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 🛍️ Local makers + vendor…

Drop in to decorate a mask inspired by animals, nature or something spooky. All ages are welcome to make a creative addition to their Halloween costumes.

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Collect candy from participating Boardwalk businesses and enter the costume photo contest. The package includes a collectible candy bag and a MyBoardwalk Card for games.

The Halloween Aptos Chamber Parade is creeping into town, and you won’t want to miss it! Enjoy a fang-tastic time behind the New Leaf Community Market in the Aptos Village as the ghouls and goblins take over the streets. Dress up in your most creative and spine-chilling costumes and bring your family and friends.  There will be costumes, candy, and…

Trick-or-treat at Wharf businesses, enjoy a festive photo backdrop and watch a Thriller dance performance. Families can also take part in the Great Pumpkin Scavenger Hunt.

Calles Libres transforms downtown Watsonville 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 culture. Together you will: • 🚴 Bike, walk, skate, and roll through car-free streets • 🎶 Enjoy live music, dance, and…

Hosted Mic’d Board Games 6 – 8 Trivia 8 – 10 The Game Night Collective is a Santa Cruz-based board game community that creates welcoming, hosted tabletop events where people can discover new games, meet new friends, and enjoy structured game nights without needing prior experience. Unlike a typical board game meetup where players are expected to know games or…

See hundreds of hot rods, street rods, vintage, muscle, custom and classic cars at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Gates open at 7am, with show activities throughout the day and the show closing at 4:30pm.

Browse more than 50 sea glass and ocean-art makers in the historic Grove event center. Admission includes a chance to win a gift basket, and the event supports ocean conservation.

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. Bake Sale and Prize Raffle of vendor donated crafts hosted by Library's Advisory Council of Teens. Local food trucks Tacos el…

Explore the restored two-story Castro Adobe and its museum-quality exhibits while learning about the Castro family, Vaquero culture, and life during California’s Mexican Rancho period. Preregistration is encouraged. Continuous rain cancels. Free admission; donations are appreciated.

Celebrate the holidays at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk on select dates with festive decorations, light shows, rides, arcade games, photos with Santa and seasonal treats. The Boardwalk lists the event from Nov. 26 through Jan. 3, noon–7pm, on select dates.

Ride vintage excursion cars decorated with thousands of holiday lights through Santa Cruz streets. The 60-minute trip includes holiday sing-alongs, live music, hot cider and a Santa visit. Trains depart from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk at 5pm and 6:30pm; additional departures may be added.

Shop a holiday outdoor market along West Cliff with local makers, artists and seasonal gifts. Check the event page for vendor and weather updates.

Ride the Redwood Forest Steam Train through the wintry redwoods to Bear Mountain, sip hot cider, greet Santa and enjoy winter-themed activities in the town of Roaring Camp.

Bundle up in your tackiest holiday sweater and head to downtown Boulder Creek for arts and crafts, live music, food and drinks, plus an ugly sweater contest.

Celebrate the season in Downtown Santa Cruz with a festive community parade featuring local groups, music, performers and holiday spirit. A family-friendly downtown tradition.

Watch beautifully decorated power and sailboats parade through the Santa Cruz Harbor shortly after sunset. Viewing is available from harbor paths and the East Harbor launch ramp; allow extra time for parking.

Shop local craft vendors, enjoy coffee, hot chocolate and cookies, take photos with Santa, watch performances and gather for the holiday tree lighting in Aptos Village.

Gather with family and friends for a holiday market with vendors, children’s activities, Santa, wine and seasonal fun at Hallcrest Vineyards.

Celebrate Local Creativity at the Winter Art Market! Join us on Saturday, Dec 12 from 10 am - 5 pm for the 14th Annual Winter Art Market at the Tannery Arts Center! Shop unique gifts from 20+ open artist studios, savor local bites, enjoy live music 🎶, engage in hands-on activities and check out the new public art installations! ✨…

Celebrate the season at historic Wilder Ranch with a Victorian-style holiday experience and family activities. The event is free; state park day-use parking is $10.

Enjoy holiday decorations and Wharf specials, see Santa arrive by vintage fire engine, take photos with Santa, play in a snow area, and enjoy balloons, face painting and other family activities.

Explore the restored two-story Castro Adobe and its museum-quality exhibits while learning about the Castro family, Vaquero culture, and life during California’s Mexican Rancho period. Preregistration is encouraged. Continuous rain cancels. Free admission; donations are appreciated.