Event highlights for the week of September 13, 2017.
Art Seen
‘The Quality of Life’
Picture this: a religious, conservative couple comes to Berkeley to visit their progressive leftist family. They have completely different political, social and spiritual values, and don’t exactly see eye to eye. Sound a bit like your extended family holidays? Then this may be the play for you. Brought together by family tragedy, the characters are forced to think outside of their moral boxes and question their own values in order to move forward.
INFO: Friday 9/8-Saturday 9/23. Broadway Playhouse, 526 Broadway, Santa Cruz. brownpapertickets.com. $23.
Green Fix
Save Our Shores Annual Clean up Day
The largest coastal cleanup day of the year along the Central Coast is underway this weekend, with 80 beach, river and inland cleanup sites from Waddell Creek Beach to Big Sur. Last year, more than 3,000 turned out to clean up 10.5 tons of pollution—for context, that’s about as heavy as two elephants. Cleanup supplies are first-come, first-serve, so make sure to get there early or bring your own clean-up supplies. Free lunch and prizes follow.
INFO: 9 a.m.-Noon on Saturday, 9/16. saveourshores.org. Registration recommended. Free.
Friday 9/15-Sunday 9/17
60th Monterey Jazz Festival
The Monterey Jazz Festival isn’t just an event, it’s a renowned historical experience.
Following a rich history of jazz and originating with some of the great jazz legends from Louis Armstrong to John Coltrane, celebrate the particularly spectacular 60th anniversary of the festival surrounded by jazz-fanatics. This year, featuring more than 500 artists—including names like Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Common, and Angelique Kidjo—it’s sure to be one for the books.
INFO: Monterey County Fairgrounds, 2000 Fairground Road, Monterey. montereyjazzfestival.org. $45 and up.
Wednesday 9/13-Sunday 9/17
Santa Cruz County Fair
Come for the rides, stay for the funnel cake. This is the only time all year you’ll see racing pigs, camels and monster trucks all under one roof—so to speak—and there is a little something for everyone. The fairgrounds are quite large, so make sure you grab a map and remember where you parked. Â
INFO: Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 E Lake Ave, Watsonville. santacruzcountyfair.com. $11 admission.
Thursday 9/14
Second Harvest Chefs Dinner
Featuring six courses and local wine pairings from top Santa Cruz County chefs at Assembly, Cafe Cruz and more, this annual dinner celebrates the 20th anniversary of Second Harvest’s Food for Children program. The program feeds 5,000 children monthly across the county, and all proceeds will benefit Food for Children. Champagne reception and silent auction follow.
INFO: 6-9 p.m. Holy Cross Church Annex, 126 High St., Santa Cruz. thefoodbank.org. Advance registration required. $275.
