Events - Growing Up in Santa Cruz

Vegan Chef Challenge

growingupsc — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Enjoy a month-long celebration of new vegan dishes all over Santa Cruz! Businesses across the area will showcase exciting special vegan menu items for an entire month, giving everyone the opportunity to explore creative plant-based dishes crafted by talented local chefs. How It Works: 1- Visit participating restaurants across Santa Cruz listed in the link in the orange button above. 2- Try their exclusive vegan offerings. 3- Share your experience: Rate and review the dishes you try, comment, post photos of your favorite meals, and tag @veganchefchallengeWest. This event is open to everyone, not just vegans!

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Ripple Effect Arts Festival

growingupsc — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Enjoy 11 days of powerful performances, art, poetry, fashion, music, and cultural celebrations throughout Santa Cruz County. The Ripple Effect Arts Festival is brings you creativity and culture to reflect the unique artistic pulse of Santa Cruz County. Opening with Santa Cruz Dancing in the Streets from 5-9pm in Downtown Santa Cruz. 11 Days of exhibits, performances, and workshops in various venues throughout the County. Closing with the Grand Finale from 4-9pm at The Grove next to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Follow the link in the orange button above to keep track of the events, pop-ups and artist lineups as the get announced!

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Food Truck Friday

growingupsc — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Head to Skypark in Scotts Valley for the area’s largest food truck festival! Lots of excitement, more food vendors, the fabulous SVEF Beer & Wine Garden, amazing Live Music and face painting! Music Lineup: • April 24* (Starts 4:30 PM) — Music by Shady Rest Band • May 29 — Music by The Swag Tones • June 26 — Music by Fire Peach • July 31 — Music by Identity Problem • August 28 — Music by Cringe • September 25* (Starts 4:30 PM) — Music by Paperback Ryders • October 30* (Starts 4:30 PM) — Music by Dadbeats

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Rising Voices Youth Poetry Celebration

growingupsc — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 02:00:00 +0000

Come celebrate the launch of the Seeds of Tomorrow youth poetry anthology with readings from local published high school student poets! Join us in person for the Rising Voices Youth Poetry Celebration, a community event honoring Seeds of Tomorrow, a youth-created anthology showcasing powerful work from local high school writers. The evening will feature a dynamic mix of live poetry readings and video screenings, alongside opportunities to meet the youth editors and creators. Together, we’ll create a shared space to celebrate creativity, storytelling, and expression. Whether you’re a friend, family member, educator, or community supporter, this is a chance to uplift the next generation of artists and recognize the teachers who help make their voices possible. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Acompáñanos en persona en la Celebración de Poesía Juvenil Rising Voices, un evento comunitario que honra Seeds of Tomorrow, una antología creada por jóvenes que presenta el poderoso trabajo de estudiantes locales de secundaria. La velada presentará una combinación dinámica de lecturas de poesía en vivo y proyecciones de video, junto con la oportunidad de conocer a los editores y creadores jóvenes. Juntos, crearemos un espacio compartido para celebrar la creatividad, la narración y la expresión. Ya seas amigo, familiar, educador o miembro de la comunidad, esta es una oportunidad para apoyar a la próxima generación de artistas y reconocer a los maestros que hacen posible que sus voces se escuchen.

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One Man Play

growingupsc — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 02:00:00 +0000

Santa Cruz Shakespeare (SCS) is organizing a special spring engagement of Vincent, the acclaimed one-person play by Leonard Nimoy, starring SCS Artistic Director Charles Pasternak. Vincent is a compelling theatrical portrait of Vincent van Gogh, drawn from a series of imagined letters between the artist and his brother Theo that illuminate the artist’s creative drive, personal struggles, and enduring legacy. In this intimate production, Pasternak delivers a singular performance that brings depth and humanity to one of history’s most influential artists. The production is enhanced by projections of Van Gogh’s art, offering a deep, personal look beyond the “mad artist” stereotype.

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Earth Day Beach Cleanup @ Cowell & Main Beach

growingupsc — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Join Save Our Shores for a cleanup at Cowell & Main Beach to celebrate Earth Day! Registration is required, please 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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Hot Composting Workshop

Bay Federal Credit Union — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Hot Composting Workshop and Raffle April 25th, 2026 10:00am-12:00pm. Pre-registration required, space is limited! *Location TBD, within City of Santa Cruz Have you been curious about hot composting? Maybe you have tried before but need a refresher. No matter your experience, join the City of Santa Cruz Waste Reduction Staff for a workshop all about hot composting! In this workshop, we will build a compost pile together, discuss best practices for maintaining it, and explore strategies for reducing food waste and why it matters. Plus, enter our raffle to be eligible to win composting accessories! Finished compost from a backyard composting system offers a hefty dose of healthy microorganisms and other benefits for your garden and soil. Caring for a compost pile gives you gold for your garden and can contribute to a sense of well-being. If you already have a composting system that could use some attention, feel free to sign up and bring your questions and photos! We will have time to discuss and learn from each other as a group. The City offers a compost rebate program to get a bin of your own too. Hope to see you there!

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Independent Bookstore Day

growingupsc — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 17:00:00 +0000

It’s the kind of festival an introvert can truly enjoy without an extrovert complaint! If you purchase an Independent Bookstore Day exclusive item while they last, you will get to spin their prize wheel for a chance to win books, coupons, gift cards and more. Follow the link in the orange button above to follow more activities as they get posted!

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Succulent and Bonsai Show and Sale

growingupsc — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Open at 10am for both Saturday and Sunday, and staying open until 5pm on Saturday. Visitors will experience an impressive display of expertly grown cacti, succulents, and bonsai — from sculptural desert giants to delicate, living miniatures. Members will present their finest specimens in a judged show competition, featuring many rare and stunning plants seldom seen outside specialty collections. Rare and unusual cacti and succulents Beautiful bonsai trees Handcrafted pottery Gardening tools and supplies Unique plant-related gifts and merchandise Lectures Demonstrations Ask-an-expert Plant Photography Displays

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A Kids Art Workshop

growingupsc — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Explore the deep at a kids art event on Saturday, April 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Sanctuary Exploration Center! Kids will learn about deep sea animals in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and use them as inspiration to create a communal work of art. The finished piece will be on display at the center through May, viewable during open hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This free event is recommended for children aged 5-10, but is open to all ages. Registration in advance is required as space is limited. Visit the ticket link included in the event description, or email explorationcenter@noaa.gov to register.

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