WEEKENDER
Your cheat sheet for eating well and going out in Santa Cruz County.
April 16, 2026
ART IN ALL FORMS
Santa Cruz is brimming with art and dance this week. Starting Thursday, Santa Cruz Dance Week and the inaugural Ripple Effect arts festival kick off weeklong celebrations of movement and visual arts with events across the city – including some collaborations. Thursday night, Pacific Avenue will explode with three stages and more than 50 dance performances, from samba to circus. Lookout photographer Kevin Painchaud snapped photos of some of the talented dancers at their rehearsals earlier this week.
Launching Thursday, Ripple Effect is a new, out-of-the-box arts festival covering the whole county. Attendees can explore a wide variety of visual, literary and performing arts over the next 11 days, culminating in a finale on Sunday, April 26, featuring a live performance by Florida singer-songwriter Helado Negro at The Grove. Read a preview of the landmark event here from Lookout’s Wallace Baine. – Lily Belli
UPCOMING EVENTS YOU’LL LOVE
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FROM THE LOOKOUT LIST
FAVORITE STOP ON THE OPEN STUDIOS ART TOUR (NORTH COUNTY)
TANNERY ARTS CENTER
“Visitors can enjoy exploring the working artists’ living/studio spaces, discovering unique artwork and engaging directly with creators in a vibrant, community-focused setting.”
ICYMI: ARTS & DINING STORIES
A TREAT BEFORE YOU GO
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