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Santa Cruz officials get tough on downtown vacancies, approve a stimulus measure
The Santa Cruz City Council is taking action to address long-vacant downtown storefronts with the proposed Downtown Vibrancy Ordinance requiring upkeep plans, local management and city coordination. The broader resolution aims to boost downtown vitality through alleyway activation and business support. Continue reading…
A brew hope: Santa Cruz homebrew culture bubbles to life with return of community festival
More than 200 people gathered Saturday night at the Veterans Memorial Building for the revival of DIYine, a beloved homebrewing festival showcasing everything from prickly pear cider to blueberry mead and lemon wine. It was Santa Cruz County’s first major homebrew event in over five years, marking a revival of the local homebrewing scene after years of disruption from the pandemic, wildfires and business closures. Continue reading…
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Pajaro Valley chamber’s 2025 honorees, Paystand’s new tariff features, downtown changes afoot
Jess Brown of the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau and Laura Owen of Santa Cruz Community Credit Union are among those being honored by the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce, Jessica M. Pasko reports in her weekly survey of local business, which also includes a tech company helping navigate tariffs and downtown Santa Cruz development. Continue reading…
Santa Cruz County housing market sees big jump in March despite economic concerns
Santa Cruz County’s housing market took a typical jump in March as spring draws closer, but economic fears are still at the forefront of buyers’, agents’ and advisers’ minds as stock markets remain unpredictable. Many prospective buyers can still enter the market now, but even experts are not sure how things will play out as the year goes on. Continue reading…
Drunk driver flips car over a fence, off a 10-foot ledge and into Chestnut Street building
A driver who told police he had been drinking suffered non-life-threatening injuries Monday night after driving through a fence off Mission Street and ending up in the back of a building on Chestnut Street in downtown Santa Cruz. Continue reading…
Watsonville Earth Day celebration highlights disaster preparedness
UC Santa Cruz research focused on the wildland-urban interface and disaster resilience and preparedness will be on interactive display Sunday as Watsonville celebrates Earth Day at its downtown plaza. Continue reading…
Best of Santa Cruz County events, April 25-27
Here are some events you may be interested in this weekend:
Friday, Apr. 25
- Guided Coastal Birding Walk at Wilder Ranch | 9 a.m. @ Wilder Ranch State Park | Free
- Yoga in Nature | 10 a.m. @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Repeats once more on May. 2
- Community of Digital Artists Members’ Exhibition 2025 | 1 p.m. @ r.blitzer gallery
Repeats once more on Apr. 26
- Youth Birding Workshop | 2 p.m. @ La Selva Beach Branch Library
- Food Truck Friday-April Kick off | 4 p.m. @ Skypark
- Food Truck Friday – July | 5 p.m. @ Skypark
- Rasquache Liberation Front Live at El Vaquero | 5 p.m. @ El Vaquero Winery Tasting Room
- Junebug & Band at Discretion Brewing | 5 p.m. @ Discretion Brewing
Repeats once more on May. 25
- Tokyo Hot Tub Party | 6 p.m. @ Woodhouse Blending & Brewing
- Live Music with Hall Pass | 7 p.m. @ Bruno’s Bar and Grill
- Shakespeare Gala Fundraiser | 7 p.m. @ Santa Cruz Actors’ Theatre | $50
Repeats once more on Apr. 25
- SHADOWS ACROSS OUR EYES, APRIL 25TH AND 26TH 7PM; APRIL 27 2PM, SATORI 815 ALMAR AVE. UNIT 9 SC, CA | 7 p.m. @ Satori
- The Emerald Ball | 7 p.m. @ The 418 Project | 12.51
- Dancing Freedom – Cacao & Dance Journey | 7 p.m. @ Breath+Oneness Yoga | $30
Saturday, Apr. 26
- Logjam! Surf Comp | 7 a.m. @ Pleasure Point Park
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Annual Open House | 9 a.m. @ Moss Landing Marine Labs | Free
- Breathe, Bloom & Be | 9 a.m. @ Pie Ranch | $130
- Saturday Shakespeare – A Midsummer Night’s Dream | 10 a.m. @ Aptos Branch Library
- Earth Day in Oils – Environmental Oil Painting | 10 a.m. @ Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History | $45
- Ducky Derby 2025 | 10 a.m. @ Harvey West Park
- Farm Discovery’s Spring Picnic | 11 a.m. @ 172 Litchfield Ln | $20
- Art in the Park at Wilder Ranch State Park | 11 a.m. @ Wilder Ranch State Park
- The Perfect Pair – A Cabrillo Culinary and Wine Showcase | 12 p.m. @ Sesnon House | $40
- Meet me at the downtown library festival! | 1 p.m. @ Cedar Street
- PPBA Spring Sip & Stroll | 1 p.m. @ 3811 Portola Dr | 42.39
- Oliver Klink, Artist Talk and Pop-Up Exhibition | 1 p.m. @ r.blitzer gallery
- Meet Me at the New Downtown Library Festival! | 1 p.m. @ Cedar Street & Lincoln Street
- Ales for Whales | 2 p.m. @ Humble Sea Beer Garden on the Wharf
- NextStage Productions 5th Annual Readers Theater Festival | 2 p.m. @ Mid-County Senior Center Inc
- Swag and Drag | 5 p.m. @ Bruno’s Bar and Grill | 28.52
- B-Movie Kings Live at El Vaquero | 5 p.m. @ El Vaquero Winery Tasting Room
- Tantra Speed Date® – Santa Cruz! Meet Singles Speed Dating | 5 p.m. @ McPherson Studio | $55
Repeats once more on May. 31
- Scotts Valley High School 25th Anniversary Gala | 6 p.m. @ The Inn at Pasatiempo | $85
- SAMIRA | A Shamanic Sound Ceremony | 7 p.m. @ Breath+Oneness Yoga | $40
Repeats once more on May. 24
Sunday, Apr. 27
- Portrait Block-Ins: A One Day Workshop with Landon Markasky | 9 a.m. @ Santa Cruz Art League
- ¡Vive Oaxaca! Guelaguetza 20th Anniversary | 10 a.m. @ Branciforte Small Schools Campus | $10
- Intro to Plein Air Painting – Superblooms | 10 a.m. @ Watsonville Wetlands Watch | $43
- Junebug at Californica Coffee | 10 a.m. @ California Coffee
- Spring at the Castro Adobe Open House | 10 a.m. @ 184 Old Adobe Rd
- Awakening Earth: Women’s Spring Retreat | 11 a.m. @ Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
- Teen Kitchen Project: Tea and Togetherness | 11 a.m. @ La Selva Beach Clubhouse | $75
- Grieving with the Redwood Forest | 12 p.m. @ Big Basin Redwoods State Park
- Paint Your Pet with the Santa Cruz SPCA | 3 p.m. @ Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History | $25
- Past Life Regression Group Journey | 3 p.m. @ Breath+Oneness Yoga | $45
- FUSE Live at El Vaquero | 4 p.m. @ El Vaquero Winery Tasting Room
- Speed Dating at Bruno’s Bar and Grill | 5 p.m. @ Bruno’s Bar and Grill | $10
- April 27 Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard Winemakers Dinner | 5 p.m. @ Persephone | $180
- Sunday Evening Sound Bath + Reiki: Building A Peaceful Heart | 7 p.m. @ Breath+Oneness Yoga | $24
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