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Showing 30 of 126 upcoming events Β· Art & Culture Β· from 2026-08-02 Β· to 2026-08-09
π Chaminade Resort and Spa
π 10:00 AM β 12:00 PM Β· $35
Reconnect with creativity, curiosity, and the natural world through guided Nature Journaling and watercolor exploration beneath the redwoods. This mindful outdoor experience blends observation, sketching, watercolor, reflection, and sensory awareness to help reduce stress, inspire creativity, improve focus, and deepen your connection with nature. No art experience needed β just a willingness to slow down, notice, and explore the beauty of Santa Cruz through creative expression and mindfulness in nature.
π Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center
π 10:00 AM β 2:00 PM Β· See listing
0 booked, 4 available Glazing
π Market Street Senior Center, 222 Market Street, 95060
π 11:00 AM β 2:00 PM Β· See listing
βSCRIPT, PLEASE!β Calling all you thespians out there! Come audition for a part in our upcoming short play staged readings. Six short plays, written by two local playwrights, will be performed with script-in-hand using costumes and props. Auditions will be held on Sunday, August 2nd at The Market Street Theater and Senior Center, 222 Market Street, Santa Cruz from 11a.m. to 2p.m. No need to prepare. We will have parts for you to read! Rehearsals will be held at the convenience of individual cast members. Dress rehearsals will be held on two Thursdays, September 10th and 17th, and performances will be held on Saturday, September 19th and Sunday, September 20th at The Market Street Theater and Senior Center. For any questions or synopses of plays, contact: Sally Bookman @ (831) 818-9959 or [email protected].
π Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
π 11:00 AM β 5:00 PM Β· $423.34
Dive into crafting killer screen stories & boost your writing skills with fellow creatives at our educational, hands- intensive 3 day class!
π Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center
π 12:00 PM β 2:00 PM Β· See listing
Exhibition titled 'Connections' at the Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center.
π Institute of the Arts and Sciences
π 12:00 PM β 5:00 PM Β· See listing
Visit the IAS, UCSCβs premier art galleries, for our spring exhibitions. On view April 10βAugust 16, 2026 are three diverse and interdisciplinary shows: Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right , the first US solo exhibition by the Colombia-based artist and medical doctor; Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj , a site-specific and immersive exploration of the Haitian kreyol conception of rasanblaj; and Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies , a mixed-media exhibition emerging at the intersections of Black poetics, performance, and visual art. The IAS Galleries are open Wednesday-Sunday, 12 pm β 5 pm. Admission is free to the public. Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right Libia Posadaβs first solo exhibition in the United States features installations, sculptures, and drawings meticulously constructed from surgical instruments, gauze bandages, crutches, used books, and domestic picture frames. The new and existing works in the exhibition powerfully stitch together the personal, social, and political disorders and afflictions that currently trouble the world, from the wars that resonate across the globe to the violences of aging in US prisons. Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj: Origins & Disentanglements The internationally-lauded work of humanities professor Gina Athena Ulysse is on view as a premier Faculty Spotlight Exhibition. The site-specific installation, produced in community from things collected, found, purchased and donated, centers on the Haitian concept of rasanblaj, a form of assembly and collage that transcends the formal use of materials to draw together people, spirits, and ideas. Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies Collage is both a material practice and a structural interrogation in the Faculty Spotlight Exhibition artworks by literature professor Ronaldo V. Wilson. In video, painting, and installation, layers and folds conceal and reveal, delving into the experience, both bodily and emotive, of living in time
π Downtown Branch Library
π 1:00 PM β 5:00 PM Β· See listing
Come join the magical world of D&D storytelling, where you can be a bard, a wizard, or a barbarian for a few hours and let your creativity run free. Solve weird and wonderful problems with spells, cunning, or daggers and make some new friends in the process. Whether you're a complete beginner or a seasoned player you will be welcomed every 1st Sunday for an afternoon of collaborative storytelling at the Downtown Branch. Friendly game masters will be ready with dice, characters, and the start of a story; all we need is your creativity and enthusiasm. No prior experience is necessary. This program is for adults 18+. This program also happens on 3rd Saturdays at the Capitola Branch from 12-5. What is Dungeons and Dragons? D&D is one of many tabletop roleplaying games, in which players create and control fictional characters within a shared imaginary world. A Game Master guides the story and sets the scene, while the players make decisions for their characters, rolling dice to determine outcomes. TTRPGs encourage creativity, teamwork, and storytelling as players collaborate to overcome challenges and complete quests. Modern D&D has veered away from the combat-heavy game it used to be. While it's still possible to spend hours attacking monsters and finding loot, many groups now tell stories of mystery, intrigue, horror, or whimsy. Who are the game masters? This event is organized by Jeltje van Baren ( [email protected] ), who learned to play a few years ago and has been creating games for new players ever since. She will be assisted by a rotating group of diverse GMs from the local TTRPG community, all of whom are used to patiently explaining the rules and keeping the game fun for everyone.
π Nicholson Vineyards
π 1:00 PM β 4:00 PM Β· $25
Enjoy summer weekend afternoons at the beautiful Nicholson Vineyards! Saturdays from noon to 5pm β Enjoy perusing art from local artists Sundays from 1pm to 4pm β 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!
π Cabrillo Crocker Theater
π 2:00 PM β 4:30 PM Β· $25
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
π The Audrey Stanley Grove in DeLaveaga Park
π 2:00 PM Β· See listing
Something wicked this way comes, indeed. Starting this weekend and running through August 30th, Santa Cruz Shakespeare presents one of The Bardβs most infamous plays, Macbeth. Coincidentally the playβs first ever performance is believed to have been in 1606 marking this as the 420th anniversary, which is very Santa Cruz. And for anyone familiar with Macbeth, itβs easy to see why itβs lasted throughout the ages. Witches, murder, moral failings and tons of tragedy are beautifully sewn throughout the acts, stitched together with lines such as βBlood will have blood,β and βthe wine of life is drawn.β -Mat Weir; Good Times Santa Cruz
π Santa Cruz Actors' Theatre
π 2:00 PM β 5:00 PM Β· $16
A story written by Capitolaβs 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 fatherβs 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 Oritzβs own memoir, PastinaβMy Fatherβs Misfortune, My Motherβs 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 parentsβ mistakes. -Shelly Novo; Good Times Santa Cruz
π London Nelson Community Center
π 3:00 PM β 4:30 PM Β· FREE
WRECKAGE: A Musical Tragicomedy by San Francisco Mime Troupe London Nelson Community Center β 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 Ticket Info: FREE ($20 suggested donation)
π Audrey Stanley Grove in DeLaveaga Park
π 7:00 PM β 10:00 PM Β· $25
Santa Cruz Shakespeare invites you to experience August Wilsonβs Fences, under the trees and stars of the Audrey Stanley Grove in Santa Cruzβs DeLaveaga Park this summer. Fences By August Wilson Directed by Susan Dalian August Wilson joins the Santa Cruz Shakespeare stage for the first time in 45 years. Fences is the perfect offering, wonderfully in line with the Santa Cruz Shakespeare seasonβs theme: Till Death Do Us Part. Troy Maxson is one of Wilsonβs great creations; Shakespearean in scope; a wordsmith and brilliant storyteller. He has survived the terrible trauma of his past and built himself a good life. But the backbone of that life, the spine that keeps it standing strong, is his wife Rose. Like all of Wilsonβs best work, Fences is both mythic and intimate; the questions it asks both human and eternal. Fences runs July 28 β August 28. Tickets available for purchase starting May 1. More information through the link in the orange button above. Seasonal box office hours beginning May 1 are Tuesday through Friday from 12p.m. to 4p.m. Call the number above.
π Motion Pacific at The 418 Project
π 5:30 PM β 6:30 PM Β· See listing
This is Motion Pacific's Beginning Jazz Fusion class for adult dancers.
π The 418 Project
π 6:00 PM β 7:30 PM Β· See listing
A weekly Afro-Brazilian dance class focusing on rhythm and movement.
π Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center
π 6:00 PM β 9:00 PM Β· See listing
1 booked, 15 available Sarah Orre
π The 418 Project
π 8:00 PM β 10:00 PM Β· See listing
Contact Improv dance session at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz, offered weekly on Mondays.
π Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center
π 12:00 PM β 4:00 PM Β· See listing
0 booked, 4 available Glazing
π The 418 Project
π 4:00 PM β 5:00 PM Β· See listing
Weekly kids' classes in traditional hula and Tahitian dance, led by Te Hau Nui School at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz.
π The 418 Project
π 5:00 PM β 6:00 PM Β· See listing
A class for learning Hula and Tahitian dance, exploring the culture and traditions of Hawaiian and Polynesian performance.
π Audrey Stanley Grove in DeLaveaga Park
π 7:00 PM β 10:00 PM Β· $25
Santa Cruz Shakespeare invites you to experience August Wilsonβs Fences, under the trees and stars of the Audrey Stanley Grove in Santa Cruzβs DeLaveaga Park this summer. Fences By August Wilson Directed by Susan Dalian August Wilson joins the Santa Cruz Shakespeare stage for the first time in 45 years. Fences is the perfect offering, wonderfully in line with the Santa Cruz Shakespeare seasonβs theme: Till Death Do Us Part. Troy Maxson is one of Wilsonβs great creations; Shakespearean in scope; a wordsmith and brilliant storyteller. He has survived the terrible trauma of his past and built himself a good life. But the backbone of that life, the spine that keeps it standing strong, is his wife Rose. Like all of Wilsonβs best work, Fences is both mythic and intimate; the questions it asks both human and eternal. Fences runs July 28 β August 28. Tickets available for purchase starting May 1. More information through the link in the orange button above. Seasonal box office hours beginning May 1 are Tuesday through Friday from 12p.m. to 4p.m. Call the number above.
π Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center
π 7:00 PM β 9:15 PM Β· See listing
0 booked, 7 available
π The 418 Project
π 10:00 AM β 12:00 PM Β· See listing
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.
π Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center
π 10:00 AM β 12:30 PM Β· See listing
4 booked, 10 available Noelle Lightbourne
π Institute of the Arts and Sciences
π 12:00 PM β 5:00 PM Β· See listing
Visit the IAS, UCSCβs premier art galleries, for our spring exhibitions. On view April 10βAugust 16, 2026 are three diverse and interdisciplinary shows: Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right , the first US solo exhibition by the Colombia-based artist and medical doctor; Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj , a site-specific and immersive exploration of the Haitian kreyol conception of rasanblaj; and Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies , a mixed-media exhibition emerging at the intersections of Black poetics, performance, and visual art. The IAS Galleries are open Wednesday-Sunday, 12 pm β 5 pm. Admission is free to the public. Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right Libia Posadaβs first solo exhibition in the United States features installations, sculptures, and drawings meticulously constructed from surgical instruments, gauze bandages, crutches, used books, and domestic picture frames. The new and existing works in the exhibition powerfully stitch together the personal, social, and political disorders and afflictions that currently trouble the world, from the wars that resonate across the globe to the violences of aging in US prisons. Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj: Origins & Disentanglements The internationally-lauded work of humanities professor Gina Athena Ulysse is on view as a premier Faculty Spotlight Exhibition. The site-specific installation, produced in community from things collected, found, purchased and donated, centers on the Haitian concept of rasanblaj, a form of assembly and collage that transcends the formal use of materials to draw together people, spirits, and ideas. Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies Collage is both a material practice and a structural interrogation in the Faculty Spotlight Exhibition artworks by literature professor Ronaldo V. Wilson. In video, painting, and installation, layers and folds conceal and reveal, delving into the experience, both bodily and emotive, of living in time
π Audrey Stanley Grove in DeLaveaga Park
π 12:00 PM β 3:00 PM Β· $25
Santa Cruz Shakespeare invites you to experience Shakespeareβs Much Ado About Nothing, un-der the trees and stars of the Audrey Stanley Grove in Santa Cruzβs DeLaveaga Park this summer. Much Ado About Nothing By William Shakespeare Directed by Charles Pasternak One of Shakespeareβs wittiest and most beloved comedies, the 2026 season will open with Shakespeareβs 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 β 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.
π The 418 Project
π 5:30 PM β 6:30 PM Β· See listing
A weekly beginning hip hop house dance class. Participants will learn foundational movements, rhythms, and combinations in a structured, studio setting.
π NOAA's Sanctuary Exploration Center
π 5:30 PM β 8:00 PM Β· FREE
The Sanctuary Exploration Center is excited to announce "She to Shining Sea," a new photography exhibition featuring several local artists. Their work captures the beauty of Monterey Bay from a different perspective, and will leave guests feeling inspired by the natural beauty and amazing talent present in the Monterey Bay. Join us on Wednesday, August 5, from 5:30β8 p.m. at the Sanctuary Exploration Center in Santa Cruz for the opening reception: an evening immersed in the beauty of our sanctuary, exploring life as a wildlife photographer with the artists. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for seating and a panel featuring the exhibition photographers starts at 6:00 p.m. Admission is free, open to all ages, and no registration is required. Light refreshments will be served. The exhibition will be on display at the Sanctuary Exploration Center from August 5 - September 27, viewable during public hours, Wednesday-Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
π The 418 Project
π 5:30 PM β 6:30 PM Β· See listing
A regular tango class in Downtown Santa Cruz, offering a way to learn Latin dance in a social, cultural setting.
π Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center
π 6:00 PM β 8:30 PM Β· See listing
0 booked, 6 available Chris Finnie