Filter by category, date, or area. Everything listed is in person, county-wide.
📍 Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
🕒 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM · See listing
Take a guided tour of the MAH by one of our staff members! At the MAH, our tours don't just take you through art and history. They immerse you in it and connect you to Santa Cruz and beyond. If you're ready to dive into a new perspective, join us every Friday for an informative private tour free with admission. Art experts, historians, and educators are here to help. Plus, stick around to meet new people or check out our new gift shop. If you are an educator and interested in booking a tour for your class or group, browse our educational field trips here.
📍 Santa Cruz Public Libraries
🕒 2:00 PM · See listing
Friday, July 31 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm Sharpen your word skills and enjoy friendly competition at our Scrabble Club - fun for all levels.
📍 Peck Street and Union StreetWatsonville
🕒 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM · See listing
Event date: July 31, 2026 Event Time: 02:00 PM - 09:00 PM Location: Peck Street and Union Street Watsonville, CA 95077
📍 Downtown Watsonville
🕒 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM · See listing
The Watsonville Farmers Market is every Friday afternoon from 2-7 all year round at the City Plaza in Downtown Watsonville. Don’t miss out on the wonderful locally grown fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers. Bring your appetite as there are tons of delicious prepared foods to try.
📍 Santa Cruz Public Libraries
🕒 4:00 PM · See listing
Friday, July 31 2026 3:00pm - 4:30pm S.T.E.A.M Projects. Explore Your World
📍 Sacred Owl Land
🕒 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM · $800
Sacred Return Retreat offers a trauma-informed container for ceremony, breathwork, yoga, sound healing, and deep inner work. Facilitated in collaboration with Dr. Leta Jussila and Dallas McKenzie at Sacred Owl Land, this immersive retreat supports healing, transformation, and personal growth through intentional preparation, ceremony, and integration.
📍 Santa Cruz Public Libraries
🕒 4:30 PM · See listing
Friday, July 31 2026 3:30pm - 4:30pm Use your imagination and build anything you can dream! Lego and Duplo blocks will be available for children and youth to tinker with, build, explore, and creatively play! No registration necessary.
📍 Scotts Valley Skypark
🕒 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM · See listing
Squeeze in a little more summer before the back-to-school rush at Food Truck Friday! Join us for a great evening outside with dinner, live music by Identity Problem, and Brenda’s Face Painting for the kids. Our food lineup includes Rollin Snack Shack, Taquizas Gabriel, Italia Fire, Pana, Kuki’s, Scrumptious, and Cracked Cookies. Make sure to stop by the SVEF Beer and Wine Garden featuring Laughing Monk beer—every drink purchased goes directly to supporting our local classrooms. A big thanks to Mari Rossi for sponsoring the event and helping make this community celebration possible. Bring your lawn chairs or a picnic blanket and come enjoy the evening. Parking fills up quickly, so walking, biking, or using nearby public parking is highly recommended.
📍 SubRosa Community Space, 703 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
🕒 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM · See listing
Happydays Show Alex Bottomlining
📍 Skypark
🕒 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM · See listing
Head to Skypark in Scotts Valley for the area’s largest food truck festival! Lots of excitement, more food vendors, the fabulous SVEF Beer & Wine Garden, amazing Live Music and face painting! Music Lineup: • April 24 (Starts 4:30 PM) — Music by Shady Rest Band • May 29 — Music by The Swag Tones • June 26 — Music by Fire Peach • July 31 — Music by Identity Problem • August 28 — Music by Cringe • September 25 (Starts 4:30 PM) — Music by Paperback Ryders • October 30 (Starts 4:30 PM) — Music by Dadbeats
📍 R. Blitzer Gallery
🕒 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM · FREE
Renown graphic artist Jim Phillips will present his first-ever one-man solo show of new artworks. The exclusive show represents first time ever the celebrated artist has shown his work at a solo exhibit in his hometown. Jim's graphics and surf and skate-themed artworks are a global cultural phenomenon, with millions of fans drawn to the Santa Cruz Red Dot and Screamong Hand, which he created in 1985. Jim's legacy has seen the prolific creating iconic surf and skate graphics, advertising, rock posters and drawings and paintings for a global clientele.
📍 Watsonville
🕒 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM · See listing
Kickoff of the Watsonville Strawberry Festival on Main Street, featuring the start of a weekend celebrating the region's berry harvest.
📍 Midtown Block Party Lot
🕒 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM · FREE
Go Celebrate all the vibrancy of Midtown at the Summer Block Party, happening every Friday! Food – Artists – Live Music – Vendors The summer series of free events will feature the talents of 30+ local bands. In addition to live music, event goers will enjoy a selection of local eats as well as the opportunity to check out the work of local artists and vendors. Midtown Fridays starts May 29 to August 28.
📍 Santa Cruz
🕒 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM · FREE
Free summer block party in Midtown Santa Cruz featuring live music, food trucks, local artists, makers, and family fun.
📍 All About Theatre
🕒 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM · $595
A theater production of the musical Dear Evan Hansen.
📍 Park Hall Community Center
🕒 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM · $15
RSVP for Friday, July 31, 2026, 5:30 - 8 PM (Doors Open 5 PM) "Desperado: The Real Story" Tales of Rough Frontier Justice Film Written & Directed by Scott Deal Park Hall Community Center 9400 Mill Street, Ben Lomond, CA 95005 "Desperado: The Real Story" film shows crimes and cities where they happened. Mountain Community Theater actors and locals play Outlaws Black Bart, Juan Soto and Lewis Dreibelbis for their resemblance to historic villains, victims and lawmen. $20 General, $15 Senior & Youth ORDER TICKETS: [email protected] zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/desperado-the-real-story Website & QR Code: KSLV.tv *Concessions are available during the intermission. *Proceeds Benefit the Park Hall Sprinkler System. INVITE FRIENDS!
📍 Discretion Brewing
🕒 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM · See listing
5:30-7:30pm The Paperback Ryders are an acoustic harmony power-trio. Accurate harmonies from many notable bands.
📍 The Grove
🕒 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM · See listing
Enjoy a festive Summer Luau by the beach! Dress in your best Hawaiian attire and enjoy a tropical buffet, live music, hula dancers, and fun for all ages. Perfect for families, date nights, or just wrapping up a fun day the the Boardwalk!
📍 Madson Wine
🕒 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM · FREE
Rebecca Coupe Franks / Trumpet Nancy Heth / Vocals and Piano
📍 Santa Cruz Boardwalk
🕒 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM · See listing
Aloha, You’re Invited—Summer Luau by the Beach! Dress in your best Hawaiian attire and enjoy a tropical buffet, live music, hula dancers, and fun for all ages. Perfect for families, date nights, or those wrapping up their fun day at the Boardwalk! Schedule 6pm Doors Open 6pm-6:30pm Appetizers 6pm-7:30pm Live Music 6:30pm-7:30pm Tropical Buffet Station 7:30pm Hula Dancers $69.95 + tax - Adult $45.95 + tax - Child (2-8) Upgrade to Premium seating! $79.95 + tax - Adult Premium Seating $55.95 + tax - Child (2-8) Premium Seating Reserve your spot today: https://bit.ly/Boardwalk-Luaus-s Online reservations are available up to one week before the event or until sold out. - Adult beverages available for purchase. - Each attendee will also receive a colorful lei!
📍 Ohana Studios Santa Cruz
🕒 6:00 PM – 7:15 PM · $20
Pole Fitness 101 is more than just aerial training. Get movement training you’ll use for life! ✅Pole technique with dance & fitness modules ✅Functional conditioning ✅Mobility & flexibility training ✅High level Xpert Xpole certified (L1-L4) ✅FRC certified Mobility Specialist (FRCms) Drop in on one class or attend the fully programmed module for 7 weeks! Fridays 6 pm. www.ohanastudiosantacruz.com
📍 Woodhouse Blending & Brewing
🕒 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM · FREE
OUTERNATIONAL (((Global Bass Dance))) • FRIDAY JULY 31ST• • With Resident DJs SELECTA 7 & RUDI B • Reggae • Dancehall • Rub A Dub • Jungle • Dubstep • Remixes No Cover Donations Appreciated 6pm-10pm Woodhouse Brewing and Blending 119 Madrone St. Santa Cruz Sponsored by The Green Spot!! Sound Reinforcement by Zion Farms!!
📍 Stevenson Event Center
🕒 6:30 PM – 11:00 PM · $50
Join us for The Turveydrop Gala on July 31, 2026, as we celebrate the 46th Annual Dickens Universe Conference! Now open to the public, this enchanting evening invites community members to don their finest Victorian attire and enjoy a night of lively entertainment—including Victorian dance lessons, casino tables, a raffle, postprandial potations, and a live auction! Hosted by the Dickens Project, the Dickens Universe is a unique cultural event that brings together scholars, teachers, students, and members of the general public for a week of stimulating discussion and festive social activity on the beautiful Santa Cruz campus of the University of California—all focused on one or two Victorian novels, with this year’s novel being Charles Dickens’s Bleak House. The week-long conference culminates in The Turveydrop Gala—a festive celebration that brings together conference attendees and community members. Purchases from the evening’s activities will support the Dickens Project’s educational programs. Gala Details: 6:30 PM: Doors Open 7:00-8:00 PM: Live Auction Bid on Dickens-related items, including a first-edition of Bleak House by Charles Dickens 8:00 PM: Announcement of the 2027 Dickens Universe Novel Purchase a copy from local bookseller Liz Pollock of the Cook's Bookcase 8:15-11:00 PM: Victorian Ball and Gaming Dance to nineteenth-century music performed by the Great Expectations Orchestra, with dances led by dance instructor Annie Laskey (This event is 21+) Questions about The Turveydrop Gala? Email: [email protected].
📍 The Crepe Place
🕒 7:00 PM · See listing
A concert featuring Pete Sawyer and the Left Hand Monkey Wrench Gang, performing a set of rock and alternative music.
📍 Kuumbwa Jazz
🕒 7:00 PM · See listing
Maria Muldaur is known worldwide for her 1974 hit “Midnight at the Oasis” which received several GRAMMY nominations and critical acclaim. Muldaur has toured worldwide and has recorded forty-three solo albums, spanning American roots music, gospel, R&B, jazz, and big band. Mulduar has recorded and produced, on average, one album per year throughout her career. In 2019, The Americana Music Association awarded Muldaur ‘The Lifetime Achievement Americana Trailblazer Award’ for her lifelong work covering the depth and breadth of roots music. On this concert date, Muldaur’s Jazzabelle Quintet will be performing a special evening of jazz and blues. Maria Muldaur Website (Ticket Includes 5% City of Santa Cruz Admission Tax)
📍 Santa Cruz Actors' Theatre
🕒 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM · $16
A story written by Capitola’s 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 father’s 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 Oritz’s own memoir, Pastina—My Father’s Misfortune, My Mother’s 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 parents’ mistakes. -Shelly Novo; Good Times Santa Cruz
📍 Cabrillo College Crocker Theater
🕒 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM · $20
Cabrillo Stage is a musical theatre company dedicated to presenting high-caliber, large-scale musical productions to the area. They are committed to the creation of musicals with Broadway-level production values. In this way, they foster educational opportunities while giving audiences the highest-quality family entertainment. They aim to be a destination point for the best of live theatre. Sister Act hits the stage with the force of a disco ball struck by divine inspiration. Deloris, a bold and big-hearted nightclub singer, lands in a convent for her own protection and winds up transforming a tuneless choir into a soulful powerhouse. Her energy shakes the dust off every pew as she teaches the nuns to sing with joy, courage, and a little sparkling attitude. By the finale, the once-quiet convent is radiating harmony, friendship, and unstoppable fun. Sister Act delivers a burst of laughter, heart, and high-energy music that leaves the audience glowing long after the curtain falls. Click “More Event Dates” in orange above to see other showtimes, or follow the link in the orange button above to purchase tickets. Locals Love: Stunning, creative sets, talented live orchestras, and passionate performances, often at reasonable prices. First Timers Miss: The theater’s architecture beautifully complements the overall experience, designed for optimal viewing. Insights: Santa Cruz METRO bus lines 1, 2, 55, and 73 all service Cabrillo College, providing access to the campus and the Crocker Theater. If taking a car, parking in Lot L is free.
📍 Roaring Camp Railroads
🕒 8:00 PM – 10:30 PM · See listing
Fridays & Saturdays 8pm-10pm through October. Opening weekend July 10-11! Experience the magic once again as this beloved art and light installation returns to the Santa Cruz Mountains for its second year. Lighted lanterns hang high overhead surrounded by thousand year old redwoods that are uplit to create a unique and awe-inspiring retreat back to nature.
📍 Santa Cruz Veteran's Hall
🕒 8:00 PM – 10:30 PM · $15
A young, wholesome, and seemingly normal couple, Brad and Jan, set out to visit their old professor, but their plans change when a large storm causes their car to go flat. Desperate to get out of the rain, they find an old castle that is home to Dr. Frank-N-Furter. From there, the night only becomes weirder. That night will be one they and the audience will not forget. This cult classic continues to entertain crowds, and this run is no different. Audience members can purchase interactive goodie bags with their tickets and participate in a costume contest. Goes until August 22.
📍 Audrey Stanley Grove in DeLaveaga Park
🕒 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM · $25
Santa Cruz Shakespeare invites you to experience Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, un-der the trees and stars of the Audrey Stanley Grove in Santa Cruz’s DeLaveaga Park this summer. Much Ado About Nothing By William Shakespeare Directed by Charles Pasternak One of Shakespeare’s wittiest and most beloved comedies, the 2026 season will open with Shakespeare’s 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 – 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.
