Orcas, Apples, and the Fair

Low Tide Local · Edition #025 · September 15, 2026

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Happy Tuesday! It feels a bit more brisk in the morning making us feel like fall is actually upon us. We enjoyed checking out all the local artists at the art & wine festival last weekend. Thank you to everyone who responded about the dinner club idea. We got a lot of interest so we will get one set up in the next few weeks! We'll keep ya posted :)

Now let's get into this week:

CONDITIONS · TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

Last week's 90s are gone. Today is mostly sunny and 73, and the fog is back on the coast overnight, burning off by mid-morning most days. Wednesday and Thursday hold in the low 70s, then Friday and Saturday warm to 79 and 77 with sun. Water is 61. Full 3/2 still.

Small day. An old swell mix fades this morning and a little new south swell creeps in this afternoon, knee to waist high at the better spots. Pleasure Point and 26th Ave are 2 to 3, the Lane is 1 to 2, the Hook and Capitola are flat, and the north coast from Davenport up to Waddell is 3 to 4. Light wind, with a southerly sea breeze filling in after lunch. The headland and kelp spots stay clean. The evening low is 0.8 at 8:37 PM.

Monday morning off Moss Landing, the Sanctuary Cruises boat found ten orcas hunting sea lions and common dolphins, with several of the twenty or so humpbacks in the area pushing in to break up the hunt. One sea lion tucked under the boat's hull to hide, and the orcas circled the boat for over an hour while the boat sat stationary. The captain's log has the photos and a video.

Photo: Sanctuary Cruises

Three apple orchards are open now, including last week's Spotlight, Luz del Valle in Corralitos, and a fourth opens on the north coast Friday.

Gizdich Ranch · 55 Peckham Rd, Watsonville · Weekends 9 to 5 · Card only at the orchard
Opened Saturday. The pie shop is open every day, and the berries are done for the year.

Clearview Orchards · 646 Trabing Rd, Watsonville · Saturdays and Sundays 10 to 4
Also opened Saturday. Organic Fujis, Galas, Honeycrisp, Mutsu. Buy a ticket on their site before you drive out.

Cal Poly Swanton Pacific Ranch · Swanton Rd, across from 480 Swanton Rd, Davenport · Opens Friday, September 18 · Fridays through Sundays while the apples last
The ranch's two-acre organic orchard, 16 varieties that ripen through the fall. Gingergold and Holstein are the early ones.

Patchen Pumpkin Patch · 22217 Old Santa Cruz Hwy, Los Gatos · Opens Friday, September 18 · Fridays 10 to 5, weekends 10 to 6
Harvest Nights run Saturday and Sunday 4 to 6 with Burrell School wine, JuneBug playing, and Pizzeria Vittoria.

We post between Tuesdays now :) Extra events and conditions, plus whatever we spot around the county. Come say hi.

Highway 1 closes overnight in Aptos on Sunday and Monday
Caltrans is building the Mar Vista pedestrian overcrossing, so southbound Highway 1 closes Sunday night from 11 PM to 6 AM, then northbound closes Monday night from 10 PM to 5 AM. The detour is Soquel Drive between Park Ave and State Park Drive either way. If you're driving home late from the fair Sunday, plan on the surface streets.

Murray Street Bridge reopens one lane on September 28
The city says the eastbound lane over the harbor comes back on the 28th after a full closure since June 10, which was the only window the contractor could drive piles in the water. Two shorter full closures are still coming, one week in February 2027 and two weeks in December 2027, and the whole retrofit wraps around January 2028.

Aptos native Nikki Hiltz took third in Budapest
The Aptos High grad ran third in the women's 1,500 at the first World Athletics Ultimate Championship on Saturday, 3:58.16 in a 12-runner final, and earned $40,000 for the finish. They told LetsRun they'd wanted this meet all year.

View Mo's Map to see what's happening near you, plus the markets and the weekend's sales.

Garage sales get refreshed every Friday.

★ = family-friendly

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

Smoke Cabaret at the Grove · 7 PM · Audrey Stanley Grove, 501 Upper Park Rd, DeLaveaga · $28 to $32
Joe Ortiz's one-woman play with Lori Rivera, at Santa Cruz Shakespeare's Tuesday Revels.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

★ Santa Cruz County Fair opens · Noon to 11 PM · Fairgrounds, 2601 E Lake Ave, Watsonville · $2.50 at the gate, cash only
Cheapest day of the week. Apple pie judging at noon, monster trucks at 7:15 (ticketed). (See Weekend Pick below)

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

★ Kids Day at the Fair · Noon to 11 PM · Fairgrounds, Watsonville · Kids 12 and under free
Kiddie carnival at 1, main carnival at 3, monster trucks again at 7:15. (See Weekend Pick below)

The Growlers at the Catalyst · Doors 7, show 8 PM · The Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave, Downtown · $66.87, ages 16+
Costa Mesa beach goth on the big stage.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

★ Andy Vargas and the drone show at the Fair · Show 7:30 PM, drones 8:50 PM · Fairgrounds, Watsonville · Free with admission
Santana's lead singer, a Watsonville native, then the drone show. (See Weekend Pick below)

Summer Sundowner at Lester Estate · 5 to 8 PM · Lester Estate Wines, 2000 Pleasant Valley Rd, Aptos · $25
James Durbin and the Lost Boys in the vineyard, SC Eatery on food. Last Friday of the season.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

★ Santa Cruz Bodysurfing Championships · 7 AM · Twin Lakes Beach (Blacks), Live Oak · Free to watch
Forty-two years running. Go early with coffee and watch people get barreled with no board.

★ Coastal Cleanup Day · 9 AM to noon · 50-plus sites around the bay · Free, sign up
Pick your beach on the Save Our Shores page.

★ Aloha Outrigger Races · 8 AM to 2 PM · Santa Cruz Wharf, 21 Municipal Wharf · Free to watch
Novice outrigger races off the Wharf, with hula performances between. Last race at noon.

★ Santa Cruz Fire Open House and BBQ · 11 AM to 3 PM · Fire Station 1, 711 Center St, Downtown · Free, $10 BBQ plate
Jump house, dunk tank, station tours, and the engines out front.

Passport Run at Verve Seabright · 11 AM · Verve Coffee, 104 Bronson St, Seabright · $10 suggested donation
An 8K benefiting Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks. Finishes into the block party below.

★ Seabright Block Party at Verve · Noon to 5 PM · Verve Coffee, 104 Bronson St, Seabright · Free
Makers, food vendors, live glass blowing, free matcha for the first 50.

★ Mi Gente Hispanic Heritage Festival · Noon to 6 PM · Woodhouse Brews, 119 Madrone St, Westside · Free, $5 to $10 suggested
Music, food, and vendors. All ages.

★ FigFest at Birdsong Orchards · Farm stand 11 AM to 4 PM, u-pick from noon · 613 Lakeview Rd, Watsonville · $5 entry, $8 a pound
Last fig Saturday of the season.

Bonny Doon Art, Wine & Brew Festival · 2 to 7 PM · Crest Ranch, 12200 Empire Grade, Bonny Doon · $35 non-alcoholic, $65 tastings, $150 VIP, 21+
Bonny Doon School's 25th annual fundraiser at the Christmas tree farm. Unlimited tastings, a makers market, live music. Cheaper online than at the gate.

★ James Durbin and the Lost Boys at the Fair · 7:30 PM, drones 8:50 PM · Fairgrounds, Watsonville · Free with admission
Santa Cruz's own Idol finalist, then the drone show. (See Weekend Pick below)

Rayland Baxter at Moe's Alley · Doors 8, show 9 PM · Moe's Alley, 1535 Commercial Way · $43.13, 21+
Nashville songwriter, The Coffis Brothers open.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

★ Last day of the Fair · 10 AM to 10 PM · Fairgrounds, Watsonville · $20 adults, $10 kids 6 to 12, 5 and under free
Escaramuza charra show in the horse arena at 4, Los Mismos at 7. (See Weekend Pick below)

★ Roarin' the Redwoods Car Show · 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM · Roaring Camp, 5401 Graham Hill Rd, Felton · Free to attend
Benefits Jacob's Heart.

★ Downtown Makers Market · 10 AM to 5 PM · Pacific Ave at Lincoln and Cathcart, Downtown · Free
Forty-plus local makers on Pacific.

Brews & Bounce at Verve · 3 to 6 PM · Verve Coffee, 1540 Pacific Ave, Downtown · RSVP on Partiful
Day party on the downtown Verve patio, three DJ sets until sunset.

★ Watsonville Community Bike Ride · 11 AM to 2 PM · Meets at 150 Westridge Dr, Watsonville · Free
Easy loop through the sloughs with Bike Santa Cruz County. All ages, some loaner bikes.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

Kristin Key at the Grove · 7 PM · Audrey Stanley Grove, 501 Upper Park Rd, DeLaveaga · $40
Touring musical comedian, guitar in hand, at Monday Revels.

Hosted Board Game Night at the Cruz Room · 6 PM · 1520 Mission St, Westside · Free
Thirty-plus games until 8, trivia after. Northbound Highway 1 closes in Aptos at 10 PM tonight.

Far West Fungi · 224 Laurel St, Suite A101, Downtown

The Garrone family has grown mushrooms since 1982, and their Moss Landing farm feeds this Laurel Street shop, half market and half cafe. Fresh mushrooms and grow kits up front, mushroom snacks and hot chaga tea in the back. Open 11 to 6 Tuesday through Sunday, 11 to 5 Mondays.

Santa Cruz County Fair · Wednesday, September 16 to Sunday, September 20 · 2601 E Lake Ave, Watsonville · $20 adults, $13 seniors, $10 kids 6 to 12, 5 and under free, parking $10

Our kids talk about the monster truck show at the fair all year long, and this is the week they've been waiting for. The trucks run Wednesday and Thursday at 7:15 in the grandstand, separate ticket needed. Admission got a little cheaper this year, Thursday is free for kids 12 and under, and the drone show runs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights after the main stage. Carpool with five or more and parking is free. Once you're in, wander the exhibit halls for the giant pumpkins and the apple pie contest entries, then go find the kids a pig and some farm animals to look at in the livestock barns.

The markets and standing plans that run every week. Hours and addresses for the county markets are at santacruzfarmersmarket.org.

Tuesday · Felton Farmers Market · 1:30 to 5:30 PM · 120 Russell Ave, Felton

Wednesday · Downtown Santa Cruz Farmers Market · 12:30 to 5 PM · Cedar and Church

Thursday · Boulder Creek Farmers Market · 1:30 to 5:30 PM · Junction Park

Friday · Watsonville Farmers Market · 2 to 9 PM · Peck and Union, Downtown Watsonville

Friday · Mountain Farmers Market · 2:30 to 6:30 PM · 23845 Summit Rd, under the redwoods, through October

Saturday · Westside Farmers Market · 9 AM to 1 PM · Mission St Ext and Western Dr

Saturday · Aptos Farmers Market · 8 AM to noon · Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Dr

Saturday · Scotts Valley Farmers Market · 8 AM to noon · Graham Plaza, 219 Mount Hermon Rd

Sunday · Live Oak Farmers Market · 9 AM to 1 PM · 15th and East Cliff Dr

Sunday · Humble Sea Brewing · 11 AM to 9 PM · 820 Swift St, Westside · Fog beer and fish and chips, dogs and kids fine, Saturdays too

Refer 7 friends and we will buy you a coffee at Verve. A referral counts once your friend confirms their spot from the email we send them, so tell them to watch for it.

Bring a sweater to the fair. See you next Tuesday. 🌊

Low Tide Local