Growing Up in Santa Cruz

Food Truck Friday

Skypark 361 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley, CA, United States

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!

Midtown Santa Cruz: Friday Summer Block Parties

Midtown Block Party Lot 1111 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz

Go Celebrate all the vibrancy of Midtown at the Summer Block Party, happening every Friday!  Food – Artists – Live Music – Vendors  The summer series of free events will feature the talents of 30+ local bands. In addition to live music, event goers will enjoy a selection of local eats as well as the opportunity to check out the work of local artists and vendors. Midtown Fridays starts May 31 to August 31.  Live music brought to you by Off The Lip Radio Show  May 31st: Dylan Rose Band – Opener: Shoreline Middle School Band June 7th: Doah’s Daydream – Opener: Soquel High Jazz Band  June 14th: Funkranomicon – Opener: Trianna (GTRI)  June 21st: The Cruzers – Opener: Ripatti & Rose  June 28th: Hijinx – Opener: Mo Cruz (Animo)  July 5th: The Money Band – Opener: Jim Buhisan  July 12th: Santa Cruda – Opener: Th New Horizon Band  July 19th: The Joint Chiefs – Opener: Jake Nielsen & Triple Threat  July 26th: Locomotive Breath – Opener: Joshua Cremer  August 2nd: Anthony Arya  August 9th: Cowboys After Dark – Opener: Shawn Yanez  August 16th: Ribsy’s Nickel – Opener: The Rayburn Brothers  August 23rd: Spun – Opener: Dave Miller (Nomad)  August 30th: Alex Lucero Band – Opener: Honey Disposition

Free

Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park – Old Fashioned Campfire

Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park, 144 School St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA

Join us for an old fashioned family campfire this summer! Bring a picnic dinner and lawn chairs, and enjoy making your own fresh tortillas on the comal. Listen to some live music, and come together around the campfire for an evening of silly skits, fun stories, and classic campfire songs with the best view of Santa Cruz! 5:30 - 6:45 Live music, picnic and tortilla-making6:45 - 8pm Campfire songs & storiesThis event is FREE, call (831) 425-5849 for more information, or email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Chaminade Resort And Spa: Nashville Nights Featuring Craig Campbell

Chaminade Resort and Spa 1 Chaminade Lane, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Nashville comes to Santa Cruz! Get up close and personal with country sensation Craig Campbell. Experience an intimate concert in the Chaminade courtyard while watching the sun set over Monterey Bay. Doors 7 pm | Concert 8 pm $65 per person Overnight Package and Tickets on sale now May 24 – Eric Paslay June 21 – Gracee Shriver and Noel Bisesti  July 26 – Craig Campbell August 23 – Cannan Smith

$65

Cabrillo College: In The Heights

Cabrillo College Crocker Theater 6500 Perimeter Dr., Aptos, CA, United States

The musical, In the Heights, tells the universal story of a vibrant community in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood – a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. It’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures. Where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind.

$25 – $60

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk: Movie on the Beach “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk 400 Beach Street, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

Every Friday night on the beach in front of the Colonnade, bring your family and your blanket or low-back chair to experience the ultimate movie night!  Watch your favorite movies while munching on mouthwatering Boardwalk treats, from kettle corn and saltwater taffy to corn dogs and turkey legs. Seating has first come, first served and each movie will have a 15-minute intermission.  Lost Boys: June 14 from 9pm -10:45pm Book of Life: June 21 from 9pm – 10:45pm Barbie: June 28 from 9pm – 11pm The Sandlot: July 5 from 9pm – 11pm Endless Summer: July 12 (special events from noon – 10:45pm – movie from 9:00 p.m-10:45 p.m.) Wonka: July 19 from 9pm – 11:15 Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: July 26 from 9pm – 11pm Trolls: August 2 from 9pm – 10:45 The Goonies: August 9 from 9pm to 11pm

Free

Freedom Boulevard Market

On the last Saturday of the month, The Freedom Boulevard Market is held at The Farm at Lavender Hill, located at 6411 Freedom Boulevard in Aptos. The vendors offer a variety of handmade and vintage goods, in a beautiful country setting. Bring a picnic and enjoy the market. Vendor spaces are free for students in high school and below.

Cabrillo College: Aptos Farmers Market

cabrillo college 6500 Soquel Dr, Aptos

Market customers appreciate the bountiful selection of top quality produce and specialty foods as well as the opportunity to connect with the farmers and vendors who produce it. Ninety vendors, of which most are certified organic or use sustainable farming methods, offer pastured grass fed meats and poultry, sustainable fish, oysters, handcrafted cheeses, locally produced olive oil, fresh pasta and gourmet sauces, organic juices, handmade sauerkraut, Corralitos smoked sausages and bacon, artisan breads and baked goods, organic honey, mushrooms, sprouts and microgreens, farm fresh eggs, flowers, potted plants, seedlings, herbs, and an unsurpassed selection of certified California grown fruits, vegetables and nuts.

Scotts Valley: Farmers Market

Joe and Linda Alberti Clubhouse 5060 Scotts Valley Drive, Scotts Valley, CA, United States

Established in 2009 with the City of Scotts Valley, this market has become a seasonal treasure to the local community and to those visiting the area looking for a place to slow down and unwind. Here, every Saturday 9am-1pm, from late spring through the fall, a circle of regional farms, local food businesses and other makers set up their stands to offer shoppers and diners an array of delicious edibles. The market is a resource for nutritious food and agricultural education, providing a gathering place for families, friends and neighbors. Whether your a weekly shopper or just passing through, find what you’re looking for amidst the robust selection of organic vegetables, fruits, herbs, pasture-raised chicken and duck eggs, flowers, artisanal meats, breads, seafood, pastries and ready-to-eat cuisine.

Westside Santa Cruz: Farmers Market

Westside Farmers’ Market Mission St. Ext. and Western Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

The Westside Farmers’ Market takes place every Saturday, year round at the corner of Hwy 1 and Western Drive. Here we serve the communities of the west end of Santa Cruz including Bonny Doon, the North Coast and the University of California,  Santa Cruz campus. Sitting on the northern edge of Santa Cruz’s greenbelt this market is a great launching location for a day outdoors at Natural Bridges beach, Wilder Ranch or any adventure spot up the coast. It is also just a hop, skip and a jump, or bike ride, from Downtown. A community hub for over 15 years, the Westside Market showcases a great selection of 100% certified organic produce, artisan foods, beer, body products, tinctures, sustainable seafood, pasture raised meats, flowers and eggs along with cook-to-order cultural meals, live local music and a full espresso bar operated by Syllable. With an abundance of free parking and accessibility on its side, this market makes for a convenient and celebratory Saturday morning outing any time of the year.

Gizdich Ranch: Olallieberry U-Pick

Gizdich Ranch 55 Peckham Rd, Watsonville, CA, United States

Plants are notoriously unreliable for sharing their arrival and departure itinerary, so please call the ranch in advance before you go!  Experience the most fun part of growing fruits at the Ranch! Combined with fresh air, sunshine and a little sweat, it’s a whole lot of fun for the kids and the entire family. Don’t forget your camera.  When everyone’s ready for lunch, picnic behind their sales barn and let the kids play.

Noble Harvest Farm: Lavender U-Pick

Noble Harvest Farm 1975 Cox Rd, Aptos, CA, United States

Check the Noble Harvest website to schedule a visit Fridays through Sundays at their boutique lavender field when its in full bloom and harvest your own bunches. Spend time snapping pix surrounded by the sweet scent of lavender and the gentle hum of bees. Feel free to bring snacks and relax under the sun sails, then browse their hand-crafted lavender products at their farm stand. Flowers are notorious for not sharing their itinerary, so check the link listed below frequently to secure your spot.  Tickets will be limited, so you don’t want to miss out!

Half Moon Bay State Beach – Junior Rangers

Francis Beach Amphitheater, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019, USA

During this 1-hour program for ages 7 to 12, kids become Junior Rangers by participating in hands-on activities to earn prizes while learning how to protect the natural world! Activities vary from nature walks, to games, to nature-inspired crafts and are based on a different theme each week. Register in advance here. Walk-ins are welcome. Meet at the amphitheater at the north end of the campground.Program is free. Vehicle day-use fee is $10.

Westside Santa Cruz: Farmers Market Pop Up Breakfast

Westside Farmers’ Market Mission St. Ext. and Western Drive, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

The Santa Cruz Farmers’ Markets folks never miss an opportunity to celebrate around good food. Since 2012 they have been hosting pop-up breakfast events at their markets. At these sweet gatherings guests sit down at long tables with friends and enjoy a fresh, multi-course meal. Each event spotlights an admired local chef giving rise to sensational mixes of simple cuisine made with seasonal ingredients from the very farms that are sold at the markets. Local youth leaders, graduates of the food justice organization FoodWhat, serve the fair and farmers speak about their work. Events are unique, each one offering its own pleasing qualities: a cider or wine tasting, local musicians, seasonal pickles, creative flavor pairings, cultural foods, words from a local fisher or flower grower. Guests walk away satisfied and happy, with only a memory of place and time…and a full belly.   On July 27th you will find chef Brad Briske of Home Restaurant, a long love of the series who shows up with magic in his pocket every time.   Companion Baguettes – Whipped butter and Home jams  Summer Salad – Baby lettuces, summer squash, cucumber, fennel, onion, and a vinaigrette with spiced candied walnuts  Breakfast Chili – Point Reyes gras-fed brisket, onion, early girl tomatoes over Home focaccia topped with farm egg, scallion, radish, cilantro and Garden Variety cheese  Sweet Finish – Strawberry crisp with cinnamon oats and whipped cream  Tasty Beverages – Courtesy of Companion Bakeshop and Stockwell Cellars.  Registration begins at 9:30am and the first course will be served at 10am. This is a leisurely, multi-course meal, expect to be in our company until about noon. Bring your own plate and silverware – spoon, fork and knife. You’ll find everything else you need at the event. 

$75 – $150

Seymour Marine Discovery Center: Younger Lagoon Reserve Tour

Younger Lagoon Reserve 130 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, United States

This 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.