Saturday, August 01 2026 12:00pm - 3:00pm Manifest your visions, desires, and dreams through the art of Soul Collage!
From the waves to the redwoods, it's all happening here.
Live music, festivals, art walks, surf contests, trail days and everything in between.
In-person only, on purpose. Everything here is something you can actually show up to. No screens, no streams.
โ Featured this season
โ
Featured Event
Phamily Time!
Phamily Time, presented by Phreeborn is back with a summer edition you wonโt want to miss. There will be something for everyone, so bring the whole phamily! Get tickets for the whole day celebration here: TICKETS
โ
Featured
WRECKAGE: A Musical Tragicomedy
The Tony Award-Winning San Francisco Mime Troupe Opens their 67th Season with: WRECKAGE: A Musical Tragicomedy July 3 โ Sept. 7, 2026
Coming up
WRECKAGE: A Musical Tragicomedy
The Tony Award-Winning San Francisco Mime Troupe opens their 67th Season with: WRECKAGE: A Musical Tragicomedy. The show asks the political question: How are we going to survive and rebuild in the rubble left from the economic, social, and psychological devastation of the idiotic kleptocrats? London Nelson Community Center โ Outdoors (Santa Cruz) Sat., Aug. 1 - 3:00 pm (Music 2:30) Sun., Aug. 2 - 3:00 pm (Music 2:30) 301 Center St., Santa Cruz 95060 FREE - ($20 suggested donation)
A Show!
Memo and the Notebooks, Degrassi Knoll, and The New Wounds Alex Bottomlining
Coming up
Lacy J Dalton
Get out the ten-gallon stetson and ride your horse to the rural outpost of El Vaquero Winery to experience the joy of Lacy J. Dalton. Dalton has a tips-to-tours origin story, starting as a waitress in the mountains of Santa Cruz and eventually performing on stages worldwide. Dalton has seen all the trends since she first reached the charts in 1979 and remains true to her roots. Sixteen Top Twenty hits came fast and furious through the 1980s. One thing about real country singers is they never forget their roots and anytime Dalton returns itโs a celebration. Featuring favorites Michael Gaither & His New Best Friends. -DNA; Good Times Santa Cruz
โ๏ธ Happening today
Saturday, August 184 events on today. No plans required, just go.
What's happening
Filter by category, date, or area. Everything listed is in person, county-wide.
Showing 30 of 2428 upcoming events
Saturday, August 01 2026 12:00pm - 5:00pm Play tabletop board games and have some fun!
Remembering Your Belonging Workshop with Mo Katzman (OUTSIDE COMMUNITY EVENT)
Remembering Your Belonging Workshop with Mo Katzman (OUTSIDE COMMUNITY EVENT) Date : Saturday, August 1st Time : 1-7pm Location : Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center in Santa Cruz. RSVP : You can register for the workshop here Event description: A workshop to give you... Relational skills to get out of isolation and into community and embodiment skills to move away from shame and towards what you want and care about. This is an introductory workshop to a larger unfolding offering! There will be: Movement Somatic practices Discussions Journaling Large and small group shares Guided visualizations Tea and snacks! Come home to your wholeness We'll have a seat for you.
Make your own beautiful set of four glass coasters with Smithsonian artist, Annie Morhauser. Everything you need will be providedโglass, stencils, colorful glass enamels, adhesive feet, and expert guidance throughout the process. Youโll design and decorate 4โณ glass squares, then load them into the kilns (donโt worryโtheyโll be off!). Annieglass will fire your pieces for you, and you can have them shipped to your home. Want a full set of eight? Book two workshops! Youโll also receive 15% off Annieglass first-quality pieces on the day of the event. Sparkling waters provided. Half bottles & bottles of wine available for purchase.
Roaring Camp Railroads: Brewgrass Festival
Roaring Camp presents the Annual Brewgrass Festival featuring local breweries, music from favorite bluegrass artists, and food from our popular local food trucks. VIP Brewgrass Tasting Train roundtrip from Santa Cruz to Roaring Camp. Line-up Info Coming Soon. ACTIVITIES Optional Tasting Train Live Music Craft Beer & Cider Local Food Vendors Free Kids Activities
Wilder Ranch State Park - Ranch History Tour
Want to learn about the rich dairy history of Wilder Ranch State Park? Dreamt of peeking inside our beautiful Victorian homes and barns? Join us weekly on Saturdays and Sundays for a 1.5 hour long tour of the historic buildings of Wilder Ranch! Meet at the visitor's center at 1 pm. Pre-register here or join us on the day-of. This tour is free. Parking in Day-use lot is $10. Questions?Call (669)758-1963or email [email protected]
Enjoy summer weekend afternoons at the beautiful Nicholson Vineyards! Saturdays from noon to 5pm โ Enjoy perusing art from local artists Sundays from 1pm to 4pm โ Enjoy listening to local musicians Pack a picnic spread, gather your friends and family, and sip on their refreshing summer wine flight, featuring the best of our warm-weather selections. Book your reservation today! July 11 & 12: The Clay Chalet and music by Dos Bros July 18 & 19: Indigo and Vine and music by Jo Coleman July 25 & 26: Sour Sammy Sourdough and music by Six String Mixtape August 1 & 2: Scout and Sea and music by Half Pass August 8 & 9: Lili Arnold Studios and music by Eden Edell August 15 & 16: Desert Moon Design and music by Kip Allert August 22 & 23: Papelline Jewelry and music by Zach Bailey August 29 & 30: Anna Gail Designs and music by Jeff Smith September 5 & 6: All You Knead and music by Cake Party!
The exhibition of Mary Altier's photography includes 60 images taken in Papua New Guinea, China, Italy, India, several countries in Africa, and more. The library is open every day except Sunday from 10:00 AM until 7 PM, M-Th and 5 PM Fri. and Sat. The reception will feature refreshments and an on going slide show of recent work. Free and open to the public.
Through the hands-on exploration of a bustling beehive on Chaminade's grounds, you will learn about the intriguing world of honey bees in a way that very few get to experience. Your hive tour, led by Northern Roots Bee Co.โs professional beekeepers, will include suiting up in beekeeping attire and learning about the different roles and contributions that bees make in the colony. Weโll finish the experience with a honey tasting where participants delight in the nuanced flavors of varietal honeys. This experience is open to overnight resort guests and community members.
Audrey Stanley Grove: Much Ado About Nothing
Santa Cruz Shakespeare invites you to experience Shakespeareโs Much Ado About Nothing, un-der the trees and stars of the Audrey Stanley Grove in Santa Cruzโs DeLaveaga Park this summer. Much Ado About Nothing By William Shakespeare Directed by Charles Pasternak One of Shakespeareโs wittiest and most beloved comedies, the 2026 season will open with Shakespeareโs Much Ado About Nothing. Of all the couples in Shakespeare, perhaps none is more widely loved than Beatrice and Benedick. Their battle of wits; their antagonism turned to eroticism; their history. Before the play begins, they already seem to define each other. The audience, like the other characters in the play, wait with excitement as their wits clash, and eventually, as their love blossoms. Much Ado About Nothing runs July 11 โ August 30. More information or to purchase tickets, follow the link in the orange above, or contact the box office Tuesday through Friday from noon to 4pm at the number listed above.
Saturday, August 01 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm A safe space to explore questions and feelings about dying
Saturday, August 01 2026 1:30pm - 4:30pm Join local artist Mary Altier to celebrate her photography exhibit at the Aptos Branch Library. Enjoy refreshments and view the installation.
WRECKAGE: A Musical Tragicomedy
The Tony Award-Winning San Francisco Mime Troupe Opens their 67th Season with: WRECKAGE: A Musical Tragicomedy July 3 โ Sept. 7, 2026
The Tony Award-Winning San Francisco Mime Troupe opens their 67th Season with: WRECKAGE: A Musical Tragicomedy. The show asks the political question: How are we going to survive and rebuild in the rubble left from the economic, social, and psychological devastation of the idiotic kleptocrats? London Nelson Community Center โ Outdoors (Santa Cruz) Sat., Aug. 1 - 3:00 pm (Music 2:30) Sun., Aug. 2 - 3:00 pm (Music 2:30) 301 Center St., Santa Cruz 95060 FREE - ($20 suggested donation)
Get out the ten-gallon stetson and ride your horse to the rural outpost of El Vaquero Winery to experience the joy of Lacy J. Dalton. Dalton has a tips-to-tours origin story, starting as a waitress in the mountains of Santa Cruz and eventually performing on stages worldwide. Dalton has seen all the trends since she first reached the charts in 1979 and remains true to her roots. Sixteen Top Twenty hits came fast and furious through the 1980s. One thing about real country singers is they never forget their roots and anytime Dalton returns itโs a celebration. Featuring favorites Michael Gaither & His New Best Friends. -DNA; Good Times Santa Cruz
A Show!
Memo and the Notebooks, Degrassi Knoll, and The New Wounds Alex Bottomlining
5:30-7:30pm Love Creek is a folk-rock/jam band from Santa Cruz, California. Current band members consist of Malakai Lawton (vocals/guitar), Alex Bahler (lead guitar), Ryan Jensen (bass/vocals), Ed Levy (keys), and Rob Borella (drums). Love Creek pulls from a musical headwaters of jam band and folk rock influences, creating original material that is both heartfelt and powerful, both lyrically and instrumentally. Along with a growing repertoire of original songs, Love Creek also performs music written by artists such as: Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers Band, Jerry Garcia Band, The Cure, Van Morrison, Marshall Tucker Band, Rusted Root, America, as well as many others.
Speed Dating Beyond Small Talk | Santa Cruz | Tantra Speed Dateยฎ
An experiment in chemistry and connection beyond small talk. More than speed dating. Meet open-minded singles in Santa Cruz.
We are hosting a vigil/memorial for people whose lives have been taken by ICE since January 2025. Weโll have photos of the more than 60 victims and a chance to see their names and remember them. Please join us and wear black, bring candles, flowers, chalk art, etc if youโd like. Saturday, August 1, Abbott Square, 6-8pm
Mike Hellman is a country and americana troubadour with a bent for the unconventional. Slinging songs with substance, conviction and grit, heโs on a mission to tell his truth and he insists on being heard. While firmly rooted in the rich country and blues traditions of his home state of Texas, he refuses to pander to clichรฉ and his sound is anything but predictable. His lively performances swing from ballad to barn burner to outright rock โnโ roll, and his rich baritone conjures earnestness and humor while dealing head-on with all aspects of the human condition (and with a not-so-subtle nod to the downtrodden). An โoutlawโ for outlaws, Mike's music transcends the often narrow boundaries set by the mainstream country music establishment.
Saturday, 6:00 PM
Join the Winterlark trioโKristin Olson on bass, Sweeney Schragg on guitar, and Chris Haskett on drumsโwith their tight, jazzy harmonies and infectious rhythms at the new and improved Davenport Roadhouse on Saturday, August 1. This date is an update of a previous June date, which was unfortunately outdated.
When heโs not fronting local Santa Cruz band Wolf Jett, Chris stays true to his folk, soul and country blues roots. Born in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, his voice is smooth as Tennessee whiskey and his guitar pickinโ cuts from Chet Atkins to Keith Richards in no time. As versatile a musician as you will find, Chris is able to seamlessly intertwine classic and obscure covers with his seemingly timeless originals. He can play to any crowd under any circumstances, and heโs proven it time and time again, whether busking the streets of Europe, or touring the sweatiest clubs and hushed house parties across this good olโ USofA. He currently performs with a vintage hollowbody electric through a small tube combo amplifier, but heโs equally at home on acoustic. No gimmicks, no tricks, just straight vocals and guitar with a few stories in between. He has recently opened for Arcadian Wild, Brett Dennen, Coco Montoya and Waylon Payne and is a regular feature at the Saratoga Mountain Winery Garden Stage and Felton Music Hall. He frequently does covers by Paul Simon, Fleetwood Mac, Otis Redding, Van Morrison, Marvin Gaye, Bob Marley, and Neil Young, to name a few.
They may be Joe Russoโs Almost Dead, but their covers are breathing life into the Grateful Deadโs discography. Instead of note-for-note covers, the band delivers fresh improvisational reinterpretations of the legendary jam bandโs songs. Led by Joe Russo, drummer and longtime apprentice of the Grateful Dead, is an impeccable drummer and born leader. Flanked by his longtime collaborators, Marco Benevento, Dave Dreiwitz, Scott Metzger, and Tom Hamilton, thereโs an overflow of rock prowess in their performance. Delivering high energy, boundless creativity, and face-melting riffs, JRAD is for the rock fans and the music nerds alike. -Shelly Novo; Good Times Santa Cruz
As one of the most highly acclaimed performers of our time with five Grammyยฎ awards, four Billboard Music Awards, three platinum records, five gold records, and twelve million units sold, Sandi Patty is simply known as The Voice. Sandi is the most awarded female vocalist in contemporary Christian music history, with 40 Dove Awards. She was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2004 and as an Indiana Living Legend in 2007. She has released over 30 albums, including her latest Dove Award winning album, The Edge of the Divine (2010). She will release her latest album โEverlastingโ exclusively at Target Stores, through Somerset, Ltd., in September 2013. โEverlastingโ will feature notable hymns and songs of worship in an intimate and acoustic setting. Her debut full length symphonic pops album โBroadway Storiesโ, conducted by Maestro Jack Everly, was released on October 18, 2011 to rave reviews. Sandi was introduced to the world with her rendition of The Star Spangled Banner during the rededication of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. Virtually overnight she became one of the countryโs best-loved performers. Her version of the national anthem has become synonymous with patriotic celebration, including performances at โA Capitol Fourthโ with the National Symphony, the Indianapolis 500, the Dedication of Camp David Chapel, and ABCโs Fourth of July Special. While her thirty+ year career is heavily rooted in the gospel music industry, Sandi has had the opportunity in more recent years to extend her career outside the genre. Sandi has performed with symphonies across the country, including the New York Pops, Boston Pops, Cincinnati Pops, Dallas Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Houston Symphony, and Oklahoma City Philharmonic. She also headlined the title role in sold out performances of the musical โHello, Dolly!โ with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, co-starring Tony Award winner Gary Beach in January 2012. In addition to her prolific musical career, Sandi is also an
A story written by Capitolaโs very own, Joe Ortiz, comes to life at The SC Actors Theatre. Escaping Queens follows an immigrant family as they navigate the challenges of poverty and a fatherโs problems with gambling, alcohol, and women. This funny, edgy, ultimately hopeful musical paints a cast of colorful characters, from neighborhood bookies to a doo wop group to all the shades and personalities in a mixed Italian and Puerto Rican family. Based on Oritzโs own memoir, PastinaโMy Fatherโs Misfortune, My Motherโs Good Soup, the emotional turbulence of navigating an escape from New York is presented as a compelling and sophisticated story that asks if children are fated to repeat their parentsโ mistakes. -Shelly Novo; Good Times Santa Cruz
Conducted by Cristian Mฤcelaru Leilehua Lanzilotti: of light and stone (West Coast premiere) James Lee III: Shades of Unbroken Dreams (Alexandra Dariescu, Piano) (West Coast premiere) Sarah Hennies: The Grain House (Festival Creative Lab Commission & world premiere) Centering voices of resistance and cultural continuity, this program explores the act of dreaming as a form of defiance. Leilehua Lanzilottiโs of light and stone (West Coast premiere) draws on the legacy of Nฤ Lani สปEhฤโthe โHeavenly Fourโ of Hawaiian royaltyโto honor Indigenous Hawaiian identity, gathering, and the enduring power of cultural lineage. James Lee IIIโs Shades of Unbroken Dreams (West Coast premiere), featuring pianist Alexandra Dariescu, channels the cadence and moral force of Martin Luther King Jr.โs โI Have a Dreamโ speech, reflecting on justice, equality, and perseverance. Sarah Henniesโs Festival Creative Lab Commission (world premiere) will use the large-scale forces of the orchestra to evoke the complexities of human brain activity, drawing on psychological and musical studies related to existence, identity, and memory. The Creative Lab, now in its third year, empowers composers to reimagine the orchestral experience with wide curatorial latitude.
If Idaho is known for two things, itโs potatoes and Eilen Jewell. Over her almost three-decade career Jewell has made a name for herself as a musician with the blues in her soul and rock โnโ roll heart expressed through the vocal chords of true Americana. That is to say her songs range from folk, gospel, country, rockabilly and everything in between. So much so that The Washington Post described Jewell as if Billie Holiday, Neko Case and Madeleine Peyroux had a baby that was raised to front a rockabilly band. Itโs a melting pot of sound and, truly, it doesnโt get much more American than that. -Mat Weir; Good Times Santa Cruz
Sean and the Skinwalkers is a blues rock trio from Monterey County California. Just as comfortable playing traditional blues as they are tearing through a psychedelic rock song, the common thread is always the blues and the intensity that they bring to every performance. No two performances are ever the same as everything is raw and changes on the fly, with improvised wild guitar solos that often take place in the audience. Sometimes compared to the legends of the 70s blues rock scene, Sean and the Skinwalkers does cover a wide range of music in addition to playing originals. You'll hear covers and inspiration from artists like Led Zeppelin, Rory Gallagher, Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter, Free, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, Black Sabbath, David Bowie, Marcus King, Stray Cats, Jeff Healey, Tab Benoit and more, but always with the Skinwalker's unique flavor. Keep your camera ready as you never know what to expect, Sean is likely to jump into the audience and use your beer bottle to play slide guitar or ask you to hit the strings while he frets notes for a solo and has a conversation with you about your day. Nobody ever forgets a Sean and the Skinwalkers performance! Original music on every streaming platform, with a new album releasing soon! Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wolfmanblues/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6AQRQZEOJxIlim78Gi7HIt?si=9htrXeE1RXG2cVjmWyFnbQ Youtube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa2wGtmVpbPZNtThEKxERS_PTsXxzYZIK
The Cabrillo Theater is preparing for a dazzling production of Sister Act. This uplifting story follows Deloris, a bold and loving nightclub singer, as she is sent to a convent for her own protection. While there, Deloris teaches the nuns to sing with passion and joy. The nuns and Deloris learn how to step into their own power. Promising mischief and friendship, the fun never stops during Sister Act. The audience will glow with laughter throughout the comedic production. The infectious and high-energy songs will light up attendees long after the curtain falls. Goes until August 2nd. -Isabella Marie Sangaline
2398 more events further out
Hosting something rad?
If it's happening in person anywhere in Santa Cruz County, whether it's a show, a market, a paddle-out, or a gallery night, we want it on the calendar. Submissions are free and reviewed by our editors.
Submit your event โ