Event date: August 5, 2026 Event Time: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Location: 2021 Freedom Blvd Freedom, CA 95019 Watsonville, CA 95076
From the waves to the redwoods, it's all happening here.
Live music, festivals, art walks, surf contests, trail days and everything in between.
In-person only, on purpose. Everything here is something you can actually show up to. No screens, no streams.
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Featured Event
Phamily Time!
Phamily Time, presented by Phreeborn is back with a summer edition you wonโt want to miss. There will be something for everyone, so bring the whole phamily! Get tickets for the whole day celebration here: TICKETS
Coming up
Motion Pacific: Dance for PD
Dance for Parkinsonโs at Motion Pacific is a class for people with Parkinsonโs Disease and their caretakers. The class is based on the innovative and internationally renowned Dance for PDยฎ program designed by the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group. Trained Dance for Parkinsonโs teachers use prompts and multiple dance styles to inspire movement, creative expression, and community. Dancers may sit in a chair, use a barre, or stand. Dance for Parkinsonโs at Motion Pacific is open and free to the public. Classes are appropriate for anyone with Parkinsonโs, no matter how advanced. Movement modifications will be made available and there is no dance experience required. Dance for Parkinsonโs is offered every Wednesday from 1:00pm to 2:15pm, with the exception of the first Wednesday of the month, during which class is not held. Classes are offered in-person, in the Lobby at The 418 Project.
Coming up
July 1 Plateau Jazz Band plays for swing dance at Woodhouse Brewing
The Plateau Jazz Band plays 20s -40s swing dance jazz at Woodhouse Brewing from 5:30-8:30 on Wednesday July 1st. Listen, lesson, dance, dine and drink. Bob Folker teaches a half hour introductory/intermediate swing dance lesson from 5:30-6, the band plays for the dancers till 7, then Bob teaches a second half hour lesson and the band plays another hour long set of music. Things wrap up around 8:30 or so. Listening is free. Lessons and dance $10 The Plateau Jazz Band is a six-piece traditional jazz band from Santa Cruz, California. They play New Orleans influenced, Preservation Hall inspired, prohibition era swinging dance jazz. Their repertoire includes hot jazz songs like Dr. Jazz & That's a Plenty, blues tunes like St. Louis Blues & St. James Infirmary Blues, and swing dance standards like Blue Skies, Dinah, & Iโm Going to Sit Right Down (and write myself a letter).
Coming up
Motion Pacific- Beginning Hip Hop House
A weekly beginning hip hop house dance class. Participants will learn foundational movements, rhythms, and combinations in a structured, studio setting.
Coming up
(((folkYEAH))) PRESENTS: ALELA DIANE With SHANNON LAY
With a nearly decades long contemporary folk career, Alela Dianeโs work is akin to the changing of the seasons: a quiet, but extraordinary facet. Woven in with lovely guitar melodies, her ineffable voice soothes the listener with buoyant lilting and haunting harmonies. The lyrics in her latest album, Whoโs Keeping Track of Time, unveil her intimate fascination with the mystery of the changing seasons and passing moments. Gentle rhythm and soaring strings accentuate Alelaโs slow but steady lyrical honesty. Vulnerably grasping at how time comes for us all, Alelaโs music serves as a comfort to the weary heart. -Shelly Novo; Good Times Santa Cruz
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Showing 30 of 136 upcoming events ยท Free ยท from 2026-08-05 ยท to 2026-08-12
Event date: July 29, 2026 Event Time: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Location: 2021 Freedom Blvd Freedom, CA 95019 Watsonville, CA 95076
Moving in Harmony with Life - Self-care Exercises for Vitality and Balance
Instructors: Alexandra Johnson, MD, Kevin Johnson and Dena Ehrlich We spend much of our time being sedentary, lost in our minds. Yet each movement you make throughout your day is an opportunity to be present. Self-Breema exercises are simple and dynamic, and offer a direct experience of body-mind connection. As you practice in class, you increase your ability to be present during your day. You will leave class nurtured, revitalized, and with newfound positivity! You are also welcome to drop in to this class in person at Hummingbird Valley (free of charge; no registration required). Registration for the online attendance of this class is available via the ticket link. Registering for in-person or online is completely free.
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!
Dance for Parkinsonโs at Motion Pacific is a class for people with Parkinsonโs Disease and their caretakers. The class is based on the innovative and internationally renowned Dance for PDยฎ program designed by the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group. Trained Dance for Parkinsonโs teachers use prompts and multiple dance styles to inspire movement, creative expression, and community. Dancers may sit in a chair, use a barre, or stand. Dance for Parkinsonโs at Motion Pacific is open and free to the public. Classes are appropriate for anyone with Parkinsonโs, no matter how advanced. Movement modifications will be made available and there is no dance experience required. Dance for Parkinsonโs is offered every Wednesday from 1:00pm to 2:15pm, with the exception of the first Wednesday of the month, during which class is not held. Classes are offered in-person, in the Lobby at The 418 Project.
Every Wed from 4 to 8 pm at our Downtown Santa Cruz Tasting Room + Wine Bar Join us for a night of wigging out in Downtown Santa Cruz! Wear a wig, and weโll have a surprise for you. Weโll play cool music, games, trivia, and much more! Letโs wig out and keep Santa Cruz weird! Wig Out Wednesday Special: 2 empanadas and a glass of wine (Riesling, Rose, or Homestead) for $19.
Have a teen in your life looking for a fun after-school activity? From board games to crafts, our monthly Teen Craft and Chill program will offer a fun, interactive activity each month. This program will take place at the Main Library, Teen Room from 4:00-5:00pm on the first Wednesday of each month. Audience: Teens ยฟConoces a un adolescente que busca una forma divertida de pasar la tarde? Se le invita al programa mensual Teen Craft and Chill. Cada mes tendremos una actividad diferente โdesde juegos de mesa hasta manualidades. Este programa se llevarรก a cabo en la Biblioteca Principal, Sala de Adolescentes, de 4:00-5:00pm, el primer miรฉrcoles de cada mes. Audiencia: Adolescentes
She to Shining Sea: Photography Exhibition
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 5:30โ8 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.
Gay Beach Volleyball (Outside Community Series)
Santa Cruz Gay Beach Volleyball Date : Wednesdays, last session October 28 Time : 5:30 - 10:00 pm Location : Main Beach Court 16 (across from La Bahia) Cost : Free Santa Cruz Gay Beach Volleyball has been fabulizing Main Beach since 1979. We meet at 5:30 pm on Main Beach Court 16 (across from La Bahia) every Wednesday evening during Daylight Saving Time and play till it's too dark or too cold or we're just hungry. All skill levels - including no skill at all - are welcome. We're here to have fun, connect and yes, sometimes even play surprisingly good volleyball. Socializing on the sidelines is often as busy as the playing on our courts. Afterwards we head to dinner at a local restaurant or sometimes a potluck. Free to participate. ALL (yes, we mean you!) are welcome. Come out and play! .
Bring chairs, jackets, a picnic supper, and the family to enjoy free live music and the sunset! Concerts begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and take place at the Esplanade bandstand. Visit local restaurants and pick up dinner to go and enjoy a picnic at the beach! Suggested to bring low back chairs or picnic blanket for seating. *No dogs or alcohol in the park or on the beach. 2026 Lineup: June 3, 2026: Rockinโ Big Band Blues with The Delta Wires June 10, 2026: Surf/Garage Rock with The Trestles June 24, 2026: Originals and Quirky Covers with Coffee Zombie Collective July 1, 2026: Fun Rockโn Party Music with Spun July 8, 2026: Classic Rock with B-Movie Kings July 15, 2026: Top 40/Dance 70โs through today with Mercy & The Heartbeats July 22, 2026: Funky Mostly Original Pop with Extra Large July 29, 2026: Latin Rock & Salsa with Santa Cruz Latin Collective August 5, 2026: R&B, Soul & Funk with The Joint Chiefs Band August 12, 2026: Top 40โs Dance with The Peelers August 19, 2026: Oldies Dance Band with The Digbeats
Trivia every Wednesday! Hosted at Front and Cooper inside of Abbott Square Market Go test your knowledge, win some prizes and have some hand crafted cocktails! Brought to you by Hugging Porcupines Productions
Santa Cruz is known near and far for its surfing legacy, but there is another water sport that finds a niche on our coast, with a similarly devoted following. Sailboats dot the waves almost as frequently as surf boards here, benefiting from the tides and currents that make this beach town so special. So it is no surprise that the Santa Cruz Harbor and the Santa Cruz Yacht Club have become a nexus for the sailing community, with a calendar packed with activities and a weekly regatta, which brings out even the biggest land lover to admire the race every Wednesday.
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 โ Live Music with Fire Peach Friday, June 19, 2026 โ Free showing of Ferris Buellerโs Day Off movie on the beach at 9pm Saturday, June 20, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm โ DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Sunday, June 21, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm โ 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 โ Free showing of the movie Kicking and Screaming on the beach at 9pm Saturday, June 27, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm โ DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Sunday, June 28, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm โ 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 โ Live Music with El Brick Friday, July 3, 2026 โ Independence Day Celebrations Saturday, July 4, 2026 from 8:30-9:30pm โ DJ Dance Party with Santa Cruz DJ Company Sunday,
Event date: August 6, 2026 Event Time: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Location: 275 Main Street, Suite #100 Watsonville, CA 95076
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. View our Community Agreements for Diversity Center groups.
Knit and Stitch Group @ La Selva Beach
Thursday, August 06 2026 10:30am - 12:00pm Join us for a drop-in needlework group every first Thursday at La Selva Beach Branch Library.
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 โ including board, card, role-playing, and other participatory works โ 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. โ 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 โ such as housing and land ownership, capitalism, race and identity, civil rights and protest, fascism, and colonialism โ 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 โ they organize experience, distribute power, and produce meaning. Games are the art of agency. โ 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
Far West Fungiโs Santa Cruz Store & Cafรฉ is launching Myco-Mixers โ Enjoy an afternoon of food, fun, and fungi! Each Myco-Mixer will feature complimentary bites, product samples, and happy hour discounts on cafรฉ 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 youโre 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!
Santa Cruz Water Department Presents Aqua Cruz: The Water Challenge
Play the new board game Aqua Cruz! Thereโs a lot that goes into keeping the water flowing in Santa Cruz, which is completely dependent on local rainfall for the Cityโs water supply. To show customers what it takes to plan for a reliable water future, the Santa Cruz Water Department has developed Aqua Cruz, a board game that puts players in charge. Every decision counts in the race to close the water supply gap. Aqua Cruz players will strategize which projects to pursue while navigating real-world challenges to keep the water flowing! The event is free to attend and no RSVP is necessary. Aqua Cruz is recommended for ages 13 and older.
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 Districtโs 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.
Mariposa de la Comunidad LGBTQ+ De Watsonville (Hosted by TDC @ Watsonville Library)
Biblioteca Watsonville Primer jueves del mes, 5:30-7:30pm Facilitado por Roselyn Macias el primer jueves de cada mes ยกBienvenidos al grupo Mariposa de la Comunidad LGBTQ+ de Watsonville del Centro de Diversidad! ยฟTiene 18 aรฑos o mรกs, se siente solo, sin apoyo? O quieres conocer a otros como tรบ. Lo encontraste. Aquรญ obtendrรก recursos, apoyo, capacitaciones y tendrรก nuevas conexiones en la comunidad. Watsonville Library Every first Thursday of the month, 5:30-7:30pm Facilitated by Roselyn Macias on the first Thursday of the month Welcome to The Diversity Centerโs Spanish-speaking LGBTQ+ support group in Watsonville ! Are you 18 or older, feel alone, unsupported, or want to meet others like yourself? You found us. Here you will get resources, support, trainings, and make new connections in your community.
Crowโs 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
Jug band music is scrappy, soulful, and a little unexpected โ The songs are an energetic and artful blend of old-time jazz with blues and gospel. It can be played using washboards, jugs, kazoos; anything that can be turned into an instrument โ or guitar, banjo, and brass โ itโs the kind of music that makes you stop and smile! August 6 from 5:45 pm to 7:30 pm: Pono Hawaiian Grill at 120 Union Street in Santa Cruz August 7 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm: Museum of Art and History at 725 Front Street in Santa Cruz August 7 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm: Abbott Square at 118 Cooper Street in Santa Cruz August 8 from 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm: Abbott Square at 118 Cooper Street in Santa Cruz August 9 from 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm: Abbott Square at 118 Cooper Street in Santa Cruz
Head to Bargetto Wineryโs 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 OโClock 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
Jug band music is scrappy, soulful, and a little unexpected โ The songs are an energetic and artful blend of old-time jazz with blues and gospel. It can be played using washboards, jugs, kazoos; anything that can be turned into an instrument โ or guitar, banjo, and brass โ itโs the kind of music that makes you stop and smile! Click the link in the orange button above for more details. August 6 from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm: Pono Hawaiian Grill at 120 Union Street in Santa Cruz August 7 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm: Museum of Art and History at 725 Front Street in Santa Cruz August 7 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm: Abbott Square at 118 Cooper Street in Santa Cruz August 8 from 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm: Abbott Square at 118 Cooper Street in Santa Cruz August 9 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm: Shanty Shack Brewing at 138 Fern Street in Santa Cruz
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
Seabright Ave: Free Outdoor Movie Night
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
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk: Free Live Music
Enjoy free live music every Thursday evening throughout the summer at the Boardwalkโs 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: โข June 18, 2026: Fire Peach โข July 2, 2026: El Brick โข July 9, 2026: Shawn Yanez โข July 16, 2026: Flaco El Jandro โข July 23, 2026: Papiba & Friends โข July 30, 2026: The Deadlies โข August 6, 2026: Anthony Arya
Seabright Summer Movie Nights
Thursday Night Movie Nights, a six-week outdoor movie series held Thursday nights on Murray Street starting July 9 through August 13. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets for free outdoor screenings. The event series is free to attend and will feature family-friendly programming throughout the summer. July 23: Minecraft Movie July 30: Shrek August 6: Hoppers August 13: Goat
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