Kids Class: Te Hau Nui School of Hula and Tahitian Dance
Weekly kids' classes in traditional hula and Tahitian dance, led by Te Hau Nui School at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz.
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.
★ Featured
The DSAS Center for Leadership and Involvement and Summer Edge invite you to join us for our Movie Night Under the Stars event screening “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”: Date: Tuesday, July 28th Screening Time: Event entry begins at 7:30 p.m. | Movie starts at 8:00 p.m. Location: Stevenson College Knoll *Bring your own blanket! Limited chairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis.* Free movie snacks will be available! For any questions or accommodations, please email [email protected] . You Belong Here: The programs and services described here are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities. To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy for UC Publications .
★ Featured
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
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.
Weekly kids' classes in traditional hula and Tahitian dance, led by Te Hau Nui School at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz.
56 events on today. No plans required, just go.
Filter by category, date, or area. Everything listed is in person, county-wide.
Showing 30 of 95 upcoming events · Music · from 2026-07-28 · to 2026-08-04
Weekly kids' classes in traditional hula and Tahitian dance, led by Te Hau Nui School at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz.
This is the place to be on Tuesday! This weekly jam fest features rotating bands, open jam sessions, vendors, activities and all the dance vibes you can manage. Bring your instrument and your dancing shoes!
Weekly hula and Tahitian dance class at The 418 Project. Learn traditional Hawaiian and Polynesian dance in a supportive environment.
A theater production of the musical Dear Evan Hansen.
A weekly music jam session in downtown Santa Cruz, featuring lights and fun for all musicians.
Tuesday, July 28th, get ready for an awesome evening of folk music with... * Miriam Hacksaw - queer Malayali-American fiddler and banjoist from New Orleans @miriamhacksaw ** Hannah Mayree - banjoist activating and co-creating with the Black Banjo Reclamation Project @hannah_mayree *** Song-Ha **** Gay Eldest Daughter - folk music from Santa Cruz as queer as her banjo is long @gayeldestdaughter Doors - 6:00pm & Music - 7:00pm // $10-15 at door - notaflof!* // all-ages // dry space // safe(r) space // anti-capitalist space // respect the space and each other! *no one turned away for lack of funds SubRosa is at 703 Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz, CA —@@@@@— SubRosa is a collectively run anarchist community space - a place to meet people, share resources and ideas, challenge our assumptions and act on our passions. Let’s create together the world(s) we want to live in now. @subrosa_space And SubRosa is part of the Hub Community Center at 703 Pacific Ave in downtown Santa Cruz - a co
Jon Dryden is a pianist/keyboardist/composer currently residing in Northern California. He graduated from the Berklee College of Music and moved to Brooklyn, NY, where he spent nineteen years as a professional musician. He performed or recorded with Norah Jones, David Byrne. Regina Carter, Lenny White, Natalie Merchant, Paula Cole, Charlie Louvin, Gaby Moreno, Madeline Peyroux, Sara Ramirez, and many others. Dryden appeared on The Chappelle Show and contributed music to film and television. He has released two piano trio albums, both recorded in New York: Memento Mori (2020) and Trio (2022). Trio was produced by Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jesse Harris. His next release Some of My Lies Are True, also produced by Harris) will drop on June 19th, 2026.
As with everything we do, we bring the fun! This isn’t your average ordinary trivia. It’s “Bruno’s Style”. We sing, we play instruments, we dance and we drink. Fill up on Tacos and Margs and get ready for a night of fun! If you’re looking for a quiet night with boring trivia for the brainiacs you won’t find it at Bruno’s. With musical clues for our players – we have the most fun trivia around. We turn the music up loud and we make a lot of noise! It’s free to play with prizes for the winners. With $3 tacos and the buy a Margarita or Modelo and get a free taco deal, you’re going to have a great night at the best bar in town. Bring your friends and form a team or come by yourself and make some new friends, you’ll have a blast!
A concert of works performed by the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra penned by four under-30 composers and conducted by emerging conductors, all participating in the Conductors/Composers Workshop. FREE! This year in residence are four early-career composers, Oswald Huỳnh, Kai Kubota-Enright, Paul Novak, and Zoe Verduin, participating in the Festival’s prestigious Conductors/Composers Workshop. Composers are mentored by artists in residence and will have their pieces performed by the Festival Orchestra, led by Conducting Fellows also participating in the workshop, and culminating with the “In the Works” concert. Historically, only three composers are selected, but this year marks an expansion with a fourth composer selected in partnership with Missy Mazzoli and Ellen Reid’s Luna Composition Lab supporting young female and nonbinary composers.
Born in Havana and now based in Switzerland, composer, violinist and singer Yilian Cañizares comes from a classical foundation but launched her professional career in jazz leading the Ochumare Quartet. She released two albums with the group in 2009 and 2011. From there, Cañizares continued as a solo artist, with three albums to her credit. She has also collaborated on record with acclaimed Cuban pianist Omar Sosa on a pair of releases, including a 2019 release, Live at Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg. Cañizares’ vocals are delivered variously in French, Spanish and Yoruba, and she often plays violin while she is singing. -Bill Kopp; Good Times Santa Cruz
Free live music every Tuesday night with the Del Mar Trio at Callahan's in Santa Cruz.
Dance for Parkinson’s at Motion Pacific is a class for people with Parkinson’s Disease and their caretakers. The class is based on the innovative and internationally renowned Dance for PD® program designed by the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group. Trained Dance for Parkinson’s 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 Parkinson’s at Motion Pacific is open and free to the public. Classes are appropriate for anyone with Parkinson’s, no matter how advanced. Movement modifications will be made available and there is no dance experience required. Dance for Parkinson’s 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 we’ll have a surprise for you. We’ll play cool music, games, trivia, and much more! Let’s wig out and keep Santa Cruz weird! Wig Out Wednesday Special: 2 empanadas and a glass of wine (Riesling, Rose, or Homestead) for $19.
A weekly beginning hip hop house dance class. Participants will learn foundational movements, rhythms, and combinations in a structured, studio setting.
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: Rockin’ 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 Rock’n Party Music with Spun July 8, 2026: Classic Rock with B-Movie Kings July 15, 2026: Top 40/Dance 70’s 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 40’s Dance with The Peelers August 19, 2026: Oldies Dance Band with The Digbeats
The Mark Van Haren Trio performs live.
A live alternative rock performance at a Santa Cruz restaurant and bar, featuring a band known for their energetic shows.
Moes Alley presents psych-soul favorites Monophonics with Miami-based Lemon City Trio! Wednesday, July 29, 2026Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm$30 in advance / $35 day of the show21+*Tickets on sale Friday, May 1st at 10am PT** No Refunds | All sales are final* Avoid scammers! Only purchase tickets from moesalley.com or ticketweb.com* Tickets requested by email will be delivered 3 days prior to the event* Will Call tickets will be available at the door on the day of the event====MONOPHONICSThe worlds premier psychedelic soul band, Monophonics, cordially invites you to attend the grand re-opening of the once thriving, once vibrant establishment, the legendary Sage Motel. A place where folks experience the highs and lows of human existence. A place where big dreams and broken hearts live, where people arrive without ever knowing how they got there. Its where individuals find themselves at a crossroads in life.LEMON CITY TRIOLemon City Trio formed as a soul jazz organ trio, and has since evolved into a band with its own sound and unique repertoire. The band hails from Miami, Fl and has made a name for itself throughout the state, and up the east coast. Ranging from edgy fusion grooves, to dreamy space Rock, and everything in between, LCT takes its audience on a journey from start to finish.
Get ready to dance, sing, and play with Cascada de Flores! Original stories told in Spanish & English, using song, musical instruments, dance, theater, and traditional Mexican & Latin American cultures. Families are invited to sing, dance, and play with beautiful traditional songs and dances. ¡Prepárate para bailar, cantar y jugar con Cascada de Flores! Relatos originales contados en inglés y español, utilizando canción, instrumentos musicales, danza, teatro y culturas tradicionales mexicanas y latinoamericanas. Se invita a las familias a cantar, bailar y jugar con hermosas canciones y bailes tradicionales. https://santacruzpl.libnet.info/event/16233495
¡Prepárate para bailar, cantar y jugar con Cascada de Flores! Relatos originales contados en inglés y español, utilizando canción, instrumentos musicales, danza, teatro y culturas tradicionales mexicanas y latinoamericanas. Se invita a las familias a cantar, bailar y jugar con hermosas canciones y bailes tradicionales. Get ready to dance, sing, and play with Cascada de Flores! Original stories told in Spanish & English, using song, musical instruments, dance, theater, and traditional Mexican & Latin American cultures. Families are invited to sing, dance, and play with beautiful traditional songs and dances. https://santacruzpl.libnet.info/event/16225700 https://santacruzpl.libnet.info/event/16233495
¡Prepárate para bailar, cantar y jugar con Cascada de Flores! Relatos originales contados en inglés y español, utilizando canción, instrumentos musicales, danza, teatro y culturas tradicionales mexicanas y latinoamericanas. Se invita a las familias a cantar, bailar y jugar con hermosas canciones y bailes tradicionales. Get ready to dance, sing, and play with Cascada de Flores! Original stories told in Spanish & English, using song, musical instruments, dance, theater, and traditional Mexican & Latin American cultures. Families are invited to sing, dance, and play with beautiful traditional songs and dances. https://santacruzpl.libnet.info/event/16225700 https://santacruzpl.libnet.info/event/16233495
Matt Masih & The Messengers play live at Crow's Nest in Santa Cruz, California.
5:30-7:30pm Medicine Road Throughout the course of their exciting journey as a group, the members of Medicine Road have won over the hearts of music lovers around the Bay Area, performing at a variety of venues and making countless public appearances. A talented rock band, Medicine Road has earned the admiration and affection of critics and fans alike from Santa Cruz to San Francisco. Medicine Road formed in their hometown of Boulder Creek, California in 2007. Since then they evolved into popular and versatile talented group of musicians. They consist of 4 members, Pablo Eagle (singer-songwriter, guitarist), Jonathan (Skippy) Sherred (bass guitar, vocals), Doug Underhill (drums, background vocals), and Sean Woodward (lead guitar, background vocals). The sound can be anything from psychedelic, country, hard rock, jazzy, and or folky, all in one show. The band will not and never has wanted to be one style of music, and pleases people of all ages and musical tastes. They take pride in being an original music band, and playing the music they love, and it shows! A Medicine Road show is like non other, and not to be missed!
Whatchadoin Thursday July 30th? - how about going to a show at SubRosa with… * CASINO YOUTH ** BEAUTIFUL FREAKS *** NOTHING OVER SILENCE **** UTILITY CARD 7pm - 10pm // $15 at door - notaflof!* // all-ages // dry space // safe(r) space // anti-capitalist space // respect the space and each other! *no one turned away for lack of funds SubRosa is at 703 Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz, CA —@@@@@— SubRosa is a collectively run anarchist community space - a place to meet people, share resources and ideas, challenge our assumptions and act on our passions. Let’s create together the world(s) we want to live in now. @subrosa_space And SubRosa is part of the Hub Community Center at 703 Pacific Ave in downtown Santa Cruz - a constellation of projects that support skill-sharing, appropriate re/use of resources, and interconnected, creative communities - since 1994! More about the Hub is at linktree in bio @santacruzhub Arushi bottomline
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
BITE ME! No Cover • Last Thursday of Every Month Cat Alley Street (upstairs above The Catalyst) – Santa Cruz https://catalleystreet.com A high-energy Goth / Industrial / Deathrock / EBM / Techno night in a swanky new vampire venue. THE DANCE CHAMBER Be among the first to experience our brand-new, state-of-the-art sound system. Our DJs will make you shake your fine goth ass from 6 PM onward. THE BAR Exclusive Bite Me cocktails, including the Banshee and London After Midnight. THE LOUNGE A cozy, quieter space across from the bar featuring hand-picked furnishings curated by the Baron's cat of Cat Alley Street himself. Plus the Macabre Makers Faire: • Jewelry and clothing makers • Tintype photography • Goth makeovers • Other dark delights BEST DRESSED Select free drink tickets awarded to our most impeccably dressed guest vampires. COME EARLY DJs start at 6 PM, and our new kitchen will be serving pizza. Vampires may not be assumed to eat human pizza, but trust the cat, it’s totally worth it! We’ve created a beautiful, comfortable, and welcoming vampire lounge and can’t wait to share it with the greater Goth community and kind-hearted misfits of all sorts. Fly upstairs. Last Thursday of each month. Bite Me!
On August 1st, composer James Lee III’s piano concerto Shades of Unbroken Dreams will receive its West Coast premiere at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. The concerto is inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, and the “shades” that Lee refers to “represent the various people of color who aspire to be part of that great dream.” Before the premiere, in a pre-rehearsal talk on July 30, Lee will speak with Dr. David H. Anthony III, Professor Emeritus of African History, about the piece’s connection to the rhetoric of MLK’s iconic words, and the ability of music to speak powerfully to history, as a crucial agent of social and cultural discourse. Free and open to the public.
Free jazz nights every other Thursday at Abbott Square Market. All ages welcome to enjoy local jazz artists in an outdoor plaza setting.
Steve Abrams has been a mainstay on the jazz and Afro-Cuban music scene in the Bay Area for over 25 years. His groups have performed at Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz, the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, and the San Jose International Jazz Festival and others. His New Zealand sextet, Pleasure Point, has performed at the Nelson International Jazz Festival, the Tauranga National Jazz Festival, the Manawatu Jazz Festival and the Wellington International Jazz Festival. Steve is also a musical director and accompanist for Mountain Community Theater and Little People’s Repertory Theater in Ben Lomond. He has a BA in Music from UCLA, with an emphasis on arranging and African drumming, and teaches piano and flute at his home in Ben Lomond.
65 more events further out
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 →