With a wide range of free events taking place year-around, there’s always something to celebrate in Santa Cruz County every weekend. See what’s happening in Santa Cruz County and check out events here!
Free & family-friendly! Two talented pianists face off in a musical showdown full of crowd favorites, sing-alongs, and spontaneous comedy. You bring the requests, they bring the show! Bring your beach chairs, grab a treat from Capitola Village, and enjoy a summer afternoon of music, laughter, and community on the coast. Requests encouraged. Dancing inevitable. […]
This Labor Day Weekend, take either the Redwood Forest Steam Train or the Santa Cruz Beach Train. Join us in the Town of Roaring Camp for family-friendly activities and live music. ACTIVITIES Live Music Gold Panning Blacksmith Printing Press Farmer John Mini Tractors
From Trees to Shining Seas - Felton to Santa Cruz. Departing from the Santa Cruz Mountains, travel through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, down the scenic San Lorenzo River Gorge, across a 1909 steel truss bridge, and through an 1875 tunnel before arriving at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Reverse roundtrips departing from the beach […]
Enjoy another season of: 🍎 U-Pick Apples 🎃 Pumpkins 🌳 Beautiful Orchard Views 👨👩👧👦 Family Fun Apples are notorious for not reading travel itineraries. Please double check on what is ready to be picked before you go!
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Event is free, day-use parking fee is $10.
Whether you're a seasoned artist or picking up a paintbrush for the first time, this step-by-step class is designed for everyone. You'll create a beautiful sunflower masterpiece to take home while enjoying a creative, stress-free experience with friends, family, or fellow art lovers. ✨ No experience needed 🎨 All painting supplies included 🌻 Leave with […]
The Game Night Collective provides a curated experience. Every Monday night with a library of 30+ board games, guided game teaching, hosted featured games, and prizes! Whether you arrive alone or with a group, the goal is to make it easy to sit down and start playing. Hosted mic'd board games 5 - 8 Trivia […]
Apples grow all over Santa Cruz County and are delicious, hardy and loved for endless reasons. Celebrate them at the market where a flurry of activities ignites your pallet, curiosity and silliness. Santa Cruz Cider heads to Felton for apple cider pressing and tasting. Whether you are four or 94, you can have a turn […]
Celebrate California Biodiversity Day by heading to the visitor center at the Elkhorn Slough Reserve for a free party! Explore nature exhibits in the Visitor Center, including the debut of “Water Stories,” a new traveling exhibit Help collect gumplant seeds for restoration projects Become a community scientist and participate in the “Find 30 Species Challenge” […]
Head to the 5th floor Seaside Roof Deck at La Bahia to celebrate the end of summer. Enjoy live music from Cement Ship as chefs fire up a BBQ buffet featuring seasonal, locally sourced fare. Take in panoramic ocean views as the sky shifts from golden hour to dusk, high above the coastline. Ticket price […]
The showstopping Santa Cruz County Fair returns September 16 - 20th for family fun, great entertainment, live shows, animal displays, carnival rides, and more!!!
The Pu Pu 'O Hawaii Outrigger Club is ready to race! These short-course outrigger races are designed especially for the new or novice paddlers. Come out and support the racers as well as enjoy hula performances by Kūhai Hālau O Mehanakealohakalaua'eikapoli Pā 'Ōlapa Kahiko. Event Schedule - Check in will be at 8AM - Paddle […]
6:30 AM - 9:00 PM See website for details.
If you love California history and our state’s cultural heritage, come celebrate with us at the Castro Adobe State Historic Park! Visit at the next open house. This tour that repeats every 90-minutes throughout the day will surely have you falling head over heels with all the park has to offer! This 90-minute tour is […]
Taste, sip and tap your toes as you sample local eateries, farms, breweries, vintners and musicians of the Soquel neighborhood! Enjoy kids' games, prizes and more!
Enjoy a quiet exploration of Quail Hollow Ranch, under the moonlight. On this guided hike on the lower trails, you can search for critters and meander through the forest. Bring flashlights and/or a headlamp (though you may try to hike without them), and some drinking water. Dress for the weather and wear good walking shoes. […]
Head to Downtown Boulder Creek to enjoy the 4th Annual Treat Walk where both artists and merchants will be handing out candy and treats to the kiddos. Although you are welcome to break out your Halloween costume early, it is not required. Perhaps you will find some art or craft to enhance your entrance to Downtown […]
The Scotts Valley Multicultural Fair is a free celebration aimed at broadening our understanding and appreciation for multiculturalism and diversity. There will be: Live musical acts from all different backgrounds and influences. Dance troupes performing captivating routines; with audience participation encouraged! Food vendors to explore. A fashion show to show-case traditional clothing of different cultures. […]
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 […]
Check out the Classic, Vintage and Retro Thunderbirds on display then stick around to enjoy fabulous shopping and/or grab a bite at one of the many fine local eateries with the best views in Santa Cruz!
10:30 AM - 2:30, Saturdays and Sundays, October 4th and 5th, 11th and 12th, 26th and 24th, 26th.
This celebration will transform Pacific Avenue, which will be closed at Cooper Street, creating a vibrant hub for healing and connection. Attendees will experience: yoga, meditation, live music, sound baths, and mindfulness activities This celebration available to the whole family will feature DJ Drez and Marti Nikko, the internationally recognized husband-and-wife duo known for blending […]
Enjoy welcoming the monarch butterflies back to the park, where they will spend the winter. Monarch butterflies are notorious for never reading or sharing itineraries. The little prima donnas could show up early or even after their own welcoming festival! Not to worry. No matter what the butterfly schedule ends up being this year, you […]
Celebrate the fall at the Wilder Ranch State Park Harvest Festival! Enjoy living history demonstrations, crafts, games, live music, food and more! Taste history during the Heritage Apple Tasting hosted by the California Rare Fruit Growers Association! Rain cancels. Free event. Vehicle day-use fee is $10. Hold on to that receipt! Once you have paid […]
Monarch migration is variable and population numbers and dates are different each year. The monarchs typically begin arriving in mid-October and leave by mid-February. At Natural Bridges, late October and all of November is often the best time to go for a walk and observe the monarchs. The Monarch Grove at Natural Bridges has been […]
The Santa Cruz County Parks Department hosts an annual Floating Pumpkin Patch at Simpkins Family Swim Center in Santa Cruz, California. The event allows people to swim and dive for pumpkins, which they can then decorate at a station with crafts. The event also includes games, prizes, and open swim time.
Bring your appetite and join the fun as both professional and amateur chefs work their culinary magic and compete for the title of Best Chili!
Enjoy a curated lineup of food vendors serving street food, desserts, and specialty drinks. With live entertainment and a curated maker market, every stop is built to be shared—friends, families, and first-timers welcome. You’ll find: 🍜 Street food + global-inspired eats 🍧 Desserts worth the stop (and the comeback) 🧋 Specialty drinks & refreshing sips […]
Get in the holiday spirit – celebrate the season at the beach! Enjoy a festive stroll through dazzling holiday lights and decorations at no cost. If you’d like to hop on a ride, you can purchase individual ride tickets or a Ride Wristband for unlimited rides all day. Games, attractions, and photos with Santa are […]
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Event is free, day-use parking fee is $10.
