This weekend brings the opportunity to see a rap legend in concert, hear some of Cabrillo’s finest jazz musicians, and hit several different local craft fairs.
See our picks for the top events each day this weekend:
Holiday Events in Santa Cruz
Holiday Event Guide
Catch every holiday event in Santa Cruz County this month with our Santa Cruz Holiday Event Guide.
Holiday Craft Fairs & Shopping Events
There are dozens of local craft fairs and shopping events in Santa Cruz County, many of which take place this weekend. You’ll find them all here.
Friday
Snoop Dogg
When: 12/11 at 9:00 pm
Where: The Catalyst
Cost: $40.00 – $80.00
Rap trends come and go, but Snoop Dogg has been a cultural mainstay for over twenty years now. You can catch this legend, along with a few of his friends, right here in Santa Cuz this weekend.
Cabrillo Jazz Series
When: 12/11 – 12/12
Where: Cabrillo Crocker Theater
Cost: $10 or 2 -Day Festival Pass $22.00
Whether you favor big band style jazz, chamber ensembles, or Latin jazz combos, this weekend’s Cabrillo Jazz Series installments will have something for you to enjoy.
Beach Market Tree Lighting
When: 12/11 at 6:00 pm
Where: Crow’s Nest Beach Market
Cost: Free
Take a picture with Santa and the Mrs., enjoy some great live music and welcome in the holiday season at the Crow’s Nest’s annual tree lighting. It’s holiday cheer, Surf City-style.
59th Annual Dad’s Club Basketball Tournament
When: 12/10 – 12/12 from 3:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Where: Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium
Cost: Check with event
This tournament has been giving local fathers the chance to lace up their athletic shoes and show off their prowess on the court since 1956. Come out to the Civic Auditorium to show the father in your life some support.
Also on Friday
- John Brown’s Body @ The Catalyst
- The Fab Four: The Ultimate Beatles Tribute @ Rio Theatre
- The Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit
plus The Harmed Brothers @ Don Quixote’s - Inspector + La Castañeda @ Moe’s Alley
- The Fighting Murrays, Pyromids @ The Crepe Place
- Ka Nalu Hawaiian Band @ Pono Hawaiian Grill
- Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks @ Kuumbwa Jazz Center
- The Last Noel @ Mountain Community Theater
- Dreams into Motion: Monthly Performance Cafe @ 418 Project
- Midnight Movie: Rear Window @ Del Mar Theater
- Mi Casa Es Tu Casa 2015 – A Celebration of Dia de los Muertos @ Pajaro Valley Arts Council
- Ageless Art Exhibit @ Scotts Valley Library
- Toy Trains @ the MAH
- Pours & Tours @ Annieglass
- Strike Out Hunger and Bowl for Free! @ Boardwalk Bowl
- A Stellar Experience — Star Gazing at Quail Hollow Ranch @ Quail Hollow Ranch
- Tours of the Monarch Butterfly Grove @ Natural Bridges State Beach
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Met Opera: The Magic Flute at the Regal Santa Cruz 9
When: 12/12 12:55 pm
Where: Regal Santa Cruz 9
Cost: Starts at $16.80
The Mozart opera The Magic Flute tells the story of a princess in distress, a brave soldier, and quite a few plot twists. Thanks to the Regal’s Met simulcast, you don’t even need to leave town to enjoy it.
WinterFest and Downtown SANTA Cruise 2015
When: 12/12 from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Where: Downtown Santa Cruz
Cost: Free
Downtown Santa Cruz will become a winter festival compete with carolers and musicians along Pacific Avenue. Visit local merchants for Open House activities, including crafts and treats, then stick around for the inaugural Downtown SANTA Cruise to participate in real-time fun-and-games throughout the evening.
Holidays on the Ranch
When: 12/12 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
Where: Wilder Ranch State Park
Cost: $10 for Parking
Celebrate the holidays like it’s 1815 with wagon rides, wreath and candle making, living history demonstrations and much more at Wilder Ranch. This is a great weekend outing for the whole family.
Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández: A Merri-Achi Christmas
When: 12/12 at 7:30 pm
Where: Rio Theatre
Cost: $15 – $45
José Hernández’s family has been playing Mariachi music for five generations, but José will put his own seasonal spin on the genre this Saturday night. Celebrate Latin culture and the upcoming holidays at this celebratory concert.
Cabrillo Jazz Series
See description under Friday Section
59th Annual Dad’s Club Basketball Tournament
See description under Friday Section
Also on Saturday
- Sin Sisters Burlesque @ The Catalyst
- Nahko and Medicine for the People @ The Catalyst
- Cantiamo! Concert for a Winter’s Eve @ Holy Cross Church
- Irish Christmas in America @ Kuumbwa Jazz Center
- Live Harp Music by Weaving Songs @ Hidden Peak Teahouse
- Melvin Seals & The Spirt of 76 plus David Gans @ Don Quixote’s
- The Leftovers @ The Crow’s Nest
- THE ITALS + Blazeen @ Moe’s Alley
- Mylo Jenkins: A Merry Mylo Christmas @ The Crepe Place
- The Last Noel @ Mountain Community Theater
- Mi Casa Es Tu Casa 2015 – A Celebration of Dia de los Muertos @ Pajaro Valley Arts Council
- “Small Works in a Great Space”- Countywide Artists @ Santa Cruz Art League
- Ageless Art Exhibit @ Scotts Valley Library
- Santa Cruz Holiday Lights Train @ Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
- Victorian Carriage Rides @ Downtown Santa Cruz
- Breakfast with Santa @ Chaminade Resort & Spa
- Toy Trains @ the MAH
- 2nd Saturday on the Farm @ Agricultural History Project
- Animal Shelter Relief Rescue Adoption Fair @ PetSmart
- Tours of the Monarch Butterfly Grove @ Natural Bridges State Beach
- Pours & Tours @ Annieglass
- Strike Out Hunger and Bowl for Free! @ Boardwalk Bowl
Keep up with us all weekend long, and see which events we’re attending, by following Santa Cruz Life on Instagram.Sunday
Jingle Shells Arts & Crafts Festival
When: 12/13 from 12:00 noon to 5:30 pm, followed by whale lighting
Where: Seymour Center
Cost: $6 adults, $4 kids
You’ve heard of holiday tree lightings, but are you ready for a whale lighting? After an afternoon of shopping ocean and nature-inspired gifts, gather ’round Ms. Blue, the largest displayed whale skeleton in the world, for a group sing along of Jingle Shells.
Gabriella’s Snow Day
When: 12/13 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Where: Sky Park, Scotts Valley
Cost: $10 donation
The 4th annual Gabriella’s Snow Day charity event benefits Team G Childhood Cancer Foundation’s mission of supporting newly diagnosed families of childhood cancer. Enjoy a fun day in the snow with your family while raising funds for research and awareness for pediatric cancer.
Also on Sunday
- Voodoo Glow Skulls @ The Catalyst
- Banjo Babes @ Don Quixote’s
- The Doubleclicks, Sammus @ The Crepe Place
- Joni Morris and The After Midnight Band @ Rio Theatre
- Mad Scientist Experiments @ Quail Hollow Ranch
- Sunday Seaside Crafts @ Seymour Center
- Toy Trains @ the MAH
- City of Watsonville Nature Walks @ Watsonville Nature Center
- Tours of the Monarch Butterfly Grove @ Natural Bridges State Beach
- Santa Cruz Holiday Lights Train @ Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
- Victorian Carriage Rides @ Downtown Santa Cruz
- Downtown Santa Cruz Antique Street Faire @ Lincoln Street (between Pacific & Cedar)
- Mi Casa Es Tu Casa 2015 – A Celebration of Dia de los Muertos @ Pajaro Valley Arts Council
- Pours & Tours @ Annieglass
- Strike Out Hunger and Bowl for Free! @ Boardwalk Bowl
Featured Upcoming Event
Free Admission at the Monterey Bay Aquarium
Let the Monterey Bay Aquarium treat you this holiday season! Free admission for Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito County residents ends this Sunday, December 13. Be sure to check out the newest exhibit Tentacles: The Astounding Lives of Octopuses, Squid and Cuttlefishes.
What: Community Open House
Where: Monterey Bay Aquarium
When: Now through Sunday, December 13
Cost: Free!
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