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.
Collective Santa Cruz’s sweetest festival is back for a second year bigger, better and more Wonka-like. Sweet Home Santa Cruz, a dessert festival celebrating treats of all kinds, returns to Humble Sea Brewing Co. in Santa Cruz this Saturday and Sunday, with more than two dozen local vendors, food pop-ups and artists, plus a jam-packed lineup of live entertainment including a silent disco, yoga and live music. I’ll take the stage on Saturday with local food influencer Double Meat Please while chef Jessica Yarr of The Grove Bakery & Cafe in Felton does a live baking demonstration on how to make her famous chocolate chip cookies. Tickets are $20 per day, with discounts for two-day passes, kids and seniors.
Although the festival won’t return to Capitola Village until mid-September, the annual Capitola Art & Wine Kickoff Party is Friday night at Bargetto Winery in Soquel. The main event at this Venetian Carnival-themed party is the unveiling of the festival poster, this year created by artist Sabrina Aramburu. Guests can also taste wine from festival wineries, bid on a silent auction with donations from festival artists and local businesses, and enjoy an Italian dinner by L’Appetito Wood-Fired Pizza. Tickets are $70.
Friday, May 31
- Midtown Fridays block party | 5 – 8:30 p.m. @ 1111 Soquel Ave.
- Wholesum Wellness Tempeh Taco Pop-Up | 5 – 9 p.m. @ Honey B Market | $17
- Capitola Art & Wine Kickoff Party | 6 – 9 p.m. @ Bargetto Winery | $70
- Chardonnay II Winemaker Charter with Alfaro Family Vineyards | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. @ Santa Cruz Harbor | $82
Saturday, June 1
- Sweet Home Santa Cruz | Noon – 5 p.m. @ Humble Sea Brewing Co. | $20
- Watsonville Wine, Beer and Art Walk | 1 – 5 p.m. @ downtown Watsonville | $45
- Outstanding in the Field | 4 – 7 p.m. @ Everett Family Farm | $385
Sunday, June 2
- Sweet Home Santa Cruz | Noon – 5 p.m. @ Humble Sea Brewing Co. | $20
- Tempeh Workshop | 4 – 6 p.m. @ Honey B Market | $50
Wednesday, June 5
- Summer Tiki Cocktail Class | 5:30 – 7 p.m. @ Venus Spirits Tasting Room | $60
Thursday, June 6
- Outstanding in the Field at Secret Sea Cove | 3 – 6 p.m. @ Davenport | $425
- Throwback Thursday | 4 – 9 p.m. @ Big Basin Vineyards tasting room