Photo courtesy of @jlwxthomas
Hummingbirds, salamanders, and The Beatles…oh my! This weekend takes family-oriented fun to a new level.
Rain is expected, so be sure to check with venues holding outdoor events.
See our picks for the top events each day this weekend:
Friday
San Lorenzo Valley High School Presents: “Crazy for You”
When: 3/4 – 3/5 at 7:00 pm, 3/6 at 2:00 pm
Where: San Lorenzo Valley High School Performing Arts Center
Cost: $15 general, $12 students and seniors
A big-time 1930s NYC banker is sent to foreclose a small-town Nevada theater, but he ends up falling for the proprietor’s daughter and sets out on a mission to save the venue. If you like Gershwin tunes and lively dancing, this one’s for you.
Making Waves: Art and Science Evening
When: 3/4 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Where: Monterey Bay Sanctuary Exploration Center
Cost: Free
If you want to expose your kids to science, art, and our local environment, this is a great opportunity to do so. Making Waves will include woodblock printing, surf movies and a bar.
Rumi on Stage
When: 3/4 – 3/5 at 8:00 pm, 3/6 at 2:00 pm
Where: Center Stage Theater
Cost: $20
Rumi lived in the 1300s, but he has been the most widely read poet in America in the last few decades. See his words and wisdom come to life in this theatrical event, which will include singing, dancing, acting, puppets, and more.
Also on Friday
- Skizzy Mars @ The Catalyst
- Black Tiger Sex Machine @ The Catalyst
- Joe Ferrara @ Shadowbrook Restaurant
- Kimock @ Kuumbwa Jazz Center
- Mustache Harbor @ Don Quixote’s
- The D’oh Bros @ The Crow’s Nest
- The English Beat @ Moe’s Alley SOLD OUT
- Arann Harris and the Farm Band, Abalone Grey @ Crepe Place
- My Mom’s Mole @ POPUP
- Watsonville Farmers Market @ Downtown Watsonville
- First Friday Santa Cruz @ Downtown Santa Cruz
- Free First Friday @ Santa Cruz MAH
- YoniVerse Monologues @ 418 Project
- Marqués: a narco-Macbeth @ UCSC Experimental Theater
- Bitch n’ Stitch @ Tannery Arts Center
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
Hummingbird Days
When: 3/5 – 3/6 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Where: UCSC Arboretum
Cost: $10 Public, $5 Members, Free: UCSC students & children under 17
Experience hummingbirds like never before at the UCSC Arboretum, where participants can observe the courtship process, learn more about how hummingbirds live, and enjoy their beautiful song.
DIYine: A Celebration of Homebrewing
When: 3/5 from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Where: Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
Cost: $20-$50 in advance, minimum $25 at the door
For the folks at the Santa Cruz Fruit Tree Project, homebrewing is about a lot more than beer. Everything from pear cider to loquat amoretto will be on tap at this extensive showcase featuring homemade concoctions made with surplus fruit from the backyard harvest program. Proceeds will benefit the Santa Cruz Fruit Tree Project.
Salamander Saturday
When: 3/5 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Where: Rancho del Oso Nature & History Center
Cost: Free
Just a short and beautiful drive up Highway 1 and you can join the folks at Rancho del Oso for live salamander viewing, family-friendly activities & crafts, a lecture by Herpetologist Amy Patten, and a ranger-led salamander hike.
John Craigie with Sam Chase
When: 3/5 at 7:30 pm
Where: Kuumbwa Jazz Center
Cost: General Admission $25.00 (advance) Gold Circle $32.00 (advance)
John Cragie and Sam Chase are both frequently touring folk musicians whose song topics range from modern love to social commentary. The two will transcend on the Kuumbwa this Saturday night before hitting the road again.
San Lorenzo Valley High School Presents: “Crazy for You”
See Description Under Friday Section
Rumi on Stage
See Description Under Friday Section
Also on Saturday
- The Dead Kennedys @ The Catalyst
- Claudio Melega @ Shadowbrook Restaurant
- First Saturday Busker Fest @ Downtown Santa Cruz
- Dack Janiels, with Alphabit, Sudden Death @ The Catalyst
- The Kreutzer Sonata: Beethoven, the Tolstoys and Posterity: A Music-Theater Piece @ Christ Lutheran Church
- Stu Allen & Mars Hotel Grateful Dead Tribute @ Don Quixote’s
- Joint Chiefs @ The Crow’s Nest
- Katdelic @ Moe’s Alley
- The Shapes @ Crepe Place
- Sons of the Outlaws @ Rio Theatre
- Girls Rock Ride @ Ibis Cycles
- Aptos Farmers Markets @ Cabrillo College
- Westside Farmers Market @ Western Dr. & Mission
- Pop Up Museum on “Healing and Recovery” at Fire In The Heart @ Cabrillo College Crocker Theater
- Free Flat Fixing Class @ Spokesman Bicycles
- Animal Shelter Relief Rescue Adoption Fair @ PetSmart
- Opening Reception- Art From Our Attics- Fundraiser @ Santa Cruz Art League
- MESA Day @ Jack Baskin Engineering
- Peery Park Habitat Restoration Project @ Peery Park
- Marqués: a narco-Macbeth @ UCSC Experimental Theater
Keep up with us all weekend long, and see which events we’re attending, by following Santa Cruz Life on Instagram.Sunday
The Hidden Gems Film Club
When: 3/6 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Where: Santa Cruz Public Library – Downtwon Branch
Cost: Free
The Hidden Gems shows foreign films, documentaries, and the occasional box office hit you might have missed. This weekend’s double feature includes two Spanish language films with English subtitles, “Lonche” and “Sleep Dealer.” Bring your own lunch and settle into a great afternoon and discussion after the movies.
Santa Cruz Symphony Family Concert: Beethoven and the Beatles
When: 3/6 at 2:00 pm
Where: Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium
Cost: $8 – $12
The Fab Four and The Master will collide in a humorous and exciting style at the Civic Auditorium this Sunday. If you have a student musician, make sure they bring their instrument, as they will be asked to join in on a 35 second excerpt of “Ode to Joy.”
Family Barn Dance
When: 3/6 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Where: The Discovery Learning Center of Santa Cruz
Cost: $5 – $20 sliding scale donation per family
A traditional barn dance, minus the barn, will get the whole family up and stomping their feet. No experience necessary, just follow the dance caller’s simple instructions and enjoy lively folk tunes from the Hey!Makers.
San Lorenzo Valley High School Presents: “Crazy for You”
See Description Under Friday Section
Rumi on Stage
See Description Under Friday Section
Hummingbird Days
See Description Under Saturday Section
Also on Sunday
- Solo Piano Recital with Sarah Cahill @ Peace United Church
- BOLO, Fattah & Mohamed (Aza), Storytelling by Sirena Andrea @ Kuumbwa Jazz
- Larry June @ The Catalyst Atrium
- California Beach Boys @ Don Quixote’s
- Pierre Bensusan @ Don Quixote’s
- The Kreutzer Sonata: Beethoven, the Tolstoys and Posterity: A Music-Theater Piece @ Christ Lutheran Church
- Barn Dance in Wilder @ Wilder Ranch State Park
- Live Comedy @ The Crow’s Nest
- Free First Sunday Sound Meditation @ Mountain Spirit
- Sunday Seaside Crafts @ Seymour Marine Discovery Center
- Marqués: a narco-Macbeth @ UCSC Experimental Theater
- Cleanup Cowell’s Project @ Cowell Beach
- Monthly XStream Beach Cleanup @ Davenport Main beach
- Live Oak Farmers Market @ 15th & Eastcliff Dr.
Featured Upcoming Event
Mark your calendar…you’re in for an exciting night with the Santa Cruz Derby Girls, as usual!
What: Boardwalk Bombshells vs. Oakland Outlaws
Where: Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium
When: Saturday, March 12
PS – Get coverage of the best Santa Cruz events and other Santa Cruz Life content delivered straight to your inbox by signing up below…
The link above that you have for the
Peery Park Habitat Restoration Project @ Peery Park
does not work.
Just so you are aware for the future.
Love this list!!!
Hi Diana,
Thank you for letting us know about that link. It appears that website is having a technical issue. I would advise contacting the City of Capitola if you would like more information.
So glad you love this list. Have a great weekend!