Outdoor events in Santa Cruz County

Hugging Porcupines Productions presents Trivia Night, every Tuesday evening at Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing. Trivia is always free to play. Grab your team and challenge yourself to 6 rounds of fun trivia.

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

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.

0 booked, 7 available Kathryn Pierno

ARTIST STATEMENT: ELIZABETH L. TRACY It‘s a pleasure to return to Santa Cruz to exhibit, as I have enjoyed a long history with this city. I graduated from UCSC in 1976, and after earning an MFA at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, I returned for a few years in the early 1980s as Lecturer in Art and the manager of the printmaking studio. I later worked in Connecticut as an artist-in-residence at Trinity College and in Boston where I taught at Wheaton College and had a studio in Fort Point Channel. In 1992 I moved to Santa Monica, where I currently paint and teach private art classes in The Slanted Floor Studio. For the last 15 years I have been working on a series of oil paintings called “Constructing Paradise” and triptychs called “Turn of Events”. In these works, I aim to create a visual conversation between realistically rendered garden forms and super-imposed maps of gardens. These two elements have very different graphic qualities—one smoothly rendered and the other abstracted into dots and lines. The first conjures the experience of being in a garden, the later explores the concepts behind garden design. Gardens play many roles in our lives; They are places of sanctuary, meditation, play, and nurture, and are significant in most religions and many myths. My intent for the paintings is for the various experiences of being in a particular garden to resonate, while also suggesting its human design. _ Join us for a lovely evening welcoming Santa Monica-based artist, Elizabeth Tracy. Elizabeth will be showing large scale triptychs as well as smaller paintings. Drinks and snacks will be provided.

Fridays & Saturdays 8pm-10pm through October. Opening weekend July 10-11! Experience the magic once again as this beloved art and light installation returns to the Santa Cruz Mountains for its second year. Lighted lanterns hang high overhead surrounded by thousand year old redwoods that are uplit to create a unique and awe-inspiring retreat back to nature.

This nighttime experience will bring you a magical and immersive perspective on the ancient forest at Roaring Camp. During the 0.8-mile loop walk, you will view 26 unique, lighted lanterns, hung approximately 50 feet above the ground. The lanterns were crafted by local artists including Anna Bobisuthi, Roaring Camp’s resident blacksmith, and Chris Butler, who also created the lighting design for Sequoias at Night. Tickets are available at the link in the orange button above. Kids under two enter for free. Roaring Camp’s food services and gift shop will be open.

Come get your hands dirty and help native plants thrive in some of the park’s most popular day-use areas and trails! Volunteers will water and weed around previously planted native plants while removing invasive and non-native vegetation, including ice plant, Himalayan blackberry, English ivy, mustard, wild radish, and other weeds. We’ll use hand tools like hori horis, Pulaskis, hand clippers, and loppers, plus 5-gallon buckets and other equipment to haul water to thirsty plants. Ages 8 and older are welcome! Minors must be accompanied by an adult and bring a signed waiver. Snacks will be provided, but we recommend bringing a personal lunch. Want something extra? Steamers Lane Coffee Supply has food, snacks, and refreshments available for purchase. Come lend a hand, get some fresh air, and help keep the park’s native habitat healthy and thriving! 🌿 REGISTER HERE: https://volunteer.calparks.org/opportunity/a3tJw000002qFeXIAU/lighthouse-field-state-beach Meeting Location: 644-670 W Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Google Link : https://goo.gl/maps/Wowc8kYVpneDUKoV7 The most convenient parking is in the lots near Steamer Lane Coffee Supply. There is also street parking available on Pelton Ave if the lot is full. Carpooling is recommended. Meet in the open field immediately behind Steamer Lane Supply. Volunteer event signs will be posted at the entrances to the parking lots to help guide volunteers to the correct location.

Docent-led tours of the Elkhorn Slough Reserve are every Saturday AND Sunday, at 10 am and 11 am. Tours are on a first-come, first-serve basis – visitors may sign up at the Visitor Center front desk, or call ahead the morning of using the phone number (831) 728-2822. The Docent will craft a walk that meets the groups needs and abilities.

Ticket price includes 1 pound of apples in addition to what you pick during your timed hour on the farm. Click the link in the orange button above to reserve your hour time slot. Apples are notorious for not reading travel itineraries. Please double check on what is ready to be picked before you go!

On this 2.5-mile, 2-hour family-friendly walk, you will explore the plants, animals, and geology of the Santa Cruz County coastal bluffs. Bring water, a hat, closed-toe shoes, layered clothing, and binoculars if available. Pre-registration required at the link in the orange button above. Meet next to the park map in the main parking lot. Rain cancels. Free event. Vehicle day-use fee is $10.

Discover the stunning beauty of the UCSC Arboretum & Botanic Garden on a guided tour! Led by our docents, you’ll explore our world-class plant collections and learn about our history, our unique Mediterranean climate, and the work we do to conserve and display the world’s incredible biodiversity of plants. When: First Saturday of every month Cost: Free with paid admission (Members get in free!) Reserve your spot(s) by registering on our website at: forms.gle/767hWuW9JpAuRiwD9 Walk-ins are welcome. Please note that registration forms are updated the Tuesday after the previous tour. Consider becoming a member! Membership includes free admission, local nursery discounts, and reciprocal entry to 345+ gardens nationwide. For more information, please visit our website.

Experience an old-growth redwood forest filled with ancient trees over 200 ft. tall, and connect one on one with park staff. On this 1-mile stroll, you will be chatting about life histories, ecology, etc., and sharing a wonderful adventure among these giants. You don’t want to miss this! Meet at the visitor center. Although the event is free, the vehicle day-use fee is $10. Hold on to that receipt! Once you have paid for parking at one state park, you have paid for them all. There are 14 state parks in Santa Cruz County alone!

Want to learn about the rich dairy history of Wilder Ranch State Park? Dreamt of peeking inside our beautiful Victorian homes and barns? Join us weekly on Saturdays and Sundays for a 1.5 hour long tour of the historic buildings of Wilder Ranch! Meet at the visitor's center at 1 pm. Pre-register here or join us on the day-of. This tour is free. Parking in Day-use lot is $10. Questions?Call (669)758-1963or email [email protected]

Discover what life was like a century ago on this innovative dairy ranch. This hour-long tour includes the 1896 water-powered machine shop, horse barn, uniquely constructed 1860’s cow barn, 1858 farmhouse, and 1897 Queen Anne Victorian home. *This is a 1 hour tour that starts at 1PM on both Saturday and Sunday *Vehicle day-use fee is $10. For more information, call (831) 426-0505

Explore how tech is advancing the way we care for city trees and green spaces.

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.

EVENT TITLE: Mission Hill Surf Team & Club 30th Anniversary Paddle Out DATE: Thursday, October 9, 2026 TIME: 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM (Paddle Out) | Dinner to follow LOCATION: Cowell’s Beach, Santa Cruz, CA COST: Free to attend (Dinner is no-host) DESCRIPTION: Calling all Mavericks past and present! The Mission Hill Middle School Surf Team & Club is celebrating 30 years of catching waves and building community in Santa Cruz. To mark this major milestone, a special 30th Anniversary Community Paddle Out will take place at Cowell’s Beach from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM. All alumni, current members, families, and supporters are warmly invited to grab a board and join in the surfing, or gather on the cliffs to celebrate three decades of youth surfing. Following the paddle out, the celebration moves inland for a casual, no-host pizza dinner at Woodstock’s Pizza downtown. Come reconnect with old teammates, share favorite surf stories, and celebrate the program's enduring legacy. CONTACT/INFO: For more details, contact Jeff Osborne at [email protected].

Get ready to hike around an ancient seafloor! On this 1.5 mile hike through the Sandhills, which will last approximately 2 hours, participants can meander through sandy soils on the mountain top, about 800 feet above present day sea level. Explore this beautiful landscape and learn about the rare and unique things that call it home. The hike is recommended for ages 8 and up. Children need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Plan to meet in the parking lot of the campground (located off Graham Hill Rd.).

Starting in April, on both Saturday and Sunday of the second weekend of each month, the City of Santa Cruz staff will lead tours of Loch Lomond Reservoir on the Newell Jewell (pontoon boat). The tours start at 11AM on both days and lasts about an hour. Attendance is limited to 25 people and is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. The Loch Lomond Recreation Area is a 180-acre reservoir and part of the 2,800-acre watershed land holdings that the City of Santa Cruz Water Department manages in the Newell Creek watershed. It is open daily from late March through mid-October when the park closes for the season.

Join us for an afternoon of Water Education!

Join us for an evening of Water Education!

Go see an exciting musical parade as 55 Northern California high school and junior high school marching bands compete next to the iconic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in the ONLY band review with warm sand, cool surf, and hot rides!

We are coming together as a community to steward Tyrrell Park through the City’s Adopt-A-Park program. At the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, you gain new wisdom about local ecology, native plants, and sustainable gardening while connecting with nature outdoors. It’s time to get your hands dirty! Join us and volunteer in the Museum’s Garden Learning Center and Pilkington Creek.

Join trained biologist Coleen Douglas for her free workshop Nature Communication with the Trees. Douglas spent years studying nature through science. Then her heart opened to another way of knowing—she found that the natural world is alive with wisdom, and that trees can communicate with us when we learn how to listen. Author of the book “Nature Spirits Want To Talk With Us,” Douglas provides practical set-by-step guidance and a sense of magic and fun to lead you into deeper connection with nature. www.coleendouglas.com

Join us as we have fun maintaining and enhancing our favorite Santa Cruz County State Park, The Forest of Nisene Marks! Tasks vary from clearing brush alongside trails, removing invasive non-native plant species, repairing superstructure to cleaning up picnic areas. Anything that will improve the experience for park visitors. We meet every 3rd Sunday of the month (except December).

Join us for an afternoon of Water Education!

Hang out with Debbie Friedman for a fun chat, reading, and signed copies of her book, "Guarded - Women, Water, & Saving Lives".

Join us for an exclusive Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet wine tasting salon featuring 15+ producers, light bites by Oak and Rye and a silent auction Nestled in the hills above Los Gatos at exclusive new venue Lexington Hills Estate, wineries will each pour a current release alongside a rare, older vintage, showcasing the ageability of Santa Cruz Mountain Cabernet and allowing guests to experience a side-by-side comparison. Premier Cruz isa vibrant, annual tasting that celebrates Cabernet Sauvignon produced in the Santa Cruz Mountains American Viticulture Area (AVA).It's an opportunity to meet an array of Cabernet producers while enjoying world-class wines, gourmet bites and a silent wine auction. Since the late 1800's the Santa Cruz Mountains has been recognized as a premium Cabernet-producing region, when local winegrowers began to win acclaim in national and international competitions. At the Judgment of Paris in 1976, a blind tasting proved that California wines could equal and even surpass the great French wines. One of the twelve wines chosen to represent California was Ridge Vineyards' Monte Bello Cabernet from the Santa Cruz Mountains. The tasting was repeated in 2006 with the same vintages and the Ridge Monte Bello was judged the top-rated wine. The Santa Cruz Mountains is a special place for growing Mountain Cabernet. The region offers an array of individual microclimates, hot days and cool nights, marine influences, high elevations, distinctive soils and fruit from 80 acres or less, all contribute to the distinct flavor profiles of a mountain Cabernet unlike those of Napa or Sonoma. Location: Lexington Hills Estate & Winery Los Gatos, CA - Google Maps Image Here *All ticket pricing is inclusive of food, wines and gratuities. All events are open to the public and reserved for guests 21 and over. This is a rain-or-shine event. Tickets are non-refundable. Wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains wine club members receive a 15% discount on up to 2 tickets - for more in

The Santa Cruz Marathon, Half, and 5k will be a run on the edge in every sense. Rugged bluffs, crashing breaks, and a boardwalk that’s weathered storms, bands, and even vampires will set the stage for miles with attitude.

Interested in observing and comparing old growth and second growth redwood forests? How about walking by the river and learning about what plants grow alongside it? Enjoy a guided stroll to Cable Car Beach! You will meet at the Redwood Visitor Center and be out for an hour and a half. Easy to moderate pace. Under 2 miles roundtrip. Meet at the nature store. Although this event is free, parking at a state park is $10. Hold on to that receipt! Once you have paid for parking at one state park, you have paid for parking at all of them! There are 14 in Santa Cruz County alone.

You're invited to join us for Calles Libres/Open Streets Watsonville on Sunday, November 1, from 12 PM to 4 PM at Callaghan Park/Brennan Street in Downtown Watsonville. Calles Libres transforms our downtown into a vibrant, car-free space where people of all ages can walk, bike, roll, dance, connect, and celebrate everything that makes Watsonville unique. Inspired by Día de los Muertos, this free community event honors our culture, our loved ones, and the strength of our community while promoting health, wellness, and belonging. Together we will: ·🚴 Bike, walk, skate, and roll through car-free streets ·🎶 Enjoy live music, dance, and cultural performances ·🎨 Participate in hands-on family activities and art ·🧘 Experience movement activities including yoga, Zumba, and wellness experiences ·🌼 Honor loved ones through Día de los Muertos traditions ·🤝 Meet local organizations and discover community resources ·🛍️ Support downtown businesses and local vendors Our Vision Calles Libres is more than a community event. It is an opportunity to: · Build a healthier and more connected community · Celebrate Watsonville's culture and diversity · Support local businesses · Create joyful public spaces for everyone · Inspire youth leadership and civic engagement · Encourage walking, biking, and active transportation Date: Sunday, November 1, 2026 Time: 12–4 PM Location: Callahan Park and Brennan Street in Watsonville This event is free and open to everyone. We hope you'll join us as we celebrate movement, culture, wellness, and community.

Check out hundreds of sweet hot rods, street rods, vintage, muscle, custom, and classic cars in the Boardwalk Parking Lot. Free admission!

First Saturday Tours are a wonderful way to introduce yourself to the Arboretum or to deepen your understanding of the Arboretum’s plant collections. Each tour is a little different depending on the time of year, the interests of the tour guide and the people who join in. You might learn more about the birds and mammals that make this land their home or about the amazing physical adaptations that plants have evolved to better deal with extreme weather and climate conditions.

Wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains presents Taste of the Mountains Menlo Park Wine Walk on Saturday, November 14 in Downtown Menlo Park from 1-4pm. Enjoy wines from local, boutique wineries of the Santa Cruz Mountains poured in various designated tasting locations along Santa Cruz Avenue. Check in for your wristband, Govino wine glass, and a map of the pouring locations - then enjoy an afternoon of tasting and discovery. Purchase your favorites from the bottle booth and stay downtown for dinner! Advance ticket price is $50 or $59 day of. All ticket proceeds benefit the Menlo Park Atherton Education Foundation. Participating Wineries: TBA Participating Businesses: TBA DETAILS: Tickets Includes a Govino wine glass, a wristband and a map of all the tasting locations. General Admission tickets are $50.00* per person Day of Tickets: $59.00* pending availability (*plus tax) Check-in Check-in starts at 12:45 pm (event begins at 1:00pm). Registration and bottle booth tent will be located in the parklet located in front of 643-693 Santa Cruz Ave. Please bring your ID. We will check ID for ALL attendees. At check-in, you will receive a wristband, a Govino wine glass and a map to all of the tasting sites. Please taste responsibly A typical tasting includes a 1oz pour of wine. Limit the number of wines you taste to ensure the safety and enjoyment of everyone. We recommend arriving early to enjoy a full meal before the wine walk or staying for dinner afterwards. Light bites will be available at some locations at the discretion of the host. Parking Parking is limited in downtown. Consider carpooling, hiring a driver or using a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft. If you do drive to the event, please note that a ticket is not required for designated drivers since they won't be tasting. FAQs: If it's a Wine Walk, why can't I walk around outside each business with my glass full? ABC regulations prohibit walking between tasting sites with any wine in your glass. Thank you for either p

Unplug & Reconnect Retreat: Where Ocean & Forest Meet This two-night weekend retreat invites you to lean into the steady heartbeat of the redwoods and soothing rhythm of the Pacific for a lasting reset. Experience three days of facilitated activities as you dive into the healing properties of the forest and ocean - returning home calmer, clearer, and more fluid in body and mind. Dates: Friday, November 14 - Sunday, November 16, 2025 Where: Chaminade Resort & Spa (Santa Cruz, Ca) Why This Retreat: Most of us spend 90% of our lives indoors, caught in a constant fight-or-flight loop of screens, deadlines, and overstimulation. This weekend invites you to lean into the steady heartbeat of the redwoods and the soothing rhythm of the Pacific Ocean for a lasting reset. You’ll take a deep dive into the proven healing properties of forest and ocean - returning home calmer and more fluid in body and mind. You’ll gain practical, evidence-based tools to manage stress long after the retreat ends. What You'll Experience: Guided Forest Therapy Walk on one of California’s first Certified Forest Therapy Trails, Bluetooth Movement Session, Self-Myofascial Release Workshop to hydrate fascia and release stored tension, Nature Journaling to spark creativity and cultivate mindful reflection, and Community & Integration Circles to weave insights into daily life. You’ll leave with take-home resources and simple, sustainable practices to support nervous system regulation and holistic well-being. Overnight Package Pricing: $1,653 for a single guest (including tax and fees). Additional $900 to add a second guest to your room. What's Included: Two-night guestroom accommodations at Chaminade Resort & Spa and access to all activities in the retreat itinerary including select meals. Room Type: Spacious room with two queen beds, forest views and a patio.

California King Tides are coming to the shores of Santa Cruz County this winter! These naturally occurring and predictable events are when the highest and lowest tides hit our shores and create an even more dramatic coastline. At high tide, the powerful waves often crash against seawalls and extend beyond their usual natural borders. The extreme low tides, expose tide pools rarely seen and allow miles of beach walking and extended exploration. The upcoming dates are: November 24-25, 2026 December 23-25, 2026 January 21-22, 2027 However, there are even more dates with these extreme tides! Extreme low tides (and high tides) will be present on the days leading up to and after the dates listed above.