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GO TO THIS: GLOW HARD MUSHROOM MAGIC
The Extra Tasty Tour’s delicious food-focused event series has been one of the best parts of summer. Organizers Jalen Horne and Kendall Denike – the two heads who make up local event company Collective Santa Cruz – continue to outdo themselves with each monthly event. Every festival is focused around a different element of taste, starting with Sweet Home Santa Cruz in May, followed by the coffee-focused Bitter Buzz Block Party in June and July’s Sour Jam Summer Slam alongside Santa Cruz Skateboards.
On Saturday, they’ve moving into the mountains for Glow Hard: Mushroom Magic, celebrating the most psychedelic of the five tastes: umami. This event takes place at three locations. Felton tavern Emerald Mallard is hosting a special ramen night, and The Grove Cafe and Bakery is hosting two seatings for a Shroomami Dinner, a plant-based feast created with Far West Fungi.
The main event is held at 8 p.m. at Felton Music Hall with a bouquet of local vendors, artists and performers. Bedecked in fluorescent black lights, the lineup of entertainment includes a fairy circus act, a drag variety show, glow-in-the-dark body art, two DJ sets and more. Classy Trash cocktails is taking over the bar, while vegetarian fast-food joint Pretty Good Advice is offering a pop-up menu.
I don’t think I can oversell these events – they are an absolute blast, and totally immersive.
P.S. Save the date for the final “salty” event on Sept. 27 in Santa Cruz.
BEST OF THE WEEK AHEAD
Below, 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.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
ICYMI – here are food news stories from Lookout you might have missed.
- Ribbon cut at La Bahia: Santa Cruz’s most opulent hotel set to welcome guests Sept. 8 (Lookout)
- Chefs bring punk rock energy, wood-fired dishes to Death Box pop-up in former Alderwood (Lookout)
- ‘We don’t see those benefits’: Verve faces employee pushback over 5% health benefits fee (Lookout)
- Two acclaimed sommeliers open laid-back Capitola wine bar Vin Vivant (Lookout)
