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 Event
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
Coming up
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.
Coming up
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, & I’m Going to Sit Right Down (and write myself a letter).
Coming up
A weekly beginning hip hop house dance class. Participants will learn foundational movements, rhythms, and combinations in a structured, studio setting.
Coming up
With a nearly decades long contemporary folk career, Alela Diane’s 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, Who’s Keeping Track of Time, unveil her intimate fascination with the mystery of the changing seasons and passing moments. Gentle rhythm and soaring strings accentuate Alela’s slow but steady lyrical honesty. Vulnerably grasping at how time comes for us all, Alela’s music serves as a comfort to the weary heart. -Shelly Novo; Good Times Santa Cruz
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Showing 210 of 411 upcoming events · from 2026-08-05 · to 2026-08-12
Horses are deeply attuned to nonverbal cues; our posture, breath, and inner state shape how they respond. When we’re centered, they notice. This gentle, horse aligned class explores the power of posture—and how we show up . Through foundational Pilates-based movement, you’ll deepen postural alignment, improve stability, and cultivate a calm, grounded presence.No experience needed.$10/class Free with membership: https://beyondliberty.org/groupwellnessmembership
Enjoy Dynomite Farm’s show-quality dahlia beds for intimate, unhurried cutting experiences where you and your friends have the field to yourselves. No crowds. No rushing. Just you, your people, and a thousand flowers. Companion passes are available for guests who want to join the fun, explore the farm, and take in the beauty without cutting flowers. Friendly chickens roam the property, there are swings for little ones.
4 booked, 10 available Noelle Lightbourne
A free weekly dance jam for babies and their caregivers at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz, with movement, music, and play in a joyful environment.
From Trees to Shining Seas – Felton to Santa Cruz. Departing from the Santa Cruz Mountains, travel through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, down the scenic San Lorenzo River Gorge, across a 1909 steel truss bridge, and through an 1875 tunnel before arriving at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Reverse roundtrips departing from the beach in Santa Cruz to Roaring Camp and back may be purchased from the conductor on the train departing from Santa Cruz. The Santa Cruz Big Trees & Pacific Railway operates passenger and freight services on one of the oldest and most historic lines in California. When the route opened in 1875 it carried lumber as well as picnickers and tourists to the Big Trees and Santa Cruz. Today’s Beach Train passengers can start their roundtrip journeys from either Roaring Camp in Felton or from the beach in Santa Cruz. Departs from both the beach in Santa Cruz and Roaring Camp. See departure times for more information. The Beach Train will run weekends and holidays through May, and then daily June through the first week of August, then back to weekends and holidays to the end of September. Please note that the 4 p.m. train leaving Santa Cruz is one-way only. There is no return train to the beach.
Wednesday, August 05 2026 9:00am - 3:00pm Dignity Mobile Wellness Clinic and Santa Cruz Public Libraries are partnering to offer services that support the health of patrons with weekly Wednesday visits to the Scotts Valley branch library.
Event date: August 5, 2026 Event Time: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Location: 2021 Freedom Blvd Freedom, CA 95019 Watsonville, CA 95076
Wednesday, August 05 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm Join us for great stories followed by a hands-on craft.
Event date: July 29, 2026 Event Time: 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Location: 2021 Freedom Blvd Freedom, CA 95019 Watsonville, CA 95076
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.
Santa Cruz Shakespeare invites you to experience Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, un-der the trees and stars of the Audrey Stanley Grove in Santa Cruz’s DeLaveaga Park this summer. Much Ado About Nothing By William Shakespeare Directed by Charles Pasternak One of Shakespeare’s wittiest and most beloved comedies, the 2026 season will open with Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Of all the couples in Shakespeare, perhaps none is more widely loved than Beatrice and Benedick. Their battle of wits; their antagonism turned to eroticism; their history. Before the play begins, they already seem to define each other. The audience, like the other characters in the play, wait with excitement as their wits clash, and eventually, as their love blossoms. Much Ado About Nothing runs July 11 – August 30. More information or to purchase tickets, follow the link in the orange above, or contact the box office Tuesday through Friday from noon to 4pm at the number listed above.
Visit the IAS, UCSC’s premier art galleries, for our spring exhibitions. On view April 10–August 16, 2026 are three diverse and interdisciplinary shows: Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right , the first US solo exhibition by the Colombia-based artist and medical doctor; Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj , a site-specific and immersive exploration of the Haitian kreyol conception of rasanblaj; and Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies , a mixed-media exhibition emerging at the intersections of Black poetics, performance, and visual art. The IAS Galleries are open Wednesday-Sunday, 12 pm – 5 pm. Admission is free to the public. Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right Libia Posada’s first solo exhibition in the United States features installations, sculptures, and drawings meticulously constructed from surgical instruments, gauze bandages, crutches, used books, and domestic picture frames. The new and existing works in the exhibition powerfully stitch together the personal, social, and political disorders and afflictions that currently trouble the world, from the wars that resonate across the globe to the violences of aging in US prisons. Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj: Origins & Disentanglements The internationally-lauded work of humanities professor Gina Athena Ulysse is on view as a premier Faculty Spotlight Exhibition. The site-specific installation, produced in community from things collected, found, purchased and donated, centers on the Haitian concept of rasanblaj, a form of assembly and collage that transcends the formal use of materials to draw together people, spirits, and ideas. Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies Collage is both a material practice and a structural interrogation in the Faculty Spotlight Exhibition artworks by literature professor Ronaldo V. Wilson. In video, painting, and installation, layers and folds conceal and reveal, delving into the experience, both bodily and emotive, of living in time
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!
School’s about to start and we all want to get the children off to school with the best start possible. Where to find the best produce and veggies? You know, it’s the farmers markets all around the area. They have friendly, knowledgeable people and easily the best of fresh and interesting fruits. There are lots of other vendors selling interesting things to consider and buy for gifts. More locations and dates are available at https://www.montereycfb.com
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.
Wednesday, August 05 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm Join us for free Pilates at the Library! All levels welcome. Bring your own mat and water. Enjoy a fun, energizing workout led by volunteer Jennifer Balboni. First come, first served!
Every week we will have a new project idea for you to build or explore. Projects will include Science, Arts & Crafts, including model building, and exploration of the environment around us. Children will need an adult present to help them. Expect to get messy!
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 ¿Conoces 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 –desde juegos de mesa hasta manualidades. Este programa se llevará a cabo en la Biblioteca Principal, Sala de Adolescentes, de 4:00-5:00pm, el primer miércoles de cada mes. Audiencia: Adolescentes
Wednesday, August 05 2026 3:00pm - 5:00pm Do you love ping pong? Drop-in to the Felton Library Community Room anytime between 3-5 every 1st Wednesday to have some fun. Adult players of any level are welcome! A waiver must be signed to play.
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.
Take a midweek pause and recharge your energy ✨ Join us for BioCharger & Vibrational Sound Table Healing Happy Hour—a unique experience designed to support relaxation, recovery, and energetic balance. This drop-in session allows you to unwind, reset your nervous system, and leave feeling refreshed and aligned. 🕒 Wednesdays | 4:30–6:00 PM 💲 $25 per session ⚠️ Limited to 15 spots—reserve early
Entre Nosotras: Open to Spanish-speaking women with cancer at all stages, from diagnosis through treatment and the healing process. Groups are led in Spanish and meet at Pajaro Community Health Trust Kathleen A. King Community Room : 85 Nielson St, Watsonville, CA 95076 . Please call 831-761-3973 for details. Led by Chila Correa. Meets the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month, 5 to 7 pm.
A regular tango class in Downtown Santa Cruz, offering a way to learn Latin dance in a social, cultural setting.
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 5:30–8 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.
A weekly beginning hip hop house dance class. Participants will learn foundational movements, rhythms, and combinations in a structured, studio setting.
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, & I’m Going to Sit Right Down (and write myself a letter).
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! .
0 booked, 6 available Chris Finnie
Using the fabrica and partial courtyard. Please don’t schedule loud activities in subrosa at the same time.
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
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
A weekly event at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz, focused on setup activities. Details are sparse.
This is Motion Pacific's Advanced Contemporary Jazz Dance class for adults.
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.
A weekly evening of tango in Santa Cruz, offering a chance to learn, dance, and connect with a new community.
Santa Cruz Shakespeare invites you to experience Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, un-der the trees and stars of the Audrey Stanley Grove in Santa Cruz’s DeLaveaga Park this summer. Much Ado About Nothing By William Shakespeare Directed by Charles Pasternak One of Shakespeare’s wittiest and most beloved comedies, the 2026 season will open with Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Of all the couples in Shakespeare, perhaps none is more widely loved than Beatrice and Benedick. Their battle of wits; their antagonism turned to eroticism; their history. Before the play begins, they already seem to define each other. The audience, like the other characters in the play, wait with excitement as their wits clash, and eventually, as their love blossoms. Much Ado About Nothing runs July 11 – August 30. More information or to purchase tickets, follow the link in the orange above, or contact the box office Tuesday through Friday from noon to 4pm at the number listed above.
With a nearly decades long contemporary folk career, Alela Diane’s 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, Who’s Keeping Track of Time, unveil her intimate fascination with the mystery of the changing seasons and passing moments. Gentle rhythm and soaring strings accentuate Alela’s slow but steady lyrical honesty. Vulnerably grasping at how time comes for us all, Alela’s music serves as a comfort to the weary heart. -Shelly Novo; Good Times Santa Cruz
Wednesday, August 05 2026 6:30pm - 7:30pm Are you permaculture curious? Maybe you've heard the term, but don't quite get what it's all about?
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,
National IPA Day Come grab a beer with us on National IPA Day!
SUBMERGE exists for the dancers and for the artists. It's a dance party, a movement meditation and a fantastic workout all at once. Drawing inspiration from the great dances of music festivals and burning man, as well as the best parts of the ecstatic dance movement, SUBMERGE exists to provide dancers a deep canvas for movement, and also for experienced artists (often with decades of wisdom) to get fairly paid. 100% of ticket revenues go to the artists.
Enjoy Dynomite Farm’s show-quality dahlia beds for intimate, unhurried cutting experiences where you and your friends have the field to yourselves. No crowds. No rushing. Just you, your people, and a thousand flowers. Companion passes are available for guests who want to join the fun, explore the farm, and take in the beauty without cutting flowers. Friendly chickens roam the property, there are swings for little ones.
1 booked, 8 available Katy Kenyon-Abel
0 booked, 6 available Handbuilding
From Trees to Shining Seas – Felton to Santa Cruz. Departing from the Santa Cruz Mountains, travel through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, down the scenic San Lorenzo River Gorge, across a 1909 steel truss bridge, and through an 1875 tunnel before arriving at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Reverse roundtrips departing from the beach in Santa Cruz to Roaring Camp and back may be purchased from the conductor on the train departing from Santa Cruz. The Santa Cruz Big Trees & Pacific Railway operates passenger and freight services on one of the oldest and most historic lines in California. When the route opened in 1875 it carried lumber as well as picnickers and tourists to the Big Trees and Santa Cruz. Today’s Beach Train passengers can start their roundtrip journeys from either Roaring Camp in Felton or from the beach in Santa Cruz. Departs from both the beach in Santa Cruz and Roaring Camp. See departure times for more information. The Beach Train will run weekends and holidays through May, and then daily June through the first week of August, then back to weekends and holidays to the end of September. Please note that the 4 p.m. train leaving Santa Cruz is one-way only. There is no return train to the beach.
Event date: August 6, 2026 Event Time: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Location: 275 Main Street, Suite #100 Watsonville, CA 95076
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.
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!
Thursday, August 06 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm Come join Librarian Jackie for stories, songs, and lots of fun for preschoolers and their caregivers in our lovely Felton Community Room every Thursday at 11am, followed by a craft!
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
Visit the IAS, UCSC’s premier art galleries, for our spring exhibitions. On view April 10–August 16, 2026 are three diverse and interdisciplinary shows: Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right , the first US solo exhibition by the Colombia-based artist and medical doctor; Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj , a site-specific and immersive exploration of the Haitian kreyol conception of rasanblaj; and Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies , a mixed-media exhibition emerging at the intersections of Black poetics, performance, and visual art. The IAS Galleries are open Wednesday-Sunday, 12 pm – 5 pm. Admission is free to the public. Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right Libia Posada’s first solo exhibition in the United States features installations, sculptures, and drawings meticulously constructed from surgical instruments, gauze bandages, crutches, used books, and domestic picture frames. The new and existing works in the exhibition powerfully stitch together the personal, social, and political disorders and afflictions that currently trouble the world, from the wars that resonate across the globe to the violences of aging in US prisons. Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj: Origins & Disentanglements The internationally-lauded work of humanities professor Gina Athena Ulysse is on view as a premier Faculty Spotlight Exhibition. The site-specific installation, produced in community from things collected, found, purchased and donated, centers on the Haitian concept of rasanblaj, a form of assembly and collage that transcends the formal use of materials to draw together people, spirits, and ideas. Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies Collage is both a material practice and a structural interrogation in the Faculty Spotlight Exhibition artworks by literature professor Ronaldo V. Wilson. In video, painting, and installation, layers and folds conceal and reveal, delving into the experience, both bodily and emotive, of living in time
Step into the MAH's Archives Reading Room during our weekly Open Archives hours. Meet the archivist, see a unique item from the collection on display, and discover where Santa Cruz history is preserved. Please note: Open Archives is an informal drop-in experience, not a time for in-depth research appointments. If you'd like to schedule research time, please contact us in advance by email or phone. We usually pop open the archives every week-though every now and then we take a break. For more information, email [email protected]
Calling all music lovers! Join our Music Club to jam, perform, and connect with fellow musicians. Everyone is welcome—come be part of the rhythm!
Thursday, August 06 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm This club is designed for intermediate-level participants, so if you're just starting out, you might find it a bit challenging at first.
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, August 06 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm Play Mahjong with fellow enthusiasts! Beginners welcome with weekly Hong Kong Style lessons. Other styles offered too. Tiles provided or bring your own.
Thursday, August 06 2026 3:00pm - 5:00pm Make and explore STEAM possibilities at Felton Branch Library! Age 6+
Thursday, August 06 2026 4:00pm - 5:30pm Stop by each week for a new creative craft.
Are you interested in learning about technology? Visit us during our weekly Tech Café program where you have the opportunity to get basic tech-related questions answered and test a new piece of technology. This program will take place on Thursdays from 4:30-6:30pm at the Main Library (unless otherwise indicated). The technology we demo will change each month; here is a list of what technology will be featured: - January (program starts on the 15th): Doodle Pens - February: Makey Makeys (circuit boards) - March: 3D Printer - April: Spheros (programmable robots) - May: Cricut - June: Glowforge - laser cutter (This program will take place at the Freedom Branch) - July: iPad Stop Motion movies - August: Spheros (programmable robots) - September: 3D Printer - October: Doodle Pens - November: Cricut - December: Makey Makeys (circuit boards) Audience: All Ages ¿Le interesa aprender sobre tecnología? Visítanos durante nuestro programa semanal Tech Café, donde tendrás la oportunidad de obtener respuestas a preguntas básicas relacionadas con la tecnología y probar una nueva tecnología. Este programa se llevará a cabo los jueves de 4:30 a 6:30pm en la Biblioteca Principal (a menos que se indique otro horario o lugar). La tecnología que mostraremos cambiará cada mes; las tecnologías que se presentarán: - enero (el programa comienza el día 15): Doodle Pens - febrero: Makey Makeys (placas de circuitos) - marzo: Impresora 3D - abril: Spheros (robots programables) - mayo: Cricut - junio: Glowforge - cortadora láser (este programa se llevará a cabo en la sucursal Freedom) - julio: iPad Stop Motion (películas) - agosto: Spheros (robots programables) - septiembre: Impresora 3D - octubre: Doodle Pens - noviembre: Cricut - diciembre: Makey Makeys (placas de circuitos) Audiencia: Para todas las edades
A tech cafe at the Watsonville Main Library where participants can experiment with Sphero robots.
Come join us and help celebrate the Grand Opening of Offshore Pilates!
Play the new board game Aqua Cruz! There’s a lot that goes into keeping the water flowing in Santa Cruz, which is completely dependent on local rainfall for the City’s 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.
Every Thursday along with our regular menu we offer a prix fixe pasta dinner! Enjoy three courses starting with a fresh farmers market mixed green salad, your choice of Pappardelle Bolognese, Truffled Tortiglioni or our seasonal risotto. Finish with a scoop of our housemade chocolate gelato or seasonal sorbet. Three courses for $40!
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.
A weekly Congo dance class in Santa Cruz. Participants learn traditional African dance movements in a group setting at The 418 Project.
5:30-7:30pm As the lead guitarist for the China Cats and Painted Mandolin, Matt Hartle has established himself as the preeminent jam band guitarist for Santa Cruz and the Bay Area. You can also find him hosting a weekly deep dead jam, where he welcomes Bay Area players for Grateful Sunday shenanigans. Matt's unique voice and intricate playing style always gets the audience on their feet and feeling their groove. You'll be dancing to songs from legends like Jerry Garcia, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, as well as rock, blues, jazz, americana, and of course some Matt Hartle originals.
This is Motion Pacific's Adult Intermediate Modern class for adult dancers.
Free live music on the beach with a rock and blues band, paired with BBQ and cold drinks. A relaxed seaside evening for all.
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
Biblioteca Watsonville Primer jueves del mes, 5:30-7:30pm Facilitado por Roselyn Macias el primer jueves de cada mes ¡Bienvenidos al grupo Mariposa de la Comunidad LGBTQ+ de Watsonville del Centro de Diversidad! ¿Tiene 18 años o más, se siente solo, sin apoyo? O quieres conocer a otros como tú. Lo encontraste. Aquí obtendrá recursos, apoyo, capacitaciones y tendrá 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 Center’s 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.
Ripatti & Rose - Live at Chaminade Resort & Spa
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! 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 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. Open seating, no reservations required. No outside food is permitted. For more info please call: (831) 475-2258
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! 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
Ever been inspired to drop everything and create when visiting an exhibition at the MAH? Join us for a Drop-In Drawing session in the gallery from 6-8pm on the first Thursday of every month. This is not a formal lesson, but an opportunity to bring in your own art supplies and sketch what you see. Dry media only (no markers or paint). All ages welcome. Free with admission. The museum will provide stools, feel free to bring a cushion or folding chair if space allows. Groups of 5+ please give advanced notice by emailing [email protected] . Drop-In Drawing Calendar 2025 September 4 - Art Forum Gallery / Ed Penniman: Landscapes of Home October 2 - Art Forum Gallery / Ed Penniman: Landscapes of Home November 6 - Art Forum Gallery / Ed Penniman: Landscapes of Home December 4 - Art Forum Gallery / Ed Penniman: Landscapes of Home 2026 January 1 - NONE (New Years Day) February 5 - Solari Gallery / Rydell Visual Arts Fellowship March 5 - Solari Gallery / Rydell Visual Arts Fellowship Comment end
Something wicked this way comes, indeed. Starting this weekend and running through August 30th, Santa Cruz Shakespeare presents one of The Bard’s most infamous plays, Macbeth. Coincidentally the play’s first ever performance is believed to have been in 1606 marking this as the 420th anniversary, which is very Santa Cruz. And for anyone familiar with Macbeth, it’s easy to see why it’s lasted throughout the ages. Witches, murder, moral failings and tons of tragedy are beautifully sewn throughout the acts, stitched together with lines such as “Blood will have blood,” and “the wine of life is drawn.” -Mat Weir; Good Times Santa Cruz
Join us for Coaster Stomp Line Dance at Bruno’s Bar and Grill! The fun starts at 7pm with two lessons and plenty of open dancing. Join their expert instructors as they guide you through a night filled with plenty of boot-scootin’ boogie. Stay for a little while or the whole event! $10 cover charge
In 2026, jazz is often considered an old person’s genre. Let’s face it, it’s not like the jazz clubs are the hot spots all the kids are clamoring to get into. However, Sylvia Cuenca is trying to change that. A powerhouse drummer from the San Francisco and New York scenes, Cuenca is bringing together multiple generations of musicians together to play original numbers as well as standards throughout America’s past. Featuring saxophonist Rico Jones, pianist David Kikoski, Wallace Roney Jr. on trumpet, and bassist Essiet Okon Essiet, they are showing every generation why jazz will never go out of style. -Mat Weir; Good Times Santa Cruz
Thursday, August 06 2026 6:30pm - 8:00pm Test your trivia knowledge with Victor or Brian. We ask 30 questions about a random array of subjects. Who's better at doling out trivia than librarians?
Purchase tickets here Show 8pm // 21+ ***This is a standing room general admissions show. There will be a limited number of chairs located in the back of the concert hall. Seating will be first come first served. Bar and food will be open at 5pm.
Thursday, August 06 2026 7:00pm - 8:30pm Join us for an evening dedicated to the beauty and charm of our feline companions.
A young, wholesome, and seemingly normal couple, Brad and Jan, set out to visit their old professor, but their plans change when a large storm causes their car to go flat. Desperate to get out of the rain, they find an old castle that is home to Dr. Frank-N-Furter. From there, the night only becomes weirder. That night will be one they and the audience will not forget. This cult classic continues to entertain crowds, and this run is no different. Audience members can purchase interactive goodie bags with their tickets and participate in a costume contest. Goes until August 22.
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
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
Anthony Arya plays the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk with his band on the Colonnade stage Thu August 6th 8:30-9:30 pm.
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
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,
First Friday is our monthly $10 coworking day at NextSpace Working alone sucks... NextSpace is not only a coworking space in the heart of downtown Santa Cruz, but a thriving community of individuals who are passionate about their work and eager to connect with others. NextSpace offers a variety of resources and events to help you grow your business and build relationships. Whether you're a freelancer, entrepreneur, or remote worker, you'll find a supportive and inspiring environment at NextSpace. If you are curious about coworking, this is a great time to try it out! For just $10 (normally $30), you'll enjoy complimentary coffee and tea, speedy internet, space to work, and meet a welcoming & vibrant community. Wrap the day up by joining for happy hour at precisely 3:58pm. We look forward to seeing you here at the coolest coworking space!
Mindful Movement with Horses Blending Tai Chi, Qigong, Horses and Mindfulness and informed by Polyvagal Theory, this class supports nervous system regulation, embodied awareness, and safe connection—with yourself, the herd, and the natural world. All proceeds benefit BEYOND liberty, a nonprofit horse sanctuary and equine education center improving the lives of both humans and horses through education, experiential learning and wellness and enrichment programs. $10 drop-in. Registration required: https://BeyondLibertyandPMR.as.me/MindfulnessThroughMovement
Enjoy Dynomite Farm’s show-quality dahlia beds for intimate, unhurried cutting experiences where you and your friends have the field to yourselves. No crowds. No rushing. Just you, your people, and a thousand flowers. Companion passes are available for guests who want to join the fun, explore the farm, and take in the beauty without cutting flowers. Friendly chickens roam the property, there are swings for little ones.
Leave your mark on Santa Cruz history by volunteering at the historic Evergreen Cemetery every Friday from 9:30am-12pm. No need to register, just show up ready to work! All ages are welcome to help, including high school students seeking community service hours. Tools and work gloves will be provided. Please bring a mask and your own bottled water. For more information, email [email protected]
From Trees to Shining Seas – Felton to Santa Cruz. Departing from the Santa Cruz Mountains, travel through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, down the scenic San Lorenzo River Gorge, across a 1909 steel truss bridge, and through an 1875 tunnel before arriving at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Reverse roundtrips departing from the beach in Santa Cruz to Roaring Camp and back may be purchased from the conductor on the train departing from Santa Cruz. The Santa Cruz Big Trees & Pacific Railway operates passenger and freight services on one of the oldest and most historic lines in California. When the route opened in 1875 it carried lumber as well as picnickers and tourists to the Big Trees and Santa Cruz. Today’s Beach Train passengers can start their roundtrip journeys from either Roaring Camp in Felton or from the beach in Santa Cruz. Departs from both the beach in Santa Cruz and Roaring Camp. See departure times for more information. The Beach Train will run weekends and holidays through May, and then daily June through the first week of August, then back to weekends and holidays to the end of September. Please note that the 4 p.m. train leaving Santa Cruz is one-way only. There is no return train to the beach.
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.
Join us for Mothersong every first Friday of the month ~ sing and dance with us at our Main Library, Meeting Room at 10:30am. Audience: Families Se le invita a nuestro programa Mothersong cada primer viernes del mes ~ cante y baile con nosotros en nuestra Biblioteca Principal, Sala de Reuniones a las 10:30am. Audiencia: Familias
Mindfulness Meditation: Guided meditation & talk with a facilitator Description:For women newly diagnosed, recovering, or coping with the effects of cancer or chronic illness. Meeting Time: 1st and 3rd Friday of every month, 11:00am - noon Facilitator: Claire Schneeberger
Free Admission Day! Discover the wonders of nature at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History with free entry for everyone. Explore fascinating exhibits, connect with local wildlife, and make it a day of learning and fun for all ages. PLAN YOUR VISIT OUR EXHIBITS
Friday, August 07 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm Join our Bridge Club for friendly games and social fun, open to players of all skill levels.
Make the MAH your first stop this weekend with FREE First Friday. Explore all three floors of the museum and see our latest exhibitions, check out our giftshop, and hangout among art and history! Then stay into the night dancing to live music out in Abbott Square. First Friday hours are 12-8pm. See you then!
Visit the IAS, UCSC’s premier art galleries, for our spring exhibitions. On view April 10–August 16, 2026 are three diverse and interdisciplinary shows: Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right , the first US solo exhibition by the Colombia-based artist and medical doctor; Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj , a site-specific and immersive exploration of the Haitian kreyol conception of rasanblaj; and Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies , a mixed-media exhibition emerging at the intersections of Black poetics, performance, and visual art. The IAS Galleries are open Wednesday-Sunday, 12 pm – 5 pm. Admission is free to the public. Libia Posada: Everything is Going Right Libia Posada’s first solo exhibition in the United States features installations, sculptures, and drawings meticulously constructed from surgical instruments, gauze bandages, crutches, used books, and domestic picture frames. The new and existing works in the exhibition powerfully stitch together the personal, social, and political disorders and afflictions that currently trouble the world, from the wars that resonate across the globe to the violences of aging in US prisons. Gina Athena Ulysse: A Redwoods Rasanblaj: Origins & Disentanglements The internationally-lauded work of humanities professor Gina Athena Ulysse is on view as a premier Faculty Spotlight Exhibition. The site-specific installation, produced in community from things collected, found, purchased and donated, centers on the Haitian concept of rasanblaj, a form of assembly and collage that transcends the formal use of materials to draw together people, spirits, and ideas. Ronaldo V. Wilson: There Are No Words, But Melodies Collage is both a material practice and a structural interrogation in the Faculty Spotlight Exhibition artworks by literature professor Ronaldo V. Wilson. In video, painting, and installation, layers and folds conceal and reveal, delving into the experience, both bodily and emotive, of living in time
“Confluence”: where separate currents meet. This beautiful exhibition pairs the work of Santa Cruz artists Susana Arias and Glenn Carter, on view August 7 through September 13 at M.K. Contemporary Art Gallery. “Confluence” is exhibited alongside of 25+ local and regional artists whose work we adore. Live improvisational jazz music from “The Leftovers” at the opening on the First Friday of August from 6-8PM
Friday, August 07 2026 11:00am - 12:30pm Join us for lively conversations and thoughtful insights at our monthly movie discussion group.
Friday, August 07 2026 11:00am - 1:00pm We are knitting at Live Oak Library on Fridays.
Friday, August 07 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm Join us at the Downtown Library and enjoy free jazz music by local musicians.
Take a guided tour of the MAH by one of our staff members! At the MAH, our tours don't just take you through art and history. They immerse you in it and connect you to Santa Cruz and beyond. If you're ready to dive into a new perspective, join us every Friday for an informative private tour free with admission. Art experts, historians, and educators are here to help. Plus, stick around to meet new people or check out our new gift shop. If you are an educator and interested in booking a tour for your class or group, browse our educational field trips here.
Friday, August 07 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!
On August 8th, composer Clarice Assad’s new commissioned work, Kontrol, will premiere at the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. The afternoon before, Assad will join D. Riley Nicholson, Executive Director of the Cabrillo Festival, and Pranav Anand, Faculty Director of The Humanities Institute, for a pre-rehearsal discussion about the inspirations for the piece, which explores impacts of AI on musical creation and performance, both now and in the near future. Stay afterward for the final rehearsal of Kontrol before the premiere on the 8th. Free and open to the public.
Event date: August 7, 2026 Event Time: 02:00 PM - 09:00 PM Location: Peck Street and Union Street Watsonville, CA 95077
The Watsonville Farmers Market is every Friday afternoon from 2-7 all year round at the City Plaza in Downtown Watsonville. Don’t miss out on the wonderful locally grown fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers. Bring your appetite as there are tons of delicious prepared foods to try.
Friday, August 07 2026 1:00pm - 2:30pm Sharpen your word skills and enjoy friendly competition at our Scrabble Club - fun for all levels.
Friday, August 07 2026 2:00pm - 4:00pm Are you stuck with a technology question? You can make a free appointment with a tech savvy library staff member!
We invite you to join us for our 19th Annual WIC Breastfeeding Walk and Health Fair, on Friday, August 7, 2026 at 3pm. We will be celebrating World Breastfeeding Week and sharing information about our services and those of our community partners. There will be fun activities for the whole family, music, healthy snacks, raffle prizes, and more. World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated around the world to highlight the importance of human milk and it's impact on health.
First Friday at The Painted Cork — Live Music, Art Lounge & Local Art Celebrate First Friday with us at our vibrant Westside Santa Cruz studio! From 3–8 PM, enjoy an evening filled with creativity, community, and live music. 🖼️ Local Art Showcase Browse artwork created by local Santa Cruz artists throughout the studio — a perfect way to support and connect with our creative community. 🍺 Local Beer & Wine Sip on favorites from Santa Cruz breweries and wineries while you enjoy the music and art. 🎶 Live Music — No Cover We’re excited to welcome Wasabi Santa Cruz, performing alongside a cover band for a full afternoon of great local music. Come relax, sip, and enjoy — no charge for the music. 🎨 Art Lounge (DIY Creative Experience) Explore your creativity in our Art Lounge! Choose from a variety of DIY painting and craft projects while enjoying a drink from our beer and wine bar. All supplies included Written instructions or video tutorials Social, self‑paced experience Kitchen open until 7 PM Reserve your project online and we’ll have everything ready when you arrive. Bar seating is first‑come, first‑served (no project purchase required). Join us for a lively, creative First Friday celebration on the Westside!
Kara is an award-winning natural world photographer who lives in the Pleasure Point Neighborhood of Santa Cruz. She learned the love of travel at a young age and was given her first camera at the age of ten. Ever since she’s traveled the world making photos. While she loves traveling to faraway places to photograph endangered species, her main love is where she lives. She recently published a children’s book of her photos showing the Monterey Bay with its unique diversity from its mountains to the sea. Meet Kara at our First Friday reception, Aug. 7, 4-7 p.m. at the Silver Mountain Tasting Room, 328 D Ingalls St. Enjoy a glass of wine while chatting with Kara about her extensive travels and stunning photography.
Please enjoy a group show from local artists that are disabled, chronically ill, or neurodivergent. Some art may talk about the life experiences of the artists, and some are simply the authentic expression of a disabled person. We hosted an art party on the principles of Disability Justice in July, and some of those art pieces will be in the show. First Friday Opening: 8/7 from 4-8pm. We are a small gallery. For anyone who has sensitivity to crowds, we recommend visiting us during our open hours during the week: w-th 2-6pm f: 4-8pm s-s: 1-5pm Snacks provided by Annies Cashew Dip and Trini Badillas Salsa www.thevisionsanctuary.com Participating Artists: – Tyler “Epitimus Prime” Gettner – Cherryy – Erin Harmon – Marley Calamity – Enigma – Alias, et al. – Sunny Mackey – Cazoshay Marie – Alicia Wyneken – Star Flower – Jessica Ann Roberts – Water Woody – Franki – ArteMacabre – Indigo Knightly – Rosebud Wild – Ember Katzirah
Join us for First Friday Gallery Night and Live Music at The Green Spot! We are excited to continue our gallery spotlight in-store with featured artist Leah Rose. Trianna will kick things off with live music, playing guitar and singing to set a warm, chill vibe for the evening. Come by, enjoy our classic charcuterie trays, and browse the gallery at your own pace. You can purchase Leah Rose’s art all month long, and First Friday is the perfect time to meet the artist spotlight and take something home. We would love to see you, so stop by the Green Spot for a welcoming night of art, music, and good bites!
Please, join us every Friday this month, as we are open late and will be showcasing ALL our local Fine Artists that are hanging around this summer including, Nick Conte, Lupe Santos, Sylvia Valentine, Maylene Rasmussen, Sally Bookman, Beth Shields, Thomas Kinkade, Salvador Dali, and Michelle Nicely. We are also happy to announce we will be keeping the famed Rock n Roll photography of Jay Blakesberg. He has shot for Rolling Stone Magazine for over 40 years and is sole photographer for Dead and Company. Now, in the Grammy Museum. Look for our upcoming private event September, First Friday.
Friday, August 07 2026 3:30pm - 4:30pm Use your imagination and build anything you can dream! Lego and Duplo blocks will be available for children and youth to tinker with, build, explore, and creatively play! No registration necessary.
I invite you to explore Susan Brown’s world, at Gabriella Cafe, First Friday, August 7, 5—7 PM. Susan Brown’s works capture the essence of Santa Cruz downtown, neighborhoods, and nearby towns and favorite local destinations. You’ll see Santa Cruz County in a different way! Many of her well known paintings give life to lesser known places, such as “just a street.” Her Santa Cruz County paintings are not typical “coastal or beach scenes;”such as her acrylic painting, “Davenport Evening,” (shown in the San Diego Museum of Art Exhibition, March 2025-November 2026); which poses questions for the viewer; asking where the road may lead, and evoking a sense of recognition or deja vu, whether or not one has actually been there. Susan uses technique, color and perspective to give the viewer a sense of place that somehow feels both familiar and new at the same time. We look forward to showing you the “Other Santa Cruz.”
We are thrilled to host the landmark 95th California Landscape Exhibition! This year, we invite you to join our team, our volunteers, and our community alongside distinguished juror Warren Chang to honor the stunning, diverse scenes that define California. Awards for first, second, third, and honorable mentions will be announced around 6 to 6:30pm.
Join us for an evening celebrating the wonders of our local coastline at August First Friday! Seaweed Summer highlights the beauty, ecology, and hidden life of seaweeds found along the Santa Cruz shoreline. Enjoy food, drinks, hands-on activities, and opportunities to learn from local partners and naturalists about the important role seaweed plays in marine ecosystems, from habitat building to climate resilience. Explore interactive tables, creative art-making, and community organizations sharing ocean-inspired work. Join community partners including: City of Santa Cruz Sea Otter Savvy Seymour Center Save our Shores UCSC Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department Sunflower Star Laboratory Cabrillo College O’Neill Sea Odyssey Kylene Gilmore Olivia Merriam Noelle Kaslly As always, First Friday is free and open to all. Come connect with nature, science, and community as we celebrate the coastal world right in our backyard. Museum admission is free all day, and evening festivities take place from 5:00–8:00 PM outside in Tyrrell Park.
Meet a local author, see live raptors, and explore our Mini Nature Museum. First Friday at the Land Trust. Free & all ages welcome! Whether you’re an avid birder, a curious beginner, a family looking for a fun Friday evening, or someone who’s ever stopped to wonder, “What bird is making that sound?” – this evening is for you! Join the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County for a special bird- themed First Friday celebrating the incredible birds that call Santa Cruz County home. Meet local bird experts, connect with fellow nature enthusiasts, and discover how protecting open spaces helps birds and our entire community thrive. Throughout the evening, expect: 🦅 Live raptors 📚 A local author 🪶 An interactive nature museum 🛍️ Local conservation-minded vendors 🎟️ Free admission Whether you’re hoping to identify your first bird, inspire a young naturalist, or simply spend an evening surrounded by people who love the outdoors, we’d love to see you there. When: Friday, August 7th, 5:00 – 8:00 pm Where: Land Trust of Santa Cruz County Office, 911 Center St, Santa Cruz 95060 Here’s What’s Waiting for You 📖 Meet the Author of Birds of Santa Cruz Discover the remarkable birds that call Santa Cruz County home alongside someone who knows them best. Local author Sophie Wood Brinker will share stories from her beautifully illustrated book, Birds of Santa Cruz, and sign copies throughout the evening. Whether you’re hoping to identify the birds visiting your backyard, prepare for your next hike, or simply deepen your appreciation for the wildlife around you, Sophie will be available to answer questions, share her expertise, and help you see our local landscapes through a new lens. 🦅 Experience Live Birds of Prey There is nothing quite like seeing a hawk, falcon, or owl up close. Join a local falconer for a live falconry demonstration featuring magnificent birds of prey and learn about the centuries-old tradition of falconry, the incredible adaptations that make these birds such skilled hunte
Get stoked, Santa Cruz! 🌊📸 We are beyond hyped to host an exclusive art exhibit featuring the legendary work of decorated surf and ocean photographer, Dave “Nelly” Nelson! If you love the ocean, surf culture, and mind-blowing photography, this is one night you absolutely cannot miss. Come hang out, grab some good vibes, and be the first to witness an incredible collection of never-before-seen images from Nelly’s archives. Plus, we’re hosting an exclusive book signing—the perfect chance to snag a legendary piece of Santa Cruz surf history straight from the man himself! 🤙 Here’s what’s going down: What: Dave “Nelly” Nelson Art Exhibit & Book Signing When: Opening Night Reception – Friday, August 7, 2026 | 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM Where: Sunny California – 912 41st Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 Bonus: We’re hosting an epic RAFFLE! Make sure to sign up at the door for your chance to win some amazing prizes. 🎟️🔥 (Can’t make it to opening night? No sweat! The show will be running through the entire month of August. But this is your chance to hang with the man himself) See you there! 👇 @nellysmagicmoments @sunnycalifornia_santacruz #DaveNellyNelson #SantaCruz #SantaCruzSurf #SurfPhotography #OceanPhotography #SunnyCalifornia #SantaCruzEvents #SurfCulture #SkatePhotography #ArtExhibit #MontereyBay
For August’s First Friday, Minnow Arts is presenting the work of F U Tattoo artists and their extended friends! Swing by for an evening filled with socializing with the artists and viewing their work. The type of work includes paintings, sculptures, and mixed media. DJ @chicano_electric will be providing music for the event. We hope to see you there!
Santa Cruz Korean Center K-Gallery will show various Fan Art and Sale. Korean Artist EunKyung Lee Otte will show and tell her unique and authentic hanging fan, holding fan etc. Santa Cruz Korean Center K-gallery is located Tannery Art Center . 1050 River St. Studio 114 Santa Cruz CA 95060. K-Gallery will demo fan Art around 6 Pm on Aug. 7 Come and Enjoy Summer special Fan Art show and Sale!
Please join us for this extra special exhibit! Come to the artist reception and meet Jack, hear about his unique art and life. Make a reservation for a table or a fire pit, or just grab a spot at the bar. We are open early and late, so don’t miss this colorful show. Abstract Paintings by Jack Mento Born in Hawaii and growing up in Syracuse, NY my nickname was Diamond which in Hawaiian is Kaimana. Although Hawaii will always be my spiritual home, I have lived in different places including Hawaii, New York, Arizona, Colorado and currently in the beautiful Sierra Nevada foothills in Northern California. My art is a unique expression of the many roads I’ve traveled, the things I’ve felt and seen, and the countless colorful adventures this life has given me. I started painting in 1986 and realized it was a deep way to express myself. At first my art had more of a realistic style that depicted my everyday experiences. Over time my work developed into a visual impression of the world around me and the mystery within. The art always seems to take me beyond what I imagined. Sometimes when I paint, I realize I am merely a witness to what transpires while the brush is in hand. I hope my art reaches people on a level that evokes their imagination about their own inner landscape as well as their curiosity about the world outside themselves. I believe one function of Art is to make visible to you the Mysteries of life on an emotionally deeper level. It is the life within and without that truly has led me to create what you see here. Contact info: Email : [email protected] Website : kaimanaart.com Venmo: @John-Mento-7
The Santa Cruz County Parks Department is pleased to announce the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission’s 2026 Spotlight Award recipients: Tish Bertino (Visual Artist), and Barbara Martin (Drummer/Percussionist). The artists’ work will be exhibited on the 5th floor of the County Governmental Center, 701 Ocean St., Santa Cruz, from August 3-October 9, 2026. A First Friday opening reception will be held August 7 from 5-7 p.m. The natural world serves as the source of inspiration for Tish Bertino’s paintings, where she invites and encourages the viewer to visit real and imaginary places where shape, vibrant color, luminous light, and a sense of movement provide literal form to the pieces. Tish’s style is loose and expressive impressionist. A longtime resident of Santa Cruz, Tish runs and hikes through the woods and along the ocean allowing nature’s beauty to feed her soul and inspire her works. She returned to school in her mid-thirties to earn both a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from San Jose State University. For several years she taught art in local elementary schools. Painting is a source of immense joy for Tish and considers the process of creating art essential to leading a balanced and meaningful life. Barbara Martin is a Drummer and Multi-Percussionist, originally from Guantanamo City, Cuba. While studying music in at college Santa Clara, Cuba, she had the opportunity to perform with the Harvard Symphony Orchestra, as well as other traditional and popular Cuban bands. She also gained extensive teaching experience while in college by teaching music at the middle and high school levels. Arriving to the United States in 2016, she has taught music in various schools and performed in different bands throughout California. She is currently studying Music at Cabrillo College as well as working as a TA for the Music Department, where she also co-directs the Cabrillo Latin Jazz Ensemble. She currently directs, plays drums/percussion and i
As sisters, we have spent our lives collecting things—objects, stories, memories, fragments of the ordinary and the extraordinary. While our artistic paths have taken different forms, we share a fascination with making connections and finding meaning in unexpected places. In this exhibition, textiles, assemblage, found objects, and artifacts become vehicles for exploration. Familiar materials are transformed through stitching, layering, arranging, and reimagining. A discarded object becomes a relic. An eye chart becomes a chair. A faded photograph becomes the beginning of a story. Neither of us is interested in providing answers. Instead, we are drawn to questions: What stories do objects carry? What do we choose to remember? What do we overlook? How does meaning change when something is removed from its original purpose and given a new life? Curious Sisters celebrates wonder, discovery, and the pleasure of seeing the world through a lens of possibility. It is an invitation to slow down, look closer, and follow your own sense of curiosity wherever it may lead About Judy & Wendy: Judy Stabile has never met a piece of fabric, an old eye chart, or an intriguing object she couldn’t imagine becoming something else. Originally trained as a sculptor, she now works primarily with textiles, printmaking, and surface design, creating one-of-a-kind garments, furnishings, and mixed-media pieces that blur the line between art, clothing, and storytelling. She is fascinated by pattern, repetition, stitching, printing, and the endless possibilities hidden inside ordinary materials. Judy approaches her studio like a laboratory for curiosity. A medical diagram might become a chair. An eye exam might become a coat. A scrap of cloth might spark an entirely new narrative. Her work is playful, thoughtful, and driven by a belief that the most interesting discoveries often begin with the simple question: “What would happen if…?” As one of the Curious Sisters, Judy shares with her sister Wen
The Institute of the Arts and Science(IAS) is excited to announce our August first Friday event! Friday, August 7th join us at the IAS and enjoy after hours viewing of the exhibition, exhibition related activities like letter writing to those included in Libia Posada’s “Blue Portraits” and much more Time: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. When: Friday, August 7th, 2026 Where: Institute of the Arts and Sciences 100 Panetta Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Offshore Sounds First Friday in Santa Cruz. Late hours at the record shop with local vinyl DJs and new arrivals.
On the first Friday evening of every month, Santa Cruz galleries, shops, and cultural venues open their doors to showcase the works of Santa Cruz County artists. With a block party-like vibe, the multi-venue event provides an opportunity to discover local creative talent in a fun and festive setting. Many venues entice attendees with yummy cheese-and-wine-filled spreads, while others have food trucks joining in on the fun.
The Institute of the Arts and Science(IAS) is excited to announce our August first Friday event! Friday, August 7th join us at the IAS and enjoy after hours viewing of the exhibition, exhibition related activities like letter writing to those included in Libia Posada’s “Blue Portraits” and much more Time: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. When: Friday, August 7th, 2026 Where: Institute of the Arts and Sciences 100 Panetta Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Join Beth Stiles of One-Handed Knitting for a fun First Friday event featuring her amazing, knitted creations that she does with one hand! We will have some delicious treats, beverages and a fun community of people at the Live Oak Refillery on Friday August 7th from 5pm-8pm. Come join Beth and all her friends for a fun and cozy gathering! Browse and support Beth’s beautiful handcrafted knitted creations by purchasing one (or more!) of her unique pieces. We’d love to see you there! A little bit about Beth: Hi, I’m Beth. I have been knitting for 58 years. I knit with one hand, since I have cerebral palsy. It’s a way for me to relax. I have made hats, minister stoles, Afghans, baby blankets, mini-Afghans, grandparents baby blankets, scarves, mittens and much more. I am a third generation knitter.
Santa Cruz Clay puts on first friday with ceramics, paintings, jewelry and more! Jungle boogie theme 🙂
Calvary Cultural Center is excited to present Connor O’Neill’s whimsical, jazzy artwork. Connor’s art screams of lyrical adventure, inviting the viewer to stay for a while and explore. Please join us for this solo artist event and reception. Read about Connor and his work in Santa Cruz Vibes Magazine https://www.scvibesmagazine.com/stories/connor-oneill or check out his clothing line Pen Pal at http://www.instagram.com/penpalsocialmedia.
“Epiphanies “ Solo exhibition by Zara Kand July 3-August 28 Receptions : July 3 and Aug 7 Gallery Hours : Thurs-Sun , 11-6pm Zara Kand is a south California Artist who paints dreamy emotional themes with dark psychological undertones .
First Friday at Santa Cruz Art Expressions 🎨🎶 Doors open at 5 PM for an evening of art, music, and creative connection at Santa Cruz Art Expressions. Enjoy a live DJ set, light refreshments, and the buzz of First Friday energy as the gallery comes alive. Meet featured artist Kelli C. Foss, known for her vibrant abstract paintings and unmistakable, intuitive style. Guests are invited beyond the gallery walls and into her personal studio for an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at her process, works in progress, and the creative world that shapes her art. In addition to Foss’s work, explore a curated selection of artists on display throughout the space, offering a rich mix of styles and perspectives. Come to mingle, move to the music, and immerse yourself in an inspired evening celebrating art and community in the heart of Santa Cruz.
The Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center opens its doors for a monthly First Friday open house.
Enjoy games with prizes all along downtown Boulder Creek! There will be a kid zone, photo booth, vendors and more!
Free summer block party in Midtown Santa Cruz featuring live music, food trucks, local artists, makers, and family fun.
First Fridays at The 418 Project First Friday of Every Month 5:00–9:00 PM The 418 Project • 155 S River Street, Santa Cruz Free Admission Celebrate the vibrant creativity of Santa Cruz at First Fridays at The 418 Project! Each month, our lobby transforms into a welcoming marketplace and gathering space featuring local artists, makers, vendors, and creative organizations. Browse original artwork, discover handmade goods, meet the people behind the work, and enjoy an evening of art, conversation, and community. Whether you’re looking to support local artists, find something unique, or simply spend an inspiring evening downtown, First Fridays is a place to connect with the creative spirit of Santa Cruz. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome. Come explore, meet local creatives, and experience why The 418 Project is a place to move and be moved.
On the first Friday evening of every month, Santa Cruz galleries, shops, and cultural venues open their doors to showcase the works of Santa Cruz County artists. With a block party-like vibe, the multi-venue event provides an opportunity to discover local creative talent in a fun and festive setting. Many venues entice attendees with yummy cheese-and-wine-filled spreads, while others have food trucks joining in on the fun.
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.
First Friday at The 418 Project in Santa Cruz, featuring artist-led offerings and community connection. Focus on supporting BIPOC, women, and artists.
Gallery 125 at The Tannery is open for First Friday from 5 to 8pm on August 7th. We have paintings, prints, cards, sculpture, jewelry, pastels, assemblage, etc. in all sizes and prices to meet everyone’s taste and budget. Come visit us! Showing the work of Beth Shields, Lynne Todaro, Melissa West, Linda Fillhardt and Joan Hellenthal.
5:30-7:30pm Local Honey is a Santa Cruz-based band that drips with honey sweet harmony and hums with tight, inventive musicianship. Local Honey's repertoire pays homage to some of the the big voices of the last seven decades, including Big Mama Thornton, Rachael Price, Gladys Knight, Stevie Nicks, Grace Slick, and Amy Winehouse, among other divas. They seek out feel-good songs with strong vocals and infectious beats and make them their own. Though Local Honey is a new band, all of them are veterans of the Santa Cruz and Monterey music scenes. Members have worked with Honeytone, Ten O'Clock Lunch, Come Together, Backyard Birds, Menage, and Bay Bop. Over the years they've played in different combinations at many venues, including Michael's on Main, Chaminade, Davenport Roadhouse, Hallcrest Vineyards, Joe's Bar and the Food Lounge.
Thread Bare: Erotic Textiles Make your way to LGC Friday August 7th from 6-9pm for a collection of suggestive pieces from local sewists, weavers, knitters, crotcheters, and embroidery artists. Ranging from the lighthearted to lewd, this collection is sure to be entertaining and titillating. Featuring works by Amanda Payne Ann Altstatt Arden Rosenthal Bobby Gordon Colette Rabin Derek Pratt Haley Ricci J Atencio Juliette Saux Lisa Sprinkle Martabel Wasserman Pete Brook Sophie Bassett LGC is an inclusive space and all are welcome, be aware of adult themes when bringing in younger viewers. 115 river st S Next to Mobo Sushi
An outdoor music event held in the plaza, offering a chance to enjoy live performance in downtown Watsonville.
Every first and third Fridays at Cat Alley Street, our beat conductors take you on a high-style ride showcasing underground street sounds- Brought to you by Subterrestrials Records. Doors and Bar open at 6pm, Music at 9pm. No Cover, 21+
Join Us to Hold Grief, Witness, and Care for Gaza’s Children 36 handmade quilts. 720 infants remembered. Watching from a distance—in a country whose government is implicated—was not bearable. So community members stitched with care, imagining the babies who should have been wrapped in these quilts. We’ll reflect, witness, and grieve in solidarity that moves us toward greater responsibility. Light refreshments will be served.
We are a cover band out of San Jose playing a mix of Jam Band, R&B and Classic Rock. We tend to play songs just off the beaten track but that people still recognize. We cover a very wide variety of artists including Bowie, Amy Winehouse, Neil Young, Grateful Dead, Stevie Wonder, Hall and Oates, Eric Clapton, Phish, Paul Simon, Jimmy Cliff and more.
Rebecca Coupe Franks / Trumpet Nancy Heth / Vocals and Piano
Jug band music is often just seen as goofy, but it also has a rich history. It was born in the 1910s in the Southern United States. It blends African, European, and American styles of music. It can be played casually on a corner or a porch or professionally at large events like the Kentucky Derby. The genre even saw a revival in the 1950s. Today jug band music has expanded to include those who play the original jug band songs or people who use homemade instruments to make music. Members of the jug band Trolley Drop, Greg Meyer and Peter Thomas, will be diving deep into this fascinating and colorful history at the MAH. -Isabella Marie Sangaline; Good Times Santa Cruz
A documentary screening about mischief and theft at Walt Disney World, including the half-million-dollar animatronic heist. Followed by filmmaker Q&A.
Currently, Cat Alley Street has local artist Harry Hat displaying his fun, whimsical drawings/painting on our walls, along with other pictures that fit our aesthetic. Cat Alley Street is a swanky 1920s themed vampire nightclub, located at the Catalyst upstairs. We have a full bar, beautiful lounge, and great DJs playing electronic dance music Thursday thru Sunday, usually with no cover. This venue is 21+. Occasionally we have live jazz or bluegrass in the Sun Room. The bar & lounge open at 6pm, DJs start at 9. We will soon have food service at the Catalyst downstairs food counter, which can be brought upstairs. Our intention is all about creating an atmosphere that feels beautiful, safe, and genuinely welcoming.
Artisans & agency is delighted to feature the luminous paintings of Brian Rounds for the month of August. His plein air paintings of Santa Cruz woodlands and coasts are the perfect way to wrap up the summer and head into fall. We hope you can join us on August 7 from 6-8pm, to admire his work and meet Brian Rounds in person. A word from the artist… Art has the power to instill in us a sense of belonging. When I was growing up in California, rapid suburban development resulted in a dichotomous landscape — places of commerce intermixed with patches of land left somewhat wild. While the grid of technology and commodity provides many benefits, the forests, creeks, and trails present something indispensable: contact with what is ancient and nameless. My landscape paintings offer a sanctuary, a meditation, a place where one can lose oneself in the contours of nature. I seek places that inspire me with harmonies of composition, tone, and color, and there begins the process of building a small reflection of the world before me—an absorbing task urged on by the gradual and changing passage of light. Through the act of painting outdoors, I hope to express the unique and mysterious pull that landscape holds when we take time to feel a connection to it. Not unlike the American luminists, who explored nature’s mysteries by rendering light and color in spatially expansive landscapes, I strive to make light palpable and offer the viewer a sense of wonder and engagement with the natural world.
First Friday Santa Cruz & Radius Gallery present a special exhibition! The Art of Flowers – Call for art and fresh floral designs Calling all floral designers, 3D vessel crafters (must hold water), and artists working in a variety of 2D and 3D media with a theme of flowers – we’d love to see non-literal, abstract and surreal work! Performance art welcome! Application is open to all Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Monterey & San Mateo county artists. Up to two original works can be entered on the same form for consideration. No prints or reproductions please. Submissions will be reviewed and selected by the exhibition curators. APPLY HERE IMPORTANT INFO: Exhibition Location: Radius Gallery | 1050 River St #127, Santa Cruz,CA Exhibition Dates: August 6-16 Opening Reception: August 6, 6-8pm First Friday: August 7, 5-9pm Open Gallery Hours: Wed-Sun, 12-5pm Other special events TBA Application Deadline: July 3, midnight Application fee: $25 Acceptance Notifications Sent: July 10 Art Delivery: July 29-30 Florals designed in gallery: August 4-5 Commission on Sold Work: 60/40 (Artist/Gallery) Curated by Ann Hazels & Bree Karpavage. Contact: Bree Karpavage – [email protected] with questions.
First Friday Art Event
Join Us to Hold Grief, Witness, and Care for Gaza’s Children 36 handmade quilts. 720 infants remembered. Watching from a distance—in a country whose government is implicated—was not bearable. So community members stitched with care, imagining the babies who should have been wrapped in these quilts. We’ll reflect, witness, and grieve in solidarity that moves us toward greater responsibility. Light refreshments will be served.
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.
The August show features Gelli, Mono, and Relief prints with PATT participants: Bob Rocco, Andrée LeBourveau, Ann Miya, Lu Lee, A V Pike, Jane Gregorius, Susan Gilchrist, and Cindy Haug, and guest artist Margitta Dietrick.
Pole Fitness 101 is more than just aerial training. Get movement training you’ll use for life! ✅Pole technique with dance & fitness modules ✅Functional conditioning ✅Mobility & flexibility training ✅High level Xpert Xpole certified (L1-L4) ✅FRC certified Mobility Specialist (FRCms) Drop in on one class or attend the fully programmed module for 7 weeks! Fridays 6 pm. www.ohanastudiosantacruz.com
Join us Friday August 7th, from 6:00-9:00pm for the astrophotography of Christian Ryun! Up for August & September Meet The artist while enjoying wine & refreshments in our beautiful Loft! Message from the artist: My name is Christian Ryun and I am a photographer based in Santa Cruz, CA. In middle school, I worked all summer to afford my first camera. From dragonflies to water drops, that little camera opened the door to a lifelong love of photography. I found my passion in astrophotography through the Great American Total Solar Eclipse of 2017. Something that awe inspiring really grabbed a hold of me and I have been hooked ever since. In addition to photography, I have also been backpacking around the Western US for over 20 years. It was only natural that some of the darkest skies I could find for astrophotography would be in the backcountry!
Confluence: where separate currents meet. The exhibition brings together two distinct practices, each shaped by its own materials, process, and point of view - meeting at a single point within the gallery. Carter's work begins from a place of not knowing, letting intuition guide the encounter between material and chance. Arias describes her work as primitive contemporary, presenting her sculptures as if they belonged in a history museum - objects that carry the weight and presence of relics. Together, their work forms a quiet conversation about what separate paths can become when they meet. "Susana and Glenn each bring such a deeply distinctive artistic voice to their work," said Rose Sellery, exhibition curator. "Confluence explores the fertile ground where two creative currents meet. Their work remains unmistakably their own, yet in conversation with one another it reveals new layers of meaning, beauty and possibility." Confluence is shown alongside work from more than 25 local and regional artists whose work the gallery is proud to represent, reflecting M.K. Contemporary's ongoing commitment to the Santa Cruz arts community. The exhibition opens with a First Friday reception on August 7, featuring live improvisational jazz from The Leftovers. The public is invited to attend.
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! 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
After a brief hiatus from first friday, Kraken Art Studio & Gallery is back—and we’re still Kraken! Join us for our August First Friday as we reopen our doors and welcome the community back into our creative space. Browse artwork by John Martinez, Mark Perry, and Beverly Connelly, explore our working studio, and enjoy an evening of art, conversation, and downtown Santa Cruz. We’re excited to be back and look forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones.
“Confluence”: where separate currents meet. This exhibition pairs the work of Santa Cruz artists Susana Arias and Glenn Carter, on view August 7 through September 13 at M.K. Contemporary Art Gallery. “Confluence” is exhibited alongside of 25+ local and regional artists whose work we adore. We will be hosting live, improvisational jazz music from the talented musicians of “the Leftovers”
Join us from May to October as Chef Samuels and his culinary team create gourmet four-course dinners expertly paired with wines from local California vineyards. Enjoy a romantic evening in the Chaminade courtyard overlooking Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay. 21+ only. Tickets and Overnight Packages (two tickets included) on sale now. See 2026 calendar below. Friday, May 1 in partnership with Beauregard Vineyards Friday, June 5 in partnership with Caymus Vineyards Friday, July 10 in partnership with Wente Vineyards Friday, July 24 in partnership with Storrs Winery Friday, August 7 in partnership with Fableist Wine Co. Friday, September 11 in partnership with Serial Wines October Date TBD in partnership with Alfaro Family Vineyards
ALO stands for Animal Liberation Orchestra - because music liberates the inner animal, of course. As liberated as they come, Zach Gill, Dan “Lebo” Lebowitz, and Steve Adams have certainly been at this a long time. The trio met while still pre-teens in Saratoga, California, where they quickly connected through their love of music. In junior high, they got the idea to put together a band for their eighth-grade talent show. Zach recounts the struggle of the emerging artist thusly: “It’s hard to get all the pieces right, you know, you’re chasing a dream and an abstract vision, and you’re going through puberty. It’s kind of a lot.” Lebo elaborates, “We met at a time in our lives where we were coming of age and craving identity. Music, and more specifically, our band, gave us a vessel with which we could ‘set sail’ on the ocean of life”. And the rest is history, but history is always a crooked path. You end up where you belong, but the journey is never quite what you expected when you took the first step. Twenty five years in, Gill (keyboards/vocals), Lebo (guitar/vocals), Adams (bass, vocals) and newest addition, Bay Area drum legend-in-training Ezra Lipp (drums, vocals), have recorded their greatest work to date. Quite simply, this is what happens when a band doesn’t break up – the culmination of a lifetime of shared effort and camaraderie, four master collaborators at the peak of their craft with nothing left to prove, a near-telepathic cohesion. These guys have played with everybody. From royalty like Phil Lesh and members of the Grateful Dead to So Cal surf-troubadour Jack Johnson. If the show happened in California, you’ll almost always find one of them in the corner of the shot and, sometimes, even in the center. But you don’t really hear the band’s magic until you hear them together. And it urges repeat listening, because it’s a rich stew that only fully reveals itself with time, attention, a few tears, and a lot of love. ALO call their music “jam-pop,” and the de
Zach Adleman performs live at Kuumbwa Jazz in Santa Cruz for an evening of music.
Subject: Come Drum, Connect, and Celebrate Life — Now Twice a Month! Dear Friends, Due to continuing requests from our growing circle, I’m very excited to expand our Community Drumming Classes in Soquel Village from gathering on the third Friday of each month to meeting on the FIRST and THIRD FRIDAYS, beginning February 6th! Where: The Congregational Church of Soquel (the white church with the steeple) Parish Hall 4951 Soquel Dr., Soquel, CA When: First & Third Fridays of every month 7:00–8:30 pm Doors open at 6:30 pm Donation: $10 I provide hand drums and percussion instruments, and you’re always welcome to bring your own favorites. All levels of experience are warmly welcome at this family-friendly gathering! For beginners, I offer a few fun and easy tips for playing hand drums and percussion instruments, while exploring universal foundation rhythms. From there, I add more advanced elements for experienced players, guiding the group through a step-by-step Rhythm Journey that I've conducted globally for thousands of corporate and community sessions over the past four decades. Along the way, I also demonstrate how rhythm can become the foundation for a playful, positive Life Practice... reinforcing powerful Life Rhythms and supportive patterns of attitude and action. Together, we cultivate a strong, joyful Groove ... the powerful state of entrainment known as the Zone and Flow... personally, and as a community. Gathering in rhythm is one of humanity’s oldest ways of celebrating life, beginning when our ancestors first gathered around the fire... clapping hands, stomping feet, and howling at the stars... we have used rhythm to connect, empower and rejoice. Every beat reminds us that we are part of something ancient and beautiful, linking us across generations and cultures! We humans are at our best when we come together to celebrate the miracle—the blessing—of life, and to uplift and empower one another. Come play! Many Blessings, Jim
A young, wholesome, and seemingly normal couple, Brad and Jan, set out to visit their old professor, but their plans change when a large storm causes their car to go flat. Desperate to get out of the rain, they find an old castle that is home to Dr. Frank-N-Furter. From there, the night only becomes weirder. That night will be one they and the audience will not forget. This cult classic continues to entertain crowds, and this run is no different. Audience members can purchase interactive goodie bags with their tickets and participate in a costume contest. Goes until August 22.
Santa Cruz Shakespeare invites you to experience August Wilson’s Fences, under the trees and stars of the Audrey Stanley Grove in Santa Cruz’s DeLaveaga Park this summer. Fences By August Wilson Directed by Susan Dalian August Wilson joins the Santa Cruz Shakespeare stage for the first time in 45 years. Fences is the perfect offering, wonderfully in line with the Santa Cruz Shakespeare season’s theme: Till Death Do Us Part. Troy Maxson is one of Wilson’s great creations; Shakespearean in scope; a wordsmith and brilliant storyteller. He has survived the terrible trauma of his past and built himself a good life. But the backbone of that life, the spine that keeps it standing strong, is his wife Rose. Like all of Wilson’s best work, Fences is both mythic and intimate; the questions it asks both human and eternal. Fences runs July 28 – August 28. Tickets available for purchase starting May 1. More information through the link in the orange button above. Seasonal box office hours beginning May 1 are Tuesday through Friday from 12p.m. to 4p.m. Call the number above.
Fridays & Saturdays 8pm-10pm through October. Opening weekend July 10-11! Experience the magic once again as this beloved art and light installation returns to the Santa Cruz Mountains for its second year. Lighted lanterns hang high overhead surrounded by thousand year old redwoods that are uplit to create a unique and awe-inspiring retreat back to nature.
Moes Alley presents the soulful sounds of Eric Lindell & The Westside Summer League! Friday, August 7, 2026Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm$30 in advance / $35 day of the 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====ERIC LINDELLBorn in San Mateo, California in 1969, Lindell spent countless hours in San Francisco, soaking up the musical sounds of the city, eventually leading him to pick up first the bass and then the guitar and harmonica. With a love of music and skateboarding, Lindell formed a few punky garage bands early on while his musical horizons expanded. He listened to the deep blues of Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Jimmy Reed and Albert King before drifting toward the R&B sounds of The Impressions, Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway, soaking up the soul and learning how to craft a song. After performing at bars on the West Coast with a few short-lived bands, Eric formed his own group in 1993. He quickly gained a loyal Northern California audience thanks to countless performances and many late-night jam sessions. Established stars like Charlie Musselwhite and Tom Waits attended his shows, as did overflow crowds of music fans.
A weekly line dancing event at the Crow's Nest in Santa Cruz, offering a casual and social way to learn country line dances by the waterfront for $10.
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,
This nighttime experience will bring you a magical and immersive perspective on the ancient forest at Roaring Camp. During the 0.8-mile loop walk, you will view 26 unique, lighted lanterns, hung approximately 50 feet above the ground. The lanterns were crafted by local artists including Anna Bobisuthi, Roaring Camp’s resident blacksmith, and Chris Butler, who also created the lighting design for Sequoias at Night. Tickets are available at the link in the orange button above. Kids under two enter for free. Roaring Camp’s food services and gift shop will be open.
Every Friday night (Except 3rd of July this year) on the beach in front of the Colonnade, bring your family and your blanket or low-back chair to experience the ultimate movie night! Watch your favorite movies while munching on mouthwatering Boardwalk treats, from kettle corn and saltwater taffy to corn dogs and turkey legs. Seating is first come, first served and each movie will have a 15-minute intermission. June 12, 2026: The Lost Boys June 19, 2026: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off June 26, 2026: Kicking and Screaming July 10, 2026: 13 Going on 30 July 17, 2026: Back to the Future July 24, 2026: A Minecraft Movie July 31, 2026: Jurassic Park August 7, 2026: The Goonies
Get the full lineup: bit.ly/Free-Movies-on-the-Beach FREE Movies on the Beach Friday Nights at 9pm June 12 – August 7, 2026 (Except July 3) Beach in front of the Colonnade The Goonies - August 7 at 9 PM There’s nothing quite like watching your favorite movies under the stars with your toes in the sand, enjoying the nostalgic flavors of classic Boardwalk treats. Grab your blankets and your favorite people for a Boardwalk movie night packed with unforgettable fun! Admission FREE! • Each movie will include a 15-minute intermission. • Seating is first-come, first-served. • Low-back chairs and blankets are encouraged for seating; please allow others space and a good view. • Smoking is not permitted on the beach or Boardwalk. Alcohol and glass are prohibited on the beach. • A limited number of assistive listening devices (ALDs) are available for check-out at the Mini Golf Kiosk inside Neptune's Kingdom. • If you require other special accommodations or would like to request Closed Captioning, please contact the Manager on Duty at least 48 hours in advance of the movie at (831) 423-5590. Free Movies on the Beach is sponsored by KDON, KOCN, KWAV, KCDU, and the City of Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Printable Schedule: coming soon... ENJOY THE SHOWS!
Dig deeply into this season’s Shakespeare productions with a special weekend of lectures, discussions and hands-on activities. In partnership with UCSC’s Shakespeare Workshop and The Humanities Institute, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about each play during the day and then enjoy the production that same evening. This year, Weekend with Shakespeare will be held at the Audrey Stanley Grove in DeLaveaga Park on August 8th (Much Ado About Nothing) and August 9th (Macbeth). Admission is free to all, but seating is limited. Please register below to reserve your seats. Schedule for Weekend with Shakespeare Saturday, 8/8 – Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare 11:00 a.m. – Welcome (Sean Keilen, UCSC) 11:15 a.m. – Actor Panel (Charles Pasternak and members of the company, SCS) 12:15 p.m. – Boxed lunch (courtesy of Shakespeare Workshop) 1:00 p.m. – Visiting Scholar (Eli Simon, UC Irvine) 2:00 – End of program Sunday, 8/9 – Macbeth by William Shakespeare 1:00 a.m. – Welcome (Sean Keilen, UCSC) 11:15 a.m. – Actor Panel (Charles Pasternak and members of the company, SCS) 12:15 p.m. – Boxed lunch (courtesy of Shakespeare Workshop) 1:00 p.m. – Visiting Scholar (Eli Simon, UC Irvine) 2:00 – End of program Sean Keilen is Professor of Literature and UC Santa Cruz, the founder of Shakespeare Workshop, and Head of Dramaturgy at Santa Cruz Shakespeare. Charles Pasternak is Artistic Director at Santa Cruz Shakespeare, before which served as Artistic Director of The Porters of Hellsgate Theatre Co in Los Angeles for over fifteen years. He has had a wide-ranging career as an actor and director at theatres across this country including American Players Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles, three seasons with The Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis and four with Shakespeare Santa Cruz. Eli Simon is a Chancellor’s Professor of Drama at UC Irvine, where he has served as chair and head of actin
Dig deeply into this season’s Shakespeare productions with a special weekend of lectures, discussions and hands-on activities. In partnership with UCSC’s Shakespeare Workshop and The Humanities Institute, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about each play during the day and then enjoy the production that same evening. This year, Weekend with Shakespeare will be held at the Audrey Stanley Grove in DeLaveaga Park on August 8th ( Much Ado About Nothing ) and August 9th ( Macbeth ). Admission is free to all, but seating is limited. Please register below to reserve your seats . Schedule for Weekend with Shakespeare Saturday, 8/8 – Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare 11:00 a.m. – Welcome (Sean Keilen, UCSC) 11:15 a.m. – Actor Panel (Charles Pasternak and members of the company, SCS) 12:15 p.m. – Boxed lunch (courtesy of Shakespeare Workshop) 1:00 p.m. – Visiting Scholar (Eli Simon, UC Irvine) 2:00 – End of program Sunday, 8/9 – Macbeth by William Shakespeare 1:00 a.m. – Welcome (Sean Keilen, UCSC) 11:15 a.m. – Actor Panel (Charles Pasternak and members of the company, SCS) 12:15 p.m. – Boxed lunch (courtesy of Shakespeare Workshop) 1:00 p.m. – Visiting Scholar (Eli Simon, UC Irvine) 2:00 – End of program Sean Keilen is Professor of Literature and UC Santa Cruz, the founder of Shakespeare Workshop , and Head of Dramaturgy at Santa Cruz Shakespeare . Charles Pasternak is Artistic Director at Santa Cruz Shakespeare , before which served as Artistic Director of The Porters of Hellsgate Theatre Co in Los Angeles for over fifteen years. He has had a wide-ranging career as an actor and director at theatres across this country including American Players Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles, three seasons with The Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis and four with Shakespeare Santa Cruz. Eli Simon is a Chancellor’s Professor of Drama at UC Irvine, where he has served as chair and head
Zen Meditation. Open to all. Free of charge.
Come enjoy picking your own organic strawberries and/or flowers at the campus farm! When: U-picks will take place on Saturdays from 9am to 12pm, July 11–August 22, or while supplies last. PLEASE NOTE that u-pick will not occur on Saturday, July 4. Where: Free parking will be available in the Hay Barn lot or lot 115/116 during u-pick hours. Please do not park in the dirt lot at the farm’s back gate. Please walk to the check-in table near the strawberries/flowers at the farm to pre-pay and collect your u-pick container(s). We will have directional signage displayed. There is one ADA parking spot on the farm. The UCSC Farm has uneven, hilly terrain. If you require accommodations to fully participate, please email [email protected] and we will do our best to accommodate. Cost: UCSC students with valid ID get 25% off produce. Strawberry pints – $4 each Strawberry flats (12 pints) – $44 Flowers – $25 for 32oz deli container Flower buckets – $75 Payment: Credit card payments only (you will need a smartphone to scan a QR code and enter your card info manually). Dogs are not allowed on the UC Santa Cruz campus (service animals are OK).
Sandhills Tour - Hike around an ancient seafloor?! Yes please! On this 1.5 mile hike through the Santa Cruz Sandhills, we'll be meandering through sandy soils on the mountain top, about 800' above present-day sea level! Join us on August 8th at 9:00 am to explore this beautiful landscape and learn about the rare and unique things that call it home. RSVP for this event here . Let's plan to meet in the campground parking lot (located off Graham Hill Rd.). We hope to see you there! Hard rain cancels.
Enjoy Dynomite Farm’s show-quality dahlia beds for intimate, unhurried cutting experiences where you and your friends have the field to yourselves. No crowds. No rushing. Just you, your people, and a thousand flowers. Companion passes are available for guests who want to join the fun, explore the farm, and take in the beauty without cutting flowers. Friendly chickens roam the property, there are swings for little ones.
Classic cars and coffee every Saturday morning, in East Lake Village Shopping Center. It doesn't get much better. Come walk around the expansive parking lot, look at some beautifully restored cars, drink delicious coffee, and visit with your community. Stay awhile and enjoy one of the many great eateries in the shopping center!
This is a mixed-level ballet class for adult ballet dancers with Elizebeth Randall Rains.
Join us for a morning filled with plankton! These are the microscopic organisms that produce half the oxygen we breathe (phytoplankton) and the zooplankton, that form the base of the food chain. We will be going out to the Santa Cruz Wharf to collect the plankton and take data on the physical conditions. We will then go to a lab at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Center to look closely at our subjects (plankton) under the microscopes. REGISTER About the Speaker Jane Silberstein received her undergraduate degree in science (emphasis on marine science) at UCSC, and later obtained her graduate degree at Moss Landing Marine Labs in Invertebrate Marine Ecology. She has spent the last 40 years learning and teaching about the marine life in the bay and ways to engage audiences with this information. Jane has been teaching about plankton for 10 semesters at Cabrillo College with a program called the Pacific Plankton Program, and worked on plankton projects for many years at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Accessibility and Logistics There will be two parts in this program (field work and lab portion) — Please note that transportation between venues is not provided, so plan accordingly. Dress in comfortable layers, long pants, hat, sunglasses,and closed-toe shoes (no flip-flops or sandals). Please plan to bring any water and snacks you will want during the program. Please bring a notebook if you have one, otherwise, we’ll bring paper, to draw and describe the amazing microscopic drifters we find in the Monterey Bay! Capacity : 20 Ticket Price: $35 General | $25 Student Discounts : $5 member discount Age limit: 10+. Youth must be accompanied by an adult.
You will be going out to the Santa Cruz Wharf to collect the plankton and take data on the physical conditions. You will then go to a lab at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Center to look closely at your subjects (plankton) under the microscopes. These are the microscopic organisms that produce half the oxygen you breathe (phytoplankton) and the zooplankton, that form the base of the food chain.
You will be going out to the Santa Cruz Wharf to collect the plankton and take data on the physical conditions. You will then go to a lab at the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Center to look closely at your subjects (plankton) under the microscopes. These are the microscopic organisms that produce half the oxygen you breathe (phytoplankton) and the zooplankton, that form the base of the food chain.
Writing Circle: Open to the writer in each of us, this group allows for creative exploration in a supportive space right where you are. Each session is a surprise. Your creations are prompted by writing activities and the stories of your life—bring your notebook and invite your muse. Meets the 2nd Saturday of every month, 10 am to 12 noon at WomenCARE’s Soquel office.
Get ready to hike around an ancient seafloor! On this 1.5 mile hike through the Sandhills, which will last approximately 2 hours, participants can meander through sandy soils on the mountain top, about 800 feet above present day sea level. Explore this beautiful landscape and learn about the rare and unique things that call it home. The hike is recommended for ages 8 and up. Children need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Plan to meet in the parking lot of the campground (located off Graham Hill Rd.).
The Zentangle Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. Join Certified Zentangle Teacher Lisa Hoesing for an introductory workshop and monthly meetup to practice the method. The monthly meetup will take place on the second Saturday of each month in the Ow Community Room. All supplies will be provided at the event, thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Capitola Library . Periodic workshops to welcome new beginners will also take place. Take a look
Explore a creative practice that transforms emotions into meaningful expression. Through guided prompts and artistic exploration, participants will develop self-awareness, emotional regulation, and deeper connection to their inner experience. No artistic experience is necessary and all materials are provided.
From Trees to Shining Seas – Felton to Santa Cruz. Departing from the Santa Cruz Mountains, travel through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, down the scenic San Lorenzo River Gorge, across a 1909 steel truss bridge, and through an 1875 tunnel before arriving at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Reverse roundtrips departing from the beach in Santa Cruz to Roaring Camp and back may be purchased from the conductor on the train departing from Santa Cruz. The Santa Cruz Big Trees & Pacific Railway operates passenger and freight services on one of the oldest and most historic lines in California. When the route opened in 1875 it carried lumber as well as picnickers and tourists to the Big Trees and Santa Cruz. Today’s Beach Train passengers can start their roundtrip journeys from either Roaring Camp in Felton or from the beach in Santa Cruz. Departs from both the beach in Santa Cruz and Roaring Camp. See departure times for more information. The Beach Train will run weekends and holidays through May, and then daily June through the first week of August, then back to weekends and holidays to the end of September. Please note that the 4 p.m. train leaving Santa Cruz is one-way only. There is no return train to the beach.
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. .
Staff offers a guided adobe tour centered on the experiences of Native communities in the Santa Cruz mission providing insight into daily life, cultural change, and the impacts of the mission system. Visitors will gain a deeper understanding of the resilience and enduring presence of Indigenous people in the region. Reservation Link:
Saturday, August 08 2026 10:00am - 12:00pm In partnership with the Volunteer Center Literacy Program
Starting in April, on both Saturday and Sunday of the second weekend of each month, the City of Santa Cruz staff will lead tours of Loch Lomond Reservoir on the Newell Jewell (pontoon boat). The tours start at 11AM on both days and lasts about an hour. Attendance is limited to 25 people and is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. The Loch Lomond Recreation Area is a 180-acre reservoir and part of the 2,800-acre watershed land holdings that the City of Santa Cruz Water Department manages in the Newell Creek watershed. It is open daily from late March through mid-October when the park closes for the season.
Bring your friends, family and neighbors and come out to enjoy good old-fashioned activities such as spinning wool, cheese making, wooden cow milking and ice cream making! You can even drive a tractor and go on a hayride. Local Santa Cruz County 4-H clubs will be hosting their Annual Spring Fair. This action-packed day is admission free, and donations are gladly accepted. It’s fun for the whole family! Activities include: Farm Animals to see and pet Ice cream making the old-fashioned way Butter churning Fresh cheese making Rope making Hay wagon rides with tractors Wooden cow milking Hay cutting from real oats, wheat and barley Kids (real) tractor driving Puppet Show Old-fashioned hoops Crafts and so much more! 2025 Schedule: March 8th – Birds, Bees & Butterflies April 12th – Easter on the Farm with Egg Hunt May 10th – Springtime on the Farm June 14th – Olden Days on the Farm July 12th – Summertime Fun on the Farm August 9th – Round-Up at the Ranch September 13th – Visit Yesterday’s Farm during the Santa Cruz Fair October 11th – Tractor-or-Treat November 8th – Harvest on the Farm December 13th – Holidays on the Farm
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.
Saturday, August 08 2026 10:00am - 12:00pm Join us each Saturday morning for a relaxing time crafting with your neighbors.
No set up - nothing special just stage space
Saturday, August 08 2026 10:00am - 12:00pm Big stories, tiny prices! Browse our pop-up book sale packed with great finds. $5 a bag!! Every purchase supports the Aptos Library. Stop by, snag a stack, and support your library today!!!
Explore a western pond with City Water Resources Analyst, Jenny Viera. As essential ecosystem engineers, turtles maintain ecological balance, such as cycling nutrients and creating burrows for other wildlife. Protecting them also preserves biodiversity and cultural heritage. The monthly “Loch Walks” are included in the entry fee for the Recreation Area. There is a $10.00 charge per vehicle for entrance to the park. Walk participants are encouraged to dress for variable weather conditions and to wear proper footwear for hiking on dirt trails and for changes in elevation. The Loch Lomond Recreation Area is a 180-acre reservoir and part of the 2,800-acre watershed land holdings that the City of Santa Cruz Water Department manages in the Newell Creek watershed. Loch Lomond serves as Santa Cruz City’s only drinking water reservoir. To RSVP for the Loch Walk, please call 831 335-7424.
Learn about the western pond turtle at Loch Lomond Reservoir during a free presentation led by City Water Resources Analyst Jenny Viera as part of the Newell Jewell School Interpretive Program. The talk will also include a pontoon boat tour and is part of the Santa Cruz Water Department’s Loch Lomond Learning Series. The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8. Space is limited; call 831-335-7424 to reserve a spot.
On this 2.5-mile, 2-hour family-friendly walk, you will explore the plants, animals, and geology of the Santa Cruz County coastal bluffs. Bring water, a hat, closed-toe shoes, layered clothing, and binoculars if available. Pre-registration required at the link in the orange button above. Meet next to the park map in the main parking lot. Rain cancels. Free event. Vehicle day-use fee is $10.
Saturday, August 08 2026 10:30am - 12:00pm The Zentangle Method is a fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. Join Certified Zentangle Teacher Lisa Hoesing for an introductory workshop and monthly meetup.
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