THE TIDE REPORT
Three signals that summer is here. The Crow’s Nest fires up its free Thursday beach concerts tonight, the Boardwalk has flipped on summer hours, and Steamer Lane hosts the longest-running longboard contest on the West Coast Saturday morning. Bring layers. The fog’s been camping out past noon all week.
LOCAL NEWS
Santa Cruz Scene Vol. 1: 12 Local Bands on One Record
A new compilation rounds up twelve current SC bands across surf, emo, hard rock, indie folk, and punk onto a single release. The CD party lands at Streetlight Records on Pacific Avenue on May 31, with Perch playing live at 5 PM.
Rail Supporters Rally in Live Oak
About fifty rail and transit advocates gathered along the corridor in Live Oak Wednesday, pushing the RTC to keep the tracks intact as the 8-mile Coastal Rail Trail moves forward over the rail line. The commission says preserving the right-of-way is what matters. Advocates want a hybrid that lets the trail run beside the tracks instead.
Summer Hours, Officially
The Boardwalk’s on its summer schedule, the Crow’s Nest Thursday beach series kicks off tonight, and Skypark Food Truck Friday is back in the dirt lot in Scotts Valley. It’s all running. Sunscreen and a sweatshirt, depending on the hour.
HAPPENINGS
★ = family-friendly
THURSDAY, MAY 21
Crow’s Nest Free Beach BBQ with Sambada · 5:30 PM · Harbor Beach, Seabright · Free
Opening night of the summer Thursday series. Sambada brings the Brazilian-rooted dance set. Bring a blanket and grab a burger off the deck.
Peter Erskine Trio at Kuumbwa Jazz · 7 PM · 320 Cedar St, Downtown · check ticket page
Erskine played with Weather Report and Jaco Pastorius and has roughly 700 records to his name. Kuumbwa is the room.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra at The Catalyst · 9 PM · 1011 Pacific Ave, Downtown · $54.54
Ruban Nielson’s psych-pop outfit, touring the new record. The Catalyst floor is the right size for them.
FRIDAY, MAY 22
Stockwell Cellars: Sip, Savor and Sway · 5:30 PM · 1100 Fair Ave, Westside · Free entry
Weekly Friday wine night at the Westside urban winery. Live music, food truck around 6. Get the pinot.
Mountain Community Theater Presents “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” · 7 PM · Park Hall, Ben Lomond · $30 to $35
Albee’s three-act marriage demolition, staged by the SLV’s resident theater company. Two and a half hours, no missing the second act.
Eric Lindell with Anthony Arya at Moe’s Alley · 8 PM · 1535 Commercial Way · $35 advance
New Orleans soul-blues guitarist headlining, with SC songwriter Anthony Arya opening. Moe’s regulars will be there early.
André Nickatina at The Catalyst · 9 PM · 1011 Pacific Ave, Downtown · $82.47
Bay Area hip-hop legend, deep catalog, the kind of show people line up for.
SATURDAY, MAY 23
Steamer Lane Memorial Day Longboard Competition · 6 AM heats start · Lighthouse Point, Westside · Free
The longest-running longboard contest on the West Coast, with nearly 200 surfers, run by the Santa Cruz Longboard Union. Park at Lighthouse Field early, walk the cliff path with a coffee, sit on the fence by Middle Peak. Runs Saturday and Sunday.
★ Roaring Camp Lumberjack Days · 10 AM · 5400 Graham Hill Rd, Felton · Free entry, $10 parking
Lumberjack competition, craft booths, live music, BBQ off the grill, and the steam train running all day. Runs Saturday and Sunday.
★ Felton Parade and Covered Bridge Festival · 11 AM · Covered Bridge Park, Felton · Free
Small-town Memorial Day parade down Graham Hill, then festival at the bridge park with food, music, and the Felton Fire Department doing their thing. Pair it with Lumberjack Days a mile up the road.
★ Santa Cruz Harbor Free Water Taxi · 11 AM to 6 PM · 135 5th Ave, Seabright · Free
The harbor’s seasonal water-taxi boat is back, shuttling between X1 Gate, AA Dock, and the Launch Ramp. Park north of X Dock, hop on, get to the harbor restaurants without sitting in beach traffic.
Josiah and the Bonnevilles at The Catalyst · 8 PM · 1011 Pacific Ave, Downtown · $28.72 to $37.31
Jamestown Revival-adjacent country-rock. Tight band, guaranteed good time.
Santa Cruz Chorale: “Why The World Loves Bach” · 8 PM · Holy Cross Church, 210 High St · $25 to $40
Chorale plus small orchestra in the church on Mission Hill. The acoustics earn the program.
Yo! We Love The ’90s DJ Dance Party at Moe’s Alley · 8 PM · 1535 Commercial Way · $12 advance
DJ collective playing every ’90s song you remember and several you’ve blocked out. Dance floor opens immediately.
SUNDAY, MAY 24
★ Corralitos Farm and Garden Market · 11 AM · 127 Hames Rd, Corralitos · Free
South county Sunday market with produce, plants, and growers who actually farm what they’re selling.
Quail Hollow Ranch House Tour · 1 PM · 800 Quail Hollow Rd, Felton · Free (16+, advance registration)
Docent-led tour of the Quail Hollow ranch house, covering 150-plus years of property history. Bring lunch, walk the meadow loop, catch the 1 PM tour. Registration via 831-454-7941.
High Sierra Music Festival Band Contest at Moe’s Alley · 7 PM · 1535 Commercial Way · $10 advance
Five bands compete for a slot at High Sierra. Cheap way to catch what’s coming up next.
LOCAL SPOTLIGHT
The Santa Cruz Longboard Union has been running the Memorial Day contest at the Lane for decades, and it’s still the longest-running longboard competition anywhere on the West Coast. It’s an all-volunteer club. Local surfers set the buoys, time the heats, run the scoring tents, and somehow get nearly 200 surfers in and out of the water by sundown two days running. Sponsorships pay for trophies; everything else is people who could be surfing instead. Most of the regulars work the contest in the morning and surf the south swell after. If you watch from the cliff this weekend, that’s the operation you’re looking at.
WEEKEND PICK
The Lane gets all the press on Memorial Day weekend. The better day out is up Highway 9. The Felton parade rolls down Graham Hill starting at 11 AM, ending at Covered Bridge Park with a festival of food, live music, fire trucks, and the kind of small-town parade where the grand marshal waves at people by name. Walk over or drive a mile north to Roaring Camp for Lumberjack Days: the steam train running, lumberjack demos, craft booths. Park at Roaring Camp ($10), hit Lumberjack Days first, walk down to the parade at the bridge, eat your way through the festival. Tyrolean Inn for a late lunch if you can stretch it.
WEEKLY
The stuff that’s on every week. Markets, music, standing plans.
Tuesday: Felton Farmers Market · 1:30 to 5:30 PM · 120 Russell Ave, Felton
Mountain market under the big trees.
Wednesday: Downtown Santa Cruz Farmers Market · 12:30 to 5 PM · Cedar & Church, Downtown
The big one. Show up around 3 when the crowds thin out.
Thursday: Crow’s Nest Free Beach BBQ & Concerts · 5:30 PM to sunset · Santa Cruz Harbor Beach, Seabright · Free
Live band on the beach, food and drinks for purchase. Runs through early September.
Thursday: Bargetto Winery Music in the Courtyard · 6 PM · 3535 N Main St, Soquel · Free, reservation 831-475-2258 x114
Creekside courtyard, wine and snacks for purchase. Through September.
Friday: Watsonville Farmers Market · 2 to 9 PM · Peck & Union, Downtown Watsonville
The prepared-food vendors are the move. Come hungry.
Friday: Skypark Food Truck Friday · 5 to 8 PM · 361 Kings Village Rd, Scotts Valley · Free
The biggest weekly food truck gathering in the county. Live music, kids everywhere, park near the dog park.
Friday & Saturday: Live Band at Abbott Square · 7 to 10 PM · 725 Front St, Downtown · Free
Rotating lineup in the open garden, no cover.
Saturday: Westside Farmers Market · 9 AM to 1 PM · Mission St Ext & Western Dr
Runs rain or shine. The one with the coffee line.
Saturday: Aptos Farmers Market · 8 AM to Noon · Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Dr
Year-round, nearly 90 vendors. Park in the upper lots.
Saturday: Scotts Valley Farmers Market · 8 AM to Noon · Boys & Girls Club, 5060 Scotts Valley Dr
Seasonal through November.
Sunday: Live Oak Farmers Market · 9 AM to 1 PM · 15th & East Cliff Dr
Quiet neighborhood version of the Downtown market. Go before brunch.
BEFORE YOU GO
That’s #008. If something’s happening in Santa Cruz County that we should know about, tell us here or just reply to this email.
See you next Thursday.
Low Tide Local