The Easter bunny makes several appearances this weekend, from the beach in Capitola to the trees in Felton, at Roaring Camp Railroad.
Beyond egg hunts and Easter brunch, there’s always wine and this weekend is a great one for oenophiles to purchase a passport to the Santa Cruz Mountains wine region.
See our picks for the top events each day this weekend:
Easter Events
Just want to see the Easter events happening this weekend? You can find them all here, in our 2017 Santa Cruz Easter Guide.
Friday
A Special Evening of Comedy
When: 4/14 from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Where: Pure Pleasure
Cost: $25 in advance/$30 walk-in
Six stand up comedians, one goal: to keep you laughing all night long. Performers include Liz Stone, Emma Haney, Ta’ Vi, Emily Catalano, headliner, Ronn Vigh, and host Aviva Siegel. Enjoy complimentary beverages and a chance to check out this venue, a mother-daughter owned pleasure shop.
Night Market
When: 4/14 from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Where: Santa Cruz Food Lounge
Second Fridays of the month bring the Night Market to the Santa Cruz Food Lounge, the perfect venue to gather with friends and unwind from the week. Craft cocktails, live music, and a variety of local food pop-up vendors = Happy Friday!
Also on Friday
- An Evening with Lee Ritenour & Dave Grusin @ Kuumbwa Jazz Center – SOLD OUT
- Tech N9ne @ The Catalyst
- Immortal Events Presents: The Chop Drop Tour featuring Crowell and Codd Dubz @ The Catalyst
- Gozu and Ape Machine with KOOK and Winter Wind @ Blue Lagoon
- KaTs @ Zizzo’s Coffeehouse and Wine Bar
- LOVEFEST 2017 Acton Street Ramblers, Levi Jack, Grampa’s Chili @ Don Quixote’s
- Tsunami @ Crow’s Nest
- SPAWNBREEZIE + Gonzo @ Moe’s Alley
- Ginger and Juice, Sun Hop Fat @ The Crepe Place
- Beach Cowboy Band @ Severino’s
Want to see all the best events in Santa Cruz every weekend? Click here to get these Weekend Roundup posts delivered straight to your inbox.Saturday
11th Annual Easter Egg Hunt at Kennolyn Camps
When: Saturday, April 15 from 10:00 am – 2:30 pm
Where: Kennolyn Camps
Cost: Free
Hundreds of families will descend on Kennolyn Camps’ property to take part in one of the area’s largest hunts. Due to large crowds, there are now two hunts: 10:00-11:30am and 1:00-2:30pm. After your kids have found all the eggs they can carry, stick around for a complementary tour of the campgrounds.
Santa Cruz Mountains April 2017 Passport Day
When: 4/15 from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Where: Participating Santa Cruz Mountains Wineries
Cost: $65
Once a quarter, local oenophiles get the opportunity to sample the best that our vintners have to offer with Passport Days. One flat fee gets you tastings at dozens of different area wineries, including ones that are generally not open to the public.
Eggstraordinary Egg Hunt
When: April 15 & 16 at 11:00 am, 12:30 pm & 2:00 pm
Where: Roaring Camp Railroad, Felton, Ca
Cost: $29 for adults, $22 for children
Take the Eggspress steam train through the redwoods up to the top of Bear Mountain. Once at the top of Bear Mountain the kids will enjoy searching for chocolate eggs at the Eggstraordinary Easter egg hunt. Kids should bring their own Easter egg baskets.
Also on Saturday
- Grateful Bluegrass Boys plus Edge of the West @ Don Quixote’s
- Las Cafeteras @ Rio Theatre
- Strawberry Souls @ The Cats Restaurant & Bar
- Rocky Pase @ Zizzo’s Coffeehouse and Wine Bar
- Matt Masih & The Messengers @ Crow’s Nest
- Melvin Seals & The Jerry Garcia Band @ Moe’s Alley
- FUNK & SOUL DANCE PARTY! – CHRIS YOUMANS & THE SOUND AGENCY, THE INCITERS, PAWN SHOP SOUL @ Kuumbwa Jazz Center
- Unpopable, Big Lazy @ The Crepe Place
- SELENA’S BIRTHDAY PARTY @ The Catalyst
- Toby Gray (patio) @ Severino’s
- Tsunami (Classic Rock, R&B) @ Severino’s
- Fulminante, Boss’ Daughter, The Randy Savages @ The Blue Lagoon
- Gozu and Ape Machine with KOOK and Winter Wind @ Blue Lagoon
- NEW WORK : Bianco / Hazels / Hiers / Niven @ Radius Gallery
- The Nether @ Center Street Theater
- Senior Tech Day at Aptos Library @ Aptos Branch Library
- Historic Photo Processes Forum @ Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
- City of Watsonville Nature Walks @ City of Watsonville – Nature Center
- Tax March Santa Cruz @ City Hall to San Lorenzo Park
- Guided Bird Walk @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Wildflower Walk! @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Coastal Wildflower Day @ Half Moon Bay State Beach
- Living History Demonstrations and Ranch Tour @ Wilder Ranch State Park
- Guided Redwood Grove Walk @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Old Cove Landing Coast Nature Walk @ Wilder Ranch State Park
- Sandhills Mobile Visitor Center @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Redwood Grove Loop Walk @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Family Discovery Walk @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Choose Your Own Adventure Tour @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Mission Cooking Demonstration @ Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park
- Redwood Grove Loop Walk @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Keep up with us all weekend long, and see which events we’re attending, by following Santa Cruz Life on Instagram.Sunday
Easter Carnival & Egg Hunt
When: Sunday, April 16 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Where: Garfield Park Community Church
Cost: Free admission
Following the 11AM Easter Service, this Easter carnival will feature food trucks, games, bounce houses, a petting zoo, live music and, of course, an Easter egg hunt—bring your own basket! Proceeds will go toward Project:Pollinate, and all families are welcome.
Drop-In Craft: Paper Poppies
When: 4/16 from 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm
Where: Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park
Cost: Free
Pop by for poppies! The whole family can make a paper bouquet to celebrate spring. This drop-in craft time is free and the perfect activity to round out an afternoon at the Mission. Pack a picnic, take a self-guided tour of the mission, and enjoy the views of downtown and the ocean. You can even bring Fido on a leash!
Eggstraordinary Egg Hunt
See description under Saturday section.
Also on Sunday
- Mivos Quartet @ Resource Center for Nonviolence
- Joe Ferrara @ The Cats Restaurant & Bar
- Live Comedy @ Crow’s Nest
- INDIGENOUS featuring Mato Nanji @ Moe’s Alley
- KATCHAFIRE @ The Catalyst
- The Box @ The Blue Lagoon
- Meteor Trail Hike @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Living History Demonstrations and Ranch Tour @ Wilder Ranch State Park
- Redwood Grove Loop Walk @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Guided Redwood Grove Walk @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Sandhills Mobile Visitor Center @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Redwood Grove Loop Walk @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Featured Upcoming Event
What: Santa Cruz Mini Maker Faire
Where: Gateway School
When: Saturday, April 29th from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Cost: Day of tickets $4 – $16. Early bird & advanced ticket prices available.
Prepare to experience the greatest show & tell in Santa Cruz County at this family-friendly showcase of local creativity, innovation, and fun! Jam-packed with hands-on, interactive experiences, live music, performance art, food trucks, and more. Check out our photos from last year’s Mini Maker Faire here.
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