This weekend has a little bit of everything, including rain.
But don’t let that stop you from getting out. Rain or shine events include First Friday festivities, farmers’ markets, and even a beach cleanup.
One of our favorite local bands spends two nights at Don Quixote’s this weekend, and the Warriors are playing their first game of the year.
See our picks for the top events each day this weekend:
Friday
First Friday
There’s just something special about the first Friday of the month. It’s practically a holiday in Santa Cruz, where we celebrate art and artists, live music, and free admission to some pretty cool places.
Enjoy free admission to the follow venues:
- The MAH (Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History) – Check out the Screaming Hand Exhibit which ends 3/26/2017.
- Seymour Marine Discovery Center – Touch a friendly shark!
- Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History – Educational, hands-on exhibits for children
Take a First Friday Art Tour and connect with local artists:
Coffis Brothers & The Mountain Men plus Kingsborough
When: 1/6 & 1/7 at 8:00 pm
Where: Don Quixote’s
Cost: $10
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.
Santa Cruz Warriors vs. Grand Rapids Drive
When: 1/6 Tip-off at 8:00 pm; Doors open at 7:00 pm
Where: Kaiser Permanente Arena
Cost: $20 – $68
Come cheer on your Santa Cruz Warriors in their first home game of 2017. First 1,500 fans will receive a SCW water bottle giveaway.
8 Tens @ 8 Short Play Festival
When: 1/6 – 1/7 at 8:00 pm
Where: Center Stage Theater
Cost: $20 – $40 plus service fee
This year’s Festival features 16 short plays, 8 per night, rotating on “A” and “B” nights from January 6 through February 5. Tickets tend to sell out for this event, so grab yours while you can.
Also on Friday
- Fishhook @ The Cats Restaurant & Bar
- Stamina! All-Stars @ Crow’s Nest
- KATDELIC + DJ Little John @ Moe’s Alley
- The Herms, J. Burd @ The Crepe Place
- TBA at The Blue Lagoon @ The Blue Lagoon
- Guided Elephant Seal Walks @ Año Nuevo State Park
- Views of the Cruz – Members Exhibition A-L @ Santa Cruz Art League
- Surfing America Prime @ Steamer Lane
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
Farmers Markets
If your New Year’s resolutions involve eating healthier and buying more organic, fresh, local produce, we suggest getting acquainted with farmers markets throughout the county. Here are two that you can enjoy on Saturdays, year-round, rain or shine:
Coffis Brothers & The Mountain Men plus McCoy Tyler
See description under Friday.
Also on Saturday
- Ugly Beauty Plays Beautiful Jazz @ Davenport Roadhouse Restaurant & Inn
- White Fuzzy Bloodbath, Moonbeaux, & Homebrew! @ The Blue Lagoon
- Isaac and the Haze @ Crow’s Nest
- Soul Majestic @ Moe’s Alley
- Edge of the West @ The Crepe Place
- Kingdom of Giants @ The Catalyst
- Relationship Revamp: An Introduction to the Love Imperatives for Couples @
The Love House - Animal Shelter Relief Rescue Adoption Fair @ Pet Pals Discount Pet Supplies
- Guided Elephant Seal Walks @ Año Nuevo State Park
- A Walk in the Past @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Guided Redwood Grove Walk @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Felling the Giants @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Redwood Grove Loop Walk @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Old-Time History Walk @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Sandhill Farm Native Plant Restoration @ 1111 Elkhorn Rd
Keep up with us all weekend long, and see which events we’re attending, by following Santa Cruz Life on Instagram.Sunday
Monthly Davenport Main Beach Cleanup
When: 1/8 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Where: Davenport Main Beach
Cost: Free
Kick off the new year with a volunteer opportunity up the coast—help keep Davenport Main Beach clean and healthy. Save Our Shores’ cleanups happen rain or shine and are especially important during storms to keep trash from flowing into the Monterey Bay.
While in Davenport or driving up Highway 1, you might enjoy these stops along the way.
Also on Sunday
- Toby Gray Highway Buddha @ The Reef Bar & Restaurant
- Joe Ferrara @ The Cats Restaurant & Bar
- Ronstadt Generations @ Don Quixote’s
- Live Comedy @ Crow’s Nest
- Nef The Pharaoh @ The Catalyst
- The Box @ The Blue Lagoon
- Guided Elephant Seal Walks @ Año Nuevo State Park
- Coffee Talk and Crafts @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Guided Redwood Grove Walk @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Mushroom Hunt @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Nature Wander @ Rancho del Oso Unit
- Redwood Grove Loop Walk @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Younger Lagoon Reserve Tour @ Seymour Marine Discovery Center
- Downtown Antique Fair @ Downtown Santa Cruz
Featured Upcoming Event
What: 43rd Annual Santa Cruz Fungus Fair
Where: January 13-15, 2017
When: Louden Nelson Community Center
Just when you start to get worried that Santa Cruz might not have a fair for every conceivable subject, along comes the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair to put you at ease.
Celebrate 43 years of fungi at this year’s Fungus Fair, which runs Friday through Sunday at Louden Nelson Community Center.
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