Quick Take:
Your place to go for things to do in Santa Cruz County.
Hi friends,
Welp, the post-vax summer we were all expecting has turned into the wait-and-see season, thanks to the Delta variant. But there’s little indication that cultural businesses are retreating back to the pandemic normal. The Santa Cruz Symphony and Jewel Theatre Company have both announced ambitious new seasons for the fall, and shows continue to be booked in performance venues around town.
This weekend, outdoors is a major theme. It might be the ideal time for a few laughs to cope with this weird in-between state regarding the pandemic. The Santa Cruz Comedy Festival opened to a serene crowd spread out last Saturday on the beautiful lawn of Laurel Park, and it continues with its second show this Saturday. The Grove at DeLaveaga is a pretty groovy place in which to see Santa Cruz Shakespeare as it gets closer to the end of its season. And Scotts Valley stakes a claim to back-to-normal with its Art, Wine and Beer Festival, named for the three things that make life worth living.
— Wallace Baine
See our full BOLO calendar listings for events in Santa Cruz here. And as if that isn’t enough, we have you covered for all the MAJOR events coming up into the next year with Down The Line, a listing assembled by Wallace Baine that’s your key to getting tickets before they sell out.
Best Bets is presented by Santa Cruz Community Credit Union, CineLux Theatres and Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce.
Now, here’s what Team BOLO thinks you should know for the weekend and beyond:
(Click category headers for full BOLO listings in that category.)FESTIVALS
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
Scotts Valley Art Wine and Beer Festival: With a new venue and more vendors than ever, the Scotts Valley Art, Wine and Beer Festival returns after a year’s hiatus. The name doesn’t quite encapsulate everything going on at Siltanen Park, either: The festival has more to offer than just art, wine and beer — the Scotts Valley Chamber has a lineup of live music, a dog show, the famous cops ‘n’ rodders show and food vendors aplenty.
— Haneen ZainTHEATER
THIS WEEKEND
“The Agitators”: Santa Cruz Shakespeare continues its comeback season with Mat Smart’s two-character play “The Agitators,” an evocative historical dramatization of the real-life decades-long, up-and-down friendship between 19th-century civil-rights icons Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony, starring, respectively, SCS veterans Allen Gilmore and Patty Gallagher. Performances this weekend include Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. The performance on Wednesday will be at 7:30 p.m. The show runs through Aug. 29.
THIS WEEKEND
“RII”: Santa Cruz Shakespeare heads forthrightly into the post-pandemic live theater world with its first in-person performances in two years. The Shakespearean offering at SCS this summer is Jessica Kubzansky’s smart adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Richard II,” titled “RII.” The play, using Shakespeare’s own words, converts the Bard’s play into a three-actor showcase, highlighting today’s relevance of the story of the ill-fated King Richard. This weekend’s performances include Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., and Sunday at 7 p.m., with following performances taking place periodically through Aug. 29.
— Wallace BaineLIVE MUSIC
THURSDAY, AUG. 26
Neko Case: So often many of the most intriguing musical artists are those who’ve had to make the journey from the energy and angst of punk rock to the wistfulness of country, which is exactly the path of this veteran singer/songwriter who arose from the Pacific Northwest to become an underappreciated siren both as a solo artist and with the band New Pornographers. Her smoky, sometimes lush vocal style is perfect for the longing and bittersweetness in her material. Neko plays live at The Rio Theatre on Thursday, Aug. 26. Opening is AC Newman.
— Wallace Baine
VISUAL ARTS
“Out of the Ashes: Stories from the CZU Lightning Complex Fires”: With this week marking the first anniversary of the CZU Lightning Complex fire, it seems like a fitting time to visit “Out of the Ashes” at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History and to take stock of where the community is now. The exhibition serves as a historical archive of the disaster and a glimpse into how people were personally affected, through artworks, photographs, objects and first-person accounts. The MAH is open Thursday-Saturday, from noon-6 p.m. Suggested admission is $10.
“What Remains” at Radius Gallery in the Tannery Arts Center: The theme “What Remains” is a timely one, with 19 artists tackling the effects of climate change, displacement and political upheaval on Santa Cruz and more broadly. Sonji Hinrichsen made her ceramic installation using a kiln fueled by brush she cleared to prevent fire, while Rose Hagan’s “Shattered Dream: 45” is a splintered glass rendition of the U.S. Constitution. Over 40 artworks by members of the California Association of Clay and Glass are on display, unearthing the narrative and material depths of loss, change and destruction. Saturday is the artist reception from 6-8 p.m. Radius Gallery hours are Wednesday-Sunday from noon-5 p.m. and by appointment.
— Laurel BushmanBOOKS & LECTURES
THURSDAY
Jennifer Otter Bickerdike: Writer and scholar Jennifer Otter Bickerdike is a born-and-raised Santa Cruzan, but she’s now an internationally recognized authority on rock ’n’ roll culture based in London, and a dyed-in-the-wool evangelist on any number of rock topics, including the 1980s scene in Santa Cruz. The author of the celebrated “Why Vinyl Matters” joins Lookout’s Wallace Baine to discuss her new book “You Are Beautiful, And You Are Not Alone,” a biography of singer and Andy Warhol muse Nico. This is a free virtual event, sponsored by Bookshop Santa Cruz. Things get started around 7 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
Matthew Raiford: When you’re both a chef and a farmer, you become a “CheFarmer,” which is the term that applies to Matthew Raiford, the author of “Bress ’N’ Nyam,” a collection of recipes from the Gullah Geechee culture of the coastal Southeast. Raiford is also a graduate of the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems at UC Santa Cruz. That program teams up with Bookshop Santa Cruz to present this in-person encounter with Raiford, his recipes, and his training in agroecology, all at the Cowell Ranch Hay Barn at UC Santa Cruz. Tickets include a copy of the new book. The event begins at 7:30 p.m.
— Wallace BaineCOMEDY
FRIDAY
Butch Escobar and David Nihill headline Greater Purpose Comedy Night: A pair of Bay Area favorites take to the stage Friday at Greater Purpose. Butch Escobar has been a regular at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas and performing overseas for U.S. troops. Like Robin Williams, Dana Carvey and Ellen DeGeneres before him, Irishman David Nihill has won the annual San Francisco Comedy Competition, and is the author of bestseller “Do You Talk Funny?”
SATURDAY
Santa Cruz Comedy Festival: Jackie Kashian: Boasting 35 years of experience in the comedy industry, Jackie Kashian comes to town for the second weekend of the Santa Cruz Comedy Festival put on by DNA’s Comedy Lab. A veteran with appearances on NPR, “Conan” and HBO’s “2 Dope Queens” under her belt, Kashian headlines the outdoor show at Laurel Park.
SATURDAY
Santa Cruz Comedy Festival Afterparty: Headliners from the Santa Cruz Comedy Festival will assemble at Greater Purpose Brewing Company following the festival events this Saturday and next for performances “for hardcore comedy fans who want to see their favorite headliners with no filters,” as organizer DNA’s Comedy Lab puts it. Attendees must be 16 or older and fully vaccinated.
— Haneen ZainRECREATION
SATURDAY
West Cliff Outdoor Market: Make your way to West Cliff Drive for an outdoor market with a view featuring a variety of goods from local vendors stretched over two parking lots. While the artisans will undoubtedly showcase some fantastic work, the ever-growing presence of food trucks is an attraction in itself, and live music provides the soundtrack. The family-friendly event runs from 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
— Max ChunKIDS & FAMILY
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
Tomato and Strawberry Picking at Farm Discovery: For two days only, Farm Discovery at Live Earth will allow the public to come in and pick their own tomatoes and strawberries. The Watsonville grounds also have many different kinds of livestock, including hens, goats and a cow named Bella. Come with the whole family or a group of friends to pick your own fresh produce and learn a bit more about Farm Discovery’s mission of empowering and educating local youth to sustain healthy food sources.
SATURDAY
Saturdays in the Soil: Bring your kids out to the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History for a day of sustainable gardening and hands-on learning. Native plants and animals as well as local ecology will be discussed and explored, all while connecting with other members of the community who share the same passion for nature and preservation.
— Max ChunFILM
WEDNESDAY
Cinema Chaminade: “The Proposal”: Cinema Chaminade is back again with an evening of food, wine, film, and views — with next week’s feature the lighthearted rom-com “The Proposal.” This is the second-to-last entry in the Cinema Chaminade lineup, so your time is running out.
— Max ChunFOOD & DRINK
FRIDAY
Sip, Savor and Sway at Stockwell Cellars: Every Friday, Stockwell Cellars invites a different food truck and new musical talent to feed and entertain guests at the vineyard. This week, Drunk Monkeys brings an array of delicious Asian-inspired dishes, with tunes from Toby Gray and the Highway Buddha to accompany the festivities.
— Haneen Zain
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF BOLO
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