A weekly guide to what’s happening.
ARTS AND MUSIC
KEEP ON TRUCKIN’ Powered by Tandy Beal and Company and a lot of great friends, this event presents exceptional artists in free 15-minute mini-shows on a flatbed truck outside. Knowing that everyone is a bit stressed, we are offering this taste of music and circus to uplift our neighborhoods. Keep each other safe, wear your masks and keep your distances social—otherwise, the truck will need to move on. Each stop on our Truckin’ Tour will be a 20-minute performance: 11am at Garfield Park (199 Seaside St.); 11:45am at University Terrace Park (369 Meder St.); 12:30pm at Westlake Park (Bradley Drive and Majors St.); 2:15pm at Ocean View Park (102 Ocean View Ave.); 3pm at Frederick St. Park (168 Frederick St.). More information at tandybeal.com. Saturday, June 5.
LUNAFEST SANTA CRUZ LUNAFEST is a series of short films by and about women. This showing will benefit WomenCARE Santa Cruz, and proceeds from ticket sales and sponsorships go directly to them. WomenCARE provides a safe haven where women with any type of cancer find mutual support, shared experiences and open hearts. This year’s films feature strong women, powerful images and impactful language. Stories reflect the diverse perspectives of the filmmakers and their subjects. May contain content that is not suitable for children or teens. For a summary of films, visit lunafest.org/filmmakers. The 2021 season features seven short films with a total running time of 86 minutes. Thursday, June 3, 7pm. WomenCARE, 2901 Park Ave., Suite A1, Soquel.
OCEAN FILM FESTIVAL WORLD TOUR Evade border closures and quench your thirst for international travel at the 2021 Ocean Film Festival World Tour. This sublime collection of short ocean-themed films will take you free-diving in the Coral Sea, sailing north to Alaska, exploring remote Russian Islands and surfing in Spain. Immerse yourself in the wonders of the world’s oceans without getting your feet wet as the Ocean Film Festival World Tour makes a splash. Designed to mesmerize and enthrall, the Ocean Film Festival World Tour showcases a two-and-a-half-hour celebration of our oceans, comprised of sublime footage taken above and below the water’s surface. This unique collection of short films from around the globe document the beauty and power of the ocean, and celebrate the divers, surfers, swimmers and oceanographers who live for the sea’s salt spray, who chase the crests of waves, and who marvel at the mysteries of the big blue. For more information, visit riotheatre.com. Virtual screening: Tuesday, June 8-Monday, June 21. Live screening: Tuesday, June 8, 7pm. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz.
POETS’ CIRCLE POETRY READING SERIES Join the circle with featured reader Stan Rushworth. Of Cherokee descent, Stan is an activist and advocate for Indigenous people and has taught Native American Literature at Cabrillo College for the last 29 years, including similar work at UCSC as a lecturer. Stan also worked for 18 years at Cabrillo’s Watsonville Center, teaching basic skills and critical thinking surrounding Indigenous peoples’ issues, including six years as director/instructor of the Puente Program, a writing-centered project focused in the Chicano community. To join the Zoom event see the link for adult programs at cityofwatsonville.org/202/Library. Thursday, June 3, 5pm. Watsonville Public Library, 275 Main St., Suite 100, Watsonville.
REDBALL PROJECT Discover, track down and pose alongside the 15-foot inflatable structure by artist Kurt Perschke as it pops up daily in different locales throughout Santa Cruz County. Perschke’s RedBall Project is a sculptural installation traveling around the globe, adopting cities as its canvas. Through a mixture of vision and wit, the RedBall squeezes between buildings and is hoisted above bridges, finding those mundane, overlooked places and filling them with possibility. The 15-foot red ball will explore our unique architectural landscape and history with daily installations popping up throughout Santa Cruz County. Tuesday, June 8-Sunday, June 13. See the planned locations at santacruzmah.org/exhibitions/redball.
WESTSIDE MARKETPLACE Shop local at the new Westside Marketplace! First Sundays at the Wrigley, featuring local art, handmade and vintage shopping, food trucks and pop-ups—all outdoors at the Old Wrigley Parking Lot. Free admission and friendly leashed pups are welcome! Remember to social distance as you shop and wear your mask. If you’re not feeling well, please stay home. There will be hand sanitizing stations at the market and signs to remind you about all these things! Sunday, June 6, 11am-4pm. The Old Wrigley Building Parking Lot, 2801 Mission St., Santa Cruz.
COMMUNITY
30TH ANNUAL LINCOLN ST. BLOCK SALE After postponing last year’s block sale, we’re up and rolling again. Come on down and pick up some great bargains. This event has been happening since the year following the Loma Prieta Earthquake, as a pick-me-up for our downtown neighbors. It was such a popular event that we kept it going for 30 years. Saturday, June 5, 9am. Lincoln Street in downtown Santa Cruz.
FAMILY SANGHA MONTHLY MEDITATION Come help create a family meditation cooperative community! Parents will meet in the main room for about 40-minutes of silent meditation, followed by 10-15 minutes of discussion about life and mindful parenting. Kids will be in a separate volunteer-led room, playing and exploring mindfulness through games and stories. Parents may need to help with the kids for a portion of the hour, depending on volunteer turnout. All ages of children are welcome. Please bring toys to share. Quiet babies are welcome in the parents’ room. Donations are encouraged; there is no fee for the event. Sunday, June 6, 10:30am-noon. Insight Santa Cruz, 740 Front St. #240, Santa Cruz.
GREY BEARS BROWN BAG LINE If you are able-bodied and love to work fast, this is for you! Grey Bears could use more help with their brown bag production line on Thursday and Friday mornings. As a token of our thanks, we make you breakfast and give you a bag of food if wanted. Be at the warehouse with a mask and gloves at 7am, and we will put you to work until at least 9am! Call ahead if you would like to know more: 831-479-1055, greybears.org. Thursday, June 3, 7am. California Grey Bears, 2710 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz.
RAINBOW FAMILIES MEETUP Inviting LGBTQ+ parents and children to come to celebrate Pride month with an informal get-together. Great opportunity to connect with other LGBTQ families in our community and be a resource for new parents. Please respect Covid-19 guidance and recommendations for outdoor gatherings. Questions? Contact [email protected]. Saturday, June 5, 10-11:30am. Jade St. Park, 4400 Jade St., Santa Cruz.
SALSA SUELTA FREE ZOOM SESSION Keep in shape! Weekly online session in Cuban-style Salsa Suelta for experienced beginners and up. May include mambo, chachacha, Afro-Cuban rumba, orisha, son montuno. No partner required, ages 14 and older. Contact to get the link; visit salsagente.com. Thursday, June 3, 7pm.
TENANTS’ RIGHTS HELP Tenant Sanctuary is open to renters living in the city of Santa Cruz with questions about their tenants’ rights. Volunteer counselors staff the telephones on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 10am-2pm. Tenant Sanctuary works to empower tenants by educating them on their rights and providing the tools to pursue those rights. Tenant Sanctuary and their program attorney host free legal clinics for tenants in the city of Santa Cruz. Due to Covid-19 concerns, all services are currently by telephone, email or Zoom. For more information visit tenantsanctuary.org or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/tenantsanctuary. 831-200-0740. Thursday, June 3, 10am-2pm. Sunday, June 6, 10am-2pm. Tuesday, June 8, 10am-2pm. Tenant Sanctuary, 703 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz.
UNDERSTANDING AND RESPONDING TO DEMENTIA-RELATED BEHAVIORS WEBINAR Behavior is a powerful form of communication and is one of the primary ways for people with dementia to communicate their needs and feelings as the ability to use language is lost. However, some behaviors can present real challenges for caregivers to manage. Join us to learn to decode behavioral messages, identify common behavior triggers, and learn strategies to help intervene with some of the most common behavioral challenges of Alzheimer’s disease. To register or for more information call 800-272-3900. Monday, June 7, 1-2:30pm.
GROUPS
CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP VIA ZOOM Support groups create a safe, confidential, supportive environment or community and a chance for family caregivers to develop informal mutual support and social relationships as well as discover more effective ways to cope with and care for your loved one. Who may benefit from participating in the support group? Family caregivers who: care for persons with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia, those who would like to talk to others in similar situations, those who need more information, additional support and caregiving strategies. This meeting is held via Zoom and telephone. To register or for more information call 800-272-3900. Wednesday, June 2, 5:30pm.
ENTRE NOSOTRAS GRUPO DE APOYO Entre Nosotras support group for Spanish-speaking women with a cancer diagnosis. Meets twice monthly. Registration required: Call Entre Nosotras at 831-761-3973. Friday, June 4, 6pm.
WOMENCARE ARM-IN-ARM WomenCARE ARM-IN-ARM Cancer support group for women with advanced, recurrent, or metastatic cancer. Meets every Monday at WomenCARE’s office. Currently on Zoom. Registration required: Call WomenCARE at 831-457-2273. All services are free. For more information visit womencaresantacruz.org. Monday, June 7, 12:30pm.
WOMENCARE MEDITATION GROUP WomenCARE’s meditation group for women with a cancer diagnosis meets on the first and third Friday. For more information and location call 831-457-2273. Monday, June 7, 11am-noon.
WOMENCARE TUESDAY SUPPORT GROUP WomenCARE Tuesday Cancer support group for women newly diagnosed and through their treatment. Meets every Tuesday currently on Zoom. Registration required: Call WomenCARE 831-457-2273. Tuesday, June 8, 12:30-2pm.
WOMENCARE: LAUGHTER YOGA Laughter yoga for women with a cancer diagnosis. Meets every Wednesday, currently via Zoom. Registration required: Call WomenCARE at 831-457-2273. Wednesday, June 2, 3:30-4:30pm.
OUTDOOR
PERMACULTURE DESIGN CERTIFICATE COURSE Permaculture is an ethically based whole-systems design approach that uses concepts, principles, and methods derived from ecosystems, indigenous peoples, and other time-tested systems to create human settlements and institutions. It’s also been called “saving the planet while throwing a better party.” The Santa Cruz Permaculture Design Certificate course includes the internationally recognized 72-hour curriculum, augmented by an additional 38-hours of hands-on practice and field trips. Plus, folks have the option to camp on-site each weekend and build a community around the fire! Our course brings in leading designers and teachers from around the region—each experts in different areas of permaculture. The Santa Cruz Permaculture network of instructors, alumni, community partners, and resources continues to grow each season, and by participating in our course, you become part of this network! Additionally, course participants work in teams throughout the six-month program to design a holistic permaculture plan for a real-life property in the community. The hands-on learning, workshops, and readings throughout the course prepare students with the knowledge and whole systems thinking strategies that allow them to create detailed and thoughtful design projects. We will be adhering to the latest Covid-19 recommendations and precautions. Learn more and register at santacruzpermaculture.com/permaculture-design-course.
READY, SET, GARDEN! Learn how to grow a happy, healthy garden with a series of 16 online workshops designed to inform and inspire you in the garden and kitchen. All proceeds benefit the Santa Cruz Symphony and support music education in schools throughout Santa Cruz County. For more information, visit santacruzsymphonyleague.org. Saturday, June 5-Sunday, June 20.
VIRTUAL YOUNGER LAGOON RESERVE TOURS Younger Lagoon Reserve is now offering a virtual tour in both English and Spanish. This virtual tour follows the same stops as the Seymour Marine Discovery Center’s docent-led, in-person hiking tour, and is led by a UCSC student! Virtual Younger Lagoon Reserve tours are free and open to the public. Part of the University of California Natural Reserve System, Younger Lagoon Reserve contains diverse coastal habitats and is home to birds of prey, migrating sea birds, bobcats, and other wildlife. See what scientists are doing to track local mammals, restore native habitat, and learn about the workings of one of California’s rare coastal lagoons. Access the tours at seymourcenter.ucsc.edu/visit/behind-the-scenes-tours/#youngerlagoon. Sunday, June 6, 10:30am.
YOU PICK ROSES We are growing over 300 roses, deeply fragrant, lush and in every color, and we want to share them with you! Get out of the house and enjoy cutting a bucket of roses for your own pleasure or to share with family and friends. Once you have made a purchase, you will be sent a calendar link to pick a time for your reservation and directions to our farm in Watsonville. Visit birdsongorchards.com/store/you-pick-roses for more information. Friday, June 4, 11am.
