In “The Radiant Sea,” scientists from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute bring together a lifetime of research and photography of deep-sea creatures. A book event Friday will dive into the role of light in the ocean’s depths with a presentation, demonstration, videos and a Q&A session.
Arts & Entertainment
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Santa Cruz Rehearsal Studios for sale: Changes coming for another beloved pillar of local music scene
Santa Cruz Rehearsal Studios is for sale. Its longtime owner-operators, Jenn and Paul Gallacher, hope to sell to someone who wants to keep the music rehearsal spaces on Coral Street open and continue running the business.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Hardcore punk band Drain plays surprise show at new local tattoo shop
Hidden Sun Tattoo, a new tattoo shop on Water Street in Santa Cruz, drew hundreds of hardcore fans by hosting a $10 pop-up show featuring local punk band Drain to celebrate its opening.
Posted inFood & Drink
Best of Santa Cruz County food & drink events, Jan. 9-15
Lookout food & drink correspondent Lily Belli highlights top events happening around Santa Cruz County this weekend and into next week, plus more listings from Lookout’s BOLO events calendar.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Here are Watsonville Public Library’s top checked-out books of 2025
Mysteries, manga and even crochet dominated the Watsonville Public Library’s most checked-out books in 2025, reflecting wide-ranging tastes among adult, teen and young readers.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Books about women top Santa Cruz Public Libraries’ most checked-out books in 2025
Books centered on women dominated Santa Cruz Public Libraries’ most checked-out titles in 2025, led by Kristin Hannah’s “The Women” in adult fiction and Britney Spears’ memoir “The Woman in Me” in nonfiction.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Santa Cruz County Fair searching for theme that celebrates nation’s 250th birthday
The Santa Cruz County Fair is holding a contest to select a theme for the 2026 fair.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Beyond the Super Bowl and the semiquincentennial: Your big sneak peek at 2026 entertainment events to come
You made it through a harrowing 2025 and a half-decade of challenge. Now, put aside your fears of catastrophic climate change, the collapse of American democracy, and AI data centers stretching from sea to shining sea — for just a moment — and plan some fun in the year ahead.
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Photo gallery: Looking back on 2025 through photos
Lookout staff photographer Kevin Painchaud gets a front-row view of the events, people, and food that make Santa Cruz such a unique and special place to live. He chose his favorite photos he captured in 2025.
Posted inLatest News
Newsmakers 2025: Those we lost
Santa Cruz County lost a number of prominent people in 2025, including activists, journalists, artists and academics.