A weekly guide to what’s happening.
Green Fix
Rail Trail Groundbreaking
The first segment of the 32-mile rail trail bicycle/pedestrian path is set to begin construction this month, and the city of Santa Cruz is inviting the community to a celebratory groundbreaking party. The first segment will replace the existing 4-foot-wide walkway on the San Lorenzo River Railroad Trestle Bridge with a new 10-foot, multi-use trail. The ceremony will be followed by a community party, including addresses from Mayor Martine Watkins and Santa Cruz County Supervisor Ryan Coonerty, plus refreshments, commemorative giveaways and more. The event will happen rain or shine, and free parking at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk River Parking Lot and bicycle valet parking will be provided.
INFO: 12:15-2:15 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10. Western base of the San Lorenzo River Railroad Trestle Bridge, Santa Cruz Riverwalk, Santa Cruz. cityofsantacruz.com. Free.
Art Seen
MAH and Goodwill Art Popup
Back in August, Goodwill Central Coast staff reached out to the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History (MAH) looking for a way to create something unique for their community. Together, they came up with this yearlong, bilingual pop-up exhibition inside the downtown Watsonville storefront. The pop-up includes sculptures made out of salvaged Goodwill items, historic images of Watsonville from the MAH archives, and new images taken by local graduate student Carlos Campos, who grew up in Watsonville and works at the Watsonville Digital Nest.
INFO: Show runs through June. Watsonville Goodwill, 470 Main St., Watsonville. Free.
Saturday 1/12
Sarah Hennies’ ‘Contralto’
The first installment of a series hosted by Indexical and the Radius Gallery, this show explores the intersection of video, strings and percussion that exists in between the spaces of experimental music and documentary. The term “contralto” is the the operatic term for the lowest female voice, so the show is accordingly a one-hour video compilation of transgender women practicing vocal exercises. It isn’t widely known that trans women’s voices are unaffected by higher levels of estrogen in the body, so many trans women train their voices to sound more female. The women are accompanied by a dense and varied musical score by seven musicians that includes a variety of conventional and “non-musical” approaches to sound-making.
INFO: 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12. Radius Gallery, 1050 River St. #127, Santa Cruz. 706-1620. indexical.org/events. $10-$15.
Friday 1/11
Jon Nakamatsu and Jon Manasse Concert
Two of the Bay Area’s favorite musicians, pianist Jon Nakamatsu and clarinetist Jon Manasse, are coming to Santa Cruz for an evening of classical music. This concert is the fourth installment of the Distinguished Artists 2018 season. Manasse was the principal clarinetist of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, while San Jose native Nakamatsu has performed for the Clinton White House and has released thirteen CDs to date. Together, the duo of Jons serve as artistic directors of the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival in Massachusetts.
INFO: 7:30 p.m. Peace United Church, 900 High St., Santa Cruz. 539-0000. distinguishedartists.org. $12.50-$35.
Friday 1/11
14th Annual Harp Festival
The harp is one of the oldest instruments in the world, so it’s only fitting that there be a festival to commemorate it. Together the Community Music School and the Museum of Art and History (MAH) will showcase different kinds of harps, and various ways to play them. There will be soloists on celtic, classical and double-strung harps, and an all-ages harp orchestra.
INFO: 5-8:30 p.m. Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, 705 Front St., Santa Cruz. 429-1964. santacruzmah.org. Free, donations accepted.
