Low Tide Local · Edition #026 · September 22, 2026
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Happy Tuesday! Hopefully you haven't caught the cold our kids did.
Fall officially starts at 5:05 this afternoon, but Wednesday and Thursday are going to be hot, which is how September works around here. UCSC students are back in class Thursday, and this weekend is stacked with fun events around town.
Reminder: Hot Elevation Studio is $30 off the yoga studio's Elevation Experience for Low Tide readers through Friday, September 25. Mention us at the front desk on 41st Ave.
If you're new here, scroll to the second half for events.
Now let's get into this week:
SAVE THE DATE
1st Low Tide Dinner Club: Wednesday, October 14
Two weeks ago we asked if you'd have dinner with a table of strangers from this newsletter. Roughly 250 of you responded, and 75% said yes or maybe, so we're doing it!
How it works. Next week we send a link. You sign up, take a short personality quiz, and we match you with six to eight people at a local restaurant on a weeknight. We book the table and reveal the spot that morning. You buy a ticket and your dinner.
First one is Wednesday, October 14. Tickets go on sale next week. We'll probably cap the spots for the first one, so if you're interested, reserve a seat below.
Want in on the first Low Tide Dinner Club, Wednesday, October 14?
Want your business featured?
CONDITIONS · TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
SUNRISE 6:55 AM
SUNSET 7:06 PM
WATER 62°F · full 3/2
SURF 3 to 5 ft · fair, fun
LOW TIDE 2.6 ft · 2:13 PM
FOG patchy, clears by 9
AQI 50 · good
UV 7 · high, midday
Today we climb out of Monday's drizzle. Wednesday and Thursday run hot, inland near 90, then it cools into a sunny weekend. Water is 62, still a 3/2.
A southern hemi swell with a little northwest on top. Pleasure Point is 4 to 6, 26th and the Lane 3 to 4, the Hook 2 to 3, Jack's and Capitola 1 to 2. Light wind, morning cleanest. The 4.0 high at 9:20 bogs the tide-sensitive spots, so surf the afternoon drop toward the 2.6 low at 2:13.
The same family of orcas worked the bay every day from September 14 through Sunday, and Sunday was the best of it. Both the Santa Cruz boat and the Sanctuary Cruises boat counted seven, three moms with calves plus the big male Jimmy, with around 50 humpbacks breaching around them. Sunday's captain's log has the video.
Photo: K. Cohen for Sanctuary Cruises, Thursday, September 17
APPLES
Gizdich Ranch, 55 Peckham Rd, Watsonville, weekends 9 to 5, card only at the orchard, pie shop open daily. Clearview Orchards, 646 Trabing Rd, Watsonville, Saturdays and Sundays 10 to 4, Fujis mostly, buy your ticket online first. Swanton Pacific Ranch, Swanton Rd, Davenport, Fridays through Sundays, 16 varieties in Cal Poly's organic orchard. Luz del Valle, 1875 Hames Rd, Corralitos, timed hour for $12 to $15 with a pound of apples included.
STRAWBERRIES AND TOMATOES
Live Earth Farm, 1275 Green Valley Rd, Watsonville, Saturdays and Sundays, strawberries and dry-farmed Early Girls at $3 a pound. Apples are listed for late September, so check the status table before you drive out.
PUMPKINS
Patchen, 22217 Old Santa Cruz Hwy, Los Gatos, open since the 18th, Fridays 10 to 5 and weekends 10 to 6. Rodoni Farms, 4444 Coast Rd, opens Saturday, September 26, daily 9 to 6, corn maze $5, cash or Venmo. Cuny's on Soquel Drive opens October 1. Birdsong Orchards is closed this weekend, both stands.
Water Street is getting separated bike lanes, and the open house is Wednesday
The city wants a one-way separated bike lane on each side of Water Street from Poplar to Branciforte, plus a redesign of the Poplar, Water, and Soquel intersection. Drop in Wednesday, September 23, 5 to 7 PM at Branciforte Middle School, 315 Poplar Ave, if you have an opinion. Groundbreaking is penciled for late 2027.
The county is prepping for a "super" El Niño
Pacific sea surface temperatures are running more than 2 degrees Celsius above normal, and UCSC's Michael Beck expects the warm water to raise local sea level 6 to 12 inches this winter. He says we're already seeing about 9. County crews have cleared 215 miles of roadside ditches and are aiming for 250 by November. The county's watch list is coastal flooding in Rio Del Mar and Pleasure Point, river flooding along the Pajaro and the San Lorenzo, and slides in the mountains. Sign up for CruzAware alerts at cruzaware.genasys.com if you haven't.
Mo’s Map shows what's happening near you, includes events, music, markets, local business spotlights, road closures, and the weekend's sales!
*Garage sales get refreshed every Friday.
★ = family-friendly
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
Fall Book Group Mixer at Bookshop · 7 PM · Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave, Downtown · Free
Staff preview the fall's book-club titles. Bring your group or find one.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
★ Ranch Kid Field Trip Day at Wilder Ranch · 11 AM to 3 PM · Wilder Ranch State Park, 1401 Coast Rd, north of town · Free, $10 parking
Self-guided homeschool day on the 1890s dairy ranch: butter making, blacksmith demos, old games, farm animals. No RSVP.
★ Cayuga Jazz Band at the Crepe Place · 5:30 to 7:30 PM · The Crepe Place, 1134 Soquel Ave, Seabright · Free
Trad jazz on the garden stage while you eat a crepe.
★ Wednesday Night Sailboat Races · 6:30 PM · Santa Cruz Harbor, 135 5th Ave · Free to watch
Watch from the jetty by the Walton Lighthouse.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
★ Yappy Hours at the MAH · 4 to 5:30 PM · Museum of Art & History garden, 705 Front St, Downtown · Free
Adoptable shelter dogs, broth "Barktinis" for them, a spritz for you.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
★ Skypark Food Truck Friday · 4:30 to 7:30 PM · Skypark, 361 Kings Village Rd, Scotts Valley · Free entry
Early start this week. Paperback Ryders play, beer and wine garden, face painting.
Battle of the Bands Finals · Doors 6, show 7 PM · The Catalyst Atrium, 1011 Pacific Ave, Downtown · $24.60, 16+
Five local finalists out of 177 bands.
★ Girl Grom Surf Club Meetup · 4 to 6 PM · Capitola Beach, east side by the jetty, Capitola Village · Free, $10 suggested per girl
Monthly surf meetup for girls of any level, family welcome on the sand. Sign up and sign the waiver first.
★ Sequoia Lights at Roaring Camp · 8 to 9:30 PM, Friday and Saturday · Roaring Camp, 5401 Graham Hill Rd, Felton · $26.50, kids $15.90
A 0.8-mile night walk under 26 lanterns hung in the redwoods.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
★ Capitola Beach Festival, day one · 8 AM to 8 PM · Capitola Village beach and Esplanade Park · Free · See Weekend Pick below
Sand sculpture contest 10 to 2, lighted nautical parade on Soquel Creek at 7, drone show at 8.
Enterprise Sports Club Open House · 9 AM to 2 PM · 100 Enterprise Way, Scotts Valley · Free, 18+
Pool, courts, sauna, and cold plunges open to non-members for the day. Bring a towel.
Sip Social at Verve Seabright · 10 AM to 1 PM · Verve Coffee, 104 Bronson St, Seabright · $45, 50 spots
Club Aligne's Pilates Sculpt on the patio, then a Verve latte, a goodie bag, and a small wellness market.
★ Surfing Museum 40th Anniversary · Noon to 2:30 PM · Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, Lighthouse Point, 701 West Cliff Dr · Free
The lighthouse museum turns 40. Parks and Rec throws the party above the Lane.
★ A Taste of Soquel · Noon to 4 PM · Congregational Church of Soquel, 4951 Soquel Dr · $30 adults, $10 ages 12 to 20 at the door
Soquel restaurants, wineries, and breweries with live bands and a kid zone, all for Second Harvest.
Windy Oaks Fall Festival · Noon to 5 PM · Windy Oaks Estate, 550 Hazel Dell Rd, Corralitos · $20, kids free
Oysters, the S&B food truck, DJ Jahi, and a bounce house on the ridge. Admission includes a glass of wine, picnics welcome.
★ Santa Cruz Mountain Harvest Festival · 12:30 to 6:30 PM · Junction Park, 13264 Middleton Ave, Boulder Creek · Free entry
Four bands at the park, hay rides and a petting zoo up the street at the Rec Center.
★ Duck Island Music Festival · Gates noon, music 1 to 6 · San Lorenzo Park, 137 Dakota Ave, Downtown · $25
Mitchum Yacoub, Dan P. & The Bricks, Trestles, and more by the river. Bring low chairs.
★ Fiesta en la Playa · Saturday 11 AM to 8 PM, Sunday noon to 7 · Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, 400 Beach St · Free
Mariachi and folklórico, Banda Maguey on the beach at 5, salsa Sunday 3 to 6:30.
★ World Elite Sumo · Doors 6, first bout 7 PM · Kaiser Permanente Arena, 140 Front St, Downtown · From $50
Twelve wrestlers, one-night bracket, plus a women's tournament.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
★ Capitola Beach Festival, day two · 7 AM to 3 PM · Capitola Village beach · Free · See Weekend Pick below
Ukuleles on the beach at 10, chalk art on the seawall 11 to 2, rowboat races at 1.
★ Santa Cruz Triathlon · Morning · Starts at the Wharf, course on West Cliff · Free to watch
Running since 1983. West Cliff closes Sunday morning.
★ Vintage Flea Market at Salvage Hut · 10 AM to 2 PM · Salvage Hut, 3011 N Main St, Soquel · Free to browse
Ten-plus vendors in the garden, coffee bar open. Last Sunday of every month.
★ Beach Cleanup and Sandcastles at Manresa · Noon to 3 PM · Manresa State Beach, bottom of the stairs, La Selva · Free
A moms-and-kids afternoon from The Mothership Collective. Clean the beach, then build sand sculptures. Bags, gloves, and snacks provided.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
Joseph Fink at Bookshop · 7 PM · Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave, Downtown · Free
The Welcome to Night Vale co-creator with a new novel, The Nudge.
Board Game Night at the Cruz Room · 6 PM · 1520 Mission St, Westside · Free
Thirty-plus games, a demo at 6:30, trivia at 8. The Murray Street Bridge's eastbound lane is due back today, too.
LOOKING AHEAD
Gourmet Grazing on the Green · Saturday, October 3, noon to 4 · Aptos Village Park · From $65.87
Dozens of restaurants and wineries on the lawn. Sells out most years.
CARNE · 21511 E Cliff Dr, Live Oak
Tim Estrada of Point Butcher Shop opened this one in East Cliff Village last Tuesday, with Anthony Kresge, late of Shadowbrook, running the kitchen. Butcher counter and live-fire eatery in one room. Get the oak-smoked ribs and a Schwarz hot link, and go early for the pastrami sandwich, which sold out opening weekend. Tuesday through Sunday, 11 to 7.
Capitola Beach Festival · Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27 · Capitola Village beach, Esplanade Park, and Soquel Creek · Free
This year's theme is Toy Takeover. Get there early Saturday for the sand sculpture contest, 10 to 2, then children's art at Esplanade Park, music at the beach 4 to 6, the lighted nautical parade down Soquel Creek at 7, and the drone show at 8. Sunday is the quieter half, ukuleles at 10, chalk art on the seawall, rowboat races at 1. Village parking will be tight, so plan on walking in.
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.
Go see the sand sculptures. See you next Tuesday.
- Makena & Price
LOW TIDE LOCAL 🌊
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