Family Friendly
Slime Week at the Museum of Discovery
Santa Cruz Children’s Museum of Discovery 1855 41st Avenue, Suite C10, Capitola, CA, United StatesKick off your summer and get ready for a week of gooey, glorious fun at the Children's Museum of Discovery's Slime Week! Enter the Slime Lab and explore different textures, colors, and types of slime in a sensory experience you will never forget! Don't want the fun to end? Work with our slimeologist to mix up a custom creation at our take-home Slime Bar.
Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds: Agricultural History Project
Agricultural History Project Center and Museum 2601 East Lake Avenue, Hwy 152, Watsonville, CA, United StatesBring your friends, family and neighbors and come out to enjoy good old-fashioned activities such as spinning wool, cheese making, wooden cow milking and ice cream making! You can even drive a tractor and go on a hayride. Local Santa Cruz County 4-H clubs will be hosting their Annual Spring Fair. This action-packed day is admission free, and donations are gladly accepted. It’s fun for the whole family! Activities include: Farm Animals to see and pet Ice cream making the old-fashioned way Butter churning Fresh cheese making Rope making Hay wagon rides with tractors Wooden cow milking Hay cutting from real oats, wheat and barley Kids (real) tractor driving Puppet Show Old-fashioned hoops Crafts and so much more!
Capitola: Summer Twilight Concerts
Esplanade Park Capitola Village, Capitola, CA, United StatesBring chairs, jackets, a picnic supper, and the family to enjoy free live music and the sunset! Concerts begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and take place at the Esplanade bandstand. Visit local restaurants and pick up dinner to go and enjoy a picnic at the beach! Suggested to bring low back chairs or picnic blanket for seating. *No dogs or alcohol in the park or on the beach. June 12: Spun (Funky Rock) June 19: Pacific Roots (Reggae Rock) June 26: Ribsy’s Nickel (Rock/Reggae) July 3: Dirty Cello (Blues & Rock) July 10: Mike Hammar & The Nails (Contemporary Blues) July 17: Extra Large (Original Pop) July 24: The Joint Chiefs (R&B, Soul, American Roots) July 31: Dolce (Old School, R&B, Soul, American Roots) August 7: Space Heater (Funk/Dance/Jam) August 14: The Inciters Band (60’s Style Original Soul) August 21: Cowboys After Dark (Classic Rock/Funk) August 28: Alex Lucero (Soul/Americana)
Big Basin State Park: Art in the Park
Big Basin Redwoods State Park 21600 Big Basin Way, Boulder Creek, CA, United StatesThe oldest California State Park is celebrating California State Parks Week with Art in the Park! This is a free event! View art exhibits that celebrate Big Basin’s recovery from the CZU Lightning Complex Fire. Create your own art! Enjoy a guided nature journaling hike (no experience or art supplies needed). Enjoy kids’ arts and crafts with your little ones. Watch en plein air painters work their magic in real time! Food is available for purchase from food trucks or bring your own picnic. Be sure to pack sun protection, bug spray, and drinking water before you leave for this event. The Big Basin parking lot will fill early, but the Santa Cruz Metro Route 35B bus to Big Basin will be FREE and offer EXTRA SERVICE for this event. The vehicle day-use fee is $8 with a parking space reservation, $10 first-come, first served. For more information, call (669) 899-1516 or email [email protected].
Downtown Santa Cruz: Makers Market
Downtown Santa Cruz Makers Market Pacific Ave and Lincoln St, Santa CruzVisit the Downtown Santa Cruz Makers Market featuring 40+ local makers & artists in beautiful Downtown Santa Cruz! Located on the 1100 block of Pacific Ave. between Cathcart and Lincoln Streets, this monthly market hosts a wide range of locally handmade goods! *In the event of rain, the market will be held on the following Sunday
Esperanza Community Farm: Organic Farming Festival
Esperanza Community Farm Lee Road, Watsonville, United StatesDo not forget to bring Dad to this festival on Father’s Day! There will be surprises here for him. But, when you leave, just tell him that this is the annual Dia de Esperanza Festival to celebrate and promote the richness of organic culture. There will be an organic market, a Kidzone with fun activities, art, food vendors and live performances from Diana Gameros and Ozokidz! There is no cost to attend but do follow the link below to register and save a spot for free.
Capitola: Summer Twilight Concerts
Esplanade Park Capitola Village, Capitola, CA, United StatesBring chairs, jackets, a picnic supper, and the family to enjoy free live music and the sunset! Concerts begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and take place at the Esplanade bandstand. Visit local restaurants and pick up dinner to go and enjoy a picnic at the beach! Suggested to bring low back chairs or picnic blanket for seating. *No dogs or alcohol in the park or on the beach. June 12: Spun (Funky Rock) June 19: Pacific Roots (Reggae Rock) June 26: Ribsy’s Nickel (Rock/Reggae) July 3: Dirty Cello (Blues & Rock) July 10: Mike Hammar & The Nails (Contemporary Blues) July 17: Extra Large (Original Pop) July 24: The Joint Chiefs (R&B, Soul, American Roots) July 31: Dolce (Old School, R&B, Soul, American Roots) August 7: Space Heater (Funk/Dance/Jam) August 14: The Inciters Band (60’s Style Original Soul) August 21: Cowboys After Dark (Classic Rock/Funk) August 28: Alex Lucero (Soul/Americana)
World Arts Festival 2024
Tannery Arts Center 1070 River Street, Santa Cruz, CA, United StatesCelebrate the diversity and richness of our community at this year's World Arts Festival! On Sunday June 23rd from 1-5PM, Tannery World Dance & Cultural Center offers free family-friendly performances outdoors at the Tannery Arts Center. The festival includes dance and music performances by new and beloved Santa Cruz and Bay Area artists, including White Hawk Indian Council, Antara Asthaayi Dance, Raizes do Brasil Capoeira, Senderos, and more. Artisans and vendors will be selling traditional crafts and wares, with food and beverages from Areparia831 and My Mom’s Mole.
Capitola: Summer Twilight Concerts
Esplanade Park Capitola Village, Capitola, CA, United StatesBring chairs, jackets, a picnic supper, and the family to enjoy free live music and the sunset! Concerts begin at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and take place at the Esplanade bandstand. Visit local restaurants and pick up dinner to go and enjoy a picnic at the beach! Suggested to bring low back chairs or picnic blanket for seating. *No dogs or alcohol in the park or on the beach. June 12: Spun (Funky Rock) June 19: Pacific Roots (Reggae Rock) June 26: Ribsy’s Nickel (Rock/Reggae) July 3: Dirty Cello (Blues & Rock) July 10: Mike Hammar & The Nails (Contemporary Blues) July 17: Extra Large (Original Pop) July 24: The Joint Chiefs (R&B, Soul, American Roots) July 31: Dolce (Old School, R&B, Soul, American Roots) August 7: Space Heater (Funk/Dance/Jam) August 14: The Inciters Band (60’s Style Original Soul) August 21: Cowboys After Dark (Classic Rock/Funk) August 28: Alex Lucero (Soul/Americana)
DeLavega Park: Family Fun Day
DeLavega Park Branciforte Drive, Santa Cruz, United StatesCounty and city park agencies have banded together to provide you with an epic free family fun day for all ages! There will be: Kickball Bounce houses Oversized board games Food trucks A candy booth And more! Delavega park is huge, beautiful, and has so many facilities to explore, take the family there for even more free fun than usual!
Seymour Marine Discovery Center: Younger Lagoon Reserve Tour
Younger Lagoon Reserve 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, United StatesThis 90-minute, behind-the-scenes hiking tour takes visitors into Younger Lagoon Reserve adjacent to the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. Part of the University of California Natural Reserve System, Younger Lagoon Reserve contains diverse coastal habitats and is home to birds of prey, migrating sea birds, bobcats, and other wildlife. Come and see what scientists are doing to track local mammals, restore native habitat, and learn about the workings of one of California’s rare coastal lagoons. A tour is offered on selected Thursdays and Saturdays of each month beginning at 10:30 AM. Younger Lagoon Reserve tours are free and open to the public. Space is limited to 18 participants. Advance reservations are highly recommended using the website link below. Tours are best suited for children 10 years of age and older. Participants must be physically able to walk up and down steep inclines. Water and weather protection is strongly suggested.
Roaring Camp Railroads: Redwood Forest Steam Train
Roaring Camp Railroads 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton, CA, United StatesTravel over trestles, through towering redwood groves and up a winding narrow-gauge grade to the summit of Bear Mountain as conductors narrate the history of Roaring Camp, the railroad and the forest.
Roaring Camp Railroads: Redwood Forest Steam Train
Roaring Camp Railroads 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton, CA, United StatesTravel over trestles, through towering redwood groves and up a winding narrow-gauge grade to the summit of Bear Mountain as conductors narrate the history of Roaring Camp, the railroad and the forest.
Aptos: Hot Rods on the Green
Twin Lakes Church 2701 Cabrillo College Drive, Aptos, CA, United StatesA fun event at Twin Lakes Church for the whole family. Kingsmen have always had over 120 classic and modern cars and truck to chek out! Stop by and enjoy!
Roaring Camp Railroads: Redwood Forest Steam Train
Roaring Camp Railroads 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton, CA, United StatesTravel over trestles, through towering redwood groves and up a winding narrow-gauge grade to the summit of Bear Mountain as conductors narrate the history of Roaring Camp, the railroad and the forest.