Events - Growing Up in Santa Cruz

Garage Sale Weekend

growingupsc — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Join the City-Wide Garage Sale Weekend on June 6th & 7th! Residents throughout the city are invited to host their own garage sales and be part of one big community shopping event. Simply register your sale, add your address to our interactive online map, and connect with bargain hunters all across town. Whether you’re clearing out clutter, finding hidden treasures, or exploring neighborhoods, this city-wide garage sale network is the perfect weekend activity. Sign up today and put your sale on the map!

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Beach & Trail Cleanup @ Moran Lake Beach

growingupsc — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Join Save Our Shores and Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship for a beach and trail cleanup at Moran Lake Beach on National Trails Day! Registration is required, click here to register. Meet Up Location: Please meet us in the parking lot across from the beach next to the lagoon. Facilities & Accessibility: There are restrooms and drinking fountains on site. Parking is limited, so please plan accordingly. How to Prepare: All volunteers must register to participate, register here. We recommend that all volunteers wear closed-toed shoes, dress in layers, wear sun protection, and bring a filled reusable water bottle. Save Our Shores encourages volunteers to avoid single-use plastics at our cleanups. All cleanup materials are provided, including buckets, grabbers, and gloves. Volunteers are also encouraged to bring their own. You can download the Save Our Shores Marine Tally App (Apple, Google) in advance of the cleanup and use it to record the debris you collect, or you can use the paper data cards that we will provide at the event. Every participant must complete a volunteer waiver. We will have waivers available at the event, however, participants are encouraged to complete this paperwork in advance to save time and bring it with you on the day of the event. Anyone under the age of 18 will require a parent or guardian’s signature on this document. Volunteers under the age of 18 MUST be accompanied by an adult (guardian) for the duration of the event. If you have additional questions, please check our FAQ page.

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Spring Concert Santa Cruz

growingupsc — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 23:00:00 +0000

Appalachian Spring Meets Santa Cruz Spring Music by Copland, Mendelssohn, Sibelius, and Milhaud Why we became musicians… Espressivo is the small, intense orchestra that is making big news in Santa Cruz County. Comprised of regional professional musicians, Espressivo presents select masterpieces of classical music composed for 12-26 players. Espressivo was founded in 2015 by Michel Singher after his career as a conductor of major international orchestras and opera companies. Now in its eighth season, Espressivo has an impressive track record, receiving glowing reviews for its performances and an increasingly larger, loyal audience. Please join us for some spectacularly beautiful music.

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Performance of Chamber Masterpieces

growingupsc — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 23:00:00 +0000

Santa Cruz’s “small, intense orchestra” performs Aaron Copland’s original intimate chamber version of Appalachian Spring, alongside works by Sibelius, Mendelssohn, and Milhaud. Guest conductor Michael McGushin leads thirteen musicians in a program of small-scale orchestral masterpieces. Tickets available at the door or through the link in the orange button above.

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Spring Concert Monterey

growingupsc — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 23:00:00 +0000

The post Spring Concert Monterey first appeared on Growing Up in Santa Cruz.

Mural-Making & Storytelling

growingupsc — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Art & Ecology Summer Camp invites young artists ages 7–13 to explore large-scale mural-making, storytelling, and collaboration in a weeklong program led by professional muralist Jessica Evanjelista at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH). Drawing inspiration from the museum’s galleries, campers will learn how murals communicate history, community, and personal narratives while experimenting with sketching, color theory, composition, and collaborative design. The camp culminates in the creation of a shared mural inside the museum. For registration details and pricing, visit the MAH registration page. Questions may be directed to education@santacruzmah.org.

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World Oceans Day Beach Cleanup @ Capitola Beach

growingupsc — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Join Save Our Shores & Surfing Moms Santa Cruz for World Oceans Day at Capitola Beach! Registration is required, click here to register. Meet Up Location: Please meet us in the Esplanade Park at 120 Monterey Ave. Facilities & Accessibility: There are restrooms and drinking fountains available on site. Paid parking in the village is limited, additional large parking lot available at 426 Capitola Ave, please plan accordingly. How to Prepare: All volunteers must register to participate, register here. We recommend that all volunteers wear closed-toed shoes, dress in layers, wear sun protection, and bring a filled reusable water bottle. Save Our Shores encourages volunteers to avoid single-use plastics at our cleanups. All cleanup materials are provided, including buckets, grabbers, and gloves. Volunteers are also encouraged to bring their own. You can download the Save Our Shores Marine Tally App (Apple, Google) in advance of the cleanup and use it to record the debris you collect, or you can use the paper data cards that we will provide at the event. Every participant must complete a volunteer waiver. We will have waivers available at the event, however, participants are encouraged to complete this paperwork in advance to save time and bring it with you on the day of the event. Anyone under the age of 18 will require a parent or guardian’s signature on this document. Volunteers under the age of 18 MUST be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the event. If you have additional questions, please check our FAQ page.

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Board Game Playtesting

Bay Federal Credit Union — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000

Come to Peoples Coffee, the official Santa Cruz location for the Southmost events for the Golden Gate Gamemakers! Come join us as a branch under GGG known as Game Designers of Santa Cruz! It’s a relaxed chance to try new board games and card games, get feedback on your own prototypes if you are a game designer, and get advice on the games industry. New designers and interested players welcome! Please be courteous to other designers and stay to test their games if you are bringing your prototype to be tested. We run a small raffle thru the sign in sheet each night for participants to win new and used board game prizes. This is also Peoples Coffees first events they have held! They are generously keeping all services of food and drink available through the entire 6pm to 10pm event! They normally close at 5:30. Thank you Peoples Coffee! For all of our events at Peoples, affogatos (ice cream and espresso) are half off! We now have a Game Library located inside Peoples for anyone to use any time they are open! **Cost** This is a completely free event! Attendees are encouraged to buy some delicious drinks and food from Peoples Coffee. **Parking / Travel** You can park in the main parking lot in front of Peoples Coffee. There is a also side parking behind Peoples, and around the residential area. You are also free to park across the street near Salsas Taco Bar. See GGG’s full code of conduct here. Up-to-date details and our many other events can be found at meetup.com/playgoldengate Point of contact and organizer: Courtney Laschkewitsch

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Summer Twilight Concerts

growingupsc — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 01:00:00 +0000

Bring 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. 2026 Lineup: June 3, 2026: Rockin’ Big Band Blues with The Delta Wires June 10, 2026: Surf/Garage Rock with The Trestles June 24, 2026: Originals and Quirky Covers with Coffee Zombie Collective July 1, 2026: Fun Rock’n Party Music with Spun July 8, 2026: Classic Rock with B-Movie Kings July 15, 2026: Top 40/Dance 70’s through today with Mercy & The Heartbeats July 22, 2026: Funky Mostly Original Pop with Extra Large July 29, 2026: Latin Rock & Salsa with Santa Cruz Latin Collective August 5, 2026: R&B, Soul & Funk with The Joint Chiefs Band August 12, 2026: Top 40’s Dance with The Peelers August 19, 2026: Oldies Dance Band with The Digbeats

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Beach Cleanup @ Cowell & Main Beach

growingupsc — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Join Save Our Shores for a beach cleanup at Cowell & Main Beach! Registration is required, click here to register. Meet Up Location: Please meet us at the base of the stairs to Cowell Beach, on the right side of the wharf entrance. Facilities & Accessibility: Restrooms and drinking fountains are available onsite. Metered parking in the lot is limited, surrounding streets have additional metered parking available, please plan accordingly. How to Prepare: All volunteers must register to participate, register here. We recommend that all volunteers wear closed-toed shoes, dress in layers, wear sun protection, and bring a filled reusable water bottle. Save Our Shores encourages volunteers to avoid single-use plastics at our cleanups. All cleanup materials are provided, including buckets, grabbers, and gloves. Volunteers are also encouraged to bring their own. You can download the Save Our Shores Marine Tally App (Apple, Google) in advance of the cleanup and use it to record the debris you collect, or you can use the paper data cards that we will provide at the event. Every participant must complete a volunteer waiver. We will have waivers available at the event, however, participants are encouraged to complete this paperwork in advance to save time and bring it with you on the day of the event. Anyone under the age of 18 will require a parent or guardian’s signature on this document. Volunteers under the age of 18 MUST be accompanied by an adult (guardian) for the duration of the event. If you have additional questions, please check our FAQ page. This event is in partnership with:

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