Here, find a curated list of the best food and drink events in Santa Cruz County for the coming week. At the top, I share my picks of unmissable local happenings.
The Cabrillo College Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management program’s annual Dare to Pair event is back this Saturday at the Sesnon House, and it’s bigger than ever. Rebranded as The Perfect Pair, this all-day event kicks off with two back-to-back, in-depth wine-tasting classes with Deborah Parker Wong, the director of wine studies at Cabrillo: a sensory masterclass followed by a guided tasting through wines from the local region. The main event takes place in the afternoon, when the culinary students showcase a special food and wine pairing with Santa Cruz Mountains wineries and attendees vote on their favorite pairs. All-inclusive tickets are $140, and individual tickets are available for either the pairing ($90) or the classes ($35 each).
The Pleasure Point Sip and Stroll returns this Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. The name says it all – cruise the cute shops in the trendy Pleasure Point neighborhood while tasting wine and beer from 13 local vendors, including Birichino winery, Discretion Brewing and Living Swell Kombucha. Tickets are $40 per person. This event is 21 and over.
Friday, April 26
- Food Truck Friday season kickoff | 5 – 8 p.m. @ Scotts Valley Skypark
- Winemaker dinner with Colectivo Felix | 6 – 9 p.m. @ Silver Mountain Vineyards | $195
- Beer with Friends: Fruition Brewing x Lupulo | 6 – 9 p.m. @ Lupulo
Saturday, April 27
- UC Santa Cruz spring plant sale | 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. @ Cowell Ranch Hay Barn
- The Perfect Pair – A Cabrillo Culinary and Wine Showcase | 10:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. @ Sesnon House | $35-140
- It’s Not Too Late to Grow a Bountiful Garden from Seed | 10:30 a.m. – noon @ Felton Branch Library
- Pleasure Point Sip and Stroll | Noon – 5 p.m. @ Pleasure Point | $40-45
- Vegan Day at Santa Cruz Cider Co. | Noon – 6 p.m. @ Santa Cruz Cider Co.
- Gold Fever Dinner | 6 – 9 p.m. @ San Lorenzo Valley History Museum | $130
Sunday, April 28
- Workshop: Designing the Perfect Vegetable Garden | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. @ Love Apple Farms | $69
- UC Santa Cruz spring plant sale | 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. @ Cowell Ranch Hay Barn
- Wine class with the Domaine du Marcoux | 1 – 3 p.m. @ Mentone | $80
- Blue House Vineyard Merlot Party | 1 -5 p.m. @ Aptos Vineyard tasting room | $45
- Transform your Plate! A Six-Step Mediterranean Makeover Workshop | 3 – 4:30 p.m. @ Breath+Oneness Yoga | $20-35
- Lester Estate Wine Dinner | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. @ Persephone Restaurant | $175
Thursday, May 2
- GRK Cooking Class Series: Seasonal Galettes | 4 – 6 p.m. @ Golden Roots Kitchen | $65