It’s storytime in the park with an exciting twist—bikes. Join us for storytime and stay at the park for a special bike series hosted by Ecology Action. These programs will take place at 10:30am at Callaghan Park (225 Sudden St) on the following dates: July 16: Bike rodeo on the basketball courts July 23: Bike safety talk with the SC Bike Team July 30: Family bike ride with the SC Bike Team Bring blankets, hats, and sunscreen. Biking is optional. All participants who want to ride must have a parent signed waiver and be fitted with a helmet before biking. Audience: Children aged 0-5 and their caregivers. ESPAÑOL Es la hora de cuentos en el parque, pero con un toque divertido: las bicicletas. Acompáñanos a la hora de cuentos y quédate en el parque para disfrutar de una serie especial de actividades con bicicletas organizadas por Ecology Action. Estos programas se llevarán a cabo a las 10:30am en el Parque Callaghan (225 Sudden St) las siguientes fechas: 16 de julio: Rodeo en bicicleta en las canchas de básquetbol 23 de julio: Charla sobre seguridad en bicicleta con SC Bike Team 30 de julio: Paseo familiar en bicicleta con SC Bike Team No se le olvide traer cobijas, sombreros y protector solar. Montar en bicicleta es opcional. Todos los participantes que quieran montar deben traer un casco puesto, y sus padres deben firmar una exención de responsabilidad. Audiencia: Niños de 0 a 5 años y sus cuidadores.
From the waves to the redwoods, it's all happening here.
Live music, festivals, art walks, surf contests, trail days and everything in between.
Every listing is something you can actually show up to, from Davenport down to Watsonville.
★ Featured this season
Treehouse Dispensary First Friday
Treehouse Dispensary hosts a monthly First Friday event on the first Friday of every month. These events feature live music, local artists, makers, and an art market with up to 20 different vendors, along with shop-wide discounts and community activities. The shop is open 8:00 AM to 9:45 PM daily. We're proud to offer everyday savings for our community: New Members: 10% off your first order Wisdom Discount (65+): 5% off Medical Patients: 10% off Students & Teachers: 20% off with valid ID Veterans: 20% off *Please note that discounts do not stack with other deals. Ask staff for exclusions.
★ Featured
43rd Annual Capitola Art & Wine Festival
Stroll the festival with friends and family, sipping exceptional wines from Santa Cruz Mountain wineries while admiring the artistic talents of over 100 fine artists. Sway to live music and be inspired by local dance groups while taking in the ocean breeze and breathtaking view of the Monterey Bay. Feed your cravings with tantalizing cuisine from local food purveyors, and cruise through the Artisans Marketplace for locally handcrafted goods. If that isn’t enough, Capitola Village is filled with restaurants for every taste and charming boutiques to satisfy a shopper’s dream. Art, wine, music, and gourmet cuisine in the enchanting beach-side setting of Capitola Village…summer’s last hurrah, and truly a weekend in paradise! This event is from 10am to 6pm on Saturday, September 12 and from 10am to 5pm on Sunday, September 13. See link to the event in the orange box above.
★ Featured
The Cruz Room: Hosted Board Game Night
The Game Night Collective provides a curated experience. Every Monday night with a library of 30+ board games, guided game teaching, hosted featured games, and prizes! Whether you arrive alone or with a group, the goal is to make it easy to sit down and start playing. Hosted mic’d board games 5 – 8 Trivia 8 – 10
☀️ Happening today
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Showing 30 of 116 upcoming events · Free · from 2026-07-23 · to 2026-07-30
Guided Mindfulness for Queers and Friends Hosted by TDC @ TDC
Well-being offering: Guided Mindfulness Group Date: Weekly on Thursdays Time: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Location: The Diversity Center 1117 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz Ages: Adults and teens welcome Cost: FREE Program description: Give your brain a break, and reconnect with the present moment, using guided breathing and mindfulness techniques. All LGBTQ+ people and allies are welcome. If you have questions about this well-being offering, please contact Tara Maxon, Wellbeing Coordinator, at: [email protected] View our Community Agreements for Diversity Center groups.
Passionate Readers Book Discussion Group @ La Selva Beach
Thursday, July 23 2026 10:30am - 12:00pm Join our book club every fourth Thursday to explore great reads and share engaging conversations with fellow book lovers.
Join us Wednesday, May 21st from 12:00 PM- 1:00 PM at California Coffee for an informative and uplifting workshop you won't want tfor suo miss! Our featured guest speaker, Manas S. Kshirsagar, AD, MS a NAMA Board Certified Ayurvedic Doctor with years of experience in holistic wellness and healing, will be presenting "Tools for Stress and Anxiety". With today's fast-paced world and the stress levels many of us are unduring, this workshop will offer valuable insight, practical tools and wellness strategies to help bring more balance, peace and calm into our daily lives. Lunch Special Available: Half Sandwich + Chips just $9.99 California Coffee, 9105 Soquel Dr., Aptos, CA 95003 cacoffeeaptos.com Thank you from myself Sylvia Reyes, and my amazing team for supporting our small business and community events!
Rules Are Not Neutral: Play As Sense-Making, Acts Of Resistance, And Imagining Otherwise
This exhibition brings together a range of analog games – including board, card, role-playing, and other participatory works – that engage social and political realities in different ways. The works span widely circulated commercial games to independently produced projects, one-of-a-kind artworks by artists, faculty, alumni, and students, and materials drawn from UC Santa Cruz Special Collections and Archives. In part, the exhibition challenges the persistent assumption that games and play are detached from social and political life. On the contrary, game designers and artists across diverse perspectives and positions have long used play to engage questions of social systems, lived experience, and how power operates. This exhibition does not attempt to represent that full spectrum. Instead, it brings together a particular set of works that foreground how games can make systems visible, intervene in them, and imagine alternatives. All games embody values, whether intentional or not. – Mary Flanagan , game designer and scholar Across all of these works, games are not only forms of entertainment, though they may be that as well. They are encountered in multiple ways: as objects, as systems, as artworks, and as experiences that unfold unpredictably through interaction. In each case, rules and constraints shape what participants can do. In these different forms, the works stage systems – such as housing and land ownership, capitalism, race and identity, civil rights and protest, fascism, and colonialism – in ways that are simplified and easy to see, opening space to recognize similar structures beyond the game. In this sense, the works suggest that rules are not neutral – they organize experience, distribute power, and produce meaning. Games are the art of agency. – C. Thi Nguyen , philosopher The exhibition is intentionally dense. This abundance reflects the breadth of ways games operate across contexts, from activism and education to art and everyday life. While it cel
It's time to get those crayons sharpened, paints mixed and markers at the ready for our Summer 2026 Pokémon Art Contest for kids 5-12! To join in, create a picture of your favorite Pokémon having a fun moment or striking a cool, dynamic pose. Submissions should be on 8.5 x 11 paper. You can use any medium you like, such as paint, marker, crayon, pencil, etc. No digital art. There will be prizes awarded to two age groups, 5-7 and 8-12. Entries accepted June 1st-July 31st. Winners will be announced on August 6th. BONUS: All participants will receive a free Pokémon:Chaos Rising 11x17 mini-poster (while supplies last) when you hand in your art.
July is Parks and Recreation Month | Free Swim Thursdays
Free swim Thursdays in July at the Watsonville High School Pool in celebration of Parks and Recreation Month. A cool way to enjoy summer.
Far West Fungi’s Santa Cruz Store & Café is launching Myco-Mixers – Enjoy an afternoon of food, fun, and fungi! Each Myco-Mixer will feature complimentary bites, product samples, and happy hour discounts on café favorites. Guests can meet the Far West Fungi team, learn about unique mushroom products, and discover new flavors to take home. Head Far West in Santa Cruz each week to taste house-made tacos, explore featured products, and find your new favorite mushroom treats. Whether you’re a foodie, mushroom enthusiast, or just looking for a fun Thursday outing, Myco-Mixers are the perfect way to experience local one-of-a-kind flavors!
Thursday, July 23 2026 3:00pm - 5:00pm R.E.A.D. is one-on-one reading comprehension instruction for grades 1-12. By appointment only. Please, no drop-ins! To make an appointment, call 831-427-7713.
Go explore the harbor shops, restaurants and experiences with very little car traffic! Passengers may be picked up and dropped off at the following locations: X1 Gate (northeast harbor) AA Dock (southwest harbor) Launch Ramp (southeast harbor) Please visit the Port District’s website to view the map for all water taxi pick-up and drop-off locations in the harbor. Visitor parking is available for water taxi passengers in the north harbor near X Dock.
Crow’s Nest: Free Beach BBQ Parties and Concerts
Every Thursday throughout the summer, enjoy a family-friendly party on the beach at no charge! There will be local bands and DJs performing on the outdoor stage, providing music for dancing and socializing. There will be BBQ food and drinks for purchase all in a beachside setting providing stunning views of the ocean and Walton Lighthouse. Parking is limited in the area, so consider enjoying a free water taxi ride from other parking areas! 2026 Lineup: May 21, 2026: Sambada May 28, 2026: Space Heater June 4, 2026: James Durbin & The Lost Boys June 11, 2026: Ancestree June 18, 2026: Jive Machine June 25, 2026: Cake by the Ocean July 2, 2026: Ripatti Rose Band July 9, 2026: Extra Large July 16, 2026: Fishhook July 23, 2026: Harry & The Hitmen July 30, 2026: Matt Masih & The Messengers August 6, 2026: The Houserockers August 13, 2026: The Joint Chiefs August 20, 2026: La Familia August 27, 2026: Alex Lucero Band September 3, 2026: Sambada
Head to Bargetto Winery’s creekside courtyard in Soquel on Thursday evenings for Live Music and Wine! There is no cover charge and wine by the glass and light snacks are available for purchase. May 7, 2026: Alex Lucero May 14, 2026: James Durbin May 21, 2026: The Joint Chiefs May 28, 2026: Sambada June 4, 2026: Alex Lucero June 11, 2026: The Breaux Show June 18, 2026: Beach Cowboys June 25, 2026: The Joint Chiefs July 2, 2026: Alex Lucero July 9, 2026: James Durbin July 16, 2026: 10 O’Clock Lunch Band July 23, 2026: Highwater Blues July 30, 2026: The Joint Chiefs August 6, 2026: TBD August 13, 2026: TBD August 20, 2026: TBD August 27, 2026: TBD September 3, 2026: TBD
Join us at Bargetto Winery in Soquel on Thursday evenings for Live Music and Wine! 6-8PM No cover charge. Wine by-the-glass for purchase. Food will be available for purchase by ItaliaFire Open seating, no reservations required. No outside food is permitted. For more info please call: (831) 475-2258 ext. 110
Join us at Bargetto Winery in Soquel on Thursday evenings for Live Music and Wine! 6-8PM No cover charge. Wine by-the-glass for purchase. Food will be available for purchase. Open seating, no reservations required. No outside food is permitted. For more info please call: (831) 475-2258
FREE IN-STORE EVENT: Bookshop welcomes Pulitzer Prize finalist Daniel Mason (North Woods) for a reading and signing of his new novel Country People—a rollicking, lyrical year in the life of a family as they strike out into the unknown (aka Vermont), leaving all of the comforts of home behind.
Grab some lawn chairs and some blankets and cozy up for this free movie night on Seabright! July 9: The SpongeBob Movie July 16: Legally Blonde July 23: Minecraft Movie July 30: Shrek August 6: Hoppers August 13: Goat
SC Beach Boardwalk: Evenings on the Colonnade
Stay for the entertainment from 8:30pm to 9:30pm on the Colonnade Deck! Where you can listen to live music with delicious food & drink in your hand, be amazed by Magicians & acrobats, and show off your best dance moves with a DJ dance party at the Plaza stage. Admission is free! Monday, June 15, 2026 8:30pm Circus Comedy with Coventry & Kaluza 9:00pm Magic with Kris Bentz Tuesday, June 16, 2026 8:30pm Magic with Kris Bentz 9:00pm Acrobatics with Molly Keczan Wednesday, June 17, 2026 8:30pm Circus Comedy with Coventry & Kaluza 9:00pm Magic with Kris Bentz Thursday, June 18, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – Live Music with Fire Peach Friday, June 19, 2026 – Free showing of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off movie on the beach at 9pm Saturday, June 20, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Sunday, June 21, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Monday, June 22, 2026 8:30pm Circus Comedy with Coventry & Kaluza 9:00pm Circus Acrobatics with MeeZee! Tuesday, June 23, 2026 8:30pm Circus Acrobatics with MeeZee! 9:00pm Circus Comedy with Coventry & Kaluza Wednesday, June 24, 2026: World Cup Watch Party for Mexico Game Thursday, June 25, 2026: World Cup Watch Party for USA Game Friday, June 26, 2026 – Free showing of the movie Kicking and Screaming on the beach at 9pm Saturday, June 27, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Sunday, June 28, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Monday, June 29, 2026 8:30pm Magic with Patrick Livingstone 9:00pm Surfing Magic with Doug Hofkins Tuesday, June 30, 2026 8:30pm Magic with Patrick Livingstone 9:00pm Surfing Magic with Doug Hofkins Wednesday, July 1, 2026 8:30pm Circus Comedy with Coventry & Kaluza 9:00pm Circus Acrobatics with MeeZee! Thursday, July 2, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – Live Music with El Brick Friday, July 3, 2026 – Independence Day Celebrations Saturday, July 4, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Sunday,
Enjoy free live music every Thursday evening throughout the summer at the Boardwalk’s Colonnade Stage. Grab a bite, enjoy a refreshing drink, and dance along to a rotating lineup of bands and talented artists with the ocean as your backdrop. 2026 Lineup: • June 18, 2026: Fire Peach • July 2, 2026: El Brick • July 9, 2026: Shawn Yanez • July 16, 2026: Flaco El Jandro • July 23, 2026: Papiba & Friends • July 30, 2026: The Deadlies • August 6, 2026: Anthony Arya
Resource Recovery Public Summer Tours
Free Public Tours of the City of Santa Cruz Resource Recovery Facility are here. Don't miss this educational community favorite activity! Summer Public Tours Are Back! Public Tours of the Resource Recovery Facility will be offered every Friday at 10 AM from June 12th through August 14th, 2026. A single Saturday will also be offered on July 25th. Out of consideration for others, please only sign up on Saturday if Fridays are not an option for you. Come join us! Get ready to discover the journey your recycling and food scraps take—and see firsthand how your actions make a difference! Visitors will see what happens to the 30 to 50 tons of material that Santa Cruzians place into their blue recycle bins every single day. We will also learn why it is important to “recycle right,” avoid “wish-cycling," and why we can't rely on a triangle and a blue bin anymore. Visitors will see a mountain of scrap metal, learn about the facility’s Household Hazardous Waste Program, and see the Food Scrap Pre-Processor Machine. Don’t miss out on this chance to become a waste reduction pro! Tours are limited to 20 people. Children must be at least 8 years old. Youth ages 8 to 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Carpooling is encouraged as parking is limited. Pre-registration is required. Registration closes 48 hours before the tour date. No Drop-Ins. Safety Notice: This tour includes stairs and standing/walking for approximately 45 minutes. On this tour, you may be exposed to loud noises, dust, or tight spaces. Please note that this is a working industrial facility with potential hazards, and your safety is our top priority. Please wear closed-toe sturdy shoes and long pants. We will provide safety vests, eye protection, ear protection, and hard hats. Please inform City staff before your tour date if you will need accommodations.
Young adventurers are invited to join the Junior Ranger Program at Wilder Ranch State Park this summer! The free program is 11 a.m. to noon. Kids ages 7-12 are invited. Parents and guardians can learn more and register their young adventurers online. Parking is $10 and helps Friends support the park.
It's time to get those crayons sharpened, paints mixed and markers at the ready for our Summer 2026 Pokémon Art Contest for kids 5-12! To join in, create a picture of your favorite Pokémon having a fun moment or striking a cool, dynamic pose. Submissions should be on 8.5 x 11 paper. You can use any medium you like, such as paint, marker, crayon, pencil, etc. No digital art. There will be prizes awarded to two age groups, 5-7 and 8-12. Entries accepted June 1st-July 31st. Winners will be announced on August 6th. BONUS: All participants will receive a free Pokémon:Chaos Rising 11x17 mini-poster (while supplies last) when you hand in your art.
Friday, July 24 2026 11:30am - 12:30pm Join us for great stories and a fun craft. Ages 4-6
Friday, July 24 2026 12:30pm - 2:30pm Are you stuck with a technology question? You can make a free appointment with a tech savvy library staff member!
Free summer block party in Midtown Santa Cruz featuring live music, food trucks, local artists, makers, and family fun.
Midtown Santa Cruz: Friday Summer Block Parties
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.
Unwind at the Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park at a old-fashioned campfire event this summer! From 5:30-8 p.m. on Friday, July 24, visitors can enjoy a campfire at the state historic park, listen to live music and make fresh tortillas on the comal! Visitors are also welcome to bring their own food for an evening picnic and listen to the musical guest Ramblin Rebels. The event is free. Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park is at 144 School St., Santa Cruz CA 95060.
Rebecca Coupe Franks / Trumpet Nancy Heth / Vocals and Piano
Westside Author Talk with Rosemary Hayward
Local author Rosemary Hayward will be reading and answering all your questions about her novel about the suffragettes, Strait Lace. "What Rosemary Hayward does so well is bring the feminist cause right into the parlor, the dining room and even the scullery. Her message is clear; votes for women, and at all levels of society. Her research is outstanding. Readers will close the book knowing much more about the When the Why and the Who of the fight for female emancipation. And she is not scared to confront the How either. The merits and morality of using violence and hunger strike for the greater good is discussed with passion around the Edwardian family`s dining table, whilst Harriet, the main protagonist, goes much further; seizing the moment to take brave and resolute action for her beloved feminist cause." Patricia Román (Author) Copies will be for sale The library asks you to register at https://santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/14614149 since seating is limited in this delightful and beautifully restored little library.
You are invited for two outdoor movie nights this Summer! Join us on July 10 and July 24 at the Watsonville City Plaza. Movies begin at dusk. This event is FREE, so grab your lawn chair, blanket, picnic style dinner and your family and friends
SC Beach Boardwalk: Evenings on the Colonnade
Stay for the entertainment from 8:30pm to 9:30pm on the Colonnade Deck! Where you can listen to live music with delicious food & drink in your hand, be amazed by Magicians & acrobats, and show off your best dance moves with a DJ dance party at the Plaza stage. Admission is free! Monday, June 15, 2026 8:30pm Circus Comedy with Coventry & Kaluza 9:00pm Magic with Kris Bentz Tuesday, June 16, 2026 8:30pm Magic with Kris Bentz 9:00pm Acrobatics with Molly Keczan Wednesday, June 17, 2026 8:30pm Circus Comedy with Coventry & Kaluza 9:00pm Magic with Kris Bentz Thursday, June 18, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – Live Music with Fire Peach Friday, June 19, 2026 – Free showing of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off movie on the beach at 9pm Saturday, June 20, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Sunday, June 21, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Monday, June 22, 2026 8:30pm Circus Comedy with Coventry & Kaluza 9:00pm Circus Acrobatics with MeeZee! Tuesday, June 23, 2026 8:30pm Circus Acrobatics with MeeZee! 9:00pm Circus Comedy with Coventry & Kaluza Wednesday, June 24, 2026: World Cup Watch Party for Mexico Game Thursday, June 25, 2026: World Cup Watch Party for USA Game Friday, June 26, 2026 – Free showing of the movie Kicking and Screaming on the beach at 9pm Saturday, June 27, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Sunday, June 28, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Monday, June 29, 2026 8:30pm Magic with Patrick Livingstone 9:00pm Surfing Magic with Doug Hofkins Tuesday, June 30, 2026 8:30pm Magic with Patrick Livingstone 9:00pm Surfing Magic with Doug Hofkins Wednesday, July 1, 2026 8:30pm Circus Comedy with Coventry & Kaluza 9:00pm Circus Acrobatics with MeeZee! Thursday, July 2, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – Live Music with El Brick Friday, July 3, 2026 – Independence Day Celebrations Saturday, July 4, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm – DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Sunday,
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