Semiquincentennial

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Good morning friends.

Last week was the Junior Guards Battle-of-the-Beaches in Capitola, our six-year-old's first competition. We forgot his wetsuit, and it was foggy at the beach. Although apprehensive, he still wanted to compete.

The Run-Swim-Run was first. He headed out nervously with the crew, then stopped at the water's edge. The waves were bigger than he expected, and the swim was honestly kind of gnarly for a six-year-old. He stood there cold and crying, not wanting to go in, while the lifeguards did everything they could to coax him. I tried to let them handle it but finally went over to bail him out. After some back and forth, he finally said, "I WANT to do it, but I'm just cold." So with his permission, we went for it, and a lifeguard picked him up and carried him in. He was the only one in the water, everyone else long gone, and worked his way around the buoys.

I was so proud as he got out of the water and still crying, me and our eight-month-old (strapped to my chest) ran the last portion with him. The starting line of seven-year-old boys parted for him, cheering for him as he finished. I was so dang proud watching him fight through his own fear, and it was honestly emotional for me. My wife grew up here and Junior Guards is in her bones; but I'd never even heard of it until I met her. I'm not sure I'd have found the nerve at six to do what those kids did. But courage is a decision. When life is scary, we get to choose what we do. If you were one of those at the beach and cheering for him, thank you! We felt every one.

Now, to the weekend, and it's a big one. America turns 250 on Saturday, which is all that funny title on top means. Five parades around the county (Aptos is throwing its World's Shortest Parade for the occasion), fireworks over the Watsonville airport, an old-fashioned holiday at Wilder, and a coast that finally decided to be warm. You can't do all of it, so pick your spots.

A bunch of this issue came from your event-form submissions again. Keep them coming.

CONDITIONS · TUESDAY, JUNE 30

Classic late-June all week: partly sunny low-70s days, mid-50s nights, marine layer back after dark. The surf is all about the angle right now. The NW swell lights up the Westside, where Steamer Lane is a fun 4 to 6 feet and good-to-fair, but the east side sits in its shadow: Pleasure Point is a soft 2 to 3, and the 26th Ave stretch (Wind and Sea, Rockview) is small and poor-to-fair. Water's about 59°F, so it's still a full 3/2.

This morning's minus tide (-0.7 at 5:56) comes right at sunrise, so save the tide-pooling for a later day this week. One real note for a big beach weekend: the rocks at Panther and along the north coast have already turned deadly this summer, so don't turn your back on the ocean and keep an eye on the kids. The Fourth looks like 73 and partly sunny, fog creeping back for the fireworks.

Live conditions at lowtide.media

The bay does not quit. Last week the Monterey Bay Whale Watch crews logged up to 30 humpbacks on a single trip with a breaching calf in the mix, plus blue whales, fin whales, a sperm whale, and a pod of 250 Pacific white-sided dolphins. There was even a basking shark and an oarfish on the list, which both qualify as "you almost never see that here."

Photos are on Facebook, and the daily log keeps growing.

Strawberries are at peak across every farmers market in the county right now, and the first peaches and apricots are showing up at the Watsonville stands. Cherries are tailing off, get them this week if you want them.

For pick-your-own, Crystal Bay Farm in Watsonville runs U-pick strawberries Wednesdays and Sundays, noon to 5, at $8 a pound plus $2 to get in. 40 Zils Road, between Aptos and Watsonville.

The Guerilla Drive-In is back
After more than a decade off, the free pop-up movie collective held its comeback screening last Friday on the San Lorenzo riverbank under the Soquel Avenue bridge. The locations move around, warehouses on Coral Street, the riverbank, the Westside near the rail tracks off Fair Avenue, and they post the next one on their Instagram and on guerilladrivein.org. Free, donations welcome, bring a blanket and snacks.

Village Foods opens a micro-grocery on East Cliff
Kelly Langstaff, who's been running Village Foods as a prepared-dinner delivery service for years, just opened a small storefront at 21245 East Cliff Drive near the Windmill. It's a 1950s-style neighborhood shop with prepared entrées, salads, sandwiches, bowls, snacks, and a section for cut flowers, wine, and cards coming soon. villagefoodssc.com.

She walked every street in Santa Cruz County, then wrote a book about it
Angelica Glass, a Santa Cruz social worker, walked every street in the county and turned it into a memoir, "Scavenging Beauty: A Memoir in Walks." Bestselling author David Baldacci called it a "magnificent account of humanity." She reads from it at Bookshop Santa Cruz on July 7.

For the visual people, we put l.t.l. on a map. View Mo's Map to see what is happening near you, plus the markets and the weekend's sales.

Garage sales get refreshed every Friday with the weekend's garage, yard, estate, and moving sales, so you can plot your Saturday route before you leave the house. Know of one? Submit it here.

Road closures, current and upcoming, the Murray St bridge included. Plus happenings, music, and the spots we send people to, all in one place. Tell us what you think:

★ = family-friendly

TUESDAY, JUNE 30

★ Felton Farmers Market · 1:30–5:30 PM · 120 Russell Ave, Felton · Free
Quiet Tuesday in the valley. Get the strawberries.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1

★ Capitola Twilight Concerts · 6–8 PM · Esplanade Park, Capitola Village · Free
The free Wednesday series on the water rolls on. Bring a low chair and dinner from a Village restaurant.

Santa Cruz Works New Tech: July Mixer · 6 PM · RiverRow, 525 Water St, Downtown · Ticketed
Local tech crowd's monthly mixer at the new RiverRow building.

★ Abbott Square Trivia Night · 6:30 PM · Abbott Square, 725 Front St, Downtown · Free
Standing weekly trivia in the food hall. Grab Luna's empanadillas and play a round.

THURSDAY, JULY 2

★ Crow's Nest Beach BBQ: Ripatti Rose Band · 5:30–8 PM · Santa Cruz Harbor Beach, Twin Lakes · Free
Thursday beach party, band on the sand. The free water taxi runs 5 to 9 PM, parking is tight, so take it.

Bargetto Winery: Alex Lucero · 6–8 PM · 3535 N Main St, Soquel · Free entry
Alex Lucero plays the creekside courtyard, wine by the glass, ItaliaFire pizza outside.

FRIDAY, JULY 3

★ Midtown Fridays: Santa Cruz Latin Collective · 5–8:30 PM · 1111 Soquel Ave, Midtown · Free
The summer block party rolls on, food trucks and the Latin Collective in the lot.

★ Live at the Lane: James Durbin and The Lost Boys · 2–7 PM · Lighthouse Point Lawn, 701 W Cliff Dr, Westside · Free
A free afternoon on the lawn above Steamer Lane, and a benefit for Santa Cruz Parks. Full rundown in the Weekend Picks below.

SATURDAY, JULY 4

★ Aptos World's Shortest Parade · 10–11 AM, party noon–4 · Soquel Dr & State Park Dr, Aptos · Free
The signature Santa Cruz County Fourth, and this year it carries the banner for America's 250th. Six-tenths of a mile of fire trucks, marching bands, low-riders, and kids on bikes, then Party in the Park at Aptos Village Park, noon to 4. Full rundown in the Weekend Picks below.

★ Pleasure Point 4th of July Parade · noon · gathers at Pleasure Point Park, 33rd & East Cliff · Free
The unofficial one, and the best kind. Twenty-odd years of a DIY "world's shortest surf parade" down East Cliff to the Hook at high noon. Decorate the bike, the dog, the kid, grab a kazoo, and fall in.

★ Seabright 4th of July Parade · 10–11 AM · E Cliff Dr & Seabright Ave, Seabright · Free
The neighborhood parade winds down Seabright Ave. Park at the Boardwalk and walk the footbridge if you can, the streets get packed. The kids climb the grey whale statues at the Museum after.

★ Scotts Valley 4th of July Parade and Block Party · 9 AM–3 PM, parade at 11 · Boys & Girls Club, 5060 Scotts Valley Dr · Free
Kids Zone, food trucks, and a beer garden from 9 to 3, parade up Scotts Valley Drive at 11, then live music until 3.

★ Boulder Creek 4th of July Parade and Block Party · 10 AM–2 PM · downtown Boulder Creek · Free
Mountain-town version: parade up Highway 9 then a block party with vendors, BBQ, and live music. Organized by the Boulder Creek Business Association.

★ Wilder Ranch: Old Fashioned Independence Day · 11 AM–4 PM · 1401 Coast Rd, Westside · Free, $10 parking
Live music all day, open houses, blacksmithing, old-fashioned games, and food for sale. Save the parking receipt, it's good at every state park in the county for the day.

★ Watsonville Fire in the Sky · gates 4:30 PM, fireworks 8:30 · 100 Aviation Way, Watsonville · Free
It's the county's only real fireworks show, since nobody else around here puts one on. Free admission, free parking, on the airport tarmac. A classic car show runs 11 AM to 5 PM on the tarmac to warm you up. Cash for food, ATM on site.

Luna's Borikén Bites · Abbott Square, 118 Cooper St, Unit B, Downtown

Chef Ali Luna is also a working percussionist, which tracks once you eat there. Borikén Bites took over the corner stall at Abbott Square this spring and quietly became the food-hall favorite. The empanadillas are the top-seller and the right snack with a beer, but the move is the slow-roasted pork shoulder with Puerto Rican rice and pigeon peas, a plate you don't get anywhere else in the county. Pair it with Wednesday trivia or a Friday-Saturday band night and you've got a full evening for the price of a couple plates.

Live at the Lane: James Durbin and The Lost Boys · Friday, July 3

The Friends of Parks & Rec take over the Lighthouse Point lawn above Steamer Lane for the second Live at the Lane, 2 to 7 PM, free, and every dollar goes back to Santa Cruz Parks. Santa Cruz's own James Durbin and The Lost Boys play 70s and 80s dance rock from 4 to 6, with solo artist Ted Welty to open. Expect food trucks, a raffle, and pours from a deep local bench: Humble Sea, Discretion, Beauregard, Rombauer, and Shanty Shack.

Gilman Brewing Company is pouring too. We gave their Soquel Ave taproom the Spotlight a few weeks back, and the World Cup watch parties they were teasing then are live now, which is as good a reason as any to swing by after the lawn.

Aptos World's Shortest Parade + Party in the Park · Saturday, July 4

The Aptos Chamber has run this for decades, and for the 250th it is still the most Santa Cruz County thing on the Fourth. The parade kicks off at 10 AM at Soquel Drive and State Park Drive and runs about six-tenths of a mile down Soquel Drive to Parade Street, with road closures at 9:30. Aptos Village Park hosts Party in the Park from noon to 4 PM, with food, music, and the Chamber's parade-T-shirt quilt from 2009 to today on display.

Bring sunscreen, a low chair, and the kids. Park up the hill at Cabrillo and walk down if you want to skip the gridlock.

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 · 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.

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.

If something in here sounds good, go. Tell a neighbor. And if you heard about something happening in the county that we should cover, hit reply or send it here.

Have a safe Fourth. See you next Tuesday. 🌊

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