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!
Over 50 craft vendors will offer unique jewelry, art, bags, pottery, candles, garden art, specialty foods, soaps, clothing, books and more. Friends of the Library Book Sale offers books for gifting and winter reading for all ages and interests. Local food trucks Tacos el Jesse and S&B will sell street food favorites. Free admission. For […]
Enjoy the second Holiday Native Arts Market in Santa Cruz County! Buy made in the USA by from a variety of indigenous artisans. There will be drums, flutes, rattles, gourd art, wood carvings, abalone jewelry, ribbon clothing, handcrafted body and hair products, beadwork, indigenous berry jams, contemporary art, paintings, clay and gourd masks, rawhide shields, […]
Celebrate Thanksgiving at Chaminade with a world-class festive buffet overlooking Santa Cruz & the Monterey Bay. $95++ per person (Ages 13+) $35++ per person (Ages 3 - 12) ++ Plus Tax & Gratuity Reservations Required
Enjoy Sevy's for our annual Thanksgiving Buffet! Offerings this year include a Carving Station, Salad Bars, Traditional Thanksgiving Sides, Desserts and a table of Children's items. There will be three different seating times: 12:00pm-2:00pm 2:30pm-4:30pm 3: 5:30pm-6:30pm Non-Alcoholic Beverages are included in the per person price of $72 per Adult and $28 for Children 12 […]
Celebrate Thanksgiving at High Tide with a thoughtfully curated four-course menu inspired by the warmth and tradition of the season. Begin with roasted butternut squash soup and a roasted D’Anjou pear and burrata salad, followed by your choice of traditional herb-roasted turkey, pan-seared black cod, center-cut beef filet mignon, or house-made wild mushroom agnolotti. End […]
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 […]
Get in the holiday spirit by bringing the family to ride a Redwood Forest Steam Train through the wintry redwoods to Bear Mountain. Sip hot cider while greeting Santa Claus. In town, enjoy winter-themed activities. Choose your 75 minute train ride to start at 10:30am, noon, or 1:30pm. They usually sell out of tickets on […]
Drop your letter to Santa in the North Pole mailbox on Pacific Avenue near Walnut Avenue, in front of Super Silver. Santa wants to hear from you: What’s at the top of your wishlist? What have you done or will do this year to help others? Do you have other questions for Santa?
A seasonal tradition returns to Santa Cruz with the Santa Cruz Holiday Lights Train. Vintage excursion cars, adorned with thousands of colorful lights, roll through city streets past homes of Santa Cruz. Itinerary: Santa Cruz Holiday Lights Trains depart and return in front of Neptune’s Kingdom on the Boardwalk of Santa Cruz for a 60-minute […]
The Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds Foundation and the Agricultural History Project will again present HOLIDAY LIGHTS 2026 at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Starting November 27, 2026 – Holiday Lights will be open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until Christmas Eve. HOLIDAY LIGHTS is over a 1/2 mile drive-through experience at the Fairgrounds of spectacular lighted […]
This is a walk-in Christmas display located in the midtown of Santa Cruz, CA. Their exhibit is very traditional: lots of Christmas trees, garlands, sleighs, an elf village, miniature village’s, and a log cabin that Santa uses for his rest stops. Being Irish, where you have elves you have fairies, so there is a fairy […]
A Celtic Christmas is the gift nobody expects but everyone remembers. The night out you've been meaning to book. The memory you'll make with the people you love most. Whether you've got Irish in your blood, Ireland on your bucket list, or you're experiencing an Irish Christmas for the first time, A Celtic Christmas is […]
Join the Trolley Drops Holiday Jug Band as they perform their “Twistmas Carols,” holiday songs they have written by taking “standards” from folk, jazz, pop, and rock genres, keeping the melodies, and rewriting the lyrics with seasonally themed words. For example: • Credence Clearwater’s “Bad Moon Rising” becomes “Reindeers on the Rise,” • Ritchie Valens’ […]
Bundle up in the tackiest sweater you’ve ever been gifted for the holidays and head to the redwoods! As you look through arts and crafts, you will be treated to live music. There will be food and drink to purchase while you are there and watch out for the First Friday Boulder Creek Folks! You […]
1st Sitting: 6-7pm | 2nd Sitting 8-9pm 1st sitting – Doors open at 5.15pm | 2nd sitting – Doors open at 7.30pm List of songs: It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas Featuring Key Moments And Soundtracks From Home Alone Love Actually, Portuguese Love Theme The Holiday Movements From The Nutcracker Fairytale Of New […]
Go meet and get your picture taken with Santa and his friends at the Chaminade as you enjoy a festive brunch and beautiful views of the Monterey Bay.
The traditional holiday parade is the official kickoff for the winter holidays celebration. One never knows exactly what to expect at the Parade, but you can be sure to expect the whole community to show up and have a great time. The man of the hour is welcomed back to Downtown Santa Cruz. Bring the […]
Head to the Aptos Village Green to see local craft vendors, sip coffee or hot chocolate with your cookies and have a picture with Santa. Enjoy music, performances, and of course the tree lighting ceremony!
A free to enter community event showcasing the magic of Downtown Boulder Creek. Enjoy the holidays brought to you in just one day! Snag some unique gifts when holiday shopping with local artisan vendors. Hit up the food court, and be sure to see Santa! Adult beverages, non alcoholic beverages & smore's sets will be […]
The Lighted Boat Parade features 50 beautifully decorated power and sailboats parading through the Santa Cruz Harbor. Limited viewing is available from the Murray Street bridge, from the East Harbor launch ramp, and from a variety of harbor paths. Charter boats are available. Remember to bring a reusable mug for the hot drinks and snacks […]
Get your friends and family together for a free event full of fun vendors, kid's activities, Santa, wine and so much more!
Who's ready to get their holiday craft on? On Sunday, December 6, from 1-4pm, head to Abbott Square Market for a fun and FREE holiday craft session. -Paint a wooden dreidel -Paint a tree ornament -Make a holiday card This craft event is an all ages event.
Join the Trolley Drops Holiday Jug Band as they perform a show of “Twistmas Carols,” holiday songs they have written by taking “standards” from folk, jazz, pop, and rock genres, keeping the melodies, and rewriting the lyrics with seasonally themed words. For example: • Credence Clearwater’s “Bad Moon Rising” becomes “Reindeers on the Rise,” • […]
Tis' the season for an evening of joy and holiday cheer inside The Grove: Santa Cruz Event Center! Enjoy exclusive time with Santa, cookie decorating, and a viewing of the iconic holiday movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
9:00am - Breakfast Begins | 9:45am Program Begins Enjoy full ocean views, breakfast buffet, full bar (for the parents, not the elves) cookie decorating, arts & crafts, face painting, a visit and songs with Santa and Mrs. Claus and a surprise Christmas story reading!
Get into the holiday spirit and explore Santa Cruz’s creative heart at the Annual Winter Art Market, presented by the Arts Council Santa Cruz County. Enjoy live music, tasty food, and festive family-friendly activities. Browse over 20 artist studios filled with handmade holiday gifts and meet guest artists and makers offering unique treasures. Highlights Live […]
The Downtown Association and Landmark Theaters present the annual: FREE FAMILY MOViES! This year, families can enjoy the holiday classic A Christmas Story, with two option to see on either Saturday December 12 and Sunday December 13. A Christmas Story will be streamed for free at the Del Mar Theatre. Advanced tickets are not required, […]
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Event is free, day-use parking fee is $10.
Step into the magic of Christmas in 1920’s Santa Cruz! Santa Cruz Dance Theater presents a spectacular new vision of The Nutcracker, transporting audiences to the Santa Cruz of a century ago, when the beloved Giant Dipper roller coaster first opened at the Beach Boardwalk. Featuring beautiful classical ballet, enchanting costumes, and Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score, […]
Enjoy the Steve Abrams Jazz Trio as you merry at the Holiday Wine and Charcuterie celebration. Go get your first pour and plate at the crush pad, then find a comfy spot to enjoy the views! Attended children and well-behaved pups are welcome to join. Just make sure you get a kid's ticket through the […]
Come enjoy holiday decorations, Wharf specials and see Santa arrive on the Wharf by a vintage fire engine!🎅 📸Take photos with Santa! ☃️ Checkout Wharf Business Specials! ❄️Play in the snow area with Elsa and Anna from Disney's Frozen! 🎈Enjoy custom balloon designs from Lee Balloons! 🎨 Get your face painted or feathers in your […]
Join the Trolley Drops Holiday Jug Band as they perform a show of “Twistmas Carols,” holiday songs they have written by taking “standards” from folk, jazz, pop, and rock genres, keeping the melodies, and rewriting the lyrics with seasonally themed words. For example: • Credence Clearwater’s “Bad Moon Rising” becomes “Reindeers on the Rise,” • […]
The annual tradition of the Felton Holiday Market will again take place on the historic covered bridge. ACTIVITIES: Arts & crafts Delicious food & beverages Music Holiday lights And other festivities!
Get whisked away into the whimsical world of Toy Trains and enjoy this beloved annual pop-up exhibit at the MAH. Members of the Golden State Toy Train Operators will be on hand to once again share their amazing collection of toy trains at the MAH. The public is invited to view Toy Trains in the […]
Tomáseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas recreates the joy and innocence of a night before Christmas in a remote farmhouse in his native parish of Teampall an Ghleanntáin in the west of Ireland in the 1950s—when the neighboring families gather around the fire to grace the wintry night with traditional Irish Christmas carols to raise the […]
Kick-off your holidays with JOY! Add sparkle to the season with the magic only the Santa Cruz City Ballet Nutcracker can bring. From the youngest dancing gingerbread cookies to aspiring professional dancers and guest artists, this Nutcracker has it all… Gorgeous costumes, dazzling sets, and exquisite dancing sure to delight and inspire all ages! A […]
Get all of your Holiday Shopping needs in one spot! Have brunch at Solaire, grab a hot toddy and get shopping. There will be visits with Santa, photos, ornaments and all the gifts your little holiday heart can handle! The event is inside and parking onsite is free for the day! Just wander into the […]
The Annual Reindeer Run in Boulder Creek will be on Christmas eve! Go work off that plum pudding and promote togetherness, silliness, and active lifestyle. Bring your family. Bring your pet. Walk or run the 5k around the beautiful mountain town of downtown Boulder Creek and Irwin Way while dressed in holiday attire! Bring your […]
Looking for somewhere to enjoy a delicious Christmas meal this year? Sevy’s Bar + Kitchen at Seacliff Inn is offering a Christmas Day Buffet. Indulge in a holiday buffet with family and friends that will leave you full and merry! Make your reservations here.
Bring in the new year aboard the New Years Holiday Lights Train. Ride vintage train cars beautifully decorated with holiday lights through the streets of Santa Cruz. Light-up hula hoopers and a live DJ will keep spirits bright and help bring in 2025 right. 6:30 – 7:30pm each evening.
