Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Peak Daylight
Santa Cruz County · June 16, 2026
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Before we get into it, I want to welcome the 2,600+ people who joined us in the last 10 days! We can’t believe it. We put a lot of effort into this and we promise to make it worth your while.
Our ask is that if you find this useful, please share it. There’s a referral button at the bottom, and we keep track… for every 7 people you refer we’ll send you a gift card for a coffee at Verve :) We sent the first one out last week.
So without further ado, let’s jump in:
The longest days of the year are here. Saturday is the summer solstice, sunset is past 8:30, and the weekend stacks up three reasons to be outside: Juneteenth on Friday, the solstice on Saturday, Father's Day on Sunday.
This week, a lot of the events came straight from your event-form submissions. Keep them coming, we read every one.
CONDITIONS · TUESDAY, JUNE 16
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Expect the classic June pattern all week: marine layer overnight and into the morning, burning off mid-morning to low-70s afternoons. Saturday's solstice is the longest day of the year, so try and soak in every minute of that light.
The surf is still good and strong this week. If you have to pick, today is the day: four to six feet at the better spots on a long-period SSW swell. It eases through the weekend, so catch it earlier in the week. The water is up to about 59°F, so a full 3/2 works for most. The big morning minus tides run all week, the next one Wednesday at 7:11 AM at −1.7 feet, so go poke around the Westside tide pools early.
The blue whales are back. June 14 boats out of Monterey logged up to six blue whales in a single trip, the largest animals that have ever lived, here for the spring krill. The same day brought orcas, two sperm whales, fin whales, humpbacks, and hundreds of dolphins. When the blue whales show up, summer in the bay is on.
Monterey Bay Whale Watch posts photos from the trips on Facebook, and keeps a running sightings log.
Sad news for the olallieberry faithful: Gizdich Ranch has its olallieberries closed for 2026, no U-pick this year. We know, that one hurts. If your June ritual is a flat of olallies and a Gizdich pie, you will have to improvise.
However, boysenberries start this week, open Thursday June 18 through Sunday June 21 only, 9 AM to 5 PM at 55 Peckham Rd, Watsonville. Card only, call ahead at (831) 722-1056, weather moves the dates.
Strawberries are still at peak at the markets, and the first apricots and cherries are at the stands.
Becky G surprises UCSC grads as commencement speaker
Pop star Becky G turned up as the surprise keynote at UC Santa Cruz's 54th annual Chicanx Latinx graduation on Sunday. Her great-great-grandfather picked strawberries in Watsonville, and she stayed to hand out all 450 diplomas herself.
The Jay Moriarity paddle race rides again in Capitola
The new Santa Cruz Paddle Classic drew more than 130 paddlers, ages 8 to 74, to Capitola Beach on Sunday, reviving the Jay Moriarity Memorial race that ended in 2018.
Santa Cruz mourns Oliver Tree
Oliver Tree, the Santa Cruz native behind "Life Goes On" and "Miss You," died Sunday at 32 in a helicopter collision in Rio de Janeiro. He went from the local scene to a genre-bending, internet-famous career, and the county is feeling the loss of one of its own.
New this week: For you visual learners, we put everything on a map. Tap below to open “Mo's Map” and see what's happening near you, plus the farmers markets and weekend sales. It includes:
Traffic: Lot’s of people asked, so we included traffic closures (we’re looking at you Murray St bridge) as well as upcoming closures.
Garage Sales: We will also update this map every Friday with the weekend’s garage, estate, and moving sales. If you know of any please submit it here.
Happenings, Music, Business Spotlights, etc. Tell us what you think:
★ = family-friendly
TUESDAY, JUNE 16
Art Lab at The Vision Sanctuary · 6–9 PM · Downtown · Donation
Locals making art together every Tuesday, snacks shared. Bring your project and your own materials.
★ Evenings on the Colonnade · 8:30–9:30 PM · Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk · Free
Free nightly entertainment on the Colonnade deck, with magic from Kris Bentz at 8:30 and acrobatics from Molly Keczan at 9.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17
★ Water Park Wednesdays · 12–3 PM · Junction Park, Boulder Creek · Free
Free water play every Wednesday all summer, some supplies provided. Great for any age.
★ Capitola Twilight Concerts: Cocktail Monkeys · 6–8 PM · Esplanade Park Bandstand, Capitola Village · Free
Free Wednesday series, Bay Area rock and R&B covers. Bring a low chair, no dogs.
Crow's Nest: Yuji Tojo · 7 PM · 2218 E Cliff Dr, Seabright · $3 cover
Yuji Tojo plays the harbor on first and third Wednesdays.
Brett Dennen at Felton Music Hall · 8 PM, doors 7 · 6275 Hwy 9, Felton · Ticketed
Brett Dennen brings the "Art Is Life" tour up the hill, the biggest national name in town this week.
★ Village Foods Storefront Soft Opening · 11 AM–3 PM, Wed to Fri · 21245 E Cliff Dr, Pleasure Point · Free to browse
A new storefront soft-opening with sandwiches, wraps, bowls, and take-home dinners. Open Wednesday through Friday this week.
Surfrider Speaker Series: Coastal Resilience · 6:30–8:30 PM · Patagonia Outlet, 415 River St, Santa Cruz · Free
Surfrider Santa Cruz hosts a talk on building coastal resilience, locally and globally, with guest Mike Beck.
THURSDAY, JUNE 18
★ Crow's Nest Beach BBQ: Jive Machine · 5:30–8 PM · Santa Cruz Harbor Beach, Twin Lakes · Free
The Thursday beach party with Jive Machine on the sand. Free water taxi 5 to 9 PM, parking's tight.
★ Far West Fungi Myco-Mixer · 2–5 PM · 224 Laurel St, Downtown · Free
The downtown mushroom shop throws a free happy hour: bites, samples, house-made tacos.
Bargetto Winery: Beach Cowboys · 6–8 PM · 3535 N Main St, Soquel · Free
Rock covers in the creekside courtyard, wine by the glass.
An Evening of Pints & Plants · 5–8 PM · Sante Adairius Rustic Ales, 103 Kennedy Dr, Capitola · $30
Pot a live plant and take it home in a macrame hanger, with a craft pint from SARA and a taco truck on site. Registration required.
FRIDAY, JUNE 19 · JUNETEENTH
★ Liberation Paddle Out · Noon–5 PM · Cowell Beach, Westside · Free
Black Surf Santa Cruz's sixth Juneteenth ocean celebration at Cowell: a paddle out, a DJ on the sand, food vendors, and free surf gear and lessons while they last. Open to everyone, kids included.
★ Midtown Fridays: Ribsys Nickel · 5–8:30 PM · 1111 Soquel Ave, Midtown · Free
The summer block party with food trucks and vendors, music from Ribsys Nickel.
★ Movies on the Beach: Ferris Bueller's Day Off · 9 PM · Beach Boardwalk · Free
The 40th anniversary screening, on the sand in front of the Colonnade. Bring a blanket and a low chair.
Business Class at The Cruz Room · 7–9 PM · 1520 Mission St, Westside · Free
Jazz funk cosmic rock with pizza, beer, and a pinball room.
★ Tabletop Fun Night at Brick Lab · 6–9 PM · 108 Whispering Pines Dr, Scotts Valley · $25
Board games and LEGO builds for all ages, with a themed make-and-take project.
Israel Vibration and Roots Radics at Moe's Alley · 9 PM, doors 8 · 1535 Commercial Way, Live Oak · $45.76 (21+)
Israel Vibration, the legendary Jamaican roots-reggae trio, with Roots Radics.
SATURDAY, JUNE 20 · SOLSTICE
★ The Mom Walk Collective · 9:30 AM meet, 10 AM walk · Portola Ave lot, Pleasure Point · Free
Meet at the public lot across from Beck's Shoes and walk to the Pleasure Point market. Strollers and bikes welcome.
★ Wilder Ranch Coastal Nature Walk · 11 AM–1:30 PM · 1842 Coast Rd, Westside · Free, $10 parking
A ranger-led walk on the bluffs, about two hours. Pre-registration required.
★ Cars & Coffee Watsonville · 9–11 AM · East Lake Village, Watsonville · Free
Classic cars and coffee every Saturday morning in the East Lake Village lot. Bring the kids and the camera.
★ Swift Street Flea Market · 10 AM–4 PM · 345 Swift St, Westside · Free
Local makers, vintage, art, tunes, drinks, and coffee in the Swift Street courtyard.
★ Sweet Home Santa Cruz Dessert Festival · 11 AM–5 PM · Humble Sea, 820 Swift St, Westside
The fourth annual dessert festival at the Humble Sea beer garden. Full rundown in the Weekend Pick below.
The Suborbitals, Business Class and Woodpecker Dynamite · Doors 6 PM · The Vessel, Downtown · $10
Three local bands, surf-punk to cosmic jazz funk to country rock.
The Verve Pipe at Felton Music Hall · 8 PM, doors 7 · 6275 Hwy 9, Felton · Ticketed
The Verve Pipe of "The Freshmen" fame, 90s nostalgia in the mountains.
Nicholson Vineyards Father's Day Patio Games · 2–5 PM · 2800 Pleasant Valley Rd, Aptos · $20 adult, $10 child
Lawn games among the vines, with a welcome glass of wine for Dad. Easy win.
SUNDAY, JUNE 21 · FATHER'S DAY
★ Downtown Santa Cruz Makers' Market · 10 AM–5 PM · Pacific Ave, Downtown · Free
Local makers line Pacific Ave: jewelry, ceramics, prints, candles, leather, and more. A good Father's Day wander.
LOOKING AHEAD
★ Tuesday Night Live: The Unauthorized Rolling Stones · Tue June 23, 6–8 PM · Wharf Commons · Free
The free Wharf concert series returns with a Stones tribute.
★ World Soccer Celebration · June 24–28 · Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk · Free
Five days of free World Cup watch parties on the beach. Wednesday June 24 kicks off with Mexico vs Czechia and Mariachi Santa Cruz; Thursday brings USA vs Türkiye on a giant LED screen on Main Beach. 11th Hour Coffee downtown is showing games all week too.
Far West Fungi · 224 Laurel St, Downtown
A family-run mushroom shop that feels like nowhere else downtown: shelves of fresh and dried fungi, grow-your-own kits, mushroom jerky, even mushroom chocolate. Family-run out of Moss Landing since 1982.
This Thursday they host a free Myco-Mixer, 2 to 5 PM, with samples and house-made tacos. If your mushroom knowledge stops at the grocery store, go get weird in here.
Sweet Home Santa Cruz Dessert Festival · Saturday, June 20
The fourth annual Sweet Home Santa Cruz takes over the Humble Sea beer garden on the Westside, 11 AM to 5 PM. Desserts and treats from a roster of local makers, music, and Humble Sea's fog beer for the grownups. Dog and kid friendly. Skip lunch to make room.
Bring cash and an appetite, and check their Instagram for the vendor list and tickets. 820 Swift St, off the Westside.
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 6:30 PM · Junction Park, Boulder Creek
Friday: Watsonville Farmers Market · 2 to 9 PM · Peck and Union, Downtown Watsonville
Friday and Saturday: Live Band at Abbott Square · 7 to 10 PM · 725 Front St, Downtown · Free
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 · Boys and Girls Club, 5060 Scotts Valley Dr
Sunday: Live Oak Farmers Market · 9 AM to 1 PM · 15th and East Cliff Dr
Sunday: Humble Sea Brewing · Noon to 6:30 PM · 820 Swift St, Westside · Free entry
Fog beer and Scrumptious fish and chips in the beer garden. Dog and kid friendly, Saturdays too.
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.
Thanks for being here. If something in here sounds good, go have fun. And if you heard about something happening in the county that we should include, hit reply or send it here.
See you next Tuesday. 🌊
- P&M
Low Tide Local