A weekly guide to what’s happening
Green Fix
44th Annual Banff Mountain Film Festival
One of Santa Cruz’s favorite film events of the year, the annual Banff Mountain Film Festival is traveling to some 400 communities around the world. From an exploration of remote landscapes and mountain cultures to adrenaline-fueled action sports, this year’s world tour is making a pit stop in Santa Cruz to bring stories of distance runners, skiers and high desert mountain bikers. Proceeds benefit the UCSC Wilderness Orientation Scholarship Fund.
INFO: 7pm. Feb. 20-23. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz. banffsc2020.brownpapertickets.com. $18-$22.
Saturday 2/22-Sunday 2/23
39th Clam Chowder Cook Off
Who knew that the country’s biggest and longest-running clam chowder fest was right here in Santa Cruz? The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Clam Chowder Cook-Off and Festival is back for its 39th time around. There are both amateur and professional categories, and prizes for the best chowder. Be a part of Santa Cruz’s storied clam chowder history, and find out where you fit into the bigger clam chowder picture. (OK, just kidding on that last part. There is no bigger clam chowder picture, but wouldn’t that be kind of cool?)
INFO: 10am-4pm. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz. 420-5273. beachboardwalk.com. Free admission, tasting kits $10.
Saturday 2/22
Art Seen
Quilt Show
These are not your grandma’s quilts. Well, maybe they are, depending on who your grandma is—maybe she is an epic quilter. In any case, featuring over 300 handmade quilts and wearable arts, the Pajaro Valley Quilting Association’s Quilt Show includes a flea market and vendor mall, plus a fashion show. There’s a featured artist and a featured quilt, plus live demos so you can start a new quilt at home.
INFO: 10am-5pm, Saturday, Feb. 22; 10am-4pm, Sunday, Feb. 24. Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 E Lake Ave., Watsonville. pvqa.org. $10.
Saturday 2/22
Felton Library Grand Opening
Join Santa Cruz County Supervisor Bruce McPherson, Assemblymember Mark Stone, Library Director Susan Nemitz, Felton Library Friends President Nancy Gerdt, and Architect Teal Messer in welcoming the newest library to the county. The project is the first library to be completed from the Measure S funds, a $67 million bond measure passed in 2016 to renovate all 10 branches of the library system. $10 million was assigned to the Felton project, with enhancements funded through Felton Library Friends. There will be food, nature and virtual reality demonstrations and live music following the ribbon cutting at 10am.
INFO: 10am-5pm. Felton Public Library, 6121 Gushee St., Felton. Free.
Saturday 2/22
TWDCC Annual Winter Dance Fest
Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center’s Winter Dance Fest is a celebration of cutting-edge local choreographers. Gregory Dawson’s contemporary dance company, dawsondancesf, is back for another year. This time he will showcase an excerpt from his work, “Keep Your Head to the Skies,” alongside emerging Santa Cruz choreographers Nathan Hirschaut and Taliha Abdiel. Photo: Devi Pride.
INFO: 7:30pm. Colligan Theater at the Tannery Arts Center. 1010 River St., Santa Cruz. 425-1440. tanneryworlddance.com. $18-$22.
