Looking to Labor Day

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Labor Day weekend is coming up along with plenty of events to keep you busy. Thursday is the last Crow's Nest beach BBQ of the summer, featuring SambaDá. SambaDá played at my high school graduation party back in 2010 so I can assure you they are a good time!

Let's get into this week:

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CONDITIONS · TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Patchy fog before 10, then it burns off and we get 70. Cooler than last week. Water is 60. Full 3/2.

The Lane is Fair, 2 to 3 soft and fat on a south swell. Glassy this morning. Jack's and the Hook are 1 to 2 mush.

Morning low was the window. Low was 1.8 ft at 7:05 AM, high 5.3 at 1:35 PM. Evening low is 0.9 at 8:32, after dark.

Live conditions at lowtide.media

Sunday the 30th was a good day out there. The 9 AM boat logged 30 humpbacks and 20 common dolphin, and the 2:30 trip found 25 more humpbacks. The sightings log has the trip list. Photos live on the Whale Watch Facebook.

Dry-farmed Early Girls are still open at Live Earth Farm in Watsonville, $3 a pound ($2.50 if you walk out with 20 or more). Strawberries and cherry tomatoes are the same price. Apples stay closed until late September. Stand hours 10 to 3, Saturdays and Sundays, 1275 Green Valley Rd. Leave the dog at home.

Crystal Bay Farm is still the midweek strawberry move, Wednesdays and Sundays 12 to 5, $8 a pound plus $2 a head to get in.

Dahlias: Beeline Blooms in Ben Lomond is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays 10 to noon, 220 Stephens Lane. Walk the field $10 (kids free) or cut a jar for $30. Tuesday and Thursday walk-ins welcome, Sunday you-pick needs a ticket. They figure the season runs through October 15. Dynomite Farm in Live Oak is still by appointment, one party at a time, from $59.

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

Melo Bread is rising in Watsonville's old Miramar
The Miramar dished homemade meals at 532 Main St for 50 years. Now Kevin and Ivana Grenz have the keys. Ivana's mom waited tables there and her great uncle co-owned it. Kevin, a Bar Tartine alum, bakes stone-ground sourdoughs, cinnamon buns, Nona's focaccia, and a plant-based brioche. Hours are short to start, 11 to 2 Wednesday and Friday, 10 to 1 Saturday.

The Point opens in Seascape Village
The old Southpoint Coffee Shop space at 10 Seascape Village in Aptos is back as The Point. Breakfast burritos, burgers, paninis, smoothies, and ice cream, with coffee from Pacific Coffee Roasting up the road. Open 6 AM to 9 PM daily, which makes it the early option on that end of the county.

Seacliff rebuild survey is still open
At last Tuesday's New Brighton Middle School meeting, State Parks walked camping-relocation and site-design concepts for Seacliff, New Brighton, and Sunset. Neighbors had opinions. The online survey is still live. Draft management plan is aimed at winter or spring 2027.

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. Know of one? Submit it here.

★ = family-friendly

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Rehash with Makeout Reef · Doors 7 PM, show 8 · The Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Ave, Downtown · $21.26 to $28.72, ages 16+
South Florida rock, Makeout Reef opens. Only Catalyst show in the window.

Have a listen: Rehash ↗ and Makeout Reef ↗.

Pim Techamuanvivit and Andrea Nguyen, Cooking Thai · 7 to 8 PM · Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave, Downtown · Free
Michelin-star kitchens (Kin Khao, Nari, Nahm) plus the cookbook co-author. RSVP on the Bookshop calendar.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

★ Dueling Pianos at Esplanade Park · 6 to 8 PM · Capitola Village · Free
Last of the two-week post-Twilight bridge. Requests, sing-alongs, low chairs.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

★ Crow's Nest last Beach BBQ with SambaDá · 5:30 PM · Harbor Beach at the Crow's Nest, 2218 East Cliff Dr · Free
Last Thursday of the 2026 beach series. SambaDá opened the series in May and they close it. BBQ and drinks for purchase. Free harbor water taxi. Band site is sambada.com.

Sushi Thursdays at Madson Wines · 6 to 9 PM · 328 Ingalls St, Suite G, Westside
Sidepiece's hand roll bar in the tasting room. Our Spotlight this week, more below.

Comedy at Gilman, all-ladies showcase · 7 PM · 817 Soquel Ave, Midtown · Free
All-ladies showcase this Thursday. Public brewery.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

★ Flowers on Fridays dahlia pop-up · 8 AM until sold out · 210 El Sereno Dr, Scotts Valley · $20 or 2/$35
Self-serve, Venmo or cash. Every Friday through October.

★ First Friday Art Tour, MAH ceramics opening · MAH 12 to 8 PM · 705 Front St and galleries countywide · Free
Opening night for Silica / SiO2: Northern California Ceramics (runs into winter). Members' lounge 6 to 8 PM (RSVP). Abbott Square usually has the outdoor band after.

★ Capitola Movies at the Beach: A Minecraft Movie · 7:30 PM, movie at dusk · Esplanade Park bandstand, Capitola Village · Free
Last one of the summer. Picnic dinner, low-back chairs, layers. No alcohol or dogs on the beach.

★ First Friday Boulder Creek · 5 to 8 PM · Forest St, west of Hwy 9 · Free
Shop and swap, vendors, food trucks, kid zone. Not the downtown Santa Cruz First Friday.

★ Watsonville Music in the Plaza: Los Reyes de la Banda · 6 to 8 PM · Downtown City Plaza, 350 Main St, Watsonville · Free
Last date of the 2026 1st and 3rd Friday series. Los 3 Asociados is the opener. Blankets, chairs, picnic.

Alasdair Fraser's 43rd Annual Fiddle & Dance Extravaganza · Doors 6:30 PM, show 7:30 · Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church St, Downtown · Advance $35.50 adult / $31.50 student, senior 65+, child 9 to 17; kids 8 and under free. Day-of +$2
Valley of the Moon camp concert. Optional partner-dance intro after doors, before the orchestra blob walks in. GA seating.

Have a listen ↗

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

★ Best of the Best: All-Star Fest · 11 AM to 5 PM · Hwy 17 Studios, 831 Almar Ave, Westside · Free
Our Weekend Pick. Full plan below.

★ Roaring Camp Labor Day Weekend · Trains Saturday through Monday · 5401 Graham Hill Rd, Felton · Steam Train $42.35 adult / $26.45 child 2 to 12 / under 2 free
Steam trains, gold panning, blacksmith demos, and live music from Steve Bennett, all three days. Buy a train time on the Roaring Camp site.

Public Image Ltd with Plague Vendor · 8 PM, doors 7 · Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave, Midtown · $54, all ages
John Lydon. Plague Vendor opens. Rio times, not Eventbrite.

Have a listen ↗

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6

★ Magical Baker pop-up · 9 AM · Pleasure Point Verve, 816 41st Ave · Free entry
Maria's gluten-free, vegan bakery does a monthly pop-up, and this one debuts the fall menu, sweet and savory.

★ Swift Street Flea · 10 AM to 4 PM · 345 Swift St, Westside · Free
Local makers, vintage, art, coffee. Berdels lot.

★ Seabright Summer's End Block Party · 12 to 4 PM · Murray St at Seabright Ave · Free
Street is closed. The Dusk Syndicate and The Parafins play, plus maker booths and kids stuff. Brady's Yacht Club pours beer and wine.

Sunday Social: Beach Pilates · 10 AM to 12 PM · Palm Beach State Park, 2660 West Beach Rd, Watsonville · $33.85
A 45-minute all-levels mat class on the sand, then açaí bowls, coffee, and juice from local vendors. Bring a mat, water, and sunblock. Class starts right at 10, and ticket sales close soon.

Native medicinal plant talk and tea blend · 4 PM · Gilman Brewing, 817 Soquel Ave, Midtown · $42
Woven Herbs. 90 minutes. Build-your-own medicinal tea. Signup before you go.

Stephen Malkmus · 8 PM, doors 7 · Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave, Midtown · $55, all ages
Pavement, Jicks, Hard Quartet. Folkyeah lists Joe Glass opening.

Have a listen ↗

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 · LABOR DAY

Hosted Board Game Night at The Cruz Room · 5 to 10 PM · 1520 Mission St, Westside · Free
Hosted games 5 to 8, trivia 8 to 10. A 30-plus game library and someone to teach you the rules. Runs on the holiday. Roaring Camp's Labor Day trains run Monday too, if Felton is the plan.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

★ Tuesday Night Live season closer · 6 to 8 PM · Wharf Commons · Free
Last show of the 2026 series. Bring a chair. Locals Tuesday: stamp from a Wharf business gives you two hours of free parking.

Sidepiece · Madson Wines, 328 Ingalls St, Suite G, Westside

A made-to-order hand roll bar inside the Madson Wines tasting room, run by chefs Addam and Jeffrey Wall. Fish comes from the Central Coast and Monterey Bay, rolls go out one at a time, and the list changes every Thursday. Their motto is "nori waits for no one," which tells you how the crisp-seaweed thing works. Walk up, no reservation, Thursdays 6 to 9 PM, first roll to last call. Thursdays just became sushi night on the Westside.

Best of the Best: All-Star Fest · Saturday, September 5, 11 AM to 5 PM · Hwy 17 Studios, 831 Almar Ave, Westside · Free, all ages

Collective Santa Cruz and Double Meat Please are filling a 20,000-square-foot studio, indoor and outdoor, with the restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, makers, and artists that made them stop and say everyone needs to know about this. Come hungry and ready to shop. The Sourdough Bake-Off runs inside it: four categories, loaves drop by 10:30 AM, tasting at 1, winners announced 2 to 3 on the main stage. No ticket needed. Street parking in the neighborhood, service animals only. Lineup announcements are on @CollectiveSantaCruz and @DoubleMeatPlease.

The markets and standing plans that run every week.

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, Downtown

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

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 · Through October
Under the redwoods. Produce, food stalls, usually live music.

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 · Free entry
Fog beer and fish and chips in the beer garden. Dog and kid friendly, Saturdays too.

Any day: the library Puzzle Exchange · Most county branches · Free
Take a jigsaw off the display, finish it at your pace, then swap the box at the desk. No library card. Kelly, who helps with it, says every branch but Downtown and Live Oak has it.

Did we miss something? Submit it here.

LOOKING AHEAD

Worth booking now. All of these need a signup, and they can fill up.

Yoga and you-pick dahlias at Beeline Blooms · Saturday, September 19, 10 AM to 12:30 PM · 220 Stephens Lane, Ben Lomond
Sarina leads a 75-minute all-levels class in the field, then you cut a bouquet and take it home in a vase. Ticket covers the class, the walk, and the flowers.

The 42nd Santa Cruz Bodysurfing Championships · Saturday, September 19, 7 AM · Twin Lakes Beach (Blacks) · $75 adult divisions, $40 U18
Getting totally barreled since 1983. Registration is open now and it needs to happen before contest day. Men's, women's, and U18 divisions.

Women on Waves · Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18 · Capitola Beach
Longboard contest, open water swim, and a few other water heats. All ages and abilities. Registration is open now at womenonwavessurfcontest.com. Grab a spot before it fills.

If you know someone who would like this, send them your referral link below. 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.

Tap here for your personal referral link ↗

If you heard about something we should cover, hit reply or send it here.

See you next Tuesday. 🌊

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