This Weekend in Santa Cruz: May 11th – 13th, 2018

By Valerie Lemke

This weekend you can dance in the street, run West Cliff Drive, and wine walk in Watsonville or Downtown Santa Cruz.

Moms, of course, take center stage, and there are plenty of ways to celebrate Mother’s Day or a moms night out. Happy Mother’s Day to all of you Santa Cruz moms out there!

See our picks for the top events each day this weekend:

Quick Links

Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Upcoming

Thank you to the Santa Cruz Derby Girls for sponsoring this week’s roundup. We’ll be attending this Saturday’s doubleheader. Come join us! Use code SCLife18 at checkout for 10% off tickets (be sure to grab your tickets by Friday as this discount isn’t valid on game day).

Click here to get more information, and here for tickets. Use code SCLife18 at checkout for 10% off.

Friday

13 the Musical – Performs Two Weekends only!

When: 5/11 – 5/12 at 7:00 pm
Where: Louden Nelson Community Theater
Cost: $13-$20

As his 13th birthday approaches, a young man goes from planning the best Bar Mitzvah ever to finding out he will be moving from New York to Indiana because his parents are getting a divorce. This performance takes on the struggles of a young teen learning to fit in with a new life while dealing with school, friends and peer pressure.

Get more info here.

Winter

When: 5/11 – 5/13 at 7:30 pm & 3:00 pm
Where: UCSC, Second Stage
Cost: $8 – $18; Parking $4

This student-written/directed story follows the challenges of a group of friends, enemies and lovers as they struggle with entering adulthood during these current difficult times. This production touches on how one person’s actions can have a dramatic effect on others. Adult content for mature audiences only.

Get more info here.

Screening of The Serengeti Rules

When: 5/11 from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Where: The Rio Theater
Cost: Free

Considered to be one of the most important untold science stories of our lifetime, this film tells the journey of five scientists who set out into the some of the most remote areas on earth to study nature untouched. They learned a set of rules that could have serious implications for our planet and share their findings in this film.

Get more info here.

Also on Friday

MUSIC/DANCE

THEATRE/ARTS

OUTDOORS

MORE

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Saturday

Santa Cruz Derby Girls Double Header

When: 5/12 Doubleheader at 4:30 pm and 6:45 pm
Where: Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium
Cost: $17 – $33 (Use code SCLife18 at checkout for 10% off tickets)

Invite your friends or bring your mom out for a unique Mother’s Day out at this SCDB Double Header featuring the Bombshells vs Berkeley Resistance and Sassies vs West Coast Derby Knockouts. Get your tickets soon and treat mom to a night of roller derby action!

Get more info here.

Senderos Street Fiesta

When: 5/12 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Where: Cooper Street, downtown Santa Cruz
Cost: Free

A fiesta awaits you! Santa Cruz City Arts and the MAH co-sponsor this celebration with authentic Oaxacan food, music, dance and traditional activities downtown marking the start of the Vive Oaxaca Guelagauetza festivities (See our Featured Upcoming Events below!). Musicians and dancers will arrive in procession to Cooper Street at 5pm. Come out and celebrate, and don’t forget your dancing shoes!

Get more info here.

Cabrillo College’s 40th Annual Mother’s Day Plant Sale

When: 5/12 at 9:00 am – 2:00 pm & 5/13 at 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Where: Cabrillo College Horticulture Department
Cost: Free Admission

Head over to Cabrillo College for the largest college plant sale in Central California! More than 1000 different plants to choose from. Vegetables, perennials, annuals, bedding, medicinal and herbal, flowers, salvias and much more. Go online for a complete list of available plants. Take mom with you or buy her a gift!

Get more info here.

2018 Human Race Walkathon and Fun Run

When: 5/12 at 9:00 am (Registration 8:00 am to 8:45 am)
Where: 2300 Delaware Ave.
Cost: Donate/Fundraise $35 minimum

Come and join the sponsored fundraising efforts and take a round trip 5-mile walk/run coastside along beautiful West Cliff Drive. Enjoy a light breakfast, BBQ lunch, free T-shirt, live music and performances, and it’s all for a great cause—several of them, and you get to choose!

Get more info here.

WINE, BEER AND ART WALK

When: 5/12 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Where: Downtown Watsonville
Cost: $30.00 + service fee

Walk for wine, beer and art in celebration of Watsonville’s 150th anniversary. Take a stroll through downtown Watsonville and relish in some samples of locally produced wines, craft beers and tasty treats while browsing the work of our talented local artists. Enjoy live music and performances along the way, too.

Get more info here.

WORLD MIGRATORY BIRD DAY

When: 5/12 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Where: Upper Struve Slough Trailhead
Cost: Free, must register

Take a walk through the wetlands and learn about the variety of birds at Struve Slough and our local coastal marshlands while celebrating the Year of the Bird. Tour will be led by Jeff Caplan and is open to birders of all levels. Bring binoculars, water, sunscreen and a hat and meet at the trail head.

Get more info here.

Public Archaeology Day

When: 5/12 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
Where: Castro Adobe State Historic Park
Cost: Free

Visit the Castro Adobe and see what the UCSC Archaeological Field Methods Anthropology class has been up to for the last 8 weeks on the property. Learn the processes they used to study the site as well as their findings from their search for buried resources within the park. Bring the kids for activities and to learn about careers in science. Tacos will be available for sale by Taquitos Gabriel (cash only).

Get more info here.

Mother’s Day Strawberry U-Pick Community Event!

When: 5/12 and 5/13 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Where: Live Earth Farm, 1275 Green Valley Rd., Watsonville

This weekend-long event not only celebrates moms, it’s the grand opening of a new strawberry U-Pick field and farm stand at Live Earth Farm. Bring the whole family and enjoy the first organic strawberry harvest of the season. Strawberry shortcakes and mimosas sweeten the deal, with proceeds to benefit the Farm Discovery Program.

Get more info here.

Garden Tour and English Tea Luncheon

When: 5/12 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Where: St. Philip the Apostle Episcopal Church, Scotts Valley
Cost: $30 – $40 per ticket

This 16th annual garden tour is a full high tea luncheon with English favorites such as scones with jam and cream, soup, sausage rolls, finger sandwiches and sweet delights. Sign up and choose your time slot for tea. Funds raised will benefit several community causes.

Get more info here.

13 the Musical

See Description Under Friday Section

Also on Saturday

MUSIC/DANCE

THEATRE/ARTS

OUTDOORS

MORE

Keep up with us all weekend long, and see which events we’re attending, by following Santa Cruz Life on Instagram.

Sunday

We’ve sprinkled a few ways to celebrate Mother’s Day below, but for our complete roundup of brunches, shopping, and outdoor events, check out our 2018 Mother’s Day Guide.

Mother’s Day Run/Walk for Shelter

When: 5/13 from 7:00 am to 10:15 am
Where: Ramsey Park
Cost: 10K Run & 5K Run/Walk – $50 per individual, 1K Kid’s Fun Run – $25 per child

Work up your appetite for brunch and kick off Mother’s Day with a beautiful trek around Watsonville’s slough trails. This race/walk benefits Pajaro Valley Shelter Services and its mission to help families experiencing homelessness help themselves. All ages and skill levels are invited to join the fun, including families with strollers.

Get more info here.

Mother’s Day Sunday Brunch

When: 5/13 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Where: Chaminade Resort & Spa
Cost: $66.95 Adults, $18.95 Children 6-12, Under 6 dine for free (tax and gratuity additional)

Indulge mom with panoramic ocean views, sparkling champagne, and a phenomenal buffet featuring a seafood bar, omelet station, and carvery. You might want to go the extra mile and treat her with a gift certificate to the spa, too. Just saying.

Get more info here.

Downtown Santa Cruz WINE WALK – Mother’s Day Edition

When: 5/13 from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Where: Downtown Santa Cruz Info Kiosk
Cost: Advanced tickets $35 + fee; $40 Day of- check availability

Take mom out for some quality time together, strolling through downtown shops and wine tasting. Featuring wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains and Central Coast, this is a great opportunity to taste and discover mom’s new favorite and keep it stocked for visits.

Get more info here.

13 the Musical

See Description Under Friday Section

Cabrillo College’s 40th Annual Mother’s Day Plant Sale

See Description Under Saturday Section

Mother’s Day Strawberry U-Pick Community Event!

See Description Under Saturday Section

Also on Sunday

MUSIC/DANCE

THEATRE/ARTS

OUTDOORS

MORE

Upcoming Events You Don’t Want to Miss

AFF on Tour Santa Cruz

What: 5th Animal Film Festival on Tour
Where: Del Mar Theater
When: Tuesday, May 15 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Santa Cruz Animal Shelter and CAPE present the 5th Animal Film Festival Tour with a lineup of eight animal films. Spend an evening viewing the latest releases while supporting a great cause. All proceeds will benefit local animal rescue programs.

Get more info here.

Vive Oaxaca Guelaguetza

What: 13th Annual VIVE OAXACA GUELAGUETZA
Where: San Lorenzo Park (new location)
When: Sunday, May 20 at 9:00am – 5:00pm

Spend the day as if you were in Oaxaca, Mexico celebrating Guelaguetza! A fun day is planned for you to enjoy with family and friends at this 13th annual cultural festival. Featuring authentic food, dancing, music and traditional crafts. Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy the celebration. See our photos from last year’s Guelaguetza.

Get more info here.

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Valerie Lemke

Valerie Lemke is a transplant from the Bay Area to Santa Cruz County over 25 years ago, and hasn't looked back since. She is a local freelance writer and photographer who loves writing about and photographing one of the most beautiful regions in the world, the Central Coast.

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