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 17th annual Testicle Festival – one of my favorite agricultural events – is Saturday from 3 to 7 p.m. at Estrada Deer Camp in Watsonville. This cultural and culinary celebration raises money for Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers with a barbecue, live music, a silent auction and all-you-can-eat fried bulls testicles – aka Rocky Mountain oysters, cowboy caviar, swingin’ sirloin and a number of other wince-inducing names. I went a couple of years ago and it was a memorable experience. For the record, they taste more like calamari than chicken.
On Sunday, The Penny Ice Creamery is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a playful Hoops and Scoops birthday celebration. Everyone is welcome to show off their hula hoop skills from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Cedar Street location in downtown Santa Cruz, alongside performances and DJ music by Redwood Records. There’s even a separate “little hoopers” area for younger kiddos. No purchase necessary to join in the fun, but if you bring your own hula hoop, you get free marshmallow fluff.
Best of Santa Cruz County food and drink events, Aug. 22-28
Here are some upcoming local food and drink events you might be interested in:
Friday, Aug. 22
- Discovery Dinner: Sound Healing | 4 p.m. @ 1440 Multiversity
- Teaching Kitchen Education Dinner: Olive Oil & Wine Exploration | 4 p.m. @ 1440 Multiversity
- Circle & Square Bistro – Preview Dinner | 5 p.m. @ Circle & Square Bistro
- 2025 Event Santa Cruz Midtown Fridays Summer Block Party | 5 p.m. @ 1111 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz
Saturday, Aug. 23
- Aptos Farmers Market | 8 a.m. @ Cabrillo College
- Testicle Festival | 3 p.m. @ Estrada Deer Camp
Sunday, Aug. 24
- Sunday Brunch Buffet | 9 a.m. @ Chaminade Resort & Spa
- Farmers Market Live Oak | 9 a.m. @ East Cliff Village Shopping Center
- Sweet and Savory Focaccia Baking Workshop | 10 a.m. @ Farm Discovery at Live Earth Farm
- The Penny Ice Creamery 15th Birthday Party / Hoops & Scoops Street Festival | 1 p.m. @ The Penny Ice Creamery downtown Santa Cruz
Tuesday, Aug. 26
- Community Lunch & Learn at 1440: Sound Healing | 10 a.m. @ 1440 Multiversity
- Summer Beer Sail with Discretion Brewing | 5:30 p.m. @ Santa Cruz Harbor
Thursday, Aug. 28
- Weekly Farmstand | Noon @ Cowell Ranch Hay Barn
- Downtown Santa Cruz Sunset Market | 5 p.m. @ Lot 16 and Church Street between Cedar Street and Center Street