BOLO Best Bets: From murals to corn dogs and a MAH light show, Santa Cruz is hopping
Hi friends,
In case you’re wondering, that buzz you’re hearing is the sound of the arts community out in force this week. Tons happening across the county, not even counting what’s going on in the clubs. The Sea Walls Santa Cruz project is in the process of creating a score of gorgeous new outdoor murals all around town, with several public events allowing the non-painters among us to take part. The Museum of Art and History launches its new sure-to-be-dazzling digital arts festival. Roaring Camp hosts the sun-dappled Sol Festival. The Watsonville Film Festival hosts an amazing musical event at the Plaza. And don’t forget the Santa Cruz County Fair for all your corn dog and racing pigs needs. Which one (or two, or three) is on your calendar?
— Wallace Baine
Quick Take
Lookout Santa Cruz’s BOLO (Be On the Lookout) calendar is “your place to go for things to do” in Santa Cruz County.
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 and CineLux Theatres.
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
THROUGH SUNDAY
Santa Cruz County Fair: The fair returns to the fairgrounds in Watsonville after a pandemic hiatus. With dozens of rides, shows, parades, games and food vendors — to say nothing of the pig races that have highlighted many a field trip — the cheese factor is definitely back.
THROUGH SUNDAY
“Frequency” at the Santa Cruz MAH: The Museum of Art and History lights up downtown Santa Cruz with a four-night festival of light, sound and digital culture that includes interactive installations, live performances, and immersive experiences.
FRIDAY
Papiba & Friends headline Midtown Block Party: The collision of rock, soul, funk, reggae and samba that is Santa Cruz favorite Papiba & Friends takes current world music and stirs it all together as they headline this week’s edition of Midtown Friday. Local artists and food vendors will also be on hand.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
Santa Cruz Mountain Sol Festival: Live music, camping, and a variety of beer, wine and other vendors await at this Roaring Camp institution, which is back for a seventh time. Musical headliners include Michael Franti & Spearhead and Ben Harper.
— Haneen ZainVISUAL ARTS
THROUGH SATURDAY
Sea Walls Santa Cruz: The art-activist group Sea Walls has mobilized artists to create 19 new murals around town since Monday. The Tannery Arts Center is acting as the project’s headquarters, where residents and visitors can pick up mural walking maps, obtain more information on the event, and take part in public programming. Activities such as youth outreach, waterfront cleanups, mural walking tours, and a film screening make it a family-friendly experience open to everyone. The project is produced by the Made Fresh Crew, led by Taylor Reinhold, with 14 other artists including Caia Koopman and Tannery-based Abi Mustapha.
THROUGH SUNDAY
“Frequency” at the Santa Cruz MAH: The museum and its downtown environs host a four-night extravaganza encompassing art, performances and activities celebrating light, sound and digital culture. This multi-dimensional event is happening in and around the museum, with kinetic sculptures, video games, interactive technology and site-specific art installations. Many of the events are free, but $10 admission is required to visit events inside the museum.
— Laurel Bushman
Quick Take
What started as a simple partnership to provide financial literacy training to Diamond Tech Institute students has...
FRIDAY
Los Cenzontles: One of the Bay Area’s finest traditional Mexican-music bands performs live at the Watsonville Plaza in a free event hosted by the Watsonville Film Festival. Los Cenzontles is the house band of the academy and community center of the same name and is the subject of a new documentary on their collaboration with Linda Ronstadt, now being streamed online by the WFF. The 6 p.m. concert will feature a variety of traditional styles from rancheras to corridos. A great opportunity to enjoy Mexican music.
FRIDAY
Mustache Harbor: You can tell solely by its name what you’re in for with this Bay Area covers band: “yacht rock” all night long. Making a fetish of aloha shirts, captain’s caps and hairy upper lips, Mustache Harbor takes a spin on soft-rock classics, from Hall & Oates to Christopher Cross to the Doobies. It all goes down at Felton Music Hall on Friday.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
Santa Cruz Mountain Sol Festival: On the lovely greensward inside the charming alternative reality of Roaring Camp Railroads, hundreds are expected to gather for this super-chill music festival, held for the first time since 2019. The two-day event will be chock-full of artists who are headliners in their own right: Ben Harper, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Rising Appalachia, California Honeydrops and several others, including local acts such as Wolf Jett and Marty O’Reilly. Things get started around 11 a.m. both days, and tickets for the canceled 2020 event will be honored.
TUESDAY
Creed Bratton: Millenials know him as the creepy old guy in the corner with a mysterious double life in NBC’s “The Office.” But music-savvy boomers might remember Creed Bratton as a member of the 1960s rock band the Grass Roots (“Sooner or Later”). He’s in fact a musician first, and at just a couple of years shy of 80, he’s still putting out albums, his most recent one titled “Quarantine” (you can guess the theme). “The Office’s” favorite weirdo comes to Felton Music Hall.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 23
Ramblin’ Jack Elliott: Like a character from an entirely different historical era, here rides the one and only Ramblin’ Jack Elliott into Felton Music Hall. Talk about American reinvention, the famous folk troubadour was born 90 years ago in Brooklyn, the son of a Jewish doctor. Since then, he forged his own path as Woody Guthrie’s most prominent acolyte, until a guy named Dylan came along. He’s a living legend with as many stories as songs, and we all still have a chance to see him perform.
— Wallace BaineRECREATION
SATURDAY
West Cliff Outdoor Market: Head over to iconic Lighthouse Point for this month’s West Cliff Outdoor Market. As usual, there will be a wide variety of local artists, craftsmen and food pop-ups for county residents and visitors alike to discover — and it comes complete with a beautiful view and live music, too.
SUNDAY
29th Annual Aloha Outrigger Races: There’s still time to get a team together for this annual event, or come out to the wharf to cheer on the participants. Registered teams of four will be provided with an outrigger canoe, steer-person, and stroker for this friendly competition. Don’t let a lack of experience hold you back, either: These races are specifically designed for novice paddlers. Unfortunately, the Polynesian Festival has been canceled due to city budget cuts, but the outriggers bring plenty of island vibes to the wharf.
— Max ChunTHEATER
THROUGH OCT. 10
“Heisenberg”: So, where were we? Just as the COVID-19 shutdown hit back in March 2020, the actors and crew of Santa Cruz’s Jewel Theatre were getting ready to mount a new production of the intriguing two-person sorta-romance “Heisenberg” with Paul Whitworth and Erika Schindele. Fast forward 18 months and one pandemic later, and Jewel is set to pick up right where it left off, making “Heisenberg” its first show in an ambitious new season at the beautiful Colligan Theater. This lively drama is in production to run through Oct. 10.
— Wallace BaineKIDS & FAMILY
THROUGH SUNDAY
Santa Cruz County Fair: The annual Santa Cruz County Fair is once again open to visitors of all ages. While the kiddie carnival will, unfortunately, not be a part of this year’s celebration, the rest of the fair that county residents know and love will be there to enjoy. The abundance of attractions includes live music, tractor parades, agriculture competitions, livestock exhibits and much, much more.
SUNDAY
Downtown Makers Market: If you haven’t made it to any of the local makers markets yet, keep it on your to do list before the weather gets colder. On Pacific Avenue between Cathcart and Lincoln streets, the selection of local art, crafts and food is consistently excellent and a good time for all ages.
— Max ChunFILM
FRIDAY
Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival: For one day, the Rio Theatre will be home to the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour. A blend of film, nature and current events, the films to be screened are carefully chosen from a pool of critically acclaimed and crowd-pleasing entries. These films will showcase locations not often seen on film and explore pertinent environmental issues. If you haven’t seen a film on the big screen lately, this should be a high priority.
— Max ChunBOOKS & LECTURES
THURSDAY, SEPT. 23
Tarana Burke: New York activist Tarana Burke changed online activism forever with her simple hashtag “#MeToo” back in 2006 to create solidarity among survivors of sexual harassment and assault. Now she has a new memoir out, titled “Unbound,” about her life and the beginnings of the MeToo movement. Burke appears at a virtual event sponsored by Bookshop Santa Cruz on Sept. 23.
— Wallace BaineFOOD & DRINK
SATURDAY
Time to Shine Fall Feast at Farm Discovery: Farm-to-table dining comes to Live Earth Farm for a one-night benefit with award-winning chef Jessica Yarr. Yarr has found a home in multiple Santa Cruz favorites including Assembly, Penny Ice Creamery, and Gabriella Café. The event will also include live music and auctions at 150-acre Live Earth Farm, whose focus is on education, organic farming and empowering youth and families to build and sustain healthy food.
— Haneen ZainCOMEDY
WEDNESDAY
Westside Comedy Night: Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing has lined up comedians from across the Bay Area for shows every week. Regulars from The Punch Line San Francisco, Cobb’s Comedy Club, Rooster T. Feathers Comedy Club and more make their way to Santa Cruz for these one-night events.
— Haneen Zain
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF BOLO
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Send arts, entertainment and culture events you think should be listed (for free) to us at bolo@lookoutlocal.com.
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Questions, comments, concerns? Email bolo@lookoutlocal.com.