And, that’s a wrap. This weekend we say goodbye to 2016 and usher in 2017.
As expected, the big events around town this weekend are the New Year’s Eve parties. We’ve gathered all the NYE parties and events to help you ring in the new year.
New Year’s Day is bursting with opportunities to get outdoors and start the new year off with some fresh Santa Cruz air.
See the full roundup of events below:
Friday
White Album Ensemble
When: 12/29 & 12/30 from 8:00 – 10:30 PM
Where: Rio Theatre
Cost: General Admission: $25, Gold Circle: $45
This Friday the White Album Ensemble will recreate Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the ablum that Rolling Stones ranked #1 of all time. You can get a double dose of the Beatles by checking out the “Revolver” themed show on Thursday night.
Foreverland
When: 12/30 at 8:00 PM
Where: Don Quixote’s
Cost: $25
Popular Michael Jackson cover band Foreverland returns to Don Quixote’s this Friday.
Also on Friday
- Devil Makes Three @ The Catalyst – SOLD OUT
- LIVE music Sambassa Brazilian Jazz Trio @ Little Owl Italian Kitchen
- Rachelle & HipShake @ Crow’s Nest
- DON CARLOS – Friday Ticket @ Moe’s Alley
- Harry and the Hitmen, Ginger and Juice @ The Crepe Place
- PACIFIC ROOTS @ The Catalyst
- Joe Ferrara @ Shadowbrook Restaurant
- Ten O’Clock Lunch Band (Rock, R&B Soul, Blues) @ Severino’s
- Watsonville Queer Youth Meet-up @ First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
- Strike Out Hunger and Bowl for FREE! @ Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
- Bitch ‘n Stitch Sewing Class @ Tannery Arts Center
- Watsonville Farmers Market @ Downtown Watsonville
- Guided Elephant Seal Walks @ Año Nuevo State Park
- Monarch Butterfly Tours @ Natural Bridges State Beach
- Mission Cooking Demonstration @ Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park
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: New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve Events
We’ve got one more chance to party in 2016. There are more New Year’s Eve events than we could list in this post so we gathered them all and put them into our annual Santa Cruz New Year’s Eve Guide. Have a safe and happy New Year!
Also on Saturday
- Devil Makes Three @ The Catalyst – SOLD OUT
- Celebrate New Years with Sherry Austin with Henhouse @ Davenport Roadhouse Restaurant & Inn
- New Year’s Eve 2017 @ The Castaways Bar, 3263 Portola Ave., Santa Cruz, CA
- Claudio Melega in the Rockroom Lounge @ Shadowbrook Restaurant
- Strike Out Hunger and Bowl for FREE! @ Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
- Aptos Farmers Markets @ Aptos Farmers’ Market
- Animal Shelter Relief Rescue Adoption Fair! @ Pet Pals Discount Pet Supplies
- Santa Cruz LGBTQ Youth Meet-up @ Diversity Center
- Guided Elephant Seal Walks @ Año Nuevo State Park
- Guided Redwood Grove Walk @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Coffee Talk and Crafts @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Living History Demonstrations and Ranch Tour @ Wilder Ranch State Park
- Monarch Butterfly Tours @ Natural Bridges State Beach
- Outlook from Mt. McAbee @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Snakes Alive! @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Drop-in Family Craft @ 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: New Year’s Day
First Day Hikes
When: January 1, 2017
Where: California State Parks
Cost: Free
Ready to #OptOutside in 2017? Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks has prepared a list of all the First Day Hikes throughout the county. You can see all of them below, organized by park. Happy new year and happy trails!
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Bird Walk First Day Hike @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- First Day Hike to the Barrel Mill @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- First Day Hike in Fall Creek @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Guided Redwood Grove Walk @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- First Day History Hike through Old-Growth Redwood Grove @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Observation Deck First Day Hike @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Photography and Ecology First Day Hike @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- First Day Hike to Cable Car Beach @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Buzzard’s Roost Hike @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Buzzard’s Roost First Day Hike @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- First Day Hike to Ocean View Summit @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Shadowbrook First Day Hike @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Discover Big Basin Redwoods First Day Hike @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Redwood Grove Loop Walk @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Redwood Grove Loop First Day Hike @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Wilder Ranch State Park
- Back Country First Day Hike @ Wilder Ranch State Park
- Coastal Bluffs First Day Hike @ Wilder Ranch State Park
Castle Rock State Park
- Summit Meadow First Day Hike @ Castle Rock State Park
- Saratoga Gap First Day Hike @ Castle Rock State Park
Additional First Day Hikes
- First Day Hike Tour of the Monarch Butterflies @ Natural Bridges State Beach
- First Day Guided Elephant Seal Walks @ Año Nuevo State Park
- Old Tree Trail First Day Hike @ Portola Redwoods State Park
- Wildlife First Day Hike @ Pescadero State Beach
- Burleigh Murray History First Day Hike @ Burleigh Murray State Park
Also on Sunday
- Toby Gray Highway Buddha @ The Reef Bar & Restaurant
- Speedrun Event: Super Meat Boy @ Level Up Video Games
- The Box @ The Blue Lagoon
- Live Comedy @ Crow’s Nest
- Younger Lagoon Reserve Tour @ Seymour Marine Discovery Center
- City of Watsonville Nature Walks @ City of Watsonville Nature Center
- Guided Elephant Seal Walks @ Año Nuevo State Park
- Coffee Talk and Crafts @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Monthly Davenport Main Beach Cleanup @ Davenport Main Beach
- New Year’s Day Yoga Benefit @ Luma Yoga & Family Center
- New Year’s Yin Yoga and Live Music Serenade @ Pleasure Point Yoga
Featured Upcoming Event
Local favorites, The Coffis Brothers & the Mountain Men, take over Don Quixote’s next weekend with shows on back to back nights. Kingsborough opens on the 6th & McCoy Tyler opens on the 7th. Humble Sea Brewing Co. will be serving sudsy beverages both nights.
What: The Coffis Brothers Weekend at Don Quixote’s
Where: Don Quixote’s
When: January 6 & 7
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