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📍 Santa Cruz County, CA

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

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

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

★ Featured this season

Promotional image for The Kick Off - Sonivore Listening Lounge ★ Featured Event
Fri, Oct 9, 2026 · 7:00 PM

The Kick Off - Sonivore Listening Lounge

📍 Sonivore · Downtown Santa Cruz · $25

THE KICK OFF is a one-night fundraiser for the Sonivore Listening Lounge at 701 Front Street. DJs, live performances, visual art by Made Fresh Crew, and a first taste of Sonivore — just days before our Kickstarter closes. Donation-based entry. To RSVP in advance, pledge at least the minimum tier on Kickstarter, or Venmo a donation to @sonivoremusic with “Fundraiser” in the note. You can also donate at the door. Come through and help us bring the lounge to life.

Art & Culture Music 📍 Downtown Santa Cruz Details →
Promotional image for Afrobeats Nite at the IAS ★ Featured
Thu, Oct 8, 2026 · Institute of the Arts and Sciences

Afrobeats Nite at the IAS

Join us for a night of dancing, joy, and community organized by Afrobeats Nite Santa Cruz featuring DJ Mai Girl and DJ Monk Earl. In addition to music, there will be vendors, food trucks, and late night showings of the exhibitions Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez: Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá and Carlos Motta: When Time Stands Still . This event is FREE and open to the public. Afrobeats Nite at the IAS is a collaboration with Visualizing Abolition , an arts-based initiative that reaches across prison borders to contribute to the unfolding collective story and alternative imagining underway to create a future free of prisons. Jase “Monk” Earl is a Santa Cruz–based DJ, curator, cultural producer, educator, and writer whose understanding of community is rooted in Hip Hop culture and shaped by his upbringing in the immigrant-rich neighborhood of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. As the founder of Afroscope Promotions and founder, curator, and resident DJ of Afrobeats Nite Santa Cruz, he creates public spaces where African and diasporic music become catalysts for connection, cultural exchange, and collective celebration. DJ Mai Girl plays festivals, clubs, shows, and private events all over the West Coast and beyond. Her unique blend of genres and hand-picked selections– whether it be hip hop, soul, house, jazzy vibes, old school jams, Afro, Caribbean or Latin rhythms– keep people moving all night. She consistently plays one Stevie or Prince song every set to remind herself of why she started DJing in the first place.

Education 📍 Westside
Promotional image for Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour Adventure Night ★ Featured
Sat, Oct 10, 2026 · Rio Theatre

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour Adventure Night

Rio Theatre & Sante Adairius Midtown Portal team up to support Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship Join us for the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour Adventure Night October 10th at 7 pm, Rio Theatre Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival is one of the largest and most prestigious mountain festivals in the world! Join us when we screen this all new Adventure line up of films featuring BEST DAY EVER, the Audience Choice Award Winner and Best Film: Mountain Sports along with five other audience favorites. This year’s films are bound to showcase an exhilarating and provocative exploration of the mountain world. The Rio Theatre has been hosting the annual adventure night since 2013. Guaranteed to sell out! Visit https://www.riotheatre.com/events-2/2026/10/10/banffcentremountain for a complete list of films and tickets.

Art & Culture 📍 Midtown
Promotional image for Kishi Bashi:: Rio Theatre Santa Cruz 10/6 Coming up
Tue, Oct 6, 2026 · Rio Theatre for the Performing Arts

Kishi Bashi:: Rio Theatre Santa Cruz 10/6

(((folkYEAH!))) presents KISHI BASHI Rio Theatre Santa Cruz, CA October 6, 2026 Doors 7pm / Show 8pm All Ages

Music 📍 Midtown
Promotional image for Dual Demons - CLASS Coming up
Tue, Oct 6, 2026 · The 418 Project

Dual Demons - CLASS

A recurring dance class in Santa Cruz. Check with the venue for specific style and level.

Education 📍 Downtown Santa Cruz

☀️ Happening today

Tuesday, October 6

Tuesday's a good day for puttering: Community Day at the UCSC Arboretum is free and open all morning, and the libraries are busy with practical stuff, backgammon at Aptos & Seacliff, tech help at Garfield Park and La Selva Beach, quilting up in Boulder Creek. If you've got a toddler in tow, swing by Toddler Time @ Live Oak at the Midtown branch. And tonight, Kishi Bashi plays the Rio Theatre, so grab tickets before they're gone.

55 events on today. No plans required, just go. See the full day →

7:00 AM
$48.84
Kishi Bashi:: Rio Theatre Santa Cruz 10/6
📍 Rio Theatre for the Performing Arts
Music
8:30 AM
FREE
Advancing Urban Forest Management Through Technology
📍 Clubhouse at Harvey West Park
Outdoors
9:00 AM
$198
Pastel Painting Class
📍 Community Through Art
Art & Culture
9:00 AM
See listing
Mobile Health Clinic
📍 Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Community
9:00 AM
See listing
Community Tuesday at the UCSC Arboretum
📍 Arboretum
Education
9:00 AM
FREE
Community Day at the UCSC Arboretum
📍 UCSC Arboretum
Community
10:00 AM
See listing
Wisdom Workshops @ TDC: Frames for TDOR with Zoey
📍 1117 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062, USA
LGBTQ+
10:00 AM
See listing
Quilting with Friends
📍 Boulder Creek Branch Library
Community
10:00 AM
See listing
In-person Tech Help @ Garfield Park
📍 Santa Cruz Public Libraries
Community

What's happening

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Showing 210 of 511 upcoming events · from 2026-10-06 · to 2026-10-13

Oct
6

Pastel Painting Class

📍 Community Through Art
🕒 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM · $198

Soft Pastel Painting runs in six week intervals taught by instructor Sarah Orre. A short demo will be taught the first class meeting with reference photos that will teach color theory, underpainting, texture, layering, and movement. Students are encouraged to bring additional reference photos for inspiration. Participants bring their own soft pastels (not oils), and sanded paper. The remainder of the class meetings are used for studio time. The last day we have a group peer review to discuss our work and give and receive feedback.

Art & Culture Education 📍 San Lorenzo Valley Details →
Oct
6

Mobile Health Clinic

📍 Santa Cruz Public Libraries
🕒 9:00 AM · See listing

Tuesday, October 06 2026 9:00am - 3:00pm Dignity Mobile Wellness Clinic provides evaluations, screenings, and treatment and connects you to services that support physical and mental health on 1st & 3rd Tuesdays. Hrs: 9-12 & 1-3. Bilingual.

Oct
6

Community Tuesday at the UCSC Arboretum

📍 Arboretum
🕒 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM · See listing

The Arboretum opens its gates to the community free of charge the first Tuesday of every month. Come enjoy our gardens and wildlife. Don’t forget to stop by Norrie’s, our wonderful gift shop and plant nursery (Open Tues-Sun 10 am-4 pm). Community Days are popular, please consider carpooling or using alternative transportation. Current Arboretum members and UCSC Students always receive free admission.

Education Free 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
6

Community Day at the UCSC Arboretum

📍 UCSC Arboretum
🕒 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM · FREE

The Arboretum opens its gates to the community free of charge on the first Tuesday of every month. Come enjoy our gardens and wildlife. Don't forget to stop by our wonderful gift shop and retail plant nursery. Community Days are popular; please consider carpooling or using alternative transportation.

Community Free 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
6

Wisdom Workshops @ TDC: Frames for TDOR with Zoey

📍 1117 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062, USA
🕒 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM · See listing

Date: Every Tuesday, except Holidays Time: 10am - 12:00 pm Location: The Diversity Center Event Description: Join your community every Tuesday between 10am-12pm at the Diversity Center. Nic is ready with a different activity or workshop each week, and volunteers are on hand with snacks, beverages, and community. October Activities: October 6: Frames for TDOR with Zoey Join us for arts and crafts for a cause! Make frames to memorialize trans lives for Trans Day of Remembrance October 13: “The Celluloid Closet” screening & Discussion Join us for a viewing of the classic documentary, “The Celluloid Closet” and revisit the ongoing issue of LGBTQ+ representation in Hollywood. October 20: Warming our hearts & minds Mental health Workshop Join Cybele and our mental health trainees for a seasonal-change workshop focused on strengthening connection and gratitude practices. October 27: Halloween Party with Nic Join in the spooky fun for a round of Halloween music bingo, a game of haunted trivia,

LGBTQ+ Community 📍 Midtown Details →
Oct
6

Quilting with Friends

📍 Boulder Creek Branch Library
🕒 10:00 AM · See listing

Join us at the Boulder Creek Library for Quilting with Friends every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month (subject to holiday closures) All levels of quilting expertise are welcome, from accomplished quilters to those new to the craft. Participants bring their own supplies to work on individual projects, share knowledge and create community. Registration is not required. https://santacruzpl.libnet.info/events?term=quilting&r=range&start=2025-09-15&end=2025-12-29

Oct
6

Communitea

📍 Kula Connections
🕒 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM · FREE

Denise will lead a tea ritual while we gather at her handcrafted tea table. This will include: meditation, tea tasting and getting to know each other around the tea table.

Food & Drink Free 📍 Capitola Details →
Oct
6

(OUTSIDE GROUP)The Older Lesbians’ Group: Where in All The World Are The Lesbians?

📍 The Diversity Center
🕒 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM · See listing

(OUTSIDE GROUP ) The Older Lesbians’ Group: Where in All The World Are The Lesbians? First and Third Tuesday, August 4, 2:00 - 3:30 pm (RSVP for location) Topics are chosen at the beginning of each meeting. Share your most compelling topic about navigating life as an older lesbian, in a safe, confidential environment. Join us if you are an older (you decide what age that is), self-identified lesbian, interested in sharing your journey with others. Meetings are held at a group member’s home. RSVP to [email protected] prior to each meeting for the address.

LGBTQ+ Community 📍 Midtown Details →
Oct
6

Fall 2026 Afterschool & Maker Sundays at SCMS!

📍 Santa Cruz Maker Studios
🕒 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM · $37

Fall Semester Maker Classes (August 11 – December 20, 2026) Join us for a semester of hands-on creativity at SC Maker Studios! Students explore 3D printing, laser engraving, woodworking, sewing, robotics, beading, arts & crafts, and more, creating projects to take home each week. All materials are included (except electronic robot components). Weekly Class Times: Youth (Ages 6½–12) Tuesdays: 3:00–5:00 PM Wednesdays: 1:00–3:00 PM & 3:00–5:00 PM Thursdays: 3:00–5:00 PM Sundays: 10:00 AM–12:00 PM Teens (Ages 11–17) Sundays: 12:30–2:30 PM Register for the full semester to reserve your spot [https://scmakerstudios.com/fall-semester-2026/], or join us for individual Maker Sunday drop-in sessions [https://scmakerstudios.com/sunday-maker-registration/]. Spaces are limited!

Community Family 📍 Westside Details →
Oct
6

Youth Studio Art

📍 Community Through Art
🕒 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM · $255

Youth Bloom Studio Art with Sarah Orre, nurtures creativity, confidence, and curiosity through hands-on learning. Each class encourages young artists to explore new materials, techniques, and ideas while building foundational art skills in a supportive studio environment. From painting and drawing to air dry clay and mixed media, students learn to see like artists and express their own unique voice. Enroll in as many sessions as you like!

Art & Culture Family 📍 San Lorenzo Valley Details →
Oct
6

B12 Shot Clinic

📍 OneSource Compounding Pharmacy
🕒 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM · See listing

Step into a realm of revitalization at our pharmacy, where we proudly introduce our exclusive hydration injection services. Designed to replenish your body’s essential fluids and nutrients swiftly and effectively, our hydration injections offer a rejuvenating experience that goes beyond traditional methods. Our skilled and caring professionals utilize cutting-edge techniques to administer a customized blend of hydration, vitamins, and minerals directly into your system, ensuring a rapid and targeted response. Whether you’re seeking a post-workout boost, recovering from illness, or simply aiming to enhance your overall well-being, our hydration injections provide a quick and convenient solution. Experience the transformative power of hydration at our pharmacy, where health and vitality converge for a renewed and invigorated you.

Oct
6

SPCA Junior Animal Care Team

📍 Santa Cruz SPCA
🕒 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM · $75

Junior Animal Care Team (Ages 11+) Ready to level up your animal skills? If you love animals and want real, hands-on experience, the Junior Animal Care Team gives you the chance to go behind the scenes at the Santa Cruz SPCA! Start with a three-week training program where you’ll learn how to safely support shelter animals and prepare for your role on the team. Each session includes one hour of hands-on animal care projects—creating enrichment, preparing supplies, and helping support the shelter team—followed by one hour socializing with our shelter animals. After graduating, you’ll become a Junior Animal Care Team Member, returning for ongoing sessions to build your skills, take on more responsibility, and make a real difference for animals in need. A progressive step before becoming an SPCA volunteer—perfect for future animal care professionals and passionate animal advocates! Junior Animal Care Team Training: Tuesday 4pm-6pm (September – May) Junior Animal Care Team Sessions: Thursday 4pm-6pm (September – May)

Family Education 📍 Midtown Details →
Oct
6

Lego Club

📍 275 Main St Ste 100
🕒 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM · See listing

Be a Master Builder at our Library Lego® Club! Join us on the first Tuesday of the month from 4:00-5:30pm and get creative with a provided theme or build whatever you want with the library’s collection of bricks. Bring the whole family along to join in on the fun. This program takes place at the Main Library, Children’s Play Space Area. Volvemos a la acción ~ ¡Sea un maestro de obras en nuestro Club de Lego®! Se le invita a participar el primer martes del mes de 4:00-5:30pm, y sea creativo con un tema proporcionado o construya lo que quiera con la colección de legos de la biblioteca. Se invita a toda la familia a participar en la diversión. Este programa se llevará a cabo en nuestra Biblioteca Principal, Sala de Niños

Oct
6

PyTorch Santa Cruz Meetup

📍 Engineering 2
🕒 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM · FREE

Food, Socializing, and Excellent talks from the PyTorch Ecosystem ​5:30 – 6:30 Food and Socializing ​6:30 – 7:00 Rob Timpe – Using and Debugging Torch.compile ​7:00 – 7:30 Roy Shadmon – EdgeFL and Federated Learning ​7:30 – 8:00 Talk 3 ​Talk 1: ​Using and Debugging Torch.compile ​Torch.compile promises great speedups with a one line change, but can give cryptic error messages when it fails. We’ll describe some common failures and how to fix them, as well as recent efforts to both reduce failures and make the remaining ones easier to debug. Rob Timpe is a software engineer at OpenTeams where he works on the front end of torch.compile (Dynamo). Previously he was an ML engineer working on autonomous aircraft at Xwing, and computer vision at Microsoft. ​Talk 2: ​ EdgeFL and Federated Learning ​EdgeLake coordinates federated learning across distributed sites without moving raw training data to a central location. Each site trains locally, EdgeLake handles the distributed data and coordination layer, and the resulting models are shared across the network and deployed for inference at the edge — creating a continuous path from managing distributed data to training models to running inference, all at the edge. ​Roy Shadmon is a System Architect at AnyLog, where he works on EdgeLake and its applications in federated learning and distributed edge intelligence. He holds a PhD from UC Santa Cruz. ​Other speaker(s) announced soon

Education Free 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
6

Queer Book Club with Jeffrey @ The Diversity Center

📍 The Diversity Center of Santa Cruz County, 1117 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062, USA
🕒 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM · See listing

Queer Book Club at The Diversity Center Date: The first Tuesday of every month Time: 6:00-9:00 PM Location: The Diversity Center Ages: 18+ Cost: FREE! Open to all! Come eat, drink, and chat about LGBTQ+ lit. :) This month’s book is TBD This book club is an intergenerational opportunity to bond with people of different ages. Text Jeffrey at 732-272-5896 for details and to be added to the Whatsapp group. .

Oct
6

Adult Ceramics Class

📍 Community Through Art
🕒 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM · $250

Beginning adult ceramics with instructor Nora Sarkissian. Learn the basics of hand building, pinch, and coil. Nora will provide demos and projects as well as time for independent clay creation. Class is held at Redwood and Ranunculus downtown Felton. Tuesdays, 6-8:30 PM $234 for 6 weeks (7% service fee due at checkout) plus a $20 material fee due to instructor at first class Clay, glazes, and tools provided. Session I: August 18, 25, Sept 1, 8, 15, 22 Session II: Sept 29, October 6, 13, 20, 27, Nov 3

Art & Culture Education 📍 San Lorenzo Valley Details →
Oct
6

Trivia Tuesdays at Discretion

📍 Discretion Brewing
🕒 6:30 PM – 8:07 PM · See listing

Get those gears turning, grab one of our 16 beers on tap, and join us for Trivia Tuesdays at Discretion! Every Tuesday 6:30-8:00pm. Hosted by Michael Cahalan. No sign-ups required - just come a little early to snag a table in the beer garden. Free to play | Prizes | Up to 6 per team

Food & Drink Free 📍 Soquel Details →
Oct
6

Tacos & Trivia

📍 Bruno's Bar and Grill
🕒 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM · See listing

As with everything we do, we bring the fun! This isn’t your average ordinary trivia. It’s “Bruno’s Style”. We sing, we play instruments, we dance and we drink. Fill up on Tacos and Margs and get ready for a night of fun! ​ If you’re looking for a quiet night with boring trivia for the brainiacs you won’t find it at Bruno’s. With musical clues for our players – we have the most fun trivia around. We turn the music up loud and we make a lot of noise! It’s free to play with prizes for the winners. With $3 tacos and the buy a Margarita or Modelo and get a free taco deal, you’re going to have a great night at the best bar in town. Bring your friends and form a team or come by yourself and make some new friends, you’ll have a blast!

Music Food & Drink 📍 Scotts Valley Details →
Oct
6

Silly Sober Karaoke

📍 The 418 Project
🕒 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM · See listing

Silly Sober Karaoke is a fun, welcoming, and alcohol-free night where everyone is invited to take the stage and share their favorite songs. Whether you're a seasoned performer or singing in public for the first time, this is a supportive space to celebrate music, creativity, and community. Bring your favorite song, cheer on fellow performers, and enjoy an evening of connection without the pressure of a bar scene. All ages and experience levels are welcome—come solo, bring friends, or make new ones along the way. Because great music, great people, and great memories don't need alcohol. 1st & 3rd Tuesdays | 7:00–10:00 PM All Ages • Free to Participate The 418 Project • 155 River St. S., Santa Cruz Sing your heart out. Celebrate community. Be yourself.

Oct
6

Tranformational Breathwork Journey presented by: Santa Cruz Reiki Works

📍 Kula Connections
🕒 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM · $35

Conscious Connected Breathwork is a dynamic, full-breath technique that uses continuous, deep inhales and exhales through the mouth—no pauses, no holding your breath. The pace of your breath shifts throughout the session, creating a rhythm that helps release tension, unlock stuck emotions, and shift your consciousness. This powerful practice is accompanied by carefully curated music that guides the journey, allowing you to drop into your body and tune into the sensations, emotions, and insights stored within. New and experienced participants are welcome.

Wellness Music 📍 Capitola Details →
Oct
6

Readings from Winter In America

📍 Satori Arts
🕒 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM · FREE

InterAct Open Mic at Satori Arts. FREE community poetry jam featuring readings from Winter In America (Still Anthology Are you ready to get your poetry on? Join us on October 6, 2026 at Satori Arts for InterAct , a FREE open mic night, from 7-9 pm, featuring Roxi Power, co-editor of the anthology Winter in America (Still :. A reading hosted by co-editor Roxi Power of local poets published in the anthology, Winter in America (Still: Poets, Writers, and Artists Respond to a Fractured World (Carbonation Press, 2026). This large, full-color anthology is a sequel to the 2025 volume and, according to a review by Misfit Magazine: “a much-needed update of Carolyn Forché’s classic anthology, Against Forgetting: Twentieth Century Poetry of Witness.” Along with Forché, 200 contributors respond in the sequel to a world still fractured by post-election events. Come share your spoken word work or poetry with the community, or come out to support our local readers! Sign up to read starting at 6:30 pm. Limited seating. For more information, visit https://www.satoriarts.org/upcoming-events. 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Free. Satori Arts, 815 Almar, #9, Santa Cruz (warehouse building near the back, follow signs)

Oct
6

Moe's Alley Presents: The Animeros

📍 Moe's Alley
🕒 8:00 PM · See listing

Moes Alley Presents Austins psychedelic Latin groove-makers, The Animeros! Tuesday, October 6, 2026Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm$20 in advance / $25 Day of the show21+* Tickets on sale Friday, July 24th at 10am PT ** No Refunds | All sales are final* Avoid scammers! Only purchase tickets from moesalley.com or ticketweb.com* Tickets requested by email will be delivered 3 days prior to the event* Will Call tickets will be available at the door on the day of the event====THE ANIMEROSWith musical notes that span well beyond genres like bolero, psychedelic, and cumbia, The Animeros not only make their audience hit the dance floor, but they also invite their listeners and tastemakers alike to a glimpse of their rich cultural upbringing. The group who is made up of Nick Tozzo (drummer and percussionist), Nicolas Sanchez (bassist), and Mauro Lopez (guitarist) craft a genre-blending sound that drifts between the lush jungles of Colombia, the palm-lined streets of 1960s coastal Mexico, and the dusty cantinas of West Texas.Sanchezs Colombian roots, growing up listening to his parents beloved salsa and cumbia; Lopezs parents Mexican and American discography, which spanned from traditional Tejano to improvised jazz; and Tozzos love for jazz and salsa music, the latter stemming from his college years, leading him to study and live in Colombia to experience music greats first-handedly. All of this, paired with their undeniable chemistry and meshed with their now hometown Austins innovative creative sounds has led them to create the unique sonic movement that is The Animeros, a name inspired by Colombian shamans who would usher lost souls to their peace.Their journey took an unexpected turn when their music reached the ears of Dan Auerbach, the Grammy Award winning producer, songwriter, and frontman of The Black Keys. Auerbach first heard them by chance, music floating from an open hotel window that stopped him in his tracks. Captivated, he made a note to track them down, and within a yea

Music Adults 21+ 📍 Midtown Details →
Oct
7

Dave Shaw (Santa Cruz, USA): Planet Local Sharing Circle

📍 UC Santa Cruz
🕒 7:00 AM – 8:30 AM · See listing

Hosted by Local Futures In our next Planet Local Sharing Circle, we’ll be joined by Dave Shaw, founder of the Right Livelihood Center at UC Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz Permaculture . The Center serves as Global Secretariat for the international Right Livelihood College network, which spans eight campuses plus the Global Campus of Human Rights across five continents. California is a place of sharp contradictions: Silicon Valley, Hollywood and industrial agriculture on one hand, and on the other a dense, often invisible landscape of grassroots, local and community-based initiatives. Dave and his team have been working to make that second California visible, mapping localisation efforts across the state and looking for the connections between them. There’s a natural circle here. Helena Norberg-Hodge, who founded Local Futures, is a Right Livelihood Laureate, and the Center is now working alongside Local Futures to build the California localisation movement and to host a Planet Local Summit at UC Santa Cruz April 26-30, 2027. Dave will share what he’s finding: who is doing this work in California, where the energy is, and what he’s learned from running a permaculture education farm of his own. Together we’ll explore what helps local initiatives find each other, sustain themselves, and build the collective power that wider systemic change requires.

Oct
7

Mobile Health Clinic

📍 Santa Cruz Public Libraries
🕒 9:00 AM · See listing

Wednesday, October 07 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.

Community Wellness 📍 Scotts Valley Details →
Oct
7

Pilates & Posture in the Pasture

📍 Beyond Liberty
🕒 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM · $10

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

Oct
7

Coffee with Provost Aims McGuinness

📍 Merrill College Office
🕒 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM · FREE

Grab a free cup of coffee* and chat with Provost Aims at Coffee with the Provost! Most Wednesdays through the Fall Quarter! 9:00-11:00am Meet us for (free) coffee, tea, breakfast snacks and good conversation outside the Merrill College Office, across from the mailroom. *Fair trade, organic, local women owned Alta Organic Roasting Company

Education Free 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
7

Bio-Vibe Table: Sound & Vibration Wellness Sessions

📍 Soulcare Studios
🕒 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM · $65

Experience the Bio-Vibe Table at SoulCare Studios, a gentle, non-invasive wellness experience using sound frequencies and soothing vibrations to encourage relaxation, release tension, and support overall balance. Simply lie down comfortably while the table delivers vibrations throughout the body, creating an opportunity to slow down, rest, and reset. ✨ Potential Benefits: • Encourages deep relaxation • Supports better sleep • Helps relieve muscle & joint tension • Supports a calmer nervous system • Helps reduce everyday stress Sessions & Pricing: 🌿 60-Minute Full-Body Session: $120 Package of 4: $400 🌿 30-Minute Focused Session: $65 Package of 4: $200 📅 Available Wednesdays & Sundays Other days are available upon request. 📍 SoulCare Studios 8035 Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA Scan the QR code on the flyer to book your session.

Oct
7

Vinyasa Yoga with Yogi Laxman Panthi

📍 Soulcare Studios
🕒 9:15 AM – 10:15 AM · $25

Start your Wednesday morning with movement, mindfulness, and authentic Himalayan yogic wisdom at Soul Care Studios. 🧘✨ Join Yogi Laxman Panthi for a weekly Vinyasa Yoga practice that reaches beyond the physical poses and creates space to connect the body, breath, and mind. With four decades of experience, Laxman has taught yoga and meditation around the world and trained hundreds of yoga teachers. Originally from Nepal, he brings authentic Himalayan yogic wisdom and decades of knowledge to each practice. Laxman is also co-author of The Pose and Beyond: Yoga Philosophy, Meditation, and Ancient Wisdom. 📅 Wednesdays ⏰ 9:15–10:15 AM 📍 Soul Care Studios | Aptos Come begin your Wednesday with an intentional hour of movement, breath, and connection.

Oct
7

What Got You Here WILL Get You There - Approaching the Job Search Over 55

📍 Capitola Branch Library
🕒 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM · See listing

This 6-session series is an opportunity to evaluate your skills, talents and experiences through a new lens. Are you 55+ and want or need to re-enter the paid work force? This 6-session series is an opportunity to evaluate your skills, talents and experiences through a new lens as well as arm you with the strategies, resources and confidence to support you in approaching and succeeding in today’s job market. Join a dedicated cohort of participants who will commit to attendance at each session, as each session builds on the previous session’s work. Please plan to bring your laptop (library will provide laptops for those who don’t have one). Registration is required and space is limited. Monday and Wednesday sessions are 10 am to 1pm. Friday sessions begin at 11 am. REGISTRATION RECOMMENDED. https://santacruzpl.libnet.info/events?term=what+got+you&r=range&start=2026-08-24&end=2026-10-10 Session 1: Monday September 28 (10-1) Introductions, Self -Assessment with an emphasis on transferable skills, and possibility thinking. The case for hiring older workers. Session 2: Wednesday September 30 (10-1) Building the resume with accomplishment statements, background summaries, and cover letters. Deep dive into the use of CANVA. Nancy Jones and Nadine Burke Session 3: Friday October 2 (11-2) Incorporating AI and LinkedIn into your search with guest speakers David Dennis from Microsoft and Alex Murchison from LinkedIn. Session 4: Monday October 5 (10-1) Resume review Session 5: Wednesday October 7 (10-1) Surfacing job opportunities. Session 6: Friday October 9 (11-3) Interviewing skills. Launching the process. About the Facilitator and Guest Speakers Nancy Jones has worked in the field of adult career, leadership and talent development for more than 20 years. She has extensive experience in corporate, nonprofit and academic settings. David Dennis is Principal Program/Product Manager at Microsoft Alex Murchison is Senior Lead Product Counsel at LinkedIn Nadine Burke is a retired

Community Education 📍 Capitola Details →
Oct
7

Produce Pop-Up

📍 UC Santa Cruz
🕒 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM · See listing

Produce Pop-Up is a twice-weekly organic farmstand open to all members of the UC Santa Cruz community. The program is dedicated to increasing access to fresh, healthy, and affordable organic produce, with offerings sourced from the UCSC Farm and other local organic growers. Academic year hours and locations: Beginning Oct. 2 Wednesdays: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at McHenry Library Fridays: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at Science and Engineering Library How does it work? Just stop by during open hours to browse and pick up fresh produce! Items are available at low or no cost to support student food access. Stay updated on produce availability and locations by following Produce Pop-Up Instagram . For questions, email [email protected] or visit the Center for Agroecology website .

Education Food & Drink 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
7

Building Authentic Connections

📍 Physical Sciences Building
🕒 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM · See listing

Join Career Success to chat about what it means to get to know other people in a new setting, and how to develop your conversation skills to build meaningful connections. At the end of this workshop, you will have the strategies to support you in navigating introductions with new people, and will gain confidence in networking. Questions and accommodations, please email [email protected] You Belong Here: The programs and services described here are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities. To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy for UC Publications .

Oct
7

Victor ‘Marka27’ Quiñonez: Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá

📍 Institute of the Arts and Sciences
🕒 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM · FREE

Organized in partnership with the Center for Art and Advocacy, located in Brooklyn, New York, Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá ( Not From Here, Not From There ) by multidisciplinary artist Victor ‘Marka27’ Quiñonez features a wide range of artworks that issue a bold declaration of dual belonging, including altars, an elaborately immersive botanica, paintings referencing visual symbolism drawn from textiles, graffiti and community traditions, and, in a series called I.C.E. Scream , large, brightly colored resin sculptures in the shape of melting Mexican paletas (popsicles). As the exhibition title suggests (a phrase widely used in bilingual and bicultural communities), these artworks reflect the artist’s interest in the experience of living between worlds even as violent notions of nationalism and identity pervade. Accompanying the exhibition, Elevar la Cultura , an immersive sculptural installation featuring a twenty-two-foot-tall pyramid built from ice coolers adorned with ancestral textiles, sacred symbols, and mural work will be on view at Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos (1817 Soquel) November 7, 2026- March 7, 2027. As Quiñonez explains, this sculpture epitomizes the contradictions of living—and laboring—as an immigrant in the United States: “Most people see the cooler as a tool for leisure…for barbecues, tailgating, and celebrations. But for immigrant communities, the cooler is a tool and symbol for opportunity and independence. In every major city, you see families and vendors selling fruit, food, and water out of these coolers on the streets and in subway stations. They’re a necessity for survival and a way to start an honest living,” the artist shares. The Institute of Arts and Sciences will be the second venue to successfully present Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá to the public. First organized by Boston University Art Galleries and curated by Kate Fowle in September of 2025, the exhibition debuted to critical acclaim before gaining national attention after its abrupt removal from

Education Art & Culture 📍 Westside Details →
Oct
7

Moving in Harmony with Life - Self-care Exercises for Vitality and Balance

📍 Hummingbird Valley
🕒 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM · FREE

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.

Wellness Free Details →
Oct
7

Carlos Motta: When Time Stands Still

📍 Institute of the Arts and Sciences
🕒 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM · See listing

Carlos Motta’s When Time Stands Still, the artist’s second solo show with the IAS , features new and recent installations, videos, and sculptures highlighting the artist’s preoccupation with the historical and aesthetic productions of difference and marginalization that shape the present. The selection of artworks in the exhibition explore the unsettling experience of living in a time that seems violently stuck on repeat. Archetypal figures from art history (a fool, a siren, a witness, a victim) reappear in the current moment as containers of time, bringing the past of imperialism, colonization, and displacement into a present marked by the rise of anti-immigration politics, climate injustice, and other forms of disposability. Some works challenge this violent repetition of time. The clock moves, if gruelingly, in an endurance-based video performance, No One , 2025. For forty-six minutes, the artist undertakes to keep his eyes open, witnessing, withstanding, confronting, and resisting the bombardment of images, both historical and otherwise, that normalize harm. In another video work, Gravity , 2024, performers enact rescue carries, supporting each other until they can’t bear the weight. Together, the artworks act as a proposal about how to rethink time—how to slow time—with a poetic and aesthetic cadence that might counter the numbing reverberations of living in the present. When Time Stands Still is organized as part of Visualizing Abolition, an arts-based initiative that reaches across prison borders to create a future free of prisons. Carlos Motta (b. 1978, Colombia) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work has been shown widely nationally and internationally. Solo exhibitions venues include the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona; Nikolaj Kunsthal, Copenhagen; Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogotá; Wexner Center for the Arts, Columbus, OH ; Röda Sten Konsthall, Gothenburg, Sweden; Galeria Vermelho, São Paulo; Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM); Tate Modern, London; and

Education Art & Culture 📍 Westside Details →
Oct
7

UCSC: Carlos Motta Exhibition

📍 UCSC Institute of the Arts and Sciences
🕒 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM · FREE

Carlos Motta’s When Time Stands Still features new and recent installations, videos, and sculptures highlighting the artist’s preoccupation with the historical and aesthetic productions of difference and marginalization that shape the present. The selection of artworks in the exhibition explore the unsettling experience of living in a time that seems violently stuck on repeat. Archetypal figures from art history (a fool, a siren, a witness, a victim) reappear in the current moment as containers of time, bringing the past of imperialism, colonization, and displacement into a present marked by the rise of anti-immigration politics, climate injustice, and other forms of disposability. Some works challenge this violent repetition of time. The clock moves, if gruelingly, in an endurance-based video performance, No One, 2025. For forty-six minutes, the artist undertakes to keep his eyes open, witnessing, withstanding, confronting, and resisting the bombardment of images, both historical and otherwise, that normalize harm. In another video work, Gravity, 2024, performers enact rescue carries, supporting each other until they can’t bear the weight. Together, the artworks act as a proposal about how to rethink time—how to slow time—with a poetic and aesthetic cadence that might counter the numbing reverberations of living in the present. When Time Stands Still is organized as part of Visualizing Abolition, an arts-based initiative that reaches across prison borders to create a future free of prisons. About the Artist Carlos Motta (b. 1978, Colombia) is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice documents the social conditions and political struggles of sexual, gender, and ethnic communities, challenging normative discourses through acts of self-representation. His work has been the focus of several survey exhibitions.

Art & Culture Free 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
7

UCSC: Victor “Marka27” Exhibition

📍 UCSC Institute of the Arts and Sciences
🕒 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM · FREE

“Ni de aquí, ni de allá” (“neither from here, nor there”), is a phrase commonly used by bilingual, bicultural communities. In the exhibition the phrase becomes a bold declaration of dual belonging against a violent notion of nationalism and identity. Through paintings, immersive installations, sculptural works, and a curated soundscape, Marka27 invites gallery goers into a vibrant, layered world where street culture meets Indigenous tradition, and personal memory collides with collective truth and activism. Curated by internationally recognized curator Kate Fowle, this exhibition is organized in partnership with The Center for Art & Advocacy and as part of Visualizing Abolition, an arts-based initiative that reaches across prison borders to contribute to the unfolding collective story and alternative imagining underway to create a future free of prisons. ABOUT THE ARTIST: Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez is a renowned visual artist working at the intersections of contemporary art, graffiti, vinyl toys, fashion and design, and art activism.

Art & Culture Cultural Event 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
7

International Lounge Grand Opening

📍 Classroom Unit
🕒 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM · See listing

You’re invited to join Global Engagement for the grand opening of its new International Lounge! The International Lounge is a space dedicated to supporting our internationally-minded community including our students, scholars, employees, and more. Our grand opening will feature light refreshments and a look into the new space. Stop on by for a nice treat and learn more about two of Global Engagement’s units: International Student Services and Programming and Global Learning . If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] .

Education Community 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
7

Crafternoons

📍 275 Main St Ste 100
🕒 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM · See listing

Crafternoons are back! ✂️ Get craft with family. Drop in to the Main Library between 2-5pm every Monday and Wednesday to make a craft together. Slow down, work with your hands, and get creative! Bring the family and join us for some creative fun! Audience: Families ¡Regresan las tardes de manualidades! ✂️ Se le invita a la Biblioteca Principal de 2-5pm todos los lunes y miércoles para hacer una manualidad en familia. ¡Tómense su momento para relajarse, trabajar con las manos y dejar volar su creatividad! ¡Traigan a toda la familia y disfruten juntos de una tarde creativa! Audiencia: Familias

Oct
7

AIRC and PoCSC Fall Open House

📍 Cardiff House
🕒 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM · See listing

Join the American Indian Resource Center (AIRC) and People of Color Sustainability Collective (PoCSC) for our Fall Open House at the Cardiff House ! We’re opening the doors of the Cardiff House and inviting the campus community to stop by, explore the space, meet our staff and student interns, and learn about the many resources, programs, events, and opportunities available to you throughout the year. Come enjoy food from D’La Colmena, drinks, and desserts while connecting with other campus departments and community members. There will also be fun activities, swag, and opportunities to win raffle prizes! Whether you’re new to UCSC, returning for another year, or simply want to learn more about AIRC, PoCSC, and Cardiff House, we’d love to welcome you. “Come for the food, stay for the community!” You Belong Here: The programs and services described here are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities. To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy for UC Publications .

Education Community 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
7

Fall 2026 Afterschool & Maker Sundays at SCMS!

📍 Santa Cruz Maker Studios
🕒 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM · $37

Fall Semester Maker Classes (August 11 – December 20, 2026) Join us for a semester of hands-on creativity at SC Maker Studios! Students explore 3D printing, laser engraving, woodworking, sewing, robotics, beading, arts & crafts, and more, creating projects to take home each week. All materials are included (except electronic robot components). Weekly Class Times: Youth (Ages 6½–12) Tuesdays: 3:00–5:00 PM Wednesdays: 1:00–3:00 PM & 3:00–5:00 PM Thursdays: 3:00–5:00 PM Sundays: 10:00 AM–12:00 PM Teens (Ages 11–17) Sundays: 12:30–2:30 PM Register for the full semester to reserve your spot [https://scmakerstudios.com/fall-semester-2026/], or join us for individual Maker Sunday drop-in sessions [https://scmakerstudios.com/sunday-maker-registration/]. Spaces are limited!

Community Family 📍 Westside Details →
Oct
7

Welcome to the Fall Open House at the Cardiff House

📍 Cardiff House
🕒 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM · See listing

The Cardiff House invites our students to its Open House on Wednesday, October 7th, 2026! The Cardiff House is proud to house the American Indian Resource Center, People of Color Sustainability Collective, and Womxn’s Center. Starting from 3pm, our house will host music, crafts, and free lunch for students to discover new connections and an opportunity to build community! Come explore our resources like the medicine cabinet, food pantry, printing services, and basic needs cart. You can find us at 117 Carriage House Rd, Santa Cruz, near the base of campus by the TAPS office where you’ll find our team ready and excited to familiarize you all with our space and yours.

Education Community 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
7

Wig Out Wednesday

📍 Big Basin Vineyards Tasting Room + Wine Bar
🕒 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM · FREE

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.

Food & Drink Adults 21+ 📍 Downtown Santa Cruz Details →
Oct
7

PAWS Afterschool Program

📍 Santa Cruz SPCA
🕒 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM · $75

PAWS Afterschool Club (Ages 7–10) Looking for something fun to do after school? Love animals? Join PAWS and discover what it takes to care for shelter animals while making new friends and learning through hands-on activities! Each week, children enjoy one hour of fun animal-themed education and activities, followed by one hour socializing with our shelter animals. They’ll learn about animal behavior, responsible pet care, shelter life, and safe animal handling before putting their new knowledge into practice by spending quality time helping our cats and dogs feel loved and confident. Children begin with PAWS Foundations, a three-week introductory program. After graduating, they become PAWS Ambassadors, returning for additional sessions to build new skills, spend more time with the animals, and take on greater responsibilities as they progress toward becoming future Santa Cruz SPCA volunteers. PAWS Foundations: Monday 4pm-6pm (September – May) PAWS Ambassadors: Wednesday 4pm-6pm (September – May)

Family Education 📍 Midtown Details →
Oct
7

Paradigm Sport Fall Softball Offense Clinic

📍 Jade Street Park
🕒 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM · $250

This is a clinic for Softball Athletes 12+, designed specific to athletes by athletes. Throughout three 4-week sessions, athletes will focus on every aspect of becoming a complete offensive player. We'll cover hitting mechanics, swing fundamentals, approach at the plate, pitch selection, live pitching, front toss, situational execution, base running, and the mental side of the game.

Sports Family 📍 Capitola Details →
Oct
7

BioCharger & Vibrational Sound Table Healing Happy Hour

📍 Soulcare Studios
🕒 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM · $25

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

Oct
7

Entre Nosotras

📍 Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley
🕒 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM · See listing

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.

Wellness Cultural Event 📍 Watsonville Details →
Oct
7

UCSC: Fall Exhibitions

📍 UCSC Institute of the Arts and Sciences
🕒 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM · FREE

The Institute of the Arts and Sciences (IAS) is pleased to announce its Fall/Winter season of exhibitions. On view are exhibitions highlighting two artists whose explorations in video, installation, painting, and sculpture examine some of the most enduring and challenging issues of our time: Carlos Motta: When Time Stands Still, a poetic and aesthetically rich exploration of the historical and aesthetic manifestations of difference and marginalization that inform current anti-immigration politics and climate injustices; and Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez: Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá (Not From Here, Not From There), which grapples with issues of migration and belonging—and gained national attention after it was abruptly censored by the University of North Texas. Also as part of IAS programming, an outdoor installation of Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez: Elevar la Cultura, a public sculpture project, will be at Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos November 7, 2026–March 5, 2027. An opening celebration for the exhibitions open on October 2, 2026, 5–8 p.m., with a performance by vocal artist and composer Samita Sinha, celebrations with the artists, and more. Elevar la Cultura opens at Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos on November 7, 2026, 2–6 p.m., with a celebration with the artist, featuring lowriders, free food, live entertainment, vendors, and more. The exhibitions and opening events are free and open to the public.

Community Free 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
7

Gay Beach Volleyball (Outside Community Series)

📍 Court 16, Santa Cruz Main Beach Volleyball, 270 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
🕒 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM · FREE

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! .

Oct
7

Sourdough Class at Sand Rock Farm

📍 Sand Rock Farm Lodging + Events
🕒 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM · $130

Do you want to learn a new soul-satisfying skill? Come to Sand Rock Farm and learn to make sourdough! Classes are two and a half hours long and include everything you need to make delicious, homemade bread that will make you and your loved ones happy. You will take home a freshly baked loaf, a bag of bread making essentials including sourdough starter, mixing bowl, scale, tea towel, scraper, banneton basket, bread lame, a tote for your equipment, dough that you have made that will be ready for baking in 24-48 hours, refreshments, snacks, and socializing. Classes are $130 per person (or $230 per couple sharing supplies) and limited to six people. Guests who book the class in conjunction with lodging receive 10% off. Book a private group of six to eight and get 10% off. ​Private groups will also have more dates available to choose from, please email [email protected] to book.

Oct
7

Under the Mantle of an Idocile Dream: Film Screening and Conversation with Denise Carrascosa and Gina Dent

📍 Institute of the Arts and Sciences
🕒 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM · FREE

The Institute of the Arts and Sciences invites you to a screening of the video-performance Under the Mantle of an Idocile Dream (Bruna Castro, Brasil, 2026), followed by a conversation between Denise Carrascosa and Gina Dent around the historical, political and spiritual relations between Afro-Brazilian ancestrality, visual arts and abolition feminism in Brazil. Denise Carrascosa is a writer, lawyer, and full professor of literature at the Federal University of Bahia, in Brasil. She holds a Ph.D. in Theory and Criticism of Literature and Culture (UFBA) and completed postdoctoral studies in the History of Slavery in Brasil (UFRB). In 2010, she launched the abolitionist project Indocile Bodies and Free Minds: an art-education program for literary writing at the Women’s Prison Complex in Bahia, where she established, together with sentenced women inmates, the Free Minds Library (2012), enabling Sisters inside to access sentence remission through reading. Gina Dent is Professor of Humanities and Faculty Director of the Institute of the Arts & Sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she has won awards for her teaching (Dizikes Faculty Teaching Award), advocacy (Chancellor’s Award for Diversity), and research (Innovator of the Year). Currently, she serves as Principal Investigator and Co-Director for Visualizing Abolition , a multidisciplinary project—involving exhibitions, events, fellowships, and academic programs—addressing the global crisis of incarceration through art and visual culture. Her recent collaborative projects grow out of her decades-long work as a social justice advocate— Abolition. Feminism. Now. (co-authored with Angela Davis, Erica Meiners, and Beth Richie, Haymarket 2022), and Seeing through Stone (exhibition catalog, Marquand 2024). She works with several organizations nationally and internationally, including Columbia University’s Center for Justice and Australia’s Sisters Inside, primarily on justice-related concerns.

Education Art & Culture 📍 Westside Details →
Oct
7

Captiola City Council Candidate Forum

📍 Capitola City Hall
🕒 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM · FREE

Capitola City Council Candidate Forum Join Capitola Cares and the Capitola-Soquel Chamber of Commerce for a community forum featuring candidates for Capitola City Council. Capitola Cares is dedicated to strengthening community engagement and civic participation, while the Capitola-Soquel Chamber has a long history of hosting City Council candidate forums. Together, these organizations are bringing voters a neutral, community-focused opportunity to hear directly from the candidates and learn more about the issues facing Capitola. The forum will be moderated by Jody K. Biehl, Community Voices Editor at Lookout Santa Cruz. Biehl is an award-winning journalist and journalism educator with more than 15 years of experience reporting and editing in the United States and Europe. She is also a professor at UCSC. Candidates will respond to questions covering a broad range of issues facing Capitola. This is an opportunity to hear from the candidates, learn more about their perspectives and priorities, and participate in the civic conversation ahead of the election. Cant join in person? Watch online: https://www.youtube.com/@CTVsantacruz/live Want to submit a question? Email [email protected]

Education Free 📍 Capitola Details →
Oct
7

Virtual Writers' Open Mic Night

📍 Santa Cruz Public Libraries
🕒 6:00 PM · See listing

Wednesday, October 07 2026 6:00pm - 8:00pm Virtual Writers' Open Mic Night offers you an environment to read your works aloud every first Wednesday of the month and get feedback, if desired. This program requires registration for a Zoom link.

Community Free Details →
Oct
7

UCSC: Bruna Castro Video-Performance Screening

📍 UCSC Institute of the Arts and Sciences
🕒 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM · FREE

Enjoy a screening of the video-performance Under the Mantle of an Idocile Dream (Bruna Castro, Brasil, 2026), followed by a conversation between Denise Carrascosa and Gina Dent around the historical, political and spiritual relations between Afro-Brazilian ancestrality, visual arts and abolition feminism in Brazil. Denise Carrascosa is a writer, lawyer, and full professor of literature at the Federal University of Bahia, in Brasil. Gina Dent (Ph.D., English & Comparative Literature, Columbia University) is Professor of Humanities and Faculty Director of the Institute of the Arts & Sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Art & Culture Free 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
7

Santa Cruz: Wednesday Night Sailboat Races

📍 Santa Cruz Harbor
🕒 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM · FREE

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.

Oct
7

Free Pub Trivia

📍 Britannia Arms
🕒 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM · FREE

Join us every Tuesday night at Britannia Arms Capitola for FREE Pub Trivia! Two games. Two chances to win. Prizes handed out twice! 🧠 Game 1: 7–8 PM 🏆Game 2: 8–9 PM 💰 FREE to play Bring your friends, build a team, or come solo and join the fun. Test your knowledge, enjoy a pint, and compete for prizes at Britannia Arms Capitola!

Community Free 📍 Capitola Details →
Oct
7

Ripatti & Rose

📍 Crow’s Nest
🕒 7:00 PM · $3

A monthly acoustic performance at a cliffside venue, featuring a singing and instrumental duo. An intimate evening of music with an ocean view, held on the first Wednesday of each month.

Oct
7

The Grove: Killer Klowns from Outer Space

📍 The Grove
🕒 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM · $18

Bring your friends for a night of fun and frights! With a cocktail in your hand, enjoy this scary movie filmed in Watsonville and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, in the historic Grove ballroom. Your entry fee includes one hosted drink ticket! A full bar featuring signature drinks (ID’s will be checked at entrance. 21+ only.) Snacks will be available for purchase Banquet chair seating. Premium seating is sold out.

Art & Culture Adults 21+ 📍 Beach & Boardwalk Details →
Oct
7

Reiki Sound Bath with Dallas McKenzie & Jessica McCord

📍 Soulcare Studios
🕒 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM · FREE

Give yourself a midweek opportunity to rest, reset, and reconnect at SoulCare Studios. ✨ Join Dallas McKenzie and Jessica McCord for a weekly Reiki Sound Bath, combining the calming experience of immersive sound and vibration with Reiki energy work. Settle into a comfortable space and allow yourself to slow down as soothing sounds create an atmosphere for relaxation, mindfulness, and restoration. ✨ What to Expect: • Immersive sound and vibration • Reiki energy work • Deep relaxation and mindfulness • A peaceful space to unwind and reconnect • A restorative midweek reset No previous experience with Reiki, meditation, or sound baths is necessary. Come as you are and give yourself an hour dedicated to rest and intentional self-care. 📅 Wednesdays ⏰ 7:30–8:30 PM 📍 SoulCare Studios | 8035 Soquel Drive, Aptos

Oct
7

(((folkYEAH!))) Presents - Y La Bamba

📍 Moe's Alley
🕒 8:00 PM · See listing

Portland, Oregon’s Y La Bamba is led by singer, songwriter, guitarist and front woman Luz Elena Mendoza. Formed in 2008, Y La Bamba is a five-piece band inspired by both traditional Mexican corridos and indie folk. The group’s debut album, Alida St. earned positive critical notices for its synthesis of musical styles and visceral musical storytelling. Subsequent albums got similar praise from outlets like Rolling Stone, NPR Music and the New York Times. The group’s sixth and latest is 2023’s Lucha. Mendoza is the group’s mainstay. Throughout its history Y La Bamba has often featured a rotating cast of support musicians. -Bill Kopp; Good Times Santa Cruz

Music LGBTQ+ 📍 Midtown Details →
Oct
8

Women in Business Summit

📍 Mission Springs
🕒 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM · $150

Join us for the Women in Business Summit: The Future of Work: Women Leading, What’s Next. Our annual event brings professional women throughout Santa Cruz County and beyond together for renewal, growth, and inspiration. Through networking opportunities, engaging keynote speaker, dynamic breakout sessions, and our power panel, participants will embark on a journey to lead with authenticity, purpose, and renewal. The summit will take place at Mission Springs in Scotts Valley. We will start our day by gathering under the redwood trees and around firepits to connect over a cup of tea or coffee. Attendees are encouraged to dress comfortably, allowing for ease of movement throughout the day. Yoga pants are most welcome! With the generous support of our title sponsor, Dignity Health Management Services, we are excited to create a space where women can come together to reenergize, cultivate relationships, and emerge empowered from the stories we share with women growing through every season of our lives and careers.

Community Education 📍 Scotts Valley Details →
Oct
8

Bay Tree Building Furniture Sit Test Open House

📍 McHenry Library
🕒 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM · See listing

Help shape the future of the Bay Tree Building! Students and staff are invited to stop by a furniture “sit test” open house and share feedback on potential furniture selections for the renovated space. Hosted by MillerKnoll, Pivot, and Jensen Architects, the open house will give members of the campus community an opportunity to try out furniture and provide feedback on appearance, comfort and inclusive design, durability, cleanability, sustainability, and more through a brief digital survey. Plan for approximately 20 minutes to participate. Project representatives will also be available to answer questions and talk about the renovation. The Bay Tree Building renovation remains on track for reopening in September 2027. The reimagined building will bring together a student lounge, well-being center, student resource centers, campus store and market, and administrative offices, creating a vibrant hub for Slug Life and a welcoming gathering place for the campus community. Snacks and beverages will be provided, along with giveaways. Come take a seat and help shape the future of Slug Life! For questions or accommodation requests, contact [email protected] .

Education Community 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
8

Demystifying the IRB: ask us anything!

📍 McHenry Library, 2nd Floor Room 2353
🕒 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM · See listing

Have you ever wondered what really happens to your protocol after you hit submit? Join us for an informal, in-person conversation with IRB members to peel back the curtain on the review process. The event is open to all researchers, students, and staff conducting, planning, or supporting human subjects research. To ensure we address what matters most to you, submit your questions anonymously via our Google Form before 10/5/26. You can also ask questions live during the event. Light snacks will be provided. NOTE VENUE CHANGE: McHenry Library, 2nd Floor Room 2353

Oct
8

Guided Mindfulness for Queers and Friends Hosted by TDC @ TDC

📍 1117 Soquel Ave.
🕒 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM · FREE

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. If you have questions about this well-being offering, please contact Tara Maxon, Wellbeing Coordinator, at: [email protected] View our Community Agreements for Diversity Center groups.

LGBTQ+ Wellness 📍 Midtown Details →
Oct
8

Guided Mindfulness for Queers and Friends Hosted by TDC @ TDC

📍 The Diversity Center, 1117 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95062
🕒 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM · See listing

Well-being offering: Guided Mindfulness Group Date: Weekly on Thursdays New Time! 11:30 am - 12:30 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. .

Oct
8

UCSC: Carlos Motta Exhibition

📍 UCSC Institute of the Arts and Sciences
🕒 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM · FREE

Carlos Motta’s When Time Stands Still features new and recent installations, videos, and sculptures highlighting the artist’s preoccupation with the historical and aesthetic productions of difference and marginalization that shape the present. The selection of artworks in the exhibition explore the unsettling experience of living in a time that seems violently stuck on repeat. Archetypal figures from art history (a fool, a siren, a witness, a victim) reappear in the current moment as containers of time, bringing the past of imperialism, colonization, and displacement into a present marked by the rise of anti-immigration politics, climate injustice, and other forms of disposability. Some works challenge this violent repetition of time. The clock moves, if gruelingly, in an endurance-based video performance, No One, 2025. For forty-six minutes, the artist undertakes to keep his eyes open, witnessing, withstanding, confronting, and resisting the bombardment of images, both historical and otherwise, that normalize harm. In another video work, Gravity, 2024, performers enact rescue carries, supporting each other until they can’t bear the weight. Together, the artworks act as a proposal about how to rethink time—how to slow time—with a poetic and aesthetic cadence that might counter the numbing reverberations of living in the present. When Time Stands Still is organized as part of Visualizing Abolition, an arts-based initiative that reaches across prison borders to create a future free of prisons. About the Artist Carlos Motta (b. 1978, Colombia) is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice documents the social conditions and political struggles of sexual, gender, and ethnic communities, challenging normative discourses through acts of self-representation. His work has been the focus of several survey exhibitions.

Art & Culture Free 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
8

Carlos Motta: When Time Stands Still

📍 Institute of the Arts and Sciences
🕒 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM · See listing

Carlos Motta’s When Time Stands Still, the artist’s second solo show with the IAS , features new and recent installations, videos, and sculptures highlighting the artist’s preoccupation with the historical and aesthetic productions of difference and marginalization that shape the present. The selection of artworks in the exhibition explore the unsettling experience of living in a time that seems violently stuck on repeat. Archetypal figures from art history (a fool, a siren, a witness, a victim) reappear in the current moment as containers of time, bringing the past of imperialism, colonization, and displacement into a present marked by the rise of anti-immigration politics, climate injustice, and other forms of disposability. Some works challenge this violent repetition of time. The clock moves, if gruelingly, in an endurance-based video performance, No One , 2025. For forty-six minutes, the artist undertakes to keep his eyes open, witnessing, withstanding, confronting, and resisting the bombardment of images, both historical and otherwise, that normalize harm. In another video work, Gravity , 2024, performers enact rescue carries, supporting each other until they can’t bear the weight. Together, the artworks act as a proposal about how to rethink time—how to slow time—with a poetic and aesthetic cadence that might counter the numbing reverberations of living in the present. When Time Stands Still is organized as part of Visualizing Abolition, an arts-based initiative that reaches across prison borders to create a future free of prisons. Carlos Motta (b. 1978, Colombia) is a multidisciplinary artist whose work has been shown widely nationally and internationally. Solo exhibitions venues include the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona; Nikolaj Kunsthal, Copenhagen; Museo de Arte Moderno de Bogotá; Wexner Center for the Arts, Columbus, OH ; Röda Sten Konsthall, Gothenburg, Sweden; Galeria Vermelho, São Paulo; Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM); Tate Modern, London; and

Education Art & Culture 📍 Westside Details →
Oct
8

Victor ‘Marka27’ Quiñonez: Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá

📍 Institute of the Arts and Sciences
🕒 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM · FREE

Organized in partnership with the Center for Art and Advocacy, located in Brooklyn, New York, Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá ( Not From Here, Not From There ) by multidisciplinary artist Victor ‘Marka27’ Quiñonez features a wide range of artworks that issue a bold declaration of dual belonging, including altars, an elaborately immersive botanica, paintings referencing visual symbolism drawn from textiles, graffiti and community traditions, and, in a series called I.C.E. Scream , large, brightly colored resin sculptures in the shape of melting Mexican paletas (popsicles). As the exhibition title suggests (a phrase widely used in bilingual and bicultural communities), these artworks reflect the artist’s interest in the experience of living between worlds even as violent notions of nationalism and identity pervade. Accompanying the exhibition, Elevar la Cultura , an immersive sculptural installation featuring a twenty-two-foot-tall pyramid built from ice coolers adorned with ancestral textiles, sacred symbols, and mural work will be on view at Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos (1817 Soquel) November 7, 2026- March 7, 2027. As Quiñonez explains, this sculpture epitomizes the contradictions of living—and laboring—as an immigrant in the United States: “Most people see the cooler as a tool for leisure…for barbecues, tailgating, and celebrations. But for immigrant communities, the cooler is a tool and symbol for opportunity and independence. In every major city, you see families and vendors selling fruit, food, and water out of these coolers on the streets and in subway stations. They’re a necessity for survival and a way to start an honest living,” the artist shares. The Institute of Arts and Sciences will be the second venue to successfully present Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá to the public. First organized by Boston University Art Galleries and curated by Kate Fowle in September of 2025, the exhibition debuted to critical acclaim before gaining national attention after its abrupt removal from

Education Art & Culture 📍 Westside Details →
Oct
8

Cognitive Health: The Many Ways to Exercise – Wellness in Action Series

📍 UC Santa Cruz
🕒 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM · See listing

Thursday, October 8, 12:00 PM– 12:30 PM Register for the Zoom link. Did you know that physical movement and cognitive training work together to reshape and strengthen your brain? In this session, you’ll discover how physical exercise boosts brain elasticity and how cognitive training can build cognitive skills. The Wellness in Action series is designed to help you improve your health in a short session with simple tips you can try in your own life. Take some time to put it in action in your own daily routines, and come for the follow-up session two weeks later to reflect on what worked, troubleshoot what didn’t, and learn what’s working for others. Register here for the Zoom link. The workshop will be recorded, and a link to the recording will be sent out after the first session. In the follow-up session on Monday, October 19 from 12:00 PM -12:30 PM, you will have the opportunity to share your experience and learn from others in the group. This session will not be recorded. For questions, please reach out to Ashley Parker, Health and Well-being Specialist, at [email protected] .

Education Wellness 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
8

UCSC: Victor “Marka27” Exhibition

📍 UCSC Institute of the Arts and Sciences
🕒 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM · FREE

“Ni de aquí, ni de allá” (“neither from here, nor there”), is a phrase commonly used by bilingual, bicultural communities. In the exhibition the phrase becomes a bold declaration of dual belonging against a violent notion of nationalism and identity. Through paintings, immersive installations, sculptural works, and a curated soundscape, Marka27 invites gallery goers into a vibrant, layered world where street culture meets Indigenous tradition, and personal memory collides with collective truth and activism. Curated by internationally recognized curator Kate Fowle, this exhibition is organized in partnership with The Center for Art & Advocacy and as part of Visualizing Abolition, an arts-based initiative that reaches across prison borders to contribute to the unfolding collective story and alternative imagining underway to create a future free of prisons. ABOUT THE ARTIST: Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez is a renowned visual artist working at the intersections of contemporary art, graffiti, vinyl toys, fashion and design, and art activism.

Art & Culture Cultural Event 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
8

Open Archives

📍 Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
🕒 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM · See listing

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]

Oct
8

Far West Fungi: Myco-Mixer

📍 Far West Fungi
🕒 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM · FREE

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!

Food & Drink Free 📍 Westside Details →
Oct
8

Fall 2026 Afterschool & Maker Sundays at SCMS!

📍 Santa Cruz Maker Studios
🕒 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM · $37

Fall Semester Maker Classes (August 11 – December 20, 2026) Join us for a semester of hands-on creativity at SC Maker Studios! Students explore 3D printing, laser engraving, woodworking, sewing, robotics, beading, arts & crafts, and more, creating projects to take home each week. All materials are included (except electronic robot components). Weekly Class Times: Youth (Ages 6½–12) Tuesdays: 3:00–5:00 PM Wednesdays: 1:00–3:00 PM & 3:00–5:00 PM Thursdays: 3:00–5:00 PM Sundays: 10:00 AM–12:00 PM Teens (Ages 11–17) Sundays: 12:30–2:30 PM Register for the full semester to reserve your spot [https://scmakerstudios.com/fall-semester-2026/], or join us for individual Maker Sunday drop-in sessions [https://scmakerstudios.com/sunday-maker-registration/]. Spaces are limited!

Community Family 📍 Westside Details →
Oct
8

Shingu Arts & Cultural Exchange

📍 Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
🕒 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM · See listing

Join the City of Santa Cruz Sister Cities for an afternoon celebrating traditional Japanese and Japanese-inspired arts, crafts, and culture! A special delegation of artists and art enthusiasts from our Sister City, Shingu, Japan are visiting and want to share and engage with you. Whether you want to get your hands messy or simply admire beautiful craftsmanship, there is something for everyone. Come discover the rich cultural connection and find information on Shingu as well!

Community Cultural Event 📍 Downtown Santa Cruz Details →
Oct
8

SPCA Junior Animal Care Team

📍 Santa Cruz SPCA
🕒 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM · $75

Junior Animal Care Team (Ages 11+) Ready to level up your animal skills? If you love animals and want real, hands-on experience, the Junior Animal Care Team gives you the chance to go behind the scenes at the Santa Cruz SPCA! Start with a three-week training program where you’ll learn how to safely support shelter animals and prepare for your role on the team. Each session includes one hour of hands-on animal care projects—creating enrichment, preparing supplies, and helping support the shelter team—followed by one hour socializing with our shelter animals. After graduating, you’ll become a Junior Animal Care Team Member, returning for ongoing sessions to build your skills, take on more responsibility, and make a real difference for animals in need. A progressive step before becoming an SPCA volunteer—perfect for future animal care professionals and passionate animal advocates! Junior Animal Care Team Training: Tuesday 4pm-6pm (September – May) Junior Animal Care Team Sessions: Thursday 4pm-6pm (September – May)

Family Education 📍 Midtown Details →
Oct
8

Congolese

📍 The 418 Project
🕒 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM · See listing

A dance session centered on Congolese movement, held at a Santa Cruz arts space. For dancers curious to explore rhythm, style, and cultural tradition through the body.

Community Cultural Event 📍 Downtown Santa Cruz Details →
Oct
8

UCSC: Fall Exhibitions

📍 UCSC Institute of the Arts and Sciences
🕒 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM · FREE

The Institute of the Arts and Sciences (IAS) is pleased to announce its Fall/Winter season of exhibitions. On view are exhibitions highlighting two artists whose explorations in video, installation, painting, and sculpture examine some of the most enduring and challenging issues of our time: Carlos Motta: When Time Stands Still, a poetic and aesthetically rich exploration of the historical and aesthetic manifestations of difference and marginalization that inform current anti-immigration politics and climate injustices; and Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez: Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá (Not From Here, Not From There), which grapples with issues of migration and belonging—and gained national attention after it was abruptly censored by the University of North Texas. Also as part of IAS programming, an outdoor installation of Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez: Elevar la Cultura, a public sculpture project, will be at Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos November 7, 2026–March 5, 2027. An opening celebration for the exhibitions open on October 2, 2026, 5–8 p.m., with a performance by vocal artist and composer Samita Sinha, celebrations with the artists, and more. Elevar la Cultura opens at Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos on November 7, 2026, 2–6 p.m., with a celebration with the artist, featuring lowriders, free food, live entertainment, vendors, and more. The exhibitions and opening events are free and open to the public.

Community Free 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
8

Persephone Restaurant Thursday Night Pasta Special

📍 Persephone Restaurant
🕒 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM · $40

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!

Markets Food & Drink 📍 Aptos & Seacliff Details →
Oct
8

Bruce H. Jennings in conversation with Mayor Fred Keeley

📍 Hay Barn
🕒 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM · FREE

Join us and Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley for a conversation with Author Bruce H. Jennings about his new book, Revolutionary Science: The Struggle for Agroecology in the Americas . About the book As the climate crisis becomes more urgent and issues of social inequality intensify, Revolutionary Science: The Struggle for Agroecology in the Americas shows how agroecology offers hope rooted in a deeper understanding of ecology, society, and collective struggle. In the 1940s, a US-backed campaign spread industrial agriculture across the Americas, dismantling traditional farming systems that had sustained campesino communities for generations. The result was ecological damage, cultural loss, and deepened inequality. Amid this devastation, a group of Latin American scientists chose another path. Working alongside farmers, Indigenous communities, and social movements, they helped shape a new vision — agroecology: a science grounded in ecology, cultural respect, and political commitment to those most marginalized. Revolutionary Science tells their story and asks a vital question: Can agroecology thrive as both a science and a movement strong enough to advance livelihood for millions of campesinos and many others across the Americas? RSVP

Education Free 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
8

Blue Lemonade

📍 Discretion Brewing
🕒 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM · See listing

5:30-7:30pm Blue Lemonade is an Americana band based out of Santa Cruz/Santa Barbara playing both originals and covers from bluegrass and folk to blues and southern rock.

Music Food & Drink 📍 Soquel Details →
Oct
8
★ Featured

Afrobeats Nite at the IAS

📍 Institute of the Arts and Sciences
🕒 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM · See listing

Join us for a night of dancing, joy, and community organized by Afrobeats Nite Santa Cruz featuring DJ Mai Girl and DJ Monk Earl. In addition to music, there will be vendors, food trucks, and late night showings of the exhibitions Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez: Ni de Aquí, Ni de Allá and Carlos Motta: When Time Stands Still . This event is FREE and open to the public. Afrobeats Nite at the IAS is a collaboration with Visualizing Abolition , an arts-based initiative that reaches across prison borders to contribute to the unfolding collective story and alternative imagining underway to create a future free of prisons. Jase “Monk” Earl is a Santa Cruz–based DJ, curator, cultural producer, educator, and writer whose understanding of community is rooted in Hip Hop culture and shaped by his upbringing in the immigrant-rich neighborhood of Crown Heights, Brooklyn. As the founder of Afroscope Promotions and founder, curator, and resident DJ of Afrobeats Nite Santa Cruz, he creates public spaces where African and diasporic music become catalysts for connection, cultural exchange, and collective celebration. DJ Mai Girl plays festivals, clubs, shows, and private events all over the West Coast and beyond. Her unique blend of genres and hand-picked selections– whether it be hip hop, soul, house, jazzy vibes, old school jams, Afro, Caribbean or Latin rhythms– keep people moving all night. She consistently plays one Stevie or Prince song every set to remind herself of why she started DJing in the first place.

Education Free 📍 Westside Details →
Oct
8

AA/PI/SWANA Community Welcome: Hatch Into Your Next Chapter!

📍 Colleges Nine and John R. Lewis College Multi-purpose Room
🕒 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM · See listing

Hatch into your next chapter on Thursday, October 8th from 6-8:30pm at the College 9 and John R. Lewis College Multipurpose Room (MPR) ⋆.˚⟡ ࣪ ˖ Connect with students, staff, and faculty from various Asian American, Pacific Islander, and/or Southwest Asian & North African (AA/PI/SWANA) student organizations and campus departments over food, activities, tabling, and more! Hosted by the Asian American/Pacific Islander Resource Center (AA/PIRC) at UCSC, this event is FREE and open to all UCSC affiliates (students, staff, and faculty). AA/PIRC is one of the six resource centers at UCSC, offering events and other opportunities to connect with the AA/PI/SWANA diaspora. For questions or accommodation requests, please email [email protected]. RSVP at: bit.ly/cw26-rsvp You Belong Here: The programs and services described here are open to all, consistent with state and federal law, as well as the University of California’s nondiscrimination policies. Every initiative—whether a student service, faculty program, or community event—is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and respectful of all identities. To learn more, please visit UC Nondiscrimination Statement or Nondiscrimination Policy for UC Publications .

Education Cultural Event 📍 UCSC Details →
Oct
8

Bargetto Winery's Thursday Night Music

📍 Bargetto Winery
🕒 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM · FREE

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

Oct
8

Naturalist Night: The Story of Bones

📍 Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History
🕒 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM · See listing

Hear the story of Phernado, the Mt. Lion – his life, his death, how he came to the UCSC Norris Center, and his second life teaching students. Dr. Gizelle Hurtado will speak about the work involved in preparing Phernado, and the educational experience and lessons that students gained, including; removing fur, de-fleshing bones, cleaning bones, identifying bones and then reassembling Phernado. Please note there will be photos of blood, tissue, and bones being worked on in this talk. About the Speaker : Dr. Gizelle Hurtado is the Assistant Director at the Norris Center for Natural History at UCSC. Gizelle is also the Curator of the Natural History Museum at the Norris Center. Gizelle earned her Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from New Mexico State University, where she studied the impacts of urbanization on small mammals. Gizelle is a wildlife biologist and mammalogist. She is originally from San Jose, CA. She loves teaching and loves being in the field. REGISTER HERE Location: Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History Ticket Price: $12 General | $8 Students Discounts: $5 member discount Accessibility and Logistics : Please note there will be photos of blood, tissue, and bones being worked on in this talk. This program will take place indoors at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. Seating will be provided, and light refreshments will be available. Cancellation Policy

Education Art & Culture 📍 Seabright & Harbor Details →
Oct
8

Swing into Fall with East Coast Swing Basics

📍 Capitola Recreation Center
🕒 6:30 PM – 8:45 PM · $59

If you love big band music, traditional or contemporary, then East Coast Swing is for you (7:00 Mondays starting Sept 17th). This is the basic Swing dance and is universal generally recommended for beginning swing dancers. It can be smooth or fast and is a circular swing dance. Jump in this fall with Becky Adams through Capitola Recreation, and get ready for your next event, big or small.

Art & Culture Music 📍 Capitola Details →
Oct
8

Creative Resilience: A Transformational Journey through the Five Elements

📍 Wisdom Center of Santa Cruz
🕒 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM · $60

Five weekly sessions starting Oct 8 - Nov 5. Join us in exploring this collection of simple and practical methods of transforming habits and emotional states that no longer serve us. Many cultures have recognized the importance of the five elements and have used them as a key to unlocking self-mastery, healing, and balancing disruptive circumstances. Join Dawa Drakpa in this simple program to examine the major qualities of the element, looking at how we limit or nourish each, and transform our minds in the process for greater balance and awareness. This course is a hands-on, integrative experience using journaling and group discussion. Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche tasked an international group of psychologists, writers, teachers and artists to create a platform that offers a suite of flexible tools to bolster our own innate creativity and resilience and also to transform difficulties in a truly unique way. Naljor Dawa Drakpa was one of the first western students of the great Tibetan lamas Penor Rinpoche, Gangteng Rinpoche of Bhutan, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, and Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche. He is the founder of the Jang Ter Cho Gar, the Northern Treasures Buddhist Society.

Art & Culture Wellness 📍 Downtown Santa Cruz Details →
Oct
8

The Outsiders

📍 San Lorenzo Valley High School
🕒 7:00 PM · $10

The SLV Theatre Department is proud to present The Outsiders, a dramatic coming-of-age novel originally written by S.E. Hilton and adapted to stageplay by Christopher Sergel. This production is directed by high school seniors Ryan Jones and Benjamin Rotte. Performance dates are October 2nd-10th.

Art & Culture Family 📍 San Lorenzo Valley Details →
Oct
8

Ben Flocks Trio

📍 Kuumbwa Jazz
🕒 7:00 PM · See listing

Ben Flocks is a saxophonist and storyteller with a clear, warm, and purposeful voice. A veteran performer and educator, Flocks has been lucky to play with luminaries in jazz and beyond, including Dave Brubeck, Patrice Rushen, Antonio Sanchez, and Jumaane Smith. His 2019 release Mask of the Muse features Flocks’ rendition of “Ebb Tide” which has been streamed more than twenty million times and went viral on TikTok. Growing up in the Santa Cruz mountains, Flocks witnessed lunar grandeur over the churning Pacific surf and filtered through redwood canopies. Following the advice of his elders, he spent over a decade living in New York City, learning from the masters and leading his own bands at the 55 Bar and Cornelia Street Cafe. Flocks is now grounded in Los Angeles where he balances performing with a full schedule teaching at Glendale Community College, Harvard-Westlake, and the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. At its foundation, his latest album Moonshades is a trio exploration, acutely aware of the history of saxophone triumvirates led by Flocks’ heroes Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, and Joshua Redman, but concerned with an entirely different avenue, thanks to bandmates Garret Lang and Jay Bellerose. While those trios often relished dexterity and unrelenting momentum, Flocks and his compatriots linger in the openness and unhurried propulsion that comes so naturally to them. For Flocks, the moon is a powerful reminder of the unknowable and the spirit of searching. Flocks will be joined by Garret Lang on bass and Jay Bellerose on drums for this special hometown album release performance. Ben Flocks Website (Ticket Includes 5% City of Santa Cruz Admission Tax)

Oct
8

The Thursday Night Wine Down

📍 Cocoa Vino
🕒 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM · FREE

Come kick off the weekend early with The Thursday Night Wine Down. Grab a glass of wine at Cocoa Vino in Capitola Village and settle in for a musical journey through chill house music. I'll be playing a laid-back mix of jazz, deep, and melodic house from 7–9 PM. Bring some friends and hang out. Thursday Night Wine Down Music by Ryan James Cocoa Vino | Capitola Village 7–9 PM

Oct
8

Maya DeVitry & Mark Erelli LIVE at Lille Aeske Arthouse

📍 Lille Aeske Arthouse
🕒 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM · See listing

Nashville singer-songwriter and fiddler Maya DeVitry came to prominence as part of the Lancaster, Pennsylvania alt-country/folk trio The Stray Birds. With that group she released four albums. She ventured forth on her own with 2019’s Adaptations, which featured the breakout track “Wilderness.” Her latest release is 2026’s All My Faith. From Boston, singer-songwriter Mark Erelli hit early with a Kerrville Folk Award the year he released his self-titled debut album. A compelling and prolific artist, Erelli often writes for and/or with other artists. On his own, Erelli has released 18 albums to date. For more than 15 years he has self-released his work. -Bill Kopp; Good Times Santa Cruz

Oct
9

Santa Cruz County: Monterey Bay Festival of Birds

📍 All of Santa Cruz County
🕒 12:00 AM – 11:59 PM · FREE

Mark the fall migration at one of the most beautiful places on the planet for the Monterey Bay Festival of Birds featuring field trips, workshops, family-fun activities, and keynote speakers. Activities are planned throughout the Monterey Bay area in Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Salinas, and Monterey. Check out the website linked below to register for field trips, workshops and birding activities for everyone. Many events are free, and some are paid. All events are free to children 12 and under but must be accompanied by an adult.

Family Outdoors Details →
Oct
9

Sticker designs due for Rainbow Connections Sticker and Art Gallery

📍 Email [email protected] for a link to our Canva sticker design book Email a photo, song, poem or digital artwork to [email protected] Email rainbowconnectionsmo
🕒 12:00 AM – 12:00 AM · See listing

Call out for Art Submissions for the Rainbow Connections Sticker and Art Gallery Who can share their artwork: elementary, middle and high school students from Monterey and San Benito Counties. Art Prompt: Rainbow Connections and The Diversity Center would like to showcase the creativity and power of students across Monterey County. We are inviting students to create artwork that can be displayed at the 4th Annual Rainbow Connections Student Wellness Expo Friday November 13 in Salinas! Students can design stickers, paint, draw, read poetry, sing, perform and showcase their talents. We want to see your creations come to life. Student art could celebrate: LGBTQ+ joy, pride, and belonging Asking for help or checking in on a friend Friends, chosen family, and support networks Mental health, self-care, and emotional wellness LGBTQ+ identities and intersectionality Finding people and places where you can be yourself Mantras for hope, healing, growth, and resilience Knowing where to find suppo

Oct
9

Monterey Bay Festival of Birds

📍 Growing Up in Santa Cruz
🕒 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM · FREE

Celebrate fall migration through guided bird walks, workshops and community events around Santa Cruz County and the Monterey Bay region. Advance registration is required for field trips.

Family Outdoors Details →
Oct
9

Wilder Ranch State Park: Guided Coastal Birding Walk

📍 Wilder Ranch State Park
🕒 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM · FREE

On this 2.5 mile hike, be prepared to walk on uneven surfaces, with many stops to view the many birds, plants, and scenery along the way. You will help each other spot and identify birds! Bring your binoculars if you have them, clothes for variable weather, and good walking shoes. Meet next to park map in Wilder Ranch main parking lot. *Rain cancels. Vehicle day-use fee is $10. For more information, call (831) 426-0505.

Oct
9

Evergreen Volunteer Days

📍 Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
🕒 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM · See listing

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]

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