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

Santa Cruz Scene (santacruzscene.com) is a free daily calendar of in-person events across Santa Cruz County, California.

See what's on this weekend β†’

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In-person only, on purpose. Everything here is something you can actually show up to. No screens, no streams.

β˜… Featured this season

Grateful Sunday at The Crepe Place, Nov 15 β˜… Featured
Sun, Nov 15, 2026 Β· The Crepe Place

Grateful Sunday

Grateful Sundays at the Crepe Place take place in the beautiful garden. Full meals are available, and the Garden Bar is open for service! For…

Music πŸ“ Midtown
Art Lounge ~ Sip Local Beer & Wine and Make Art! at The Painted Cork, Nov 18 β˜… Featured
Wed, Nov 18, 2026 Β· The Painted Cork

Art Lounge ~ Sip Local Beer & Wine and Make Art!

Welcome to the Art Lounge! Welcome to the Art Lounge, your creative haven for Arts, Crafts, and Drafts. Think of it like a restaurant, but…

Art & Culture πŸ“ Westside
New Play Festival at Second Stage, Nov 20 β˜… Featured
Fri, Nov 20, 2026 Β· Second Stage

New Play Festival

New Play Festival is an annual student-run showcase of experimental, short stage readings that focuses on nurturing and showcasing new playwrights in the UC Santa…

Art & Culture πŸ“ UCSC
UCSC Orchestra at Recital Hall, Nov 24 β˜… Featured
Tue, Nov 24, 2026 Β· Recital Hall

UCSC Orchestra

UCSC Orchestra, Copland's Billy the Kid and Tchaikovsky's Symphomy No. 5 in E minor, Op 64 Information about this event is available at https://events.ucsc.edu/event/orchestra-fall-2026-27/, QUESTIONS?…

Family πŸ“ UCSC

β˜€οΈ Happening today

Sunday, November 15

Start the day at Temple Beth El's Hanukkah Fair in Aptos, then wander over to Natural Bridges for the Monarch Butterfly Viewing, bring a layer, it's breezy out there. Soquel is the music spot today: Hot club Soquel plays The Ugly Mug at 11, and The Jade Trio takes over Discretion Brewing by 3. If drag and loud guitars are more your speed, Moe's Alley has Drag The River marking thirty years on the road.

63 events on today. No plans required, just go. See the full day β†’

9:00 AM
$65
Bio-Vibe Table: Sound & Vibration Wellness Sessions
Where: Soulcare Studios
Wellness
9:00 AM
FREE
Live Oak: Farmers Market
Where: Live Oak Farmers' Market
Markets
9:00 AM
Drop-in Meditation
Where: Land of Medicine Buddha
Community
9:30 AM
FREE
Hanukkah Fair
Where: Temple Beth El gift shop
Festivals
9:30 AM
FREE
Volunteer in the cool, quiet beauty of The Forest of Nisene Marks
Where: Community Foundation Santa Cruz County
Outdoors
10:00 AM
FREE
Downtown Santa Cruz: Makers Market
Where: Downtown Santa Cruz Makers Market
Markets
10:00 AM
$245
Youth Robot Series - Santa Cruz Maker Studios
Where: Santa Cruz Maker Studios
Family
10:00 AM
SUNDAY SERENITY: RESTORATIVE EXPRESSIVE ART
Where: Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center
Art & Culture
10:00 AM
FREE
Elkhorn Slough: Free Tour of the Preserve
Where: Elkhorn Slough Reserve
Outdoors

What's happening

Filter by category, date, or area. Everything listed is in person, county-wide.

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Showing 30 of 75 upcoming events Β· Art & Culture Β· from 2026-11-15 Β· to 2026-11-22

Sun
Nov
15

UCSC: Victor β€œMarka27” Exhibition

Where: UCSC Institute of the Arts and Sciences
When: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM Β· Price: FREE

β€œNi de aquΓ­, ni de allÑ” (β€œneither from here, nor there”), is a phrase commonly used by bilingual, bicultural communities. In the exhibition the phrase…

Art & Culture Cultural Event πŸ“ Westside
Sun
Nov
15

Carlos Motta: When Time Stands Still

Where: UCSC Institute of the Arts and Sciences
When: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM Β· Price: FREE

Carlos Motta’s When Time Stands Still, the artist’s second solo show with the IAS, features new and recent installations, videos, and sculptures highlighting the artist’s…

Education Art & Culture πŸ“ Westside
Sun
Nov
15

Meet Me In the Belly of the Whale

Where: Theater Arts B100 Studio Theater
When: 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM Β· Price: FREE

Meet Me in the Belly of the Whale by Gillian O’Leary is an original play about the end of the world, getting swallowed by a…

Art & Culture πŸ“ UCSC
Sun
Nov
15

The Olive Tree: A Santa Cruz Poetry Open Mic

Where: Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
When: 2:30 PM – 6:00 PM Β· Price: $2

The Olive Tree is a poetry mic and public gathering space hosted by local poet Gabriel Kittle-Cervine. This monthly event seeks to honor the deeply…

Art & Culture Family πŸ“ Downtown Santa Cruz
Sun
Nov
15

Daniel Duane, Yosemite Falls

Where: Santa Cruz
When: 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM

Cult-favorite nature writer Daniel Duane shares about climbing and the double-sided coin of legacy and preservation in conversation with James Workman, author of natural resources…

Art & Culture Free
Sun
Nov
15

Nowhere Lab x Indexical: Parlor Tricks

Where: Indexical
When: 6:45 PM

Indexical opens its doors for another crossover event with the Nowhere Lab, a hypolocal contingent of artists exploring olological investigations at the intersection of games…

Art & Culture πŸ“ Downtown Santa Cruz
Mon
Nov
16

Contact Improv

Where: The 418 Project
When: 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Contact Improv dance session at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz, offered weekly on Mondays.

Dance Art & Culture πŸ“ Downtown Santa Cruz
Tue
Nov
17

Drawing, Painting and Collage

Where: Corralitos Cultural Center
When: 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM

Join other students in learning the basic techniques and fundamentals of art using many mediums. Learn about line, value, balance, shape, form, texture, color, art…

Music Art & Culture πŸ“ Watsonville
Tue
Nov
17

The Audacity to Create

Where: Sesnon Gallery @ UCSC
When: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM Β· Price: FREE

The Audacity to Create is an exhibition that showcases the work of UCSC Alumni of color Alejandra Chavez, Jorge Gomez-Gonzalez , Katie Dorame, SerΓ‘b Serabia…

Art & Culture πŸ“ UCSC
Tue
Nov
17

Youth Studio Art

Where: Community Through Art
When: 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM Β· Price: $255

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…

Art & Culture Family πŸ“ San Lorenzo Valley
Tue
Nov
17

Adult Ceramics Class

Where: Community Through Art
When: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM Β· Price: $250

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…

Art & Culture πŸ“ San Lorenzo Valley
Tue
Nov
17

Poetry Out Loud County Competition

Where: Santa Cruz
When: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Poetry Out Loud is a nation-wide program, originally created by the National Endowment for the Arts, that encourages high school students to learn about great…

Art & Culture Education
Wed
Nov
18

Carlos Motta: When Time Stands Still

Where: UCSC Institute of the Arts and Sciences
When: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM Β· Price: FREE

Carlos Motta’s When Time Stands Still, the artist’s second solo show with the IAS, features new and recent installations, videos, and sculptures highlighting the artist’s…

Education Art & Culture πŸ“ Westside
Wed
Nov
18

UCSC: Victor β€œMarka27” Exhibition

Where: UCSC Institute of the Arts and Sciences
When: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM Β· Price: FREE

β€œNi de aquΓ­, ni de allÑ” (β€œneither from here, nor there”), is a phrase commonly used by bilingual, bicultural communities. In the exhibition the phrase…

Art & Culture Cultural Event πŸ“ Westside
Wed
Nov
18

The Audacity to Create

Where: Sesnon Gallery @ UCSC
When: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM Β· Price: FREE

The Audacity to Create is an exhibition that showcases the work of UCSC Alumni of color Alejandra Chavez, Jorge Gomez-Gonzalez , Katie Dorame, SerΓ‘b Serabia…

Art & Culture Free πŸ“ UCSC
Wed
Nov
18
β˜… Featured

Art Lounge ~ Sip Local Beer & Wine and Make Art!

Where: The Painted Cork
When: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM Β· Price: $8

Welcome to the Art Lounge! Welcome to the Art Lounge, your creative haven for Arts, Crafts, and Drafts. Think of it like a restaurant, but…

Art & Culture πŸ“ Westside
Thu
Nov
19

Zentangle Club

Where: Scotts Valley Branch Library
When: 10:30 AM

The Zentangle Method is a fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. Join Certified Zentangle Teacher Lisa Hoesing for an introductory workshop…

Community Art & Culture πŸ“ Scotts Valley
Thu
Nov
19

UCSC: Victor β€œMarka27” Exhibition

Where: UCSC Institute of the Arts and Sciences
When: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM Β· Price: FREE

β€œNi de aquΓ­, ni de allÑ” (β€œneither from here, nor there”), is a phrase commonly used by bilingual, bicultural communities. In the exhibition the phrase…

Art & Culture Cultural Event πŸ“ Westside

45 more events further out

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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 β†’