This weekend celebrates the flourishing fall season and Santa Cruz arts, from a rooftop balcony autumn affair to a free choreographed dance show in an unlikely place. And don’t forget it’s the final Encore Weekend for the Open Studios Art Tour.
Live performances abound! Stand up comedy at the Rio, aerial arts, and a CD release party for a local singing legend.
Plus, celebrate the fall harvest 1800’s style at the Wilder Ranch Heritage Harvest Festival complete with harvest time activities and pumpkin ice cream.
See our picks for the top events each day this weekend:
Friday
Paint Night and Fundraiser
When: 10/14 from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Where: Aerial Arts Santa Cruz Studio
Cost: $25 – $60
Explore your creative side by learning how to paint amongst a group of Santa Cruz business entrepreneurs as part of the Women’s Network Alliance Fundraiser. Bring the whole family for appetizers, drinks, aerial performances and raffles prizes. Funds raised go to local charity, Siena House, which provides support for pregnant women in need.
Looking Left Dance Performance presented by Motion Pacific Dance
When: 10/14 – 10/15 at 7:00 pm
Where: City of Santa Cruz – City Hall
Cost: Free
This unique dance event focuses on site specific performances in unlikely places over two days. Outstanding local choreographers will present their art in and around the grounds of Santa Cruz’s historic City Hall, making for an unexpected and thrilling experience. Featured youth companies include Motion Pacific Teen Co, Artists in Motion, the Kirby Dance Company, and Tannery World Dance & Cultural Center’s Teen Company.
Also on Friday
- Shakedown Street Grateful Dead Tribute from The Rocky Mountains @ Don Quixote’s
- Isaac and the Haze @ Crow’s Nest
- Poorman’s Whiskey + Dead Winter Carpenters @ Moe’s Alley
- Free Radio Santa Cruz Benefit Show @ The Crepe Place
- Survive @ The Catalyst
- Hot Fuse @ Severino’s
- Bleu Future: Bearhugs, Necronomijohn, Ancient Boy @ The Blue Lagoon
- Catherine Russell @ Kuumbwa Jazz Center
- Collie Buddz @ The Catalyst
- Joe Ferrara @ Shadowbrook Restaurant
- Contra Dance @ Live Oak Grange
- bash: latterday plays @ Broadway Playhouse
- Argentine Tango Dancing @ Tannery World Dance & Cultural Center
- Beginning Adult Flamenco @ International Academy of Dance
- Off The Block Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting @ Capitola Mercantile in Capitola Village
- Community Free Day @ Seymour Marine Discovery Center
- Wine & Watercolor @ New Leaf Community Market-Westside
- Watsonville Farmers Market @ Downtown Watsonville
- Artisan Food Market at Food Lounge @ The Food Lounge
- Watsonville Queer Youth Meet-up @ First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
- Simple Life Instructions: Dada at Radius @ Radius Gallery
- Santa Cruz CORE Fitness + Rehab Semi-Private Training Core @ Santa Cruz CORE Fitness + Rehab
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An Autumn Affair: Evening on the Rooftop to Benefit Salud y Carino
When: 10/15 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Where: Community Foundation Santa Cruz County
Cost: $50/per person or $350/table of 8
Enjoy live music, dinner catered by Ella’s at the Airport and The Salad Shoppe, and a silent auction with great items from local businesses. Your support goes toward funding Salud y Cariño, a free after school group for middle school girls in Live Oak.
Rummage Sale by Omega Nu
When: 10/15 from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm / 10/16 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
Where: Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium
Cost: Free Admission
Who doesn’t love a good deal?! The Omega Nu Rummage sale is your chance to find amazing bargains on clothes, shoes, jewelry furniture and more! There’s always some treasures to find here, and perhaps inspiration for this year’s Halloween costume? Proceeds help support local charities, so you can spend with a clear conscious.
The Market Santa Cruz
When: 10/15 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Where: Garfield Park Community Church
Cost: Free entry
Third Saturdays of the month just got more fun. A new monthly community market makes its debut this weekend at Garfield Park Community Church aka the Circle Church. Cruise on over to the Westside for gourmet eats by Saucy’s Food Truck and G’s Tacos, live music, and upscale goods by local artists and entrepreneurs.
Heritage Harvest Festival
When: 10/15 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Where: Wilder Ranch State Park
Cost: Free
It wouldn’t quite be fall without a Harvest Festival. Bring the whole family to tour the Wilder Ranch grounds and participate in nineteenth century harvest-time activities. Expect all other standard harvest festival goodies as well, including pumpkin and apple flavored treats, tractors, draft horses, live music, and crafts. A fun event sure to get you in the autumn mood.
Open Studios Art Tour Encore Weekend
When: 10/15 – 10/16 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Where: Various locations
Cost: Free
If you missed the first two weeks of the Open Studios Art Tour, now is the time to catch up. Plan your own self-guided tour or follow the green signs around town and explore creativity throughout all of Santa Cruz County. The final weekend of Open Studios Art tour includes both North and South County so start plotting your plan of attack now because there’s a lot of amazing Santa Cruz art to discover.
We Are Californian Grown Warehouse Sale
When: 10/15 11:00 am to sunset
Where: 111 Dubois St.
Cost: Free entry
The Californian apparel company based out of Santa Cruz is having a warehouse sale featuring new hats, hoodys, and shirts. Shop to live music from Coast Tribe and Santa Cruz Cypher Sessions, and enjoy food from El Sachichero served by Left Coast Sausage Worx and beer from Santa Cruz Ale Works. All food and beer donations benefit the Santa Cruz Boys and Girls Club.
Looking Left Dance Performance presented by Motion Pacific Dance
See Description Under Friday Section
Also on Saturday
- Spare Change Music Festival @ San Lorenzo Park
- Joyride and Chick Jagger Party at the Roadhouse! @ Henfling’s Firehouse Tavern
- Heartless The Premier Heart Tribute
plus Rebel Rebel A Tribute to David Bowie @ Don Quixote’s - Room 9 @ Crow’s Nest
- The Coffis Brothers @ Moe’s Alley
- The Oilies, Zayante Social Club, Dairy Queen @ The Crepe Place
- The 3rd Annual Santa Cruz Comedy Festival @ Kuumbwa Jazz Center
- Native Plant Sale – Santa Cruz County CNPS @ UCSC Arboretum
- Ugly Beauty plays beautiful Jazz @ Davenport Roadhouse Restaurant & Inn
- Claudio Melega in the Rockroom Lounge @ Shadowbrook Restaurant
- The Dwarves @ The Catalyst
- Patio Acoustic’s with Bret Fowler @ Severino’s
- Tsunami @ Severino’s
- Screenagers @ Rio Theatre
- bash: latterday plays @ Broadway Playhouse
- 46th Annual Santa Cruz Band Review @ Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
- Aptos Farmers Markets @ Aptos Farmers’ Market
- Scotts Valley Farmers Market @ Scotts Valley Farmers’ Market
- Westside Farmers Market @ Westside Farmers’ Market
- UC Santa Cruz Arboretum Fall Plant Sale @ UC Santa Cruz Arboretum
- Pacific Elementary School’s Farm-to-Table Dinner @ Green Oaks Creek Farm
- Final Biergarten of the Season @ Food Lounge
- United Nations Association Festival @ Downtown Santa Cruz (Pacific Ave./Cooper St.)
- Thriller Dance Class @ Louden Nelson Community Center
- Animal Shelter Relief Rescue Adoption Fair! @ PetSmart
- BirchBark Foundation @ Surf City Coffee Company
- Santa Cruz LGBTQ Youth Meet-up @ Diversity Center
- Simple Life Instructions: Dada at Radius @ Radius Gallery
- Santa Cruz CORE Fitness + Rehab Semi-Private Training Core @ Santa Cruz CORE Fitness + Rehab
- Basket Making Workshop @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Meteor Trail Hike @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Redwood Loop Walk @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Guided Redwood Grove Walk @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Picnic at the Park: Redwoods, Ranchos and Rebirth @ The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park
Keep up with us all weekend long, and see which events we’re attending, by following Santa Cruz Life on Instagram.Sunday
Ian Harris “ExtraOrdinary” TV Taping!
When: 10/16 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Where: Rio Theatre
Cost: $12
Local comedian Ian Harris has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Comedy Central and his own TV special “Critical & Thinking.” He returns to Santa Cruz to tape his second television special “ExtraOrdinary,” at the Rio Theatre as part of the Santa Cruz Comedy Festival. All profits from ticket sales are donated to Camp Quest West Kids Summer Camp.
Joe Ferrara’s Life Songs & Life Stories
When: 10/16 at 5:00 pm
Where: Kuumbwa Jazz Center
Cost: $10
Joe Ferrara is a well known name around the Santa Cruz music scene. He has been performing at local venues for 40 years and plays regular gigs at Shadowbrook and has even performed the National Anthem at least once a year since 1983 at San Francisco Giants games. This event celebrates his 40th anniversary in entertainment and is a release party for his new CD, Colors of the Wind. If you haven’t seen Joe perform live yet, then now is the time to experience his robust voice and beautiful guitar playing.
Rummage Sale by Omega Nu
See Description Under Saturday Section
Open Studios Art Tour Encore Weekend
See Description Under Saturday Section
Also on Sunday
- Pianist Gwhyneth Chen performs Stravinsky’s Petroushka Suite, Chopin and Bach @ Peace United Church of Christ, Santa Cruz
- Austin Lounge Lizards @ Don Quixote’s
- Live Comedy @ Crow’s Nest
- FELABRATION featuring Seed & Soil + Lagos Roots @ Moe’s Alley
- Open Bluegrass Jam @ The Crepe Place
- Scary Little Friends, Dan Juan, Norton Money @ The Crepe Place
- Hundredth @ The Catalyst
- Ringworm @ The Catalyst
- The Box @ The Blue Lagoon
- Rich & The Rhythm Roustabouts at Swing Set Lounge @ Pacific Arts Complex
- The 3rd Annual Santa Cruz Comedy Festival @ Kuumbwa Jazz Center
- October Print Sale @ Home/Work
- Santa Cruz CORE Fitness + Rehab Semi-Private Training Recovery @ Santa Cruz CORE Fitness + Rehab
- Fall Pottery Sale @ Clay Creation
- Free Hugs! @ New Leaf Community Markets
- Corralitos Farm and Garden Market @ Corralitos Cultural Center
- Simple Life Instructions: Dada at Radius @ Radius Gallery
- Science Sunday @ Seymour Marine Discovery Center
- Hike to Buzzard’s Roost @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Wildflower Walk! @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Creeping Forest Ramble @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Redwood Loop Walk @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Sunday Seaside Crafts @ Seymour Marine Discovery Center
- Small Worlds: MicroBioblitz & Tardigrades @ Quail Hollow Ranch
- Bi-Monthly Cleanup Cowells Project @ Cowell Beach
Featured Upcoming Event
What: Community Meetings
Where: 10 library branches
When: October 19 – November 10, 2016
Following the approval of Measure S and as part of their strategic planning process, each of Santa Cruz Public Libraries’ ten physical branches is hosting a roundtable conversation to gain input from the community. Whether you use your local library or not, you’re invited to share your thoughts at any of the meetings happening October 19 – November 10.
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