Hi friends,
It’s that time of year when Halloween yard displays are the talk of every neighborhood. And, in the spirit of “if you see something, say something,” let us know about a great effort by one of your friends or neighbors. I’d say the leader on the first turn might be the house on East Cliff Drive, at 33rd Avenue. Check it out and see how it’s done.
Now, on with the show.
THIS JUST IN
Singer-songwriter Carsie Blanton has canceled her show at Moe’s Alley scheduled for Oct. 17. As reported by our colleagues at Lookout Eugene-Springfield, Blanton had been part of a flotilla of activists to deliver food and supplies to the besieged inhabitants of Gaza. The flotilla was intercepted by Israeli forces and Blanton was one of many who was detained. Blanton spent six days in an Israeli prison before being released. Her Moe’s appearance has been postponed until next spring. In other news, jazz singer and guitarist Madeleine Peyroux will perform at the Rio Theatre in a show presented by the Kuumbwa Jazz Center on March 4. Also at the Rio will be Beats Antique, a show presented by The Catalyst on Feb. 6. The ’80s punk band Beat Farmers play Moe’s on Dec. 11. And the queen of California cuisine, the great Alice Waters, will be on hand Oct. 30 at the Rio in a show being presented by Bookshop Santa Cruz.
Be sure to check out Lookout’s carefully curated and constantly updated planning guide, Down the Line, for the staggering riches and amazing choices awaiting Santa Cruz audiences. It’s our look ahead at the best shows, concerts and events through the rest of the year at clubs, stages and venues all over the county.
Huerta in Watsonville
A towering figure in American labor history, Dolores Huerta, 95, will be attending the “No Kings” rally and protest Oct. 18 in Watsonville, officials at Indivisible Pajaro Valley have announced. A longtime associate of the iconic Cesar Chavez, Huerta has been a prominent activist in agricultural labor relations since she helped organize the Delano grape strike back in 1965. She will speak at the rally at Watsonville Plaza, which is set to begin at noon. You can register here.
Adam Scott at Kuumbwa
These days he is likely the most famous person to have grown up in Santa Cruz. Actor Adam Scott — “Parks and Rec,” “Severance,” “Big Little Lies” — is all over the place in the realm of popular culture. But he rarely makes public appearances in his hometown.
But on Nov. 1, Scott will be part of the show at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center as a guest of podcast host Jesse Thorn, who will be celebrating 25 years of his great interview show “Bullseye.” Thorn is also expected to welcome filmmaker Boots Riley (“Sorry to Bother You”) and TV host Glynn Washington (“Snap Judgment”), among others. It should be a great post-Halloween evening.
SCFF dominates the buzz
The Santa Cruz Film Festival is full swing, after Wednesday night’s opening night screening of Annapurna Sriram’s “F*cktoys” and a big gala party at the Museum of Art & History. (I didn’t see the opening night film, but opinions at the MAH event on it were … polarizing.)
The SCFF will be presenting a ton of great films, short and feature-length, narratives and documentaries, at several venues around Santa Cruz, all before it closes Sunday. If you believe in a vibrant film culture in this town, here’s your chance to show up. There are plenty of great options. Let’s make this a memorable moment in Santa Cruz’s cinematic life.
Open Studios again
It’s the second weekend for the Open Studios Tour, and this weekend, it’s the artists of North County (north of the harbor), who will be welcoming visitors to their home studios Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Yes, it’s paintings and photography, but it’s also sculpture, woodworking, jewelry, metalsmithing, glass, fiber arts, printing and a ton more.
For many local fine artists, October is the time when they make their most income from their art, and the month that justifies all the hard work — creative and otherwise. They’re giving us all an opportunity to bring home something special and unique, and vote with our wallets on what kind of community we want to live in.
So, get out and visit an artist this weekend — the tour culminates Oct. 18-19 with an encore weekend including a selected roster of artists from all over the county.
CHECK THIS OUT
Best 9: Top events for the week ahead in Santa Cruz County arts & entertainment, Oct. 9-16
THIS WEEK IN A&E
Santa Cruz Film Festival to occupy local movie venues this week
The Santa Cruz Film Festival returns for the first time in three years, just in time to mark its 25th anniversary. Opening with an absurdist sex comedy, the festival runs the gamut from hard-hitting documentaries to bizarre and experimental shorts, from Wednesday through Sunday.
One man, one plan: At 54, Clay Hausmann moves boldly into making art about his family experience
Scotts Valley’s Clay Hausmann is a marketing professional and a family man. But he’s now an aspiring performer as he’s written and performed a one-man show called “Empty Nest and the Rest” that he hopes to spread to more audiences.
Nominations for Watsonville Youth Poet Laureate now open
Watsonville’s Youth Poet Laureate to recognize poets, rappers, writers and spoken-word artists under the age of 20 for their literary accomplishments. Nominations are due by Nov. 15.
Open Farms Tours return to Santa Cruz County this weekend
The Santa Cruz County Open Farms Tours are happening again this weekend, with an expanded lineup of 16 farms and tours spread out over several days.
That’s all I got, friends. Come at me with comments, ideas, complaints or thundering insights. Thanks to all Lookout members for your faith and support, and please, spread the word on what we’re doing.