Community Calendar October 2022

The Robber Bridegroom
Weekends through October 23 at Park Hall, 9400 Mill St, Ben Lomond. Mountain Community Theater presents The Robber Bridegroom – a bawdy, backwoods barn dance and spicy gumbo of tall tales, secret identities, and bald-faced lies. This American fairy tale is set in the mythical backwoods of 18th-century Mississippi Territory, with haunting ballads, country dances, and foot-stomping fun. Tickets: brownpapertickets.com/event/5371141

Pie for the People: A Benefit for Life Lab
Sunday, October 2 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. The Farm, UCSC. A festive day in the Life Lab garden at the height of harvest to celebrate pie, community, and the joy of outdoor learning. Bring a sweet or savory vegetarian pie to share, a $5+ donation per person to benefit Life Lab, and your own plate/fork/spoon/napkin/mug. 

Spooktacular First Friday Boulder Creek
Friday, October 7 from 5:00 to 9:00 pm. Downtown Boulder Creek. Come spend time with local businesses and community makers. Stroll the historic district and gather some great Halloween things while you’re at it! Shops stay open late, vendors line the sidewalks. Food, live music, art. facebook.com/events/1141949646678702

2nd Annual Seacliff Street Fair
Saturday, October 8 from 11:30 am to 4:00 pm. 251 Center Avenue, Aptos. Food trucks, craft booths and tie-dye station, live entertainment, and a chalk drawing contest.

Open Farm Tours
Saturday, October 8 & Sunday, October 9 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Meet your farmers and tour 15 local organic family farms. Celebrating 9 years of Open Farm Tours. All proceeds go to the farms. View participating farms, tour schedules, farm activities & download a map. openfarmtours.com

Monterey Bay CRFG Heirloom Apple Tasting and Pie Contest
Saturday, October 8 from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. Santa Cruz Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Avenue. Monterey Bay Chapter of the California Rare Fruit Growers’ Apple Tasting will be held jointly with the Santa Cruz Live Oak Grange Fall Festival and 3rd Annual Pie Contest! Over 70 varieties of heritage and rare apples for participants to sample and rate. 

7th Annual Santa Cruz Harbor Classic Car Show
Sunday, October 8 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles will be on display on the harbor’s west side (near Mariner Park) with music, food, and family fun. santacruzharbor.org

Big Sur Jade Festival
Friday, October 7 through Sunday, October 9. Los Padres National Forest, 60 miles south of Monterey, 40 miles north of Cambria, across from Sand Dollar Beach, on Hwy 1. Jade and other lapidary arts by vendors from the USA, Canada, & New Zealand. World-class musicians, fine foods. A benefit for the South Coast Community Land Trust, Pacific Valley School, and the Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade. bigsurjadefestival.com

27th Annual Lobster Feed
Saturday, October 8 at 4:30 pm. Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. A fundraiser for Mountain Parks Foundation’s stewardship of Big Basin Redwoods State Park and Henry Cowell and Fall Creek Parks, the event features fresh Maine lobster, corn-on-the-cob, toasted garlic bread, green salad, drinks, and dessert. Music by The Shady Rest Band. mountainparks.org

Rancho Siempre Verde Pumpkin Picking 
Saturdays and Sundays October 14 through October 30 from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. Rancho Siempre Verde Farm, 2250 Cabrillo Highway, Pescadero. Pick pumpkins, cut flowers, grab a peck of apples, make a fall wreath, have a picnic, take a tractor ride, have fun on the slide, swing on the swings, and enjoy farm activities. Reservations: rsvtrees.com

50th Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival
Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Main Street, Half Moon Bay. Gargantuan grand champion mega-gourd, Godzilla-like heavyweight champion pumpkins, smashing entertainment with four stages of live music, Great Pumpkin Parade, harvest-inspired art and fine crafts, delectable homestyle foods, premium wines, seasonal craft beer, pumpkin-infused ales, pumpkin-flavored artisan cocktails, expert pumpkin carver Farmer Mike, and more. pumpkinfest.miramarevents.com

Thomas and Percy Halloween Party
Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16 from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. Roaring Camp Railroads, Felton. Dress up for Halloween with favorites Thomas and Percy for a 20-minute train ride with live entertainment and fun-filled activities for the entire family. roaringcamp.com

Gourmet Grazing on the Green
Saturday, October 15 from 12:00 to 4:00. Aptos Village Park, 100 Aptos Creek Rd. The ultimate foodie festival, featuring an afternoon of tasting fine local wines, handcrafted beers, delicious food from top local chefs, and live music! This year’s event features over 60 local wineries, restaurants, and breweries. Supporting local nonprofits that fight cancer. sccbg.org/gourmetgrazingonthegreen

Santa Cruz Elks Oktoberfest
Saturday, October 15 from 3:00 to 7:00 pm. Santa Cruz Elks Lodge 824, 150 Jewell Street, Santa Cruz. Traditional German food, craft beer by Discretion Brewing, and live music by Alpine Sound. Lederhosen and dirndls encouraged! Tickets: santacruzelks.org 

13 Days of Halloween on the Wharf
Wednesday, October 19 through Monday, October 31 from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Great Pumpkin BINGO Hunt, photo booth, festive Wharf specials, trick-or-treating on the 31st. cityofsantacruz.com/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/18216/650

37th Annual Mountain Affair
Friday, October 21 from 5:00 to 9:00 pm. Roaring Camp Bret Harte Hall, 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton. Locally sourced, multi-course gourmet dinner, local wine and beer, a live band, and a silent auction of local crafts and live auction to support San Lorenzo Valley’s economic, fire recovery, and community support efforts. All proceeds go to Mountain Community Resources. communitybridges.org/events

Women On Waves Surf Contest
Saturday, October 22 at 7:00 am to Sunday, October 23 at 6:00 pm. Capitola Beach, Capitola. The Women On Waves Surf Contest (W.O.W.) amateur longboard surfing event showcases the talent and athleticism of local women in the Santa Cruz County community and is a fundraiser that promotes women of all ages participating in the sport of surfing and open water swimming. The theme for this year is Sea Happiness to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and the therapeutic benefits of the ocean. olachica.com

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Chili Cook-Off 
Saturday, October 22 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Purchase a Tasting Kit to sample chili from dozens of professional and amateur chefs competing for the title of Best Chili. A portion of the proceeds from Tasting Kit sales will benefit The Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller Memorial. Boardwalk admission is free. beachboardwalk.com/Chili-Cook-Off

Scarecrow Sip & Stroll
Saturday, October 22 from 12:00 to 6:00 pm. Downtown Felton. Sip cider and stroll the historic district. Choose your favorite scarecrow display among downtown shops and cast your vote. FB @downtownfelton

Corazon De Mujer- Dia de Los Muertos and Halloween Festival
Saturday, October 22 from 4:30 to 9:30 pm. Chanticleer Park, 1975 Chanticleer Avenue, Santa Cruz. Celebrate Dia de Los Muertos and Halloween with a Haunted Trail, craft vendors, live music and dance performances. Bring photos or other special items to add to a Community Ofrenda (Dia De Muertos Altar). All dogs in costume win a treat! Rewards for the best Catrina and the best Catrin. FB @countyparkfriends

Thriller Halloween Ball 
Saturday, October 22 at 8:00 pm. Felton Music Hall, 6275 Highway 9, Felton. Thrill to Foreverland – A Tribute to Michael Jackson. Costumes encouraged. feltonmusichall.com

Boulder Creek IOOF Cemetery Scavenger Hunt
Saturday, October 29 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Boulder Creek IOOF Cemetery at the top of Harmon Street, Boulder Creek. Gather the wee ghouls for a peek into local history as they search among the headstones for wrapped candy. Costumes encouraged. FB @BoulderCreekCemetery

2nd Annual Fall-O-Ween Fest
Saturday, October 29 from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. Zayante Hollow Ranch, 8240 E Zayante Rd, Felton. Costumes, petting zoo, bounce house, hay rides, horse rides, crafts, food, vendors, face painting, and more to benefit rescue farm animals. FB @tailsofredwoodtrails

Lompico Park Halloween Party
Saturday, October 29 from 2:00 to 7:00 pm. Lompico Community Center, 10734 Lompico Rd, Felton. BBQ, raffle, cake walk, costume contest for kids, couples, & families (with prizes!), corn hole tournament, bounce house, and face painting! All proceeds go towards improving the park. Volunteers, cake bakers, and raffle donors wanted! lompicocommunitycenter@gmail.com

Witches Ball
Saturday, October 29 from 7:00 pm to midnight. Brookdale Lodge, 11570 Highway 9, Brookdale. brookdalelodge.com

‘Grateful Dead’ Halloween Ball
Saturday, October 29 from 7:30 pm to midnight. Santa Cruz Veterans Memorial Hall, 846 Front St., Santa Cruz. The China Cats perform their legendary tribute to the music of Jerry Garcia in a vintage ballroom under soaring ceilings. Grateful costume contest, Shakedown vending hall. An epic psychedelic experience. brownpapertickets.com/event/5572690

Lost Circus Carnival 
Sunday, October 30 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Cruise Coffee Company, 246A Kings Village, Scotts Valley. Meet some mermaids and a dinosaur. Eat carnival inspired foods. Drink ALL the coffee. Art show, more than 20 vendors, plus games and activities for all ages.

Halloween on the Boardwalk
Sunday, October 30 from 12:00 to 7:00 pm. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Celebrate Halloween with trick-or-treating and spooktacular Boardwalk fun. beachboardwalk.com

Halloween with Kuzanga Marimba
Monday, October 31 from 5:00 to 9:00 pm. Annual Halloween crawl on Pacific Avenue downtown Santa Cruz. Dance to the rhythmic sounds of traditional and contemporary marimba music from the Shona culture of Zimbabwe at Pacific & Cooper Streets. kuzanga.com

Felton Halloween Spooktacular
Monday, October 31 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Downtown Felton. Calling all goblins, ghosts, and creatures of the night! Creep, float, or crawl over to Felton on Halloween for some trick-or-treating delight with downtown merchants! 

Boulder Creek Trick-or-Treat Street
Monday, October 31 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Downtown Boulder Creek. Kids and adults alike share the fun dressed in costume. Local shops hand out sweets. 

Flashmob on Riverside Avenue
Monday, October 31 from 5:00 to 9:00 pm. Riverside Avenue, Ben Lomond. Neighbors turn the entire street into a horror fest of haunted yards and trick-or-treating, plus a well-attended witch’s Thriller dance performance at 8:00 pm.

Halloween at Boulder Creek Rec
Join us on Halloween night from 6:00 to 8:00 pm for a ghoulishly fun time. We will have our infamous Haunted House provided by Boy Scouts along with games, jump house, and much more. 13333 Middleton Ave. 831-338-4144

New Horizons Halloween Dance Party
Monday, October 31 at 7:30. Joe’s Bar, Boulder Creek. FB @joesbouldercreek