Rain's on the way. NWS is calling for an inch and a half to two inches in the mountains this weekend, thunderstorms possible near the coast. Yesterday UCSC had cumulonimbus clouds stacked up over the east field — the big ones, the ones that don't belong here. If you're the type to plan around weather, plan indoors. If you're not, you already know what you're doing.
Dharma's Asks for Help — and Santa Cruz Shows Up
Yogi Shapiro sent out a newsletter last week that hit people in the gut: Dharma's might have to close. The Capitola Road vegetarian spot has been open since 1982, and the numbers stopped working — costs up, traffic down, no profit in years. He asked people to come eat. They did. Last Saturday was the busiest in a long time, and he's reworking prices and portions based on what regulars are telling him. Worth a trip back if it's been a while.
Wharf South End Reopening April 29
Put it on the calendar. The south end of the wharf comes back on Wednesday, April 29. Details are thin — no word on which businesses return or what the reopening looks like — but after a long closure, people are going to show up regardless.
Vegan Chef Challenge Is Running All Month
Twenty-seven-plus restaurants countywide are debuting new plant-based dishes for April's first-ever Santa Cruz Vegan Chef Challenge. Vegan Outreach organized it, a winner gets announced in May, and the full participant list is at veganchefchallenge.org/SantaCruz. Even if you eat meat six days a week, this is a decent excuse to try a new spot.
Beer Run Eyeing May 1 on Soquel Ave
Kym DeWitt — Beer Mule, Beer Thirty, that whole family of spots — says Beer Run could open as soon as May 1 in the old Wienerschnitzel at 800 Soquel Ave. Sausage house, tap house, bottle shop. That stretch of Soquel keeps getting more interesting.
★ = family-friendly
★ Wilder Ranch: Guided Coastal Birding Walk · 9 AM–1 PM · 1842 Coast Road · Free
Four hours on the bluffs with someone who actually knows what they're looking at. Bring binoculars. A little drizzle might work in your favor — birds get active.
Far West Fungi: Myco Mixer · 2–5 PM · 224 Laurel St, Downtown · Free
The Santa Cruz store does weekly afternoon mixers now. Free bites, product samples, happy hour prices at the cafe. The house-made mushroom tacos are the draw. Probably the only place on Laurel Street where you can walk out with a lion's mane growing kit.
Downtown Felton Classic Car Show · 9 AM–3 PM · 9470 Highway 9, Felton · Free
Hot rods and classics lined up on Highway 9 in Felton. Worth the drive even if cars aren't your thing — the town itself is the excuse.
Brews, Bands & Bites · Noon–7:30 PM · Beer Thirty, 2504 S Main St, Soquel · $25 advance / $30 door
Four local bands, a makers market, beers on tap. All of it benefits Skills of Life SOL Cafe, which does job training for people with developmental disabilities. Rain or shine — and that matters this weekend.
★ Downtown Santa Cruz Antiques Faire · 9 AM–5 PM · Lincoln St, between Pacific and Cedar · Free
Second Saturday of the month, so it's vintage day on Lincoln Street. Clothing, records, collectibles. Weather permitting, so keep an eye on the forecast before you head down.
Santa Cruz Cycle Fair · 11 AM–3 PM · Bicycle Trip, 1001 Soquel Ave · Free
Bike Santa Cruz County hosts this one at the Bicycle Trip. If you ride, you'll find your people here.
★ Kids Workshop at OSH: Tomatoes · 10 AM–1 PM · OSH Santa Cruz · Free
Kids 12 and under plant a tomato start in a peat pot they decorate, then take the whole thing home. Materials supplied. Easy Saturday morning if you've got young ones.
★ Westside Farmers Market · 9 AM–1 PM · Mission St Ext and Western Dr · Free
Runs rain or shine. You know the deal.
★ Loch Lomond Boat Tours · 11 AM · 100 Loch Lomond Way · Free
Guided tour on the reservoir. This is one of those outings people forget exists until someone reminds them. Consider this the reminder. Everything's green right now.
Bookshop Santa Cruz: A Little Bit Extra · 7–8 PM · Bookshop Santa Cruz · Free
Author Reilly Meehan reads from their new book. A good reason to leave the house on a Monday.
Alley Oop — Downtown Santa Cruz
You have to know it's there, which is sort of the point. Alley Oop is tucked off Pacific Avenue on Jazz Alley, right next to Kuumbwa, in the space where The Poet & The Patriot used to be. Owner Max Turigliatto spent three years turning a rough-edged Irish pub into something that feels like a different era — low light, vintage cocktails, a small menu that's all deliberate. Lookout ran a full review this week. The Champagne cocktail and the Green Room with cucumber eau de vie are the ones to order. It opened in mid-February and the word is getting out, so go before it gets a wait. Full review.
Brews, Bands & Bites — Saturday, April 12
If you're only doing one thing this weekend, this is a strong pick. Beer Thirty in Soquel is raising money for Skills of Life SOL Cafe — they do job training for people with developmental disabilities. Four bands, a makers market, tap beers, noon to 7:30. They're going rain or shine, which matters because it's probably going to rain. $25 in advance, $30 at the door. 2504 S Main St, Soquel. Grab tickets.
That's #002. We're still figuring this out — if something's happening in Santa Cruz County that we should know about, tell us here or just reply to this email.
See you next Thursday.
— Low Tide Local
