🎃👻🎉 A Little Fall, a Little Fright, a Lot to Do, Santa Cruz!
🍁 Happy October, Santa Cruz!
🎤 Got a song you’ve been itching to perform? Ugly Mug CoffeeHouse’s Monday Open Mic gives local talent a chance to show their stuff this evening, Monday, Oct. 5 (5-8pm) in Soquel. Share a song you’ve been working on or just grab a coffee, kick back in a cool spot and let someone else do the entertaining.
🎻 Violin loops, soaring vocals and orchestral pop fill the Rio Theatre Tues., Oct. 6 when Kishi Bashi celebrates the 10th anniversary of Sonderlust. The singer and multi-instrumentalist is known for inventive, energetic performances that build layers of sound around his violin. Geographer is the opener. Doors 7pm; show 8pm.
🤡🍿 Cotton candy takes a twisted turn Weds., Oct. 7 (7:30-10pm) when Killer Klowns from Outer Space screens at the Grove at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Watch the locally filmed cult horror comedy in the historic ballroom, with a full bar and snacks available. $18 admission includes one drink ticket. Ages 21+. Get your tix; premium seating is sold out.
🎷 From the Santa Cruz Mountains to New York jazz clubs, Ben Flocks comes home to Kuumbwa Jazz Thurs., Oct. 8 (7pm) to celebrate his new album, Moonshades. The saxophonist has played with Dave Brubeck and Patrice Rushen, and his recording of “Ebb Tide” has topped 20 million streams.
🎤 Rickie Lee Jones takes the Rio Theatre stage Thurs., Oct. 8. The singer-songwriter behind “Chuck E.’s in Love” has spent decades moving among jazz, folk, rock and pop, with a voice and phrasing unmistakably her own. Doors 7pm; show 8pm.
🐦 Fall migration gets its own celebration during the Monterey Bay Festival of Birds, Friday through Sunday, Oct. 9-11. Field trips, workshops and outings across the Monterey Bay region, including Santa Cruz County, offer something for seasoned birders and curious beginners. Some activities are full, so check availability before registering. Paid programs require a $20 festival registration fee plus applicable activity fees; free offerings are also available.
🚲🧟 “Bring your own pulse.” That’s the invitation to Santa Cruz Bike Party’s “Rave in the Grave” ride Fri., Oct. 9 (7pm), meeting at Depot Park. The destination is under wraps, but organizers promise it’ll be “loud enough to raise the dead.” There’ll be no resting in peace at this one!
🍖 My mom made a Parmesan dish with Spam (I know what you’re thinking, but it was actually delicious!). Now the folks at Indexical are taking creative liberties even further with the SPAM New Media Festival, Friday through Sunday, Oct. 9-11. The free event at the Tannery combines experimental performances with artist talks and workshops in drawing, postcard-making, collective improvisation and filmmaking. Friday and Saturday performances start at 8:30pm, with doors at 8pm; daytime activities have individual start times. RSVP through the venue calendar.
🚂🎃 Little train lovers can dress for Halloween and climb aboard with Thomas the Tank Engine and his friend Percy at Thomas and Percy’s Halloween Party, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 10-11 at Roaring Camp in Felton. It includes a 25-minute train ride, plus pumpkin decorating, magic, live music, bounce houses and other children’s activities. Event hours are 9am-5pm. Reserve a specific train departure in advance. (Note: some dates are sold out.)
📚 If your nightstand isn’t already as packed with books as mine is, you can find your next great read at the Friends of the Scotts Valley Library book sale on Saturday, Oct. 10 (10am-3pm). Browse books for children and adults, along with DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, puzzles and games. Proceeds support programs and activities at the Scotts Valley library.
🐾 If you’ve been waiting all year for your dog’s special moment, this is it! The Seacliff Village Street Fair opens with a Doggie Parade Sat., Oct. 10 (11:30am), giving your favorite attention hound an actual audience. Stick around for live music by the Steven Graves Band and The Joint Chiefs, food trucks, local vendors, crafts, ice cream and a Kids’ Corner. The free fair runs until 4pm on Broadway between Center and Santa Cruz Avenues. Better get your canine glam squad on speed dial – this is no time for a bad fur day.
🎶🏖️ An afternoon of live music and a chance to help more families get their toes in the sand? Yes, please! The 5th Annual Beach Hill Bash is Sat., Oct. 10 (1-4pm) at the Santa Cruz Hostel, 321 Main St. Enjoy music from Fishhook, local artisans, food, family activities, a raffle and silent auction. The fundraiser helps make coastal stays accessible to Central Valley students and families.
🍰 Cake and community combine at the Santa Cruz Bake & Gather Sat., Oct. 10 (1:30–4:30pm) at the Midtown Community Center. The free baking potluck welcomes neighbors to share homemade treats and meet the people who made them.
🎬🏔️ Travel from mountain trails to remote ice without leaving your seat during the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival’s Adventure Night Sat., Oct. 10 at the Rio Theatre. Six films explore adaptive mountain biking, climbing, skiing and far-flung expeditions, with proceeds supporting Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship. Doors 6pm; show 7pm. Tickets are $24.
🦋 I mean…they’ve flown all that way – the least we can do is throw them a party when they get here! That’s the idea behind the Welcome Back Monarchs Festival Sun., Oct. 11 (11am-4pm) at Natural Bridges State Beach. Live music, crafts, a parade, hand painting and information booths fill the day, with food available for purchase. A film about creating a monarch sanctuary in West Marin screens at 12:30pm. Admission is free; parking is $10.
🐦🍻 If you can easily tell a finch from a sparrow, this could be your night. If you can’t, at least there’s beer. Birds & Brews Trivia Night caps off the Monterey Bay Festival of Birds Sun., Oct. 11 (5-7pm) at Fruition Brewing in Watsonville. Teams of up to six compete for prizes, and solo players can find a team to join. Admission is free. Check-in 4:45pm; first question at 5:15pm.
🎷 If you have tickets to this sold-out show on Sun., Oct. 11 (7pm), you are in for a real treat: Yellowjackets play Kuumbwa Jazz. The longtime jazz-fusion group has earned two Grammy Awards over a career spanning more than four decades.
🎆 I’m usually pretty happy with an ocean view on its own, but add fireworks and I’ll put on another sweater and leave the house on a Sunday night. Especially if it’s for the Monte Foundation Fireworks Extravaganza Sun., Oct. 11 in Capitola. Bring a chair or blanket and arrive by 7:30pm to find a viewing spot on the beach or in surrounding areas. The free annual display supports the foundation’s fundraising for local schools and community projects.
Now that your calendar is packed once again, let’s see what’s going on in the news!
News Highlights:
Heat Advisory Extends Into Wednesday
Early Voting Begins
Highway 1 Overnight Lane Closures Begin Tuesday
Highway 9 Delays Continue Through the Valley
Santa Cruz Utility Customers Must Re-Enroll in Autopay
Cabrillo Pauses Financial Aid Payments
County Highlights Progress, Warns of Budget Trouble
Watsonville Hospital Is Running Out of Options to Stay Open
Free Workshop To Help Santa Cruz Mountains Residents Prepare For Winter
Humpback Whales Fill Monterey Bay
Plus Open Studios is Back, Psychedelic Experiences, Back-to-School for Grown-Ups, Mexican-inspired Sweet Treats, Santa Cruz is a Pizza Powerhouse, a Wine Haven in Aptos…and much more!
TOP STORIES
Heat Advisory Extends Into Wednesday
A prolonged stretch of above-average heat will continue across the Central Coast through Wednesday before cooler temperatures return by the end of the workweek.
Ballots for the November election are now in the mail, and Central Coast voters are encouraged to use drop boxes or vote in person to ensure timely processing.
Highway 1 Overnight Lane Closures Begin Tuesday
A project to construct a pedestrian overcrossing bridge at Mar Vista Drive near Aptos will result in overnight lane closures along Highway 1 starting Tues., October 6.
Highway 9 Delays Continue Through the Valley
Drivers should allow extra time for daytime and overnight one-way traffic control Monday through Friday, Oct. 5-9. Work includes bridge replacements north of Boulder Creek and pedestrian improvements in Felton, with round-the-clock traffic signals at both bridge sites.
Santa Cruz Utility Customers Must Re-Enroll in Autopay
Santa Cruz Municipal Utilities launches its new customer portal Mon., Oct. 5. Customers will receive new account numbers, need to register for the portal and re-enroll in autopay.
Cabrillo Pauses Financial Aid Payments
Cabrillo College will pause all financial aid disbursements Monday through Friday, Oct. 5-9, to complete federally required funding reconciliation. Students awaiting payments should plan for the interruption.
County Highlights Progress, Warns of Budget Trouble
Santa Cruz County’s first State of the County address highlighted progress in behavioral health and housing while warning of a projected $30 million budget shortfall next year. Officials also outlined threats from federal funding cuts and promoted Measure E, a temporary half-cent sales tax, as a bridge to help preserve services.
Watsonville Hospital Is Running Out of Options to Stay Open
Watsonville Hospital leaders say they must shutter their maternity ward or face imminent closure.
Free Workshop to Help Santa Cruz Mountains Residents Prepare for Winter
A free workshop Tues., Oct. 6 (6–9pm) at the Scotts Valley Community Center will cover private roads, drainage, erosion, wells and septic systems for mountain residents. Space is limited and registration is required.
Humpback Whales Fill Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay is seeing an increase in humpback whales, driven by plentiful anchovies and favorable weather conditions, according to experts.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Santa Cruz County’s Open Studios Art Tour celebrates its 41st year with more than 350 artists opening their creative spaces to the public over three October weekends. Christina Waters previews the free tour, from a new mobile app and expanded preview exhibitions to textile artist I.B. Bayo, whose designs made a splash at this year’s Grammys.
After an attempted microdose turns into an unexpectedly potent gym visit, Richard Stockton explores whether psychedelic experiences call for a guide or a trusted friend. His latest Altered States column considers preparation, support and the questions science has yet to answer.
Back-to-school season has something for grown-ups, too: Cabrillo Extension’s fall classes connect creativity, nature, cooking and wellness – with no grades or tests. Wellness columnist Elizabeth Borelli explores how learning something new can build confidence and offer much-needed face-to-face connection.
Elizabeth is also getting in on the teaching. Her hands-on class, Blue Zones Beans: Mouthwatering Nutritional Powerhouses, is Saturday, Oct. 10 (3–6pm) at Cabrillo. You’ll prepare and taste dishes inspired by Mediterranean and global cuisines, learn techniques for cooking dried or canned beans, and take home recipes to expand your weeknight repertoire. Cost: $143; advance registration required.
Elizabeth Ramirez and her husband, Hugo Moreles, opened Paleteria Los Freseros in Ben Lomond three months ago, serving extravagant, primarily Mexican-inspired sweet treats alongside savory snacks.
From fiery wings served as late as 4am to a case for Santa Cruz as a pizza powerhouse, this week’s Foodie File from Mark C. Anderson offers plenty to chew on. Also on the menu: the growing local vegan scene and an upcoming plant-based mac-and-cheese showdown.
Rosscienda Vineyard lies just off Freedom Boulevard in Aptos. This is where owners Doug and Jenny Ross settled after retirement. Once they built their Spanish-style dream home, they delved into the wine business.
Read your Free Will Astrology horoscope from Rob Brezsny here.
WAIT, WHAT?!🐻🐟🍽️👑
So as it turns out, even Fat Bear Week has nepo babies. This year’s winner, named Backpack, narrowly claimed the crown at Alaska’s Katmai National Park. His mom, Holly, won in 2019. The 20-year-old gentle giant earned his nickname by hitching rides on her back as a cub. Now he’s being celebrated for stuffing his face, packing on the pounds and preparing to sleep for months. Has this been a career choice all along, and I’m just learning about it now?!