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

June 17, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA – If there’s one thing Santa Cruz County is known for, it’s that there is a festival or celebration happening nearly every week in this funky, eclectic coastal California town.  Are you a car aficionado with an appreciation for the past?  Then meet fans of the Woodie, the classic surf car.  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 to make a vacation to the beach even more affordable than ever with these funky, fantastic, and always fun festivals (hint: many of them are also FREE!):

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 www.santacruzwharf.com

“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 www.aptoschamber.com

Summer Gathering of Mountain Men, August 7 – 8, 2010
Travel back to that era as you visit Roaring Camp’s summer gathering of mountain men. Wander through wilderness encampments of trappers and traders as a 1830s summer rendezvous of wild and wooly mountain men is re-created. 10am – 5pm.  Roaring Camp Railroads, Felton Phone: 831.335.4484 www.roaringcamp.com

Yesterday’s Farm, September 14 – 19, 2010

Exhibits, demonstrations, presentations on history of agriculture during the Santa Cruz County Fair. Noon – 10pm.  Agricultural History Museum, 2601 East Lake Ave., Hwy. 152, Watsonville Phone: 831.724.5898 www.aghistoryproject.org

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 28, 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

For a complete listing of events and festivals happening in Santa Cruz County, visit www.santacruzevents.travel , including a list of Free Things to Do in Santa Cruz County this season, call the Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitors Council at 800.833.3494.

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This year, locals and visitors will celebrate the 30^th annual return of the Monarch Butterflies to Natural Bridges State Park.  The park is the only State Park Monarch Preserve in California.  On Sunday, October 10, 2010 Welcome Back Monarchs Day will honor the return of the butterflies with music, interpretative tours, games, information, activities for the family, and superheroes Monarch Man and Monarch Woman.  Adjacent to the grove, the park’s Visitor Center highlights local natural history.

A new Haunted Castle ride graces the landscape of the legendary Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.  Opened Memorial Day Weekend the 10,000 square-foot attraction features a unique design twist: riders will board the ride at Boardwalk level then spiral down backwards into the haunted basement. Riders then glide through dimly lit rooms filled with spooky special effects. The location of the new Haunted Castle has been home to a number of “dark” rides over the years, starting with “Dante’s Inferno” in 1935. The Haunted Castle, a $9 million project includes new basement space, new game and retail and office space.

Mapping your path to art displays, nature dioramas and historical exhibits is now easier, thanks to a free countywide map.  The Santa Cruz County Museum Map features nearly 30 history museums, nature museums and art galleries from Watsonville to Davenport, and points in-between.  The map features the three categories of museums and galleries as a color-coded legend, and includes the seven state park interpretive centers at Wilder Ranch State Park north of Santa Cruz, Seacliff State Beach in Aptos, the Pacific Migrations Center at New Brighton State Beach in Capitola, Natural Bridges State Park in Santa Cruz, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in Felton, Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Boulder Creek, and Mission Adobe State Park in Santa Cruz.  The map also provides museum and gallery hours, phone number, website, and admission fee, if any.  The map is available at various locations throughout the county.

Seamlessly blending Japanese traditions with the California lifestyle, Well Within Spa in Santa Cruz is celebrating 25 years of calmness.  Complete with private outdoor enclosures with spas on a deck open to the sky and saunas, Well Within also boasts an Onsen Retreat Room:  a Japanese-style soaking tub and Cedar-lined sauna.  Specialty massage treatments include hands-on energy healing techniques, Reiki, Cranio Sacral, and Shiatsu.  A Monarch Body Wrap utilizes a full body “cocoon” mask of Moor Mud or Sea Clay like the Monarch Butterflies in our coastal forests who experience revitalizing rebirths each year.  High quality organic herbal and aromatherapy products utilize ingredients like calendula, neroli, rose water and chamomile.