📍 Santa Cruz County, CA

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

Live music, festivals, art walks, surf contests, trail days and everything in between.

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

★ Featured this season

★ Featured Event

Sat, Aug 8, 2026 · 4:00 PM

Phamily Time!

📍 Woodhouse Blending & Brewing · Downtown Santa Cruz · See listing

Phamily Time, presented by Phreeborn is back with a summer edition you won’t want to miss. There will be something for everyone, so bring the whole phamily! Get tickets for the whole day celebration here: TICKETS

Event page ↗ Venue site ↗

Music Festivals 📍 Downtown Santa Cruz Details →

Promotional image for Zen Buddhist Meditation

Coming up

Sat, Aug 8, 2026 · Santa Cruz Zen Center

Zen Buddhist Meditation

Zen Meditation. Open to all. Free of charge.

Event page ↗

Music 📍 Downtown Santa Cruz

Music

Coming up

Sat, Aug 8, 2026 · Westside Locations

Chamber Choir Now Auditioning

Beati Quorum, a new and growing Ensemble, is seeking new local members. Beati Quorum is a small, hybrid professional / volunteer ensemble based in Santa Cruz. We focus on a cappella singing, Renaissance through contemporary works, and collaborations with artists from our local network to international groups. Visit www.beatiquorum.org to set up an audition today.

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Music 📍 Westside

Music

Coming up

Sat, Aug 8, 2026 · The Ugly Mug

Carolyn and Gerard play Django

No set up - nothing special just stage space

Venue site ↗

Music 📍 Soquel

Promotional image for Second Annual Santa Cruz Jug Band Festival

Coming up

Sat, Aug 8, 2026 · Abbott Square Marketplace

Second Annual Santa Cruz Jug Band Festival

The Second Annual Santa Cruz Jug Band Festival Thursday August 6th – Sunday August 9th, 2026 Free admission for all events! Contact [email protected] Jug band music is scrappy, soulful, and a little unexpected — 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 - or guitar, banjo, and brass - it’s the kind of music that makes you stop and smile! Calendar of events: Thursday August 6th, 5:45-7:30 pm at Pono Hawaiian Grill. 120 Union St. Downtown Santa Cruz. · Join the Trolley Drops at their monthly jug band sing and play along. Bring your voice and/or instruments and your good humor. Lyrics projected on the wall. It’s free. Friday August 7th, 6-9 pm at Abbott Square Market and the MAH, 725 Front St. Santa Cruz · 6 pm in the MAH lecture hall: “The Wild & Wacky History of Jug Band Music”, a presentation by the Trolley Drops. · 7 pm at Abbott Square: The Puffball Collective plays dance music, “Prohibition to Psychedelia: Jug Band Roots as Rock.” Saturday August 8th, Noon-9 pm at Abbott Square. 725 Front St. Santa Cruz · Five bands will play one hour sets with sing-alongs or solo performances between sets. · Alphabetically the bands are: The Rivertown Skifflers The Quake City Jug Band The San Lorenzo Valley Ramblers The Trolley Drops The Washboard Rhythm Company Sunday August 9th, 2-5 pm at Shanty Shack Brewing. 138 Fern St. Santa Cruz. · Jug Band Happy Hour: various members of the five Jug Bands will perform some of their favorite songs in a more intimate setting.

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Festivals

☀️ Happening today

Saturday, August 8

94 events on today. No plans required, just go.

12:00 AM

See listing

Weekend with Shakespeare

Weekend with Shakespeare

Scotts Valley Farmers' Market

📍 Joe and Linda Aliberti Boys and Girls Club

Markets

8:00 AM

FREE

Cabrillo Farmers Market

Zen Buddhist Meditation

📍 Santa Cruz Zen Center

Music

8:39 AM

FREE

Chamber Choir Now Auditioning

Dynomite Farm: Private Dahlia U-Cut Experience

Westside Santa Cruz Farmers' Market

📍 Mission St Extension & Western Dr

📍 East Lake Village Shopping Center

Food & Drink

What's happening

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

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3 upcoming events · LGBTQ+ · from 2026-08-08 · to 2026-08-08

Aug

Write Queer, a creative writing group @TDC

📍 The Diversity Center

🕒 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM · See listing

Write Queer, a creative writing group Date: May 9, and the Second and Fourth Saturdays Time: 10:30 am - 12:00 Noon Cost: Free Location: The Diversity Center, 1117 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 Ages: 18+ Join Jesse and Peggy for all or part of this series, running from March through May. Unleash your creativity at Write Queer, an 18+ group for writers of all levels. Respond to provided prompts, or bring your own projects. Meetings include writing time, optional sharing and positive feedback. Please bring a pen and paper or a laptop. .

Venue site ↗

LGBTQ+ Community 📍 Midtown Details →

Aug

Game Night for Trans and Non-binary Young Adults @TDC

📍 The Diversity Center, 1117 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062, USA

🕒 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM · See listing

Game Night for Trans and Non-binary Young Adults, hosted by TransFamilies Date : Saturday, August 8 Time : 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm Location : The Diversity Center, 1117 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz Ages : Young adults 18+ Welcoming all Trans and Non-binary young adults (18+) for board games, cards, laughter, and friendship. Pizza and drinks provided. Please bring your favorite game or two to share. .

Venue site ↗

LGBTQ+ Community 📍 Midtown Details →

Aug

Mickey Avalon

📍 Felton Music Hall

🕒 8:00 PM – 12:00 AM · See listing

Mickey Avalon has no shortage of street cred or endless raw raps about male prostitution or smoking crack. Avalon’s early home life reeked of addiction, and he left his father for the streets of Hollywood, California. Slinging weed and trying to find purpose, Avalon even dabbled in orthodox Judaism (his grandmother is a holocaust survivor). A marriage and a family got pushed aside for their own personal raging heroin addiction. But Avalon’s story and music is all about overcoming the odds and pushing past great struggles. Ever since Avalon showed up on MySpace Records with the single, “Jane Fonda,” he have been on the frontline of music’s edge. Punk, Hip Hop, Rap, Glam and Mickey Avalon. -DNA; Good Times Santa Cruz

Event page ↗

Music LGBTQ+ 📍 San Lorenzo Valley Details →

Hosting something rad?

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.

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

★ Featured this season

☀️ Happening today

What's happening

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