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

Dig deeply into this season’s Shakespeare productions with a special weekend of lectures, discussions and hands-on activities. In partnership with UCSC’s Shakespeare Workshop and The Humanities Institute, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about each play during the day and then enjoy the production that same evening. This year, Weekend with Shakespeare will be held at the Audrey Stanley Grove in DeLaveaga Park on August 8th (Much Ado About Nothing) and August 9th (Macbeth). Admission is free to all, but seating is limited. Please register below to reserve your seats. Schedule for Weekend with Shakespeare Saturday, 8/8 – Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare 11:00 a.m. – Welcome (Sean Keilen, UCSC) 11:15 a.m. – Actor Panel (Charles Pasternak and members of the company, SCS) 12:15 p.m. – Boxed lunch (courtesy of Shakespeare Workshop) 1:00 p.m. – Visiting Scholar (Eli Simon, UC Irvine) 2:00 – End of program Sunday, 8/9 – Macbeth by William Shakespeare 1:00 a.m. – Welcome (Sean Keilen, UCSC) 11:15 a.m. – Actor Panel (Charles Pasternak and members of the company, SCS) 12:15 p.m. – Boxed lunch (courtesy of Shakespeare Workshop) 1:00 p.m. – Visiting Scholar (Eli Simon, UC Irvine) 2:00 – End of program Sean Keilen is Professor of Literature and UC Santa Cruz, the founder of Shakespeare Workshop, and Head of Dramaturgy at Santa Cruz Shakespeare. Charles Pasternak is Artistic Director at Santa Cruz Shakespeare, before which served as Artistic Director of The Porters of Hellsgate Theatre Co in Los Angeles for over fifteen years. He has had a wide-ranging career as an actor and director at theatres across this country including American Players Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles, three seasons with The Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis and four with Shakespeare Santa Cruz. Eli Simon is a Chancellor’s Professor of Drama at UC Irvine, where he has served as chair and head of actin

This is a mixed-level ballet class for adult ballet dancers with Elizebeth Randall Rains.

Writing Circle: Open to the writer in each of us, this group allows for creative exploration in a supportive space right where you are. Each session is a surprise. Your creations are prompted by writing activities and the stories of your life—bring your notebook and invite your muse. Meets the 2nd Saturday of every month, 10 am to 12 noon at WomenCARE’s Soquel office.

0 booked, 4 available Glazing

In this two-part short story workshop, writers will explore how to shape a story from an initial idea into a more focused, compelling draft. Register here: https://santacruzpl.libnet.info/event/16763798 We’ll look at what makes a story feel alive on the page, with an emphasis on helping each writer better understand what their story is really about. Participants will have the opportunity to share their work, receive constructive feedback, and discuss practical strategies for strengthening a draft. The workshop is designed to be supportive, thoughtful, and generative, whether you are starting a new story, revising an existing one, or trying to figure out where a piece wants to go next. Writers of all experience levels are welcome. The goal is not to leave with a perfect story, but to leave with a clearer sense of direction, stronger tools for revision, and renewed confidence in the work. Devin Shoop is an MFA candidate and a published author. Photo credit: Aaron Burden.

Confluence: where separate currents meet. The exhibition brings together two distinct practices, each shaped by its own materials, process, and point of view - meeting at a single point within the gallery. Carter's work begins from a place of not knowing, letting intuition guide the encounter between material and chance. Arias describes her work as primitive contemporary, presenting her sculptures as if they belonged in a history museum - objects that carry the weight and presence of relics. Together, their work forms a quiet conversation about what separate paths can become when they meet. "Susana and Glenn each bring such a deeply distinctive artistic voice to their work," said Rose Sellery, exhibition curator. "Confluence explores the fertile ground where two creative currents meet. Their work remains unmistakably their own, yet in conversation with one another it reveals new layers of meaning, beauty and possibility." Confluence is shown alongside work from more than 25 local and regional artists whose work the gallery is proud to represent, reflecting M.K. Contemporary's ongoing commitment to the Santa Cruz arts community. The exhibition opens with a First Friday reception on August 7, featuring live improvisational jazz from The Leftovers. The public is invited to attend.

Please join us to hear Victor Kimura of Watsonville share about his family's experiences in Hiroshima and Japanese internment camps, followed by a short film, paper crane folding, and a ceremony marking the U.S. bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We'll meet at 1 PM at RCNV for a screening of Collateral Damage, a 35-minute documentary created by RCNV staff and volunteers about construction of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial located near the Santa Cruz Clock Tower. After the screening we’ll fold paper cranes and march to the memorial to lay the cranes around it. Victor Kimura will be joining us to share stories about his family who were in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb dropped. His mother and father, born in Watsonville and Petaluma, respectively, were imprisoned in Arizona’s Poston Camp during World War II. Victor was 6 months old when his family moved back to Freedom in 1945.

Barb Bartels began studying fashion design at Parsons School of Design in New York at eighteen, where she developed her skills in garment design, fashion illustration, and pattern making during a transformative era in American fashion. There she received critiques and mentorship from pioneering designer Claire McCardell, whose innovative approach emphasized comfort, movement, simplicity, and clothing designed for the realities of women’s lives. The watercolor sketches featured in Quiet Revolution were created during Barb’s years at Parsons and reflect the influence of that remarkable period. Their graceful lines and expressive silhouettes capture a moment when American fashion embraced elegance through simplicity and ease. After completing her second year at Parsons, Barb chose to marry and raise a family before returning to the fashion industry in the 1970s. She designed and created patterns for Esprit and Gunne Sax before building a successful freelance career in design and pattern making in Los Angeles. These sketches represent both the beginning of Barb’s creative journey and a pivotal moment in fashion history. They reflect the spirit of a quiet revolution—one that reimagined how women dressed with grace, comfort, confidence, and freedom—and stand as a lasting record of her artistic vision and lifelong love of design.

A screening of the film "Elvira Notari: Beyond Silence" at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz. A documentary exploring the life of a pioneering filmmaker.

🤠 Grab your boots and join us for a night of line dancing! 💃🕺 The Ben Lomond Village Alliance invites you to an evening of music, dancing, and community at Park Hall on Saturday, August 8! Whether you're a seasoned dancer or have never tried line dancing before, Wendy's Mountain Line Dance will guide you through the steps. All ages and experience levels are welcome! 📅 Saturday, August 8 🚪 Doors open: 6:30 PM 🎶 Dancing: 7:00–8:30 PM 📍 Park Hall, Ben Lomond 🎟️ $10 (tickets available online and at the door) Beer, wine, soft drinks, and snacks will be available by donation. Bring your friends, meet your neighbors, and enjoy a fun summer evening together. We can't wait to see you on the dance floor! For tickets and more information, visit BenLomondVillage.org.

Have you never done line dancing before? Never fear! Wendy will lead you through a variety of line dances. Go enjoy lively dancing and a fun time. All ages and experience levels are welcome. Beer, wine, sodas and snacks will be available for purchase.

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.

Dig deeply into this season’s Shakespeare productions with a special weekend of lectures, discussions and hands-on activities. In partnership with UCSC’s Shakespeare Workshop and The Humanities Institute, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about each play during the day and then enjoy the production that same evening. This year, Weekend with Shakespeare will be held at the Audrey Stanley Grove in DeLaveaga Park on August 8th (Much Ado About Nothing) and August 9th (Macbeth). Admission is free to all, but seating is limited. Please register below to reserve your seats. Schedule for Weekend with Shakespeare Saturday, 8/8 – Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare 11:00 a.m. – Welcome (Sean Keilen, UCSC) 11:15 a.m. – Actor Panel (Charles Pasternak and members of the company, SCS) 12:15 p.m. – Boxed lunch (courtesy of Shakespeare Workshop) 1:00 p.m. – Visiting Scholar (Eli Simon, UC Irvine) 2:00 – End of program Sunday, 8/9 – Macbeth by William Shakespeare 1:00 a.m. – Welcome (Sean Keilen, UCSC) 11:15 a.m. – Actor Panel (Charles Pasternak and members of the company, SCS) 12:15 p.m. – Boxed lunch (courtesy of Shakespeare Workshop) 1:00 p.m. – Visiting Scholar (Eli Simon, UC Irvine) 2:00 – End of program Sean Keilen is Professor of Literature and UC Santa Cruz, the founder of Shakespeare Workshop, and Head of Dramaturgy at Santa Cruz Shakespeare. Charles Pasternak is Artistic Director at Santa Cruz Shakespeare, before which served as Artistic Director of The Porters of Hellsgate Theatre Co in Los Angeles for over fifteen years. He has had a wide-ranging career as an actor and director at theatres across this country including American Players Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles, three seasons with The Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis and four with Shakespeare Santa Cruz. Eli Simon is a Chancellor’s Professor of Drama at UC Irvine, where he has served as chair and head of actin

0 booked, 4 available Glazing

Take Out: Rhythms Within performance at Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center.