First Friday events, the annual Sea Glass Festival, tributes to Bob Dylan and Tom Petty, a Cabrillo production of a classic American play, and a ukulele orchestra all promise to make for an awesome couple of days in Santa Cruz.
Read on to see our picks for the best events in Santa Cruz this weekend.
Community Free Day at the Seymour Center
When: Friday, 11/7 at 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Where: Seymour Marine Discovery Center
How Much: Free
If you and your kids love all things underwater, then the the perfect affordable family outing for you is the Seymour Center Community Free Day, where you can interact with tide-pools, skeletons, wildlife and more.
First Friday Events
Today is the First Friday of the month, which means it’s time for the First Friday Art Tour. This month features tons of great art, as well as two pretty big gatherings. Cruzio will be hosting their 25th Anniversary Celebration, and Cosmic Studio will host a kick-off party for the Santa Cruz Film Festival. Below are some of this month’s highlights:
- First Friday Art Tour
- Cruzio’s 25th Anniversary Celebration
- Santa Cruz Film Festival Kick-Off Party: Sneak Peak at Cosmic Studio in Santa Cruz
- Beacon: sign, portent, warning, guide… (Nora Dougherty)
- Beth Shields – Evocative abstract paintings
Additional perks you’ll find the first Friday of each month:
The United Kingdom Ukulele Orchestra
When: Friday, 11/7 at 8:00 pm
Where: Rio Theatre
How Much: $23-$33
As their name might suggest, the Ukulele Orchestra’s motto is that “Musical borders belong to yesterday.” Come hear revered classical works from the likes of Mozart, as well as comedic music from Monty Python and pop hits from bands like The Beatles, all covered by ukuleles at what is sure to be a fun night at the Rio.
A Tribute to Bob Dylan
When: Friday, 11/7 at 8:00 pm
Where: Kuumbwa Jazz
How Much: $20-$25
Popular local musicians like The McCoy Tyler Band and Tammi Brown will come together to honor Bob Dylan by playing a wide selection of his work and showing rare footage of the beloved artist.
Petty Theft – San Francisco Tribute to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
When: Friday, 11/7 at 9:00 pm
Where: Catalyst
How Much: $12-$17
If you love classics like “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” and “End of the Line,” then you’ll enjoy Petty Theft, a Bay Area based Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tribute band. Free fall into some nostalgia as the band delves into Petty’s song catalog and performance techniques.
Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
When: Begins Friday, 11/7. Runs through 11/23.
Where: Cabrillo Crocker Theater
How Much: $9-$19
Arthur Miller’s iconic play about the limits of the American Dream has been a major part of America’s cultural lexicon since its debut in 1949. Come watch Cabrillo’s talented performers give their interpretation of this Pulitzer Prize winning masterpiece.
Enter the Guardsman, a musical fantasy
When: Opens Friday, 11/7. Runs through 11/30
Where: Jewel Theater
How Much: $28-$34
Enter into the psyche of a bored musical theater star in Enter the Guardsman, a clever and humorous exploration of love, marriage, and fame. If you’ve never seen a show at the lovely Jewel Theater in downtown Santa Cruz, this is a good time to do it.
Santa Cruz Sea Glass & Ocean Art Festival
When: Saturday, 11/8 & Sunday, 11/9 at 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Where: Cocoanut Grove
How Much: $5
From pottery to jewelry and all things in between, it’s amazing what local artists can shape out of sea glass. This weekend you have a chance to view it all, and even submit your own art for judging in ten different categories.
Warren Miller’s “No Turning Back” – 65th Annual Winter Sports Action Film
When: Saturday, 11/8. Showtimes at 6:00 pm & 9:00 pm
Where: Rio Theatre
How Much: $16
Long before GoPro, there was Warren Miller, which has released a winter sports action film every year for the past 65 years. This year’s movie, No Turning Back, takes viewers to mountains all over the world, from Montana to Japan.
Downtown Antique Fair
When: Sunday, 11/9 at 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Where: Downtown
How Much: Free
If your idea of sophisticated is slightly scuffed, if you prefer dusty over designer, and if you know vintage is about more than just wine, then the monthly Antique Faire in downtown Santa Cruz is for you. Think of it as a sort of monthly pop-up mall where everything’s super old, and indulge accordingly.
Additional events this weekend
Friday:
- Sean Hayes
- Comedy Night featuring Dan St Germain
- Royland Lobato coming to Santa Cruz for Cuban Salsa Workshop
- Aphrodesia + Pawn Shop Soul
- The 3rd Annual Kelly Short memorial Fundraiser for Hospice of Santa Cruz County
- Fog Beast Dance: Bad Here Day
- Makana
- The Smoker’s Club Tour starring Method Man & Redman
Friday & Saturday
Friday through Sunday
- The Play About the Baby
- Visions of the local Coastline, Solo Exhibit for Artist Riki R Nelson
- “Birth of Stars”
Saturday
- Monophonics
- Pacific Mambo Orchestra
- An Evening of Musical Medicine featuring Chris Berry, Singing Wood Marimba, Feral Fauna and Cello Joe
- Singing Bowls and Gong Sound Healing with Holotope
- Santa Cruz County Symphony Concert – Dreams & Visions
- Annual Fall Fitness Fashion Show
- New Found Glory
- Pop Up Museum; Agricultural History
- Capitola’s Cooperstown Connection
Sunday:
- A Hawaiian Evening with Jerry Santos & Friends
- Alehouse Narratives – Season 3
- NEW TO BREW – Beginner Brewer Class
- Berry Creek Falls Hike
- Wildflower Walk
- Weekly Cowell Beach Cleanup and Surveying for Japanese Marine Tsunami Debris
- Journalist, Photographer and Activist Greg King: Saving California’s Last Wild River
Recurring Events You Can Find Every Weekend
- Free Wildlife Eco-Tours of the Santa Cruz Wharf (weekly event – every Saturday & Sunday)
- Tours of the Reserve at Elkhorn Slough (weekly event – every Saturday & Sunday)
- Santa Cruz Farmers Markets (weekly events)
- Live Comedy at the Crow’s Nest (weekly event – every Sunday night)
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