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Showing 30 of 94 upcoming events ยท Music ยท from 2026-07-31 ยท to 2026-08-07
๐ Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds
๐ 11:00 AM โ 8:00 PM ยท FREE
The first annual Aloha Music & Arts Festival Santa Cruz will take place Friday, July 31, and Saturday, Aug. 1, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. each day at Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, bringing together local musicians, hula schools, artists, food vendors, and community organizations for a weekend celebrating Hawaiian, Polynesian, and Pacific cultures. Gates open daily at 11 a.m. Admission to the festival is free. Donations are welcome. Parking will be available for $20 per vehicle. No in-and-out privileges will be allowed, and re-entry fees will be enforced. Produced by Victor Ohana Productions LLC, the festival aims to celebrate the Spirit of Aloha while creating a new cultural tradition for the Central Coast community. Organizers say the event was created to strengthen connections among local Polynesian communities, while offering residents and visitors a new summer cultural experience in Santa Cruz County. โThis festival is about bringing people together through music, dance, food, art, and community,โ said Marie Victor, founder of Victor Ohana Productions. โSanta Cruz has deep cultural and historical connections to Hawaiสปi through surf culture and the ocean lifestyle. We wanted to create an event that celebrates those shared influences while showcasing the incredible local talent we have here in Northern California.โ Rather than featuring a national headliner, the festival will spotlight local bands and performers from throughout Santa Cruz County and the surrounding region. Organizers said the focus of the event is community participation and cultural authenticity. Festival attendees can expect: โ Food vendors featuring Pacific-inspired cuisine โ Local arts, crafts, and merchandise vendors โ Information booths from community nonprofits and organizations โ Family-friendly cultural activities and entertainment Local Live Music โ Victor Ohana 3 Generations โ Ho' Omana โ Hunawai โ Kanalu โ Laule'a Hawaiian Band โ Ka La'i O Mele โ George Kahumoku Jr (Grammy Award Winner in
๐ Scotts Valley Skypark
๐ 5:00 PM โ 8:00 PM ยท See listing
Squeeze in a little more summer before the back-to-school rush at Food Truck Friday! Join us for a great evening outside with dinner, live music by Identity Problem, and Brendaโs Face Painting for the kids. Our food lineup includes Rollin Snack Shack, Taquizas Gabriel, Italia Fire, Pana, Kukiโs, Scrumptious, and Cracked Cookies. Make sure to stop by the SVEF Beer and Wine Garden featuring Laughing Monk beerโevery drink purchased goes directly to supporting our local classrooms. A big thanks to Mari Rossi for sponsoring the event and helping make this community celebration possible. Bring your lawn chairs or a picnic blanket and come enjoy the evening. Parking fills up quickly, so walking, biking, or using nearby public parking is highly recommended.
๐ Santa Cruz
๐ 5:00 PM โ 8:30 PM ยท FREE
Free summer block party in Midtown Santa Cruz featuring live music, food trucks, local artists, makers, and family fun.
๐ SubRosa Community Space, 703 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
๐ 5:00 PM โ 10:00 PM ยท See listing
Happydays Show Alex Bottomlining
๐ Discretion Brewing
๐ 5:30 PM โ 7:30 PM ยท See listing
5:30-7:30pm The Paperback Ryders are an acoustic harmony power-trio. Accurate harmonies from many notable bands.
๐ Woodhouse Blending & Brewing
๐ 6:00 PM โ 10:00 PM ยท FREE
OUTERNATIONAL (((Global Bass Dance))) โข FRIDAY JULY 31STโข โข With Resident DJs SELECTA 7 & RUDI B โข Reggae โข Dancehall โข Rub A Dub โข Jungle โข Dubstep โข Remixes No Cover Donations Appreciated 6pm-10pm Woodhouse Brewing and Blending 119 Madrone St. Santa Cruz Sponsored by The Green Spot!! Sound Reinforcement by Zion Farms!!
๐ The Grove
๐ 6:00 PM โ 8:30 PM ยท See listing
Enjoy a festive Summer Luau by the beach! Dress in your best Hawaiian attire and enjoy a tropical buffet, live music, hula dancers, and fun for all ages. Perfect for families, date nights, or just wrapping up a fun day the the Boardwalk!
๐ Madson Wine
๐ 6:00 PM โ 8:00 PM ยท FREE
Rebecca Coupe Franks / Trumpet Nancy Heth / Vocals and Piano
๐ Kuumbwa Jazz
๐ 7:00 PM ยท See listing
Maria Muldaur is known worldwide for her 1974 hit โMidnight at the Oasisโ which received several GRAMMY nominations and critical acclaim. Muldaur has toured worldwide and has recorded forty-three solo albums, spanning American roots music, gospel, R&B, jazz, and big band. Mulduar has recorded and produced, on average, one album per year throughout her career. In 2019, The Americana Music Association awarded Muldaur โThe Lifetime Achievement Americana Trailblazer Awardโ for her lifelong work covering the depth and breadth of roots music. On this concert date, Muldaurโs Jazzabelle Quintet will be performing a special evening of jazz and blues. Maria Muldaur Website (Ticket Includes 5% City of Santa Cruz Admission Tax)
๐ The Crepe Place
๐ 7:00 PM ยท See listing
A concert featuring Pete Sawyer and the Left Hand Monkey Wrench Gang, performing a set of rock and alternative music.
๐ Santa Cruz Actors' Theatre
๐ 7:00 PM โ 10:00 PM ยท $16
A story written by Capitolaโs very own, Joe Ortiz, comes to life at The SC Actors Theatre. Escaping Queens follows an immigrant family as they navigate the challenges of poverty and a fatherโs problems with gambling, alcohol, and women. This funny, edgy, ultimately hopeful musical paints a cast of colorful characters, from neighborhood bookies to a doo wop group to all the shades and personalities in a mixed Italian and Puerto Rican family. Based on Oritzโs own memoir, PastinaโMy Fatherโs Misfortune, My Motherโs Good Soup, the emotional turbulence of navigating an escape from New York is presented as a compelling and sophisticated story that asks if children are fated to repeat their parentsโ mistakes. -Shelly Novo; Good Times Santa Cruz
๐ Crowโs Nest
๐ 8:00 PM ยท $7
A live performance of swing, blues, pop, jazz, and Latin music from a local band. Low-ticket price and an intimate seaside setting.
๐ Felton Music Hall
๐ 8:00 PM ยท See listing
Ashez is an Auckland, New Zealand-based producer working in the bass genre and debuting in the late 2010s. On record, his primary mรฉtier is the single. His two albumsโ2021โs Digital Human and the new-for-2026 Headwayโare both remix collections. Named after Brazilian folkloreโs protector of the rainforest, Kaipora is a Santa Clarita duo trafficking in bass and rhythmic soundscapes with processed vocals (both sung and rapped), deep grooves and glitchy synthesizer textures that are heavy and hypnotic. Regular fixtures on the festival circuit, both acts cultivate a musical atmosphere designed for dancing and other forms of communal celebration. -Bill Kopp; Good Times Santa Cruz
๐ Civic Auditorium
๐ 8:00 PM โ 10:00 PM ยท $26
Conducted by Cristian Mฤcelaru Vivian Fung: America the Beautiful? (Festival Commission & world premiere) Pedro Emanuel Pereira: Clarinet Concerto (Carlos Ferreira, Clarinet) (Festival Commission & world premiere) Philip Glass: Symphony No. 15 Lincoln (Zachary James, Baritone) (West Coast premiere) 6:30PM โข PRE-CONCERT PICNIC + TALK: A free outdoor pre-concert experience featuring a brass sextet and a special welcome by Music Director Cristian Mฤcelaru. Bring takeout or some snacks from home. Table seating available. The 64th season kicks off with Music Director Cristian Mฤcelaru leading the Festival Orchestra and audience in a powerful meditation on the distance between national ideals and lived reality. Vivian Fungโs America the Beautiful? (Festival Commission & world premiere) opens the season with a work responding to the U.S. National Anthem through the lens of her intersectional identity as a dual Canadian-American citizen with Chinese familial lineage. The piece confronts the tension between patriotic tradition and the deeply imperfect struggle to uphold democratic values for all. Pedro Emanuel Pereiraโs Clarinet Concerto (Festival Commission, world premiere), featuring clarinetist Carlos Ferreira, blends Portuguese musical traditions with experimental timbres and performative innovation, reimagining virtuosity for the present moment. The program concludes with Philip Glassโs Symphony No. 15 Lincoln (West Coast premiere)โfeaturing GRAMMYยฎ award winning baritone Zachary Jamesโis a six-movement symphony incorporating Abraham Lincolnโs own words, including the Emancipation Proclamation and reflections on law, power, and ambition. The work resonates forcefully with the urgencies of today.
๐ Moe's Alley
๐ 9:00 PM ยท See listing
Moes Alley presents Prezident Brown with none other than Jamaican reggae legends Chalice! Friday, July 31, 2026Doors: 8pm / Show: 9pm$35 in advance / $40 day of show21+ * 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====PREZIDENT BROWNPrezident Brown, born Fitz Albert Cotterell, has been called, one of the most interesting cultural dee-jays since U Roy. Emphasizing positive messages, Prezident Brown has continued to pioneer his own direction, developing his own approach to dee-jaying that he calls, The chanting stylee. Born to a Seventh Day Adventist family in Colonel Ridge, Clarendon, Prezident Brown grew up in the small town of Oracabessa in the Parish of St. Mary, Jamaica.He was forced to leave school at a young age when his father died leaving him with his mother and three sisters. Prezident Brown launched his musical career at the age of fourteen, when he began dee-jaying for the Sound King Stereo Mix at the Bamboo Lounge. Initially known as Junior Ranking, Prezident Brown was dubbed, Slim Brown, by dee-jay Nicodemus. When he recorded his debut single in 1988 Prezident Brown was named, Dancehall Doctor. The late Jack Ruby, producer of Burning Spears albums, Marcus Garvey, and, Man In The Hills, bestowed the title, Prezident, upon him.In 1989, he joined Courtney Coles label, Roof International, and began performing and dee-jaying at the Rooftop Club in Ocho Rios. In 1990, Prezident Brown became involved with producers Barry OHare and Steven Stewart at Grove Music in Ocho Rios. It was Barry OHares X-Rated Record label that became Prezident Browns home base and it was X-Rated Records with Runn Records that launched his career in Europe. In Jamaica the X-Rated label took off as a massive roots revival swept across the country paving the way for Prezident Browns
๐ The Blue Lagoon
๐ 9:00 PM โ 1:00 AM ยท $10.38
DANCE ON DARK WAVES
๐ Santa Cruz Zen Center
๐ 8:30 AM โ 9:10 AM ยท FREE
Zen Meditation. Open to all. Free of charge.
๐ Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds
๐ 11:00 AM โ 8:00 PM ยท FREE
The first annual Aloha Music & Arts Festival Santa Cruz will take place Friday, July 31, and Saturday, Aug. 1, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. each day at Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, bringing together local musicians, hula schools, artists, food vendors, and community organizations for a weekend celebrating Hawaiian, Polynesian, and Pacific cultures. Gates open daily at 11 a.m. Admission to the festival is free. Donations are welcome. Parking will be available for $20 per vehicle. No in-and-out privileges will be allowed, and re-entry fees will be enforced. Produced by Victor Ohana Productions LLC, the festival aims to celebrate the Spirit of Aloha while creating a new cultural tradition for the Central Coast community. Organizers say the event was created to strengthen connections among local Polynesian communities, while offering residents and visitors a new summer cultural experience in Santa Cruz County. โThis festival is about bringing people together through music, dance, food, art, and community,โ said Marie Victor, founder of Victor Ohana Productions. โSanta Cruz has deep cultural and historical connections to Hawaiสปi through surf culture and the ocean lifestyle. We wanted to create an event that celebrates those shared influences while showcasing the incredible local talent we have here in Northern California.โ Rather than featuring a national headliner, the festival will spotlight local bands and performers from throughout Santa Cruz County and the surrounding region. Organizers said the focus of the event is community participation and cultural authenticity. Festival attendees can expect: โ Food vendors featuring Pacific-inspired cuisine โ Local arts, crafts, and merchandise vendors โ Information booths from community nonprofits and organizations โ Family-friendly cultural activities and entertainment Local Live Music โ Victor Ohana 3 Generations โ Ho' Omana โ Hunawai โ Kanalu โ Laule'a Hawaiian Band โ Ka La'i O Mele โ George Kahumoku Jr (Grammy Award Winner in
๐ Capitola Branch Library
๐ 12:00 PM โ 5:00 PM ยท See listing
Adults need playtime, too! Come play some new or old favorite tabletop games. Bring your favorite board game or play some of Lancelot's games. No prior gaming experience is necessary. This program is for adults 18+. We will meet every first and third Saturday of the month in the Barbara Gorson Multipurpose Room at the Capitola Branch Library.
๐ London Nelson Community Ctr.
๐ 3:00 PM โ 4:30 PM ยท FREE
The Tony Award-Winning San Francisco Mime Troupe opens their 67th Season with: WRECKAGE: A Musical Tragicomedy. The show asks the political question: How are we going to survive and rebuild in the rubble left from the economic, social, and psychological devastation of the idiotic kleptocrats? London Nelson Community Center โ Outdoors (Santa Cruz) Sat., Aug. 1 - 3:00 pm (Music 2:30) Sun., Aug. 2 - 3:00 pm (Music 2:30) 301 Center St., Santa Cruz 95060 FREE - ($20 suggested donation)
๐ El Vaquero WInery
๐ 5:00 PM ยท See listing
Get out the ten-gallon stetson and ride your horse to the rural outpost of El Vaquero Winery to experience the joy of Lacy J. Dalton. Dalton has a tips-to-tours origin story, starting as a waitress in the mountains of Santa Cruz and eventually performing on stages worldwide. Dalton has seen all the trends since she first reached the charts in 1979 and remains true to her roots. Sixteen Top Twenty hits came fast and furious through the 1980s. One thing about real country singers is they never forget their roots and anytime Dalton returns itโs a celebration. Featuring favorites Michael Gaither & His New Best Friends. -DNA; Good Times Santa Cruz
๐ SubRosa Community Space, 703 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
๐ 5:00 PM โ 10:00 PM ยท See listing
Memo and the Notebooks, Degrassi Knoll, and The New Wounds Alex Bottomlining
๐ Discretion Brewing
๐ 5:30 PM โ 7:30 PM ยท See listing
5:30-7:30pm Love Creek is a folk-rock/jam band from Santa Cruz, California. Current band members consist of Malakai Lawton (vocals/guitar), Alex Bahler (lead guitar), Ryan Jensen (bass/vocals), Ed Levy (keys), and Rob Borella (drums). Love Creek pulls from a musical headwaters of jam band and folk rock influences, creating original material that is both heartfelt and powerful, both lyrically and instrumentally. Along with a growing repertoire of original songs, Love Creek also performs music written by artists such as: Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers Band, Jerry Garcia Band, The Cure, Van Morrison, Marshall Tucker Band, Rusted Root, America, as well as many others.
๐ Davenport Roadhouse Restaurant and Inn
๐ 6:00 PM ยท See listing
Saturday, 6:00 PM
๐ The Sawmill Restaurant and Ale House
๐ 6:00 PM ยท See listing
When heโs not fronting local Santa Cruz band Wolf Jett, Chris stays true to his folk, soul and country blues roots. Born in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, his voice is smooth as Tennessee whiskey and his guitar pickinโ cuts from Chet Atkins to Keith Richards in no time. As versatile a musician as you will find, Chris is able to seamlessly intertwine classic and obscure covers with his seemingly timeless originals. He can play to any crowd under any circumstances, and heโs proven it time and time again, whether busking the streets of Europe, or touring the sweatiest clubs and hushed house parties across this good olโ USofA. He currently performs with a vintage hollowbody electric through a small tube combo amplifier, but heโs equally at home on acoustic. No gimmicks, no tricks, just straight vocals and guitar with a few stories in between. He has recently opened for Arcadian Wild, Brett Dennen, Coco Montoya and Waylon Payne and is a regular feature at the Saratoga Mountain Winery Garden Stage and Felton Music Hall. He frequently does covers by Paul Simon, Fleetwood Mac, Otis Redding, Van Morrison, Marvin Gaye, Bob Marley, and Neil Young, to name a few.
๐ Santa Cruz
๐ 6:00 PM ยท See listing
Mike Hellman is a country and americana troubadour with a bent for the unconventional. Slinging songs with substance, conviction and grit, heโs on a mission to tell his truth and he insists on being heard. While firmly rooted in the rich country and blues traditions of his home state of Texas, he refuses to pander to clichรฉ and his sound is anything but predictable. His lively performances swing from ballad to barn burner to outright rock โnโ roll, and his rich baritone conjures earnestness and humor while dealing head-on with all aspects of the human condition (and with a not-so-subtle nod to the downtrodden). An โoutlawโ for outlaws, Mike's music transcends the often narrow boundaries set by the mainstream country music establishment.
๐ Davenport Roadhouse Restaurant and Inn
๐ 6:00 PM ยท See listing
Join the Winterlark trioโKristin Olson on bass, Sweeney Schragg on guitar, and Chris Haskett on drumsโwith their tight, jazzy harmonies and infectious rhythms at the new and improved Davenport Roadhouse on Saturday, August 1. This date is an update of a previous June date, which was unfortunately outdated.
๐ Quarry Amphitheater
๐ 6:30 PM ยท See listing
They may be Joe Russoโs Almost Dead, but their covers are breathing life into the Grateful Deadโs discography. Instead of note-for-note covers, the band delivers fresh improvisational reinterpretations of the legendary jam bandโs songs. Led by Joe Russo, drummer and longtime apprentice of the Grateful Dead, is an impeccable drummer and born leader. Flanked by his longtime collaborators, Marco Benevento, Dave Dreiwitz, Scott Metzger, and Tom Hamilton, thereโs an overflow of rock prowess in their performance. Delivering high energy, boundless creativity, and face-melting riffs, JRAD is for the rock fans and the music nerds alike. -Shelly Novo; Good Times Santa Cruz
๐ Mount Hermon Conference Center
๐ 6:30 PM ยท See listing
As one of the most highly acclaimed performers of our time with five Grammyยฎ awards, four Billboard Music Awards, three platinum records, five gold records, and twelve million units sold, Sandi Patty is simply known as The Voice. Sandi is the most awarded female vocalist in contemporary Christian music history, with 40 Dove Awards. She was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2004 and as an Indiana Living Legend in 2007. She has released over 30 albums, including her latest Dove Award winning album, The Edge of the Divine (2010). She will release her latest album โEverlastingโ exclusively at Target Stores, through Somerset, Ltd., in September 2013. โEverlastingโ will feature notable hymns and songs of worship in an intimate and acoustic setting. Her debut full length symphonic pops album โBroadway Storiesโ, conducted by Maestro Jack Everly, was released on October 18, 2011 to rave reviews. Sandi was introduced to the world with her rendition of The Star Spangled Banner during the rededication of the Statue of Liberty in 1986. Virtually overnight she became one of the countryโs best-loved performers. Her version of the national anthem has become synonymous with patriotic celebration, including performances at โA Capitol Fourthโ with the National Symphony, the Indianapolis 500, the Dedication of Camp David Chapel, and ABCโs Fourth of July Special. While her thirty+ year career is heavily rooted in the gospel music industry, Sandi has had the opportunity in more recent years to extend her career outside the genre. Sandi has performed with symphonies across the country, including the New York Pops, Boston Pops, Cincinnati Pops, Dallas Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, Houston Symphony, and Oklahoma City Philharmonic. She also headlined the title role in sold out performances of the musical โHello, Dolly!โ with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, co-starring Tony Award winner Gary Beach in January 2012. In addition to her prolific musical career, Sandi is also an
๐ Kuumbwa Jazz
๐ 7:00 PM โ 12:00 AM ยท See listing
If Idaho is known for two things, itโs potatoes and Eilen Jewell. Over her almost three-decade career Jewell has made a name for herself as a musician with the blues in her soul and rock โnโ roll heart expressed through the vocal chords of true Americana. That is to say her songs range from folk, gospel, country, rockabilly and everything in between. So much so that The Washington Post described Jewell as if Billie Holiday, Neko Case and Madeleine Peyroux had a baby that was raised to front a rockabilly band. Itโs a melting pot of sound and, truly, it doesnโt get much more American than that. -Mat Weir; Good Times Santa Cruz