday night with a library of 30+ board games, guided game teaching, hosted featured games, and prizes! Whether you arrive alone or with a group, the goal is to make it easy to sit down and start playing. Hosted mic’d board games 5 – 8 Trivia 8 – 10

Jul
20

Hosted Board Game Night at The Cruz Room

πŸ“ The Cruz Room
πŸ•’ 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM Β· FREE

Hosted Mic'd Board Games 5 - 8 Trivia 8 - 10 The Game Night Collective is a Santa Cruz-based board game community that creates welcoming, hosted tabletop events where people can discover new games, meet new friends, and enjoy structured game nights without needing prior experience. Unlike a typical board game meetup where players are expected to know games or organize themselves, The Game Night Collective provides a curated experience. Each event includes a library of 30+ board games, guided game teaching, hosted featured games, community announcements, raffles, and opportunities to connect with other players. Whether you arrive alone or with a group, the goal is to make it easy to sit down and start playing. The flagship event takes place every Monday at The CRUZ Room, where attendees can enjoy open gaming, learn two featured games taught by founder Courtney Laschkewitsch, participate in trivia, browse the Merch Chest, and become part of Santa Cruz's growing tabletop gaming community. At its core, The Game Night Collective exists to bring people together through board games. It combines the structure and consistency of a trivia company with the creativity, strategy, and social connection of modern tabletop gaming, creating a space where newcomers and experienced gamers alike can feel welcome.

Jul
20

Community Talks: Gardening & Nature Connections

πŸ“ Watsonville
πŸ•’ 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM Β· See listing

Deepen your connections to nature and your community ~ Join us for a pair of talks with guest speakers from local organizations focused on community building and our environment. Learn from Watsonville Wetlands Watch in an interactive activity connecting nature, community, and collective action. Discover how our community is working together to reduce food waste, care for urban trees, restore local wetlands, and how you can be a part of larger efforts to protect and improve our shared environment. This presentation will take place on Monday, July 13, at 5:30pm at the Main Library. Hear about the Homeless Garden Project’s work to make a difference through organic gardening. Learn about the organization’s social impact, community building efforts, and sustainable gardening practices. This presentation will take place on Monday, July 20, at 5:30pm at the Main Library. Audience: All ages ESPAΓ‘OL Profundiza su conexiΓ³n con la naturaleza y su comunidad ~ AcompÑñanos en una serie de charlas con invitados de organizaciones locales dedicadas al desarrollo comunitario y al medio ambiente. Aprende con Watsonville Wetlands Watch en una actividad interactiva que une la naturaleza, la comunidad y la acciΓ³n colectiva. Descubre cΓ³mo nuestra comunidad estΓ‘ trabajando en conjunto para reducir el desperdicio de alimentos, cuidar los Γ‘rboles urbanos, restaurar los humedales locales, y cΓ³mo puedes formar parte de iniciativas mΓ‘s amplias para proteger y mejorar nuestro entorno comΓΊn. Esta presentaciΓ³n se llevarΓ‘ a cabo el lunes, 13 de julio a las 5:30pm en la Biblioteca Principal. Descubre la labor del Homeless Garden Project a travΓ©s de la jardinerΓ­a orgΓ‘nica. Conoce el impacto social de la organizaciΓ³n, sus iniciativas de fortalecimiento comunitario y sus prΓ‘cticas de jardinerΓ­a sostenible. Esta presentaciΓ³n se llevarΓ‘ a cabo el lunes, 20 de julio a las 5:30pm en la Biblioteca Principal. Audiencia: Para todas las edades

Jul
20

Queer & Trans Yoga Hosted by Sapphire Yoga Collective @ TDC

πŸ“ The Diversity Center of Santa Cruz County, 1117 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062, USA
πŸ•’ 6:00 PM – 7:15 PM Β· FREE

Queer & Trans Yoga by Sapphire Yoga Collective Weekly Yoga Class @ TDC Mondays from 6:00 PM -7:15 PM This is a trauma-sensitive, all-levels, all-bodies/abilities class taught by a rotating queer-identifying yoga teacher each week. We highlight self nurturance through yoga asana and meditation, a somatic and mindfulness healing practice that resources us for our own resilience as well as community care. No prior yoga experience necessary. Ultimately, this is a brave space for LGBTQIA++ identifying folks to gather and take deep care. Please bring your our yoga mat and water bottle. Cost: $10-20 suggested donation. No one turned away for lack of funds! @sapphireyogacollective and @yogaforallmovement Questions? Contact Tara Maxon, Well-being Coordinator email: tara.maxon @diversitycenter.org

Jul
20

Pink Ladies of the Sonnets

πŸ“ The Audrey Stanley Grove at DeLaveaga Park
πŸ•’ 7:00 PM Β· See listing

Santa Cruz Shakespeare leans into drag’s theatre roots with full sequined conviction. Pink Ladies of the Sonnets brings some of the Bay Area’s most talented drag queens and kings to the park for an evening where Shakespearean poetry, comedy, and drama meet the glittery cabaret of drag. Drawing inspiration from the sonnets, these performers carry on a tradition of gender play that runs through Shakespeare’s work from the very beginning This one-night extravaganza of Shakespearean proportions is sure to have the audience laughing, dancing, and singing along. Enjoy the show in drag, denim, however, feels right. After all, the Bard was always fabulous. -Shelly Novo; Good Times Santa Cruz

Art & Culture LGBTQ+ πŸ“ Midtown Details β†’
Jul
20

Keshav Batish & Friends in Sonic Kinship - Album Release Celebration

πŸ“ Kuumbwa Jazz
πŸ•’ 7:00 PM Β· See listing

Keshav Batish is a performer, composer, and educator based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is trained in Hindustani classical and South Asian folk music by his father, Pandit Ashwin Batish, and his aunt, Shrimati Meena Batish. Batish’s debut album, Binaries in Cycle, was recognized in 2021 as one of 10 Best Bay Area albums by KQED and received critical acclaim from JazzTimes, DownBeat, and the Brooklyn Rail. Batish recently received a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Composition from the University of California, Santa Cruz, for which he recorded his third album, Sonic Kinship. Sonic Kinship melds ragas – the melodic forms of Hindustani music – with the rhythmic ensemble dynamics of the likes of Andrew Hill and Masabumi Kikuchi to find new musical vistas through ancient forms. The album grew from his sense that β€œevery musical note carries a character shaped by its relationship with others, and that closer attention to timing and tuning can deepen the feeling of music to foster healing through sound.” Batish experimented with how to translate the effect of shruti, the Sanskritic idea referring to the discernible difference between notes, from solo-centric Hindustani music to a group of many musicians by employing its practical vehicle known as meend. Meend traditionally sounds like a gliding movement between notes and is heard across South Asian musical practices. Sonic Kinship reimagines the dialogue between the two concepts, such that meend balances the shrutis of many notes so they float together in succession to create a blissful sonic space. Batish is joined on this performance by Bay Area luminaries Kristen Strom on tenor saxophone, Shay Salhov on alto saxophone, Scott Sorkin on guitar, Stan Poplin on double bass, and Dahveed Behroozi on piano in an album release celebration for Sonic Kinship. Keshav Batish Website (Ticket Includes 5% City of Santa Cruz Admission Tax)

Jul
20

SC Beach Boardwalk: Evenings on the Colonnade

πŸ“ Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
πŸ•’ 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM Β· FREE

Stay for the entertainment from 8:30pm to 9:30pm on the Colonnade Deck! Where you can listen to live music with delicious food & drink in your hand, be amazed by Magicians & acrobats, and show off your best dance moves with a DJ dance party at the Plaza stage. Admission is free! Monday, June 15, 2026 8:30pm Circus Comedy with Coventry & Kaluza 9:00pm Magic with Kris Bentz Tuesday, June 16, 2026 8:30pm Magic with Kris Bentz 9:00pm Acrobatics with Molly Keczan Wednesday, June 17, 2026 8:30pm Circus Comedy with Coventry & Kaluza 9:00pm Magic with Kris Bentz Thursday, June 18, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – Live Music with Fire Peach Friday, June 19, 2026 – Free showing of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off movie on the beach at 9pm Saturday, June 20, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Sunday, June 21, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Monday, June 22, 2026 8:30pm Circus Comedy with Coventry & Kaluza 9:00pm Circus Acrobatics with MeeZee! Tuesday, June 23, 2026 8:30pm Circus Acrobatics with MeeZee! 9:00pm Circus Comedy with Coventry & Kaluza Wednesday, June 24, 2026: World Cup Watch Party for Mexico Game Thursday, June 25, 2026: World Cup Watch Party for USA Game Friday, June 26, 2026 – Free showing of the movie Kicking and Screaming on the beach at 9pm Saturday, June 27, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Sunday, June 28, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Monday, June 29, 2026 8:30pm Magic with Patrick Livingstone 9:00pm Surfing Magic with Doug Hofkins Tuesday, June 30, 2026 8:30pm Magic with Patrick Livingstone 9:00pm Surfing Magic with Doug Hofkins Wednesday, July 1, 2026 8:30pm Circus Comedy with Coventry & Kaluza 9:00pm Circus Acrobatics with MeeZee! Thursday, July 2, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – Live Music with El Brick Friday, July 3, 2026 – Independence Day Celebrations Saturday, July 4, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Sunday,

2051 more events further out

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