WEEKENDER
Your cheat sheet for eating well and going out in Santa Cruz County.
July 23, 2026
FREE DANCE PARTIES & WHARF TO WHARF
There are too many free opportunities to dance the summer night away to not share them in this newsletter. Thursday, funky soul cover band Harry & The Hitmen headlines the beach party at the Crowโs Nest at 5:30 p.m., while, across town, Square Dance Santa Cruz will bring the hoedown to Woodhouse Blending & Brewing in Santa Cruz.ย
Friday, local rock group Ripatti Rose Band plays Event Santa Cruzโs Midtown Fridays block party starting at 5 p.m. On Saturday, Brazilian funk band SambaDรก will come to Abbott Square for an outdoor dance party starting at 7 p.m.ย
Give those dancing legs a rest on Saturday night if you plan on running the Wharf to Wharf race on Sunday starting at 8 a.m. The annual 10K run returns with the modified course it premiered in 2025 to accommodate the Murray Street Bridge closure. โ Lily Belli
UPCOMING EVENTS YOU’LL LOVE
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FROM THE LOOKOUT LIST
FAVORITE OPEN MIC NIGHT
UGLY MUG COFFEEHOUSE
“Ugly Mug in Soquel shines with its cozy atmosphere and friendly baristas, with the Monday open mic welcoming music, poetry and original work, and lotteryโstyle sign-ups that give performers a supportive and inclusive stage.”
ICYMI: ARTS & DINING STORIES
A TREAT BEFORE YOU GO
Santa Cruz Shakespeareโs summer season opened last week. In her reviews, Lookout contributor Jana Marcus called โMacbethโ โspellbinding,โ and thought โMuch Ado About Nothingโ was one of SCSโ โmost joyful productions in recent memory.โย
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