Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Archives

Renderings of a proposed new Ferris wheel at the Boardwalk.

Boardwalk could have a new Ferris wheel soon, pending planning commission approval

by Max Chun August 4, 2023October 30, 2024

The Chance Wheel is expected to replace the spinning Rock & Roll ride and give the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk its first Ferris wheel since 2017, when the previous 60-year-old wheel was retired following routine winter maintenance. A vote is expected Aug. 17 after being delayed Thursday.

A scene from a Fever candlelight concert

City Life

Halloween, Taylor Swift and Vivaldi by candlelight? Cocoanut Grove has you covered

by Wallace Baine July 13, 2023October 30, 2024

Hundreds of onstage candles will light the way for a series of concerts beginning in October at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s Cocoanut Grove, with a string quartet taking on spooky movie classics, the ever-growing catalog of Taylor Swift and classical standby “The Four Seasons.”

A band performs on the Colonnade Stage at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Coast Life

Boardwalk’s summer music and movie slate heavy on party faves and crowd-pleasers

by Wallace Baine April 20, 2023October 30, 2024

Kicking off in mid-June, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s free summer entertainment offerings feature bands on the Colonnade stage on Thursday nights and movies on the beach on Fridays.

A handful of the international crew of 300 who have come to work at the Boardwalk.

Business & Technology

Inside the world of the Boardwalk’s global student workers

by Blaire Hobbs September 12, 2022October 30, 2024

For more than 20 years, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has supplemented its local summer workforce with students from around the world. This year, more than 300 are finishing their jobs pulling ride switches and scooping up pingpong balls before returning to Armenia, Malaysia, Spain and beyond. What’s the experience like … and what do they think of Santa Cruz?

Uncategorized

The sounds of Boardwalk summer: What music plays all day and who decides?

by Wallace Baine August 12, 2022October 30, 2024

Yes, the tunes at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk are automated — but carefully thought out. The rules are clear: nothing with suggestive, violent or potentially offensive lyrics, nothing outside the mood and tempo of “Fun, Fun, Fun.” And the music maestro is Kevin Grewohl, the DJ — uh, audio systems supervisor — of it all.

City Life

The Boardwalk’s free summer music and movies return in a new format — is that good or bad?

by Wallace Baine April 26, 2022October 30, 2024

Live music post-pandemic will feature local acts at the smaller Colonnade Stage on Thursday nights. Free movies on the beach will now be on Fridays, including “The Lost Boys,” which will be screened Halloween weekend.

Where the artistry happens at the Boardwalk. Visiting artist Candy Briones hard at work.

Coast Life

‘No Snapchat filter’ can do this: Our resident caricature artist walks you through life at the Boardwalk

by Laurel Bushman July 11, 2021October 30, 2024

Lookout’s Laurel Bushman wasn’t sure how her return to drawing random humans along Main Beach would go. Now she knows — and at least there are relationships and learning lessons that she will take with her on her journey into the writing world.

Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel pulls in after the 2021 maiden voyage of the Giant Dipper.

Pandemic Life

The Giant Dipper rides again, with Santa Cruz County’s health officer in the first car

by Max Chun April 2, 2021October 30, 2024

Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel was aboard the first ride of the Giant Dipper in 2021 — the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s nod to her work amid the pandemic. The amusement park opened Thursday at 25% capacity.