March is roaring in with a flurry of fun events lined up for this weekend. From Art Tours and a pub crawl on roller skates, to NBA G League basketball as well as the opening night of two very special theater performances…and that’s just Friday!
Check out all that we have in store for the weekend, including salamanders, birds and the much anticipated Santa Cruz Half Marathon on Sunday.
See our picks for the top events each day this weekend:
Friday
SCDG Pub Crawl
When: 3/2 from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Where: Downtown Santa Cruz
Cost: Free
Help the Santa Cruz Derby Girls kick off the 2018 season with a pub crawl in downtown Santa Cruz. Your favorite Derby Girls will start the night at El Palomar and make a few stops along the way, before ending the night at the Blue Lagoon. Sport your Derby gear (or buy a hat on the crawl). There will also be prizes, including bout tickets.
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
When: 3/2 and 3/3 at 7:30 pm; 3/4 at 3:00 pm
Where: UCSC Theater Arts Second Stage
Cost: $8 – $18
The UCSC Theater Arts Department and the Cultural Arts and Diversity Resource Center bring this important story that focuses on society in the U.S. during the 1950s and the struggles African-Americans faced as they were excluded from the American Dream. Award-winning actor and UCSC Alumna, Adilah Barnes, guest stars as Mama, and features drama students from the UCSC African-American Theatre Arts Troupe.
THE WINDS OF BEYOND
When: 3/1 – 3/3 at 7:00 pm; 3/4 at 2:00 pm
Where: San Lorenzo Valley High School Performing Arts Center
Cost: $9 – $12 Tickets available at the door
Written and directed by SLVHS senior, Sampson Miller, and produced entirely by students, The Winds of Beyond is a science fiction adventure about a woman who is stranded on a space station in another solar system. As the solo humanoid among 18 different alien races, she finds herself on an exciting journey to find an intergalactic artifact known as The Winds of Beyond.
Santa Cruz Warriors vs. Oklahoma City Blue
When: 3/2 at 7:00 pm
Where: Kaiser Permanente Arena
Cost: $26 – $85
Come out on cheer on our own G League team as the Santa Cruz Warriors take on the Oklahoma City Blue. The first 1500 fans will receive a Santa Cruz Warriors Beach Towel giveaway!
FIRST FRIDAY ART TOUR
When: 3/2 from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Where: Various locations
Cost: Free
It’s the beginning of the month again and time for all of you art enthusiasts to get ready for a grand tour! Start your weekend off with a relaxing evening viewing the artistic works of our local talent with a great list of venues and artists to visit throughout the county. You can also keep in the art scene loop by following the hashtag #FirstFridaySantaCruz on Instagram.
Also on Friday
- EOC @ The Catalyst
- Vintage Country & Original Americana at The Crow’s Nest @ Crow’s Nest
- Live Blues @ Aptos St. BBQ
- Journey Unathorized! A Tribute to Journey at the Rio Santa Cruz @ Rio Theatre
- The poet & the SoulShakers @ Poet & Patriot Irish Pub
- Zach Deputy @ Moe’s Alley
- Booker T. Jones @ Kuumbwa Jazz Center
- Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons @ The Crepe Place
- YUNG PINCH @ The Catalyst
- Beach Cowboy Band @ Severino’s
- Da Boyz is Back @ Pono Hawaiian Grill
- Crooked Branches plus Flypaper Blues @ Michael’s On Main
- Watsonville Farmers Market @ Downtown Watsonville Plaza
- FIRST FRIDAY FEATURING ARTIST TALK WITH TOM KILLION @ Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History
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
SANTA CRUZ BAROQUE FESTIVAL: 500TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION – MEDICI CODEX
When: 3/3 at 7:30 pm
Where: Holy Cross Church
Cost: $25 – General / $22 – Senior / $10 – Youth/Student
Enjoy a concert performance of music from the Medici Codex, a choir book that was gifted to Pope Leo X’s nephew 500 years ago. The book contains the music from the best composers of the Renaissance with vocals written during a time of political unrest. Four ensembles will join together this evening, including Ariose Singers, UCSC Chamber Singers, and San Francisco Renaissance Voices.
Salamander Saturday
When: 3/3 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Where: Rancho del Oso Unit, Davenport
Cost: Free
Celebrate newts and salamanders and learn all about the variety of these creatures living in the Santa Cruz Mountains. There will be live amphibians of course, as well as crafts and activities throughout the event. This all leads up to a ranger-led salamander hike in the afternoon where you will learn about and search for salamanders and their ecosystems on the short hike along the Marsh Trail. Check out our Salamander Saturday photos here.
Exploring the San Lorenzo River: Bird Language on the San Lorenzo River
When: 3/3 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Where: Quail Hollow Ranch
Cost: Free, Pre-registration required
Spend the morning exploring the San Lorenzo River at Quail Hollow Ranch as this weekly series continues. Join a local birder at this section of the river and learn to identify the various birds and their habitats by sounds they make. This series is held at a different location each Saturday through April 21. Pre-registration is required.
THE WINDS OF BEYOND
See Description Under Friday Section
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
See Description Under Friday Section
Also on Saturday
- Live Music by The Crafters @ Abbott Square Market
- WARCORPSE ☆ THE LAST TITAN ☆ HARD KNOX ☆ WHEN THE BROKEN BURN @ The Blue Lagoon
- Cosmic Pinball @ Crow’s Nest
- Foreverland @ Don Quixote’s
- WARRIOR KING + Ancestree & DJ Spleece @ Moe’s Alley
- Tracy Parker & Friends @ Kuumbwa Jazz Center
- Sweet Plot w/ Baby and the Lovies @ The Crepe Place
- THE DO-RIGHT BURLESQUE @ The Catalyst
- Nomalakadoja @ Severino’s
- A Love Supreme Celebration @ Michael’s On Main
- Vintage Country & Original Americana at The Crow’s Nest @ Crow’s Nest
- Live Blues @ Aptos St. BBQ
- Aptos Farmers Market @ Aptos Farmers’ Market
- Capitola Friends Books Sale @ Capitola Mall
- EARLY BIRD TOUR @ Elkhorn Slough Reserve
- Harvesting Our Heritage Presentation, Book signing & potluck! @ Live Oak Grange
- Spring Fiesta! @ Beach Flats Community Garden
- Guided Elephant Seal Walks @ Año Nuevo State Park
- Basket Making Workshop @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- 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
- Skill and Luck @ Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park
Keep up with us all weekend long, and see which events we’re attending, by following Santa Cruz Life on Instagram.Sunday
Santa Cruz Half Marathon
When: 3/4 at 8:00 am
Where: Santa Cruz Boardwalk
Cost: $25-$120
The Santa Cruz Half Marathon is on! Choose between 5K, 10K or the Half Marathon which runs 13.1 miles along West Cliff Drive through Wilder Ranch. Whether you are a new or an experienced athlete, there is a race here just for you. Finisher medals will be awarded for all three distances this year. Pre-register, register at the race, or come cheer for the runners along the spectator friendly course!
Santa Cruz Warriors vs. Memphis Hustle – Pajama Night
When: 3/4 at 6:00 pm
Where: Kaiser Permanente Arena
Cost: $22 – $74
Cheer on our own Santa Cruz Warriors against the Memphis Hustle. The team is hosting their 4th Annual Pajama Night. Make sure you wear your pajamas and support Project Pajamas by bringing a new pair of pajamas with tags to be donated to children in need. All fans who donate a pair will be entered into a prize drawing.
Cello Recital with Jonah Kim
When: 3/4 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Where: Cabrillo Samper Recital Hall
Cost: $45; $20 students with valid student ID
Santa Cruz Symphony presents an exciting recital concert with their new Principal Cello, Jonah Kim, as he performs an afternoon concert of Shumann and Brahms. Accompanying musicians will be Elizabeth Dorman on piano, Nigel Armstrong on Violin and Daniel Stewart on Viola.
THE WINDS OF BEYOND
See Description Under Friday Section
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
See Description Under Friday Section
Also on Sunday
- Molotov @ The Catalyst
- Live Comedy @ Crow’s Nest
- Amelia White @ Don Quixote’s
- Curtis Salgado @ Moe’s Alley
- Lúnasa @ Kuumbwa Jazz Center
- ADRIAN MARCEL @ The Catalyst
- The Box @ The Blue Lagoon
- Grateful Sunday Concert Series @ Michael’s On Main
- Live Blues @ Aptos St. BBQ
- Wood Sign Class – Home with mini wreath @ Dream Maker Creative
- PLAY: WEAVING WITH RECYCLED MATERIALS @ Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History
- Watsonville Nature Walks @ City of Watsonville – Nature Center
- Younger Lagoon Reserve Tours @ Seymour Marine Discovery Center
- Guided Elephant Seal Walks @ Año Nuevo State Park
- Guided Hike through Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve @ Pescadero State Beach
- Living History Demonstrations and Ranch Tour @ Wilder Ranch State Park
Upcoming Events You Don’t Want to Miss
Santa Cruz Polar Plunge
What: 2018 Santa Cruz Polar Plunge
Where: Rio Del Mar Beach
When: March 10
Take a dip in the chilly ocean at Rio Del Mar for a good cause! Raise at least $125 for the opportunity take a run into (and out of) the frigid water. You can even skip the dip and register anyway to enjoy the festivities without all the dampness. Everyone is encouraged to dress in costume. All proceeds go to Special Olympics Northern California.
Santa Cruz Music Festival
What: Santa Cruz Music Festival
Where: Various Venues
When: March 10-11
The 2-day Santa Cruz Music Festival is taking over Downtown Santa Cruz next weekend. This marks the 5th anniversary of this festival and they’ll be featuring shows at over a dozen downtown venues.
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