Contact: Christina Glynn, Communications Director/Film Commissioner
Phone: 831-429-7281, ext. 112, email: cglynn@santacruz.org

February 25, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA – Did you miss the Fungus Fair in January?  Don’t despair, the Festival of the Cement Ship is still around the corner!  And if the Mask Festival seems a bit too scary, there’s always the lively Musical Saw Festival or some Full Moon Madness to shake things up.  Are you a die-hard oenophile seeking out a tasting room off-the-beaten path?  Or a budding entomologist in search of the perfect ladybug?

Events such as these may be found on any given month in this funky, eclectic coastal California town.  Would you give your right arm to attend the Missing Arm of William Waddell hike?  Are you too impatient to stand during an hours-long parade?  Check out The World’s Shortest Parade that takes place each Independence Day in Aptos.  This year, the Santa Cruz County Conference & Visitors Council is helping visitors find funky, fantastic, and always fun events and festivals to enjoy (hint: many of them are also FREE!) on www.santacruzcounty.travel.

Here are a few coming up:

Pinot Paradise!  March 27 – 28, 2010

A Celebration of Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir.  Visit select Santa Cruz Mountains wineries for samples of latest pinots. Various wineries, Santa Cruz Mountains.  Phone: 831.685.VINE (8463)

“Bug Day”, May 1, 2010
Go buggy while making new discoveries about a wide variety of bugs through interactive games, puppet shows, art projects, nature walks, and displays.  Kids can earn a degree in “Bugology” as they find out about the diversity of wildlife found in this park.  Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Felton.  11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Phone:  831.335.7077.

Festival at the Cement Ship, June 5, 2010

Celebrate the 1930s when the ship was the place to dance and dine. Enjoy music, dancing, a cakewalk, games. Seacliff State Beach, Aptos.  11 am – 4 pm.  Phone: 831.685.6444 www.santacruzstateparks.org

Full Moon Madness Astronomy Night, June 26, 2010

Join a moonlit guided tour of the redwoods at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in Felton, and moon gaze through telescopes from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.  Activities include music, multi-media presentation about the park’s nocturnal critters, crafts for kids and refreshments.  Phone: 831.335.7077.

Surf City Classic: Woodies on the Wharf, June 26, 2010

13th Annual Surf City Classic car show promises scenic views of the Monterey Bay and a celebration of the surf spirit!  Municipal Wharf, Santa Cruz.  Phone: 831.420.5273

“World’s Shortest Parade”, July 4, 2010

Parade at 10 am, pancake breakfast before, party in the park afterwards. 7:30 am – 4:30 pm.  Soquel Dr. & State Park Dr., Aptos Village.  Phone: 831.688.1467

Santa Cruz Mask Making Day, October 23, 2010

To get in the mood for Halloween, the Santa Cruz Mask Festival has it all: dance, theater, storytellers. A fun filled day for the whole family. 12 – 5 pm.  Santa Cruz  Phone: 831.420.6177 www.nelsoncenter.com

The Missing Arm of William Waddell, October 30, 2010

Big Basin Redwoods State Historic Park is transformed into a forest decorated in the spirit of Halloween as the saga of the Missing Arm of William Waddell, an early pioneer, is told.   This half-mile guided walk is slightly haunting and very silly!  Music, storytelling and more begin at 7:00 p.m.  Walks leave every 20 minutes.  Log on to www.santacruzstateparks.org to find out more.

Surfin’ Santa, November 27, 2010

Santa & his reindeer surf into Capitola Beach, towel off, take Christmas requests and hand out candy canes! Starts at 12 pm.  Capitola Beach, Capitola Village.  Phone: 831.475.6522 www.capitolasoquelchamber.com

There are over 120 free events in Santa Cruz County hosted annually on www.santacruzevents.travel!  Log on for more information, or call the Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council at 800.833.3494.

###

Contact: Christina Glynn, Communications Director/Film Commissioner
Phone: 831-429-7281, ext. 112, email: cglynn@santacruz.org

February 4, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA —  Santa Cruz County is known for a lot more than sun tans and meditation these days. The area is playing host to an array of adrenaline-packed sporting events throughout the year that attract world-class athletes from across the globe.

Santa Cruz will host the 11^th annual Enduro Ice Bowl on January 30, 2010 at the DeLaveaga Disc Golf Course in Santa Cruz.  Want to try out the sport yourself?  The new Pinto Lake Championship Disc Golf Course at Pinto Lake County Park in Watsonville was created by famed disc golf course designer, Disc Golf Hall of Famer and local resident Tom Schot. The front nine is in the trees, and demands a variety of technical shots, while the back nine is more open and will require more power throws.  And best of all, it’s free to play!

On March 26 – 28, 2010 more than 150 kayak surfers from as far away as Japan, England, Brazil and Costa Rica will attend the 24^th annual Kayak Surf Festival at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz.  Grab a paddle and try it yourself at Kayak Connection at the Santa Cruz Harbor.  Kayak Connection offers sunset cruises, open sea paddling, and tours of Elkhorn Slough via kayak.

Locals are gearing up for the 2010 Amgen Tour of California, when Santa Cruz hosts the Stage 3 finish of the race on Tuesday, May 18, 2010.   Santa Cruz County is a veritable Mecca for weekend bicyclists.  Winding single tracks through shaded redwoods, and climbing roads with stunning vistas of the Monterey Bay provide a full range of trails for all skill levels. Cyclists flock to Big Basin, Nisene Marks, Henry Cowell, and Wilder Ranch State Parks for epic biking opportunities for both athletes and novice riders.  Bonny Doon Road north of Santa Cruz and Soquel’s Demonstration Forest are also hot spots for passionate bikers.  Families will enjoy scenic, mellow rides along East Cliff and West Cliff Drives in Santa Cruz.  And the trails at U.C. Santa Cruz are popular with all riders and skill levels.

The Santa Cruz Longboard Union celebrates the 26th annual Santa Cruz Longboard Club Invitational at Steamer Lane Memorial Day Weekend May 29 – 30^th, the oldest continuously-running longboard surf contest on the West Coast.  But in the place nicknamed “Surf City,” you’ll definitely want to dip into the Santa Cruz surf scene.  Cowell Beach next to the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf and Capitola Beach are two of the best places to learn to surf.  Surf instructors like Club Ed Surf School and Richard Schmidt School of Surfing provide wetsuits and surfboards and get you up on the waves.  Once you’re ready, grab your big stick and head to one of Santa Cruz County’s mellow beaches.

A short drive down legendary Highway 1, the U.S. Open Championship at Pebble Beach is a “must-see” for the serious golf fan.  Host to 10 previous USGA championships including four U.S. Opens, the Central Coast will once again host the event, June 14 – 20, 2010.  In celebration of this event, the Boulder Creek Golf and Country Club and the DeLaveaga Golf Course in Santa Cruz welcome golfers!  Boulder Creek Golf and Country Club is the place to give your set of irons a workout amidst a forested piece of paradise.  And DeLaveaga Golf Course is a championship par-72 course known for its natural beauty and challenging layout.

Fifteen thousand runners will revel in the 38^thAnnual Wharf-to-Wharf Race to be held July 25, 2010. This spirited, six-mile seaside run takes participants from Santa Cruz to Capitola.  The county’s many scenic parks provide a veritable treasure trove of places to jog and run.

For more cycling, the Santa Cruz Cycling Club’s, Santa Cruz Mountain Challenge on July 31, 2010 is a 100-mile loop and is known among cyclists as one of the most physically challenging cycling century rides in the Western U.S.

For more ideas on things to do this season, call the CVC at 800.833.3494 or visit www.santacruzevents.travel

###