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

“60 Years of California Art,” a Phoenix & Arabeth retrospective exhibit of drawings, paintings and collages at the Freedom Art Barn in Freedom (Watsonville). The show runs Friday to Sunday, September 25-27th, 3-8 PM. There will be selected images in various media on display, from a vast body of work created continuously between 1967 and 2026, all at the new arts venue located at 371 Calabasas Road in south county.. “Phoenix & Arabeth” is the pen/brush name of Phoenix Dr Now. Phoenix has been working full time in California arts since 1967. Listed in Who's Who in America, Phoenix is primarily known for intricate ink drawings and colorful paintings published in books and calendars under his nome de plume, but he has produced a much wider range of art and design works in various media, as this exhibit beautifully demonstrates.

Salsa By The Sea is a free, weekly outdoor salsa dancing event held near the wharf on Beach Street, at the Ideal Bar patio. The event runs all year long (except when it rains). Some weekends are Bachata by the Sea, with more bachata music played than salsa.

There’s a thin line between love and hate and sometimes, it’s the barrier between balconies. That’s the premise of Noel Coward’s Private Lives. Two divorced lovers find themselves spending their new honeymoons next door to one another at the same hotel. Both are egotistical, passionate, and selfish, so how are they going to manage to live next to each other at a hotel? Better yet, how are they going to live without each other? This laugh-out-loud comedy is rich, witty and as sharp as Cupid’s arrow. See the play on Friday, September 4th for a matinee preview or check out one of the multiple showings through October 4th. -Mat Weir; Good Times Santa Cruz

Come join a community of readers who meet the 4th Monday of each month to hear poetry and discuss its curious powers. Come join a community of readers who meet the 4th Monday of each month to hear poetry and discuss its curious powers. Discussions facilitated by Paola Bruni, Elaine Fletcher Chapman, and Jessica Cohn. Registration encouraged. Walk-ins welcome. https://santacruzpl.libnet.info/event/14321587 Poets in 2026 January 26 Joy Harjo February 23 Billy Collins March 23 Eavan Boland April 27 Arthur Sze May 18 * Emily Dickinson June 22 Gary Snyder July 27 Dean Young August 24 Lucille Clifton September 28 Sharon Olds October 26 Juan Felipe Herrera November 23 Ada Limon December 28 Jericho Brown *Note: Third Monday in May because of Memorial Day

Monday, September 28th, The Spoken Experience meets at a new time: 1 p.m. This community of readers gathers on the fourth Monday in the Capitola library to read a featured poet’s work. For September, the focus will be on the poems of the incomparable Sharon Olds. Local poets Paola Bruni, Elaine Fletcher Chapman, and Jessica Cohn facilitate the conversation, and you'll enjoy the company of the nicest bunch of people you could meet on any Monday. Join us!

This is Motion Pacific's Beginning Jazz Fusion class for adult dancers.

0 booked, 6 available Chris Finnie

A weekly Afro-Brazilian dance class focusing on rhythm and movement.

2 Mondays of Latin Social Dance in September, Salsa, level1 and Cha Cha level 2, at the Mid County Social Center in Capitola with Becky Adams. 6:15-7:15 - Salsa social dance for the absolute beginner. If you love the music, come join us to learn the basics of this fun dance. 7:30-8:30 - ChaCha 2, will move you into fun, useable Intermediate combinations to add to your social dance repertoire. If you know Cha Cha basics, or have taken Salsa 2 and know the 'triple step' come and join us. Singles or couples all ages welcome.

This is Motion Pacific's intermediate level contemporary jazz dance class.

FREE IN-STORE EVENT: Bookshop Santa Cruz welcomes New York Times bestselling author Joseph Fink (Welcome to Night Vale, Alice Isn't Dead) for a reading and signing of The Nudge, a new horror novell...

Soft Pastel Painting runs in six week intervals taught by instructor Sarah Orre. A short demo will be taught the first class meeting with reference photos that will teach color theory, underpainting, texture, layering, and movement. Students are encouraged to bring additional reference photos for inspiration. Participants bring their own soft pastels (not oils), and sanded paper. The remainder of the class meetings are used for studio time. The last day we have a group peer review to discuss our work and give and receive feedback.

0 booked, 4 available Glazing

Youth Bloom Studio Art with Sarah Orre, nurtures creativity, confidence, and curiosity through hands-on learning. Each class encourages young artists to explore new materials, techniques, and ideas while building foundational art skills in a supportive studio environment. From painting and drawing to air dry clay and mixed media, students learn to see like artists and express their own unique voice. Enroll in as many sessions as you like!

A weekly hula and Tahitian dance class with the Te Hau Nui school, exploring Polynesian movement and tradition.

Advanced hula and Tahitian dance class for experienced dancers. Part of Te Hau Nui School's curriculum.

Beginning adult ceramics with instructor Nora Sarkissian. Learn the basics of hand building, pinch, and coil. Nora will provide demos and projects as well as time for independent clay creation. Class is held at Redwood and Ranunculus downtown Felton. Tuesdays, 6-8:30 PM $234 for 6 weeks (7% service fee due at checkout) plus a $20 material fee due to instructor at first class Clay, glazes, and tools provided. Session I: August 18, 25, Sept 1, 8, 15, 22 Session II: Sept 29, October 6, 13, 20, 27, Nov 3

0 booked, 7 available

Aldous Harding comes to Santa Cruz for a special performance at Rio Theatre.

Busy

A free weekly dance jam for babies and their caregivers at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz, with movement, music, and play in a joyful environment.

A 12 week series on Wednesdays from 10:30AM-12PM that introduces foundational digital literacy concepts and teaches useful digital skills. August 19: What is a VPN and Do You Need One? August 26: Smartwatches Made Simple September 2: AI Powered Art September 9: Music Streaming Made Simple September 16: Podcasts Made Easy: Listen to Your Favorite Topics Anytime September 23: Your Story, Your Legacy: Preserving Memories with Spoken Records September 30: Tech Settings That Help With Accessibility October 7: Using Emergency Features on Your Phone October 14: Intro to Facebook October 21: Intro to Instagram Registration required. Must register for each class individually. https://santacruzpl.libnet.info/events?term=cyber+seniors&d=2026-07-30&r=range&start=2026-08-01&end=2026-11-01 Come join Dara Brady, a local instructor with the digital literacy organization Cyber-Seniors, for a weekly digital literacy course! Each class includes a lesson on the topics below, Q&A time, and one-on-one tech support. Participants are encouraged to bring a notebook, pen/pencil, and whatever tech device they want to learn on: (a laptop, tablet, and/or smart phone) and the charger for that device. If they don't have a device, they can still participate and Dara can get them one to use for the class. All classes run on Wednesday mornings from 10:30AM to 12PM in the Fireside Room except for the first and last sessions, which will take place in Study Room A.

A regular tango class in Downtown Santa Cruz, offering a way to learn Latin dance in a social, cultural setting.

Join Nurture Santa Cruz & Points for Wellness for an evening of supportive conversations about endometriosis and the challenges of it.