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Community Events Calendar
Symphony Musician Series: Jon Nakamatsu
Jon Nakamatsu, known and beloved to Santa Cruz audiences for many years, once again brings his piano artistry to the stage. Now in his third decade of touring worldwide, the Van Cliburn medalist continues to draw critical and public acclaim for his intensity, elegance, and electrifying performances. Join us for a rare opportunity to hear Mr. Nakamatsu perform in an intimate venue on Sunday, February 1 as our Musician Series continues. The recital's first half features his stunning performance of solo piano works by Bach-Busoni, Beethoven, and Mendelssohn. A dynamic second half offers Brahms' Quintet in F Minor for Piano and Strings, where Mr. Nakamatsu will be joined by four star performers: violinist Nancy Zhou, Santa Cruz Symphony's Artist-in-Residence and Concertmaster;violinist Nigel Armstrong, former Santa Cruz Symphony Concertmaster;violist Daniel Stewart, Santa Cruz Symphony's Music Director;and cellist Jonah Kim, Santa Cruz Symphony's Principal Cello. For tickets, call 831-479-6154 or visit https://tinyurl.com/jonnakamatsu
to purchase online.
Sequoias of the Sea
Join us for a special community screening of Sequoias of the Sea, an award-winning documentary that explores the beauty, importance, and vulnerability of California’s kelp forests—often called the “redwoods of the ocean.”
CEO Works Luncheon | The Co-Intelligence Era: How Nonprofits Scale with AI
Nonprofits face an age-old problem: A demanding mission and not enough capacity. Staff stretch thin. Programs struggle to scale. Critical data sits trapped in disconnected systems.
Ravi Gauba introduces LiveImpact "Co-Intelligence," a platform where AI works alongside nonprofit teams to amplify their impact. See how LiveImpact embeds AI throughout operations (case management, fundraising, program delivery) to solve three core challenges: increasing donor revenue through predictive insights, reducing staff workload with smart automation, and improving program efficiency with unified data. Organizations like CASA of Silicon Valley and West Valley Community Services are trading clunky enterprise systems for a platform that actually works the way small teams do.
About the Presenter
Ravi Gauba is an accomplished entrepreneur and strategic leader with over 20 years of experience spanning AI, cloud computing, data analytics, and software development. Ravi holds a PhD in Ubiquitous Computing from Lancaster University and a master’s in Computer Engineering from the University of Southern California.
Throughout his career—including leadership roles at Google and as founder of multiple tech ventures—Ravi has built and led high-performing global teams, managed complex technology migrations, and enabled data-driven decision-making in nonprofit organizations. As CEO of LiveImpact, he empowers nonprofits to amplify their impact through LiveImpact’s AI platform. Ravi’s expertise lies in making advanced technology accessible and actionable for the social sector.
Elevate LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion: The Power of Belonging
Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce Presents:
At the Elevating LGBTQ+ Inclusion event you will:
> Gain access to tools, resources & support to help you build a more inclusive business.
> Hear real stories from local businesses thriving through inclusive practices.
> Network with forward-thinking leaders committed to equity and community.
> Understand the rewards of intentional inclusion and the risks of exclusion.
> Help shape a more inclusive Santa Cruz county— starting with your own business.
> Understand the legal, social, and economic importance of LGBTQ inclusion in the workplace.
Whether you’re an executive, HR professional, business owner, or manager, this event will equip you with the tools and knowledge to elevate LGBTQ+ inclusion in your organization.
Cosponsored by: LGBTQ eLearning, The Diversity Center, Santa Cruz Pride, Hotel Paradox, City of Santa Cruz Economic Development Department, Santa Cruz Community Credit Union, Downtown Santa Cruz, Visit Santa Cruz County, Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce
Keynote Speakers: Monica Martinez (she/her) Fifth District Supervisor, Sharon Papo (she/her), Workplace Inclusion Expert, CEO
Women in Business at Santa Cruz Warriors Women's Empowerment Game
Join the Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce and enjoy this Santa Cruz Warriors Game dedicated to Women's Empowerment. Lets come togehter, reconnect, enjoy an evening of baskeball and celebrating Women's Empowerment Month.
> Arena doors open at 6PM, Game starts at 7PM
> First 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a special Women's Empowerment giveaway
We have a block of tickets available - with fees the cost is $36.04. Grab your tickets early! Any unpurchased tickets on February 1 will be returned to general public sales.
Buy your tickets: https://www.gofevo.com/event/SCWIB
CEO Works Luncheon | A One Hour Tech Startup Bootcamp
Save the date!
More info coming soon.
About the Presenter
Chris Rowen is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and technologist, splitting his time between serving VP of Collaboration AI at Cisco and teaching about tech startups. Most recently he was co-founder and CEO of BabbleLabs, a speech ML company, acquired by Cisco in 2020. Prior to BabbleLabs, Chris served as CTO for Cadence’s IP Group, which he joined after Cadence’s acquisition of Tensilica, the company he founded in 1997 to develop extensible processors. He led Tensilica as CEO and later, CTO, to develop one of the most prolific embedded processor architectures, especially for compute-intensive embedded processing. Chris was a pioneer in developing RISC architecture and helped found MIPS Computer Systems in 1984. He has an MS and a PhD in EE from Stanford and a BA in physics from Harvard. He was named an IEEE Fellow in 2015 for his work in development of microprocessor technology.
Lift Summit 2026
Save the Date! Monterey Bay DART is proud to announce the return of the LIFT Summit, taking place March 31-April 2, 2026 at the Monterey Conference Center in beautiful Monterey, California.
Whether you’re joining us for the first time or returning for our second annual gathering, we can’t wait to welcome you for another inspiring exploration of innovation, regional collaboration, and the future of flight technology.
2026 Annual Awards Gala Celebration - Waves of Impact
The Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce proudly presents a dazzling gala event that will showcase the most talented and impactful contributors in our community through our esteemed Community Recognition Awards.
- Join us for a delicious banquet dinner in the The Grove overlooking Monterey Bay
- Celebrate our honorees at the awards ceremony in the Grand Ballroom
- Enjoy the reception with more than 300 local business and community leaders attending
2026 Annual Awards Gala Celebration
The Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce proudly presents a dazzling gala event that will showcase the most talented and impactful contributors in our community through our esteemed Community Recognition Awards.
- Join the Chamber for a delicious banquet dinner in the The Grove overlooking Monterey Bay
- Celebrate our honorees at the awards ceremony in the Grand Ballroom
- Enjoy the reception with more than 300 local business and community leaders attending
CEO Works Luncheon | How to Attract, Grow, & Retain Young Talent in Santa Cruz County
Santa Cruz County’s economic future depends not just on attracting talent, but on employers’ ability to develop, support, and retain the young professionals who want to build their lives and careers here. In this talk, Candice Elliott, Vice President of People and Culture at Unraid and Founder at Fortress and Flourish HR Strategy, draws on her experience advising innovative organizations to explore why recruiting local talent is a smart business strategy, what young professionals actually need to succeed at work, and where employers often unintentionally create barriers to retention. Designed for CEOs and senior leaders, the session offers practical, realistic insights on how to cultivate work environments where both employers and employees thrive while strengthening the local workforce and economy. Also learn about how Santa Cruz Works, Digital NEST, and the City of Santa Cruz are providing local Santa Cruz businesses with fully paid internships.
Luncheon with Special Presentation by Santa Cruz County's New County Executive Officer, Nicole Coburn
The Santa Cruz Area Chamber invites you to an important lunch event featuring Nicole Coburn, newly appointed County Executive Officer for Santa Cruz County.
Nicole will provide essential updates that local businesses won’t want to miss, including:
The latest on county budget impacts
Funding opportunities available to local businesses
Guidance on how to do business with the County
Join us for lunch, learning, and connection with fellow community members and business leaders. This timely and informative session is designed to support and strengthen our business community. We encourage all local businesses to attend.
Santa Cruz Launchpad 2026
Save the Date!
Santa Cruz Launchpad 2026 empowers students across Santa Cruz County to turn ideas into real solutions and explore real career pathways. The event combines a startup competition with a county-wide job fair, building entrepreneurial skills, connecting young innovators with mentors and employers, and sparking responsible, community-focused innovation from high school through university.
REGISTRATION LINK COMING SOON!
Event Date: May 13, 2026
Venue: Cocoanut Grove
2025 Titans Awards
Join us for the 9th Annual Titans Awards aka 2025 Titans Awards, an event dedicated to honoring the most inspiring and innovative leaders in our community. Santa Cruz Works will honor the incredible Titans in our region who drove extraordinary impact on business, entrepreneurship, or technology in Santa Cruz County during the year of 2025 on January 28, 2026.
Award Recipients:
Ash Robbins, Co-founder & CTO at Immergo Labs; AI Research Scientist at UCSC
Holger Schmidt: Founder of Fluxus
Dan Haifley, Board Member, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation; leader in ocean protection
Maggie Nixon, Co-founder of Versa Vascular and Capstan Medical; medtech operator and builder
Sol Lipman, Founder of Pie Fi; mentor and creator of an AI-focused entrepreneurial hub
David Deamer, UC Santa Cruz Professor Emeritus of Biomolecular Engineering,
Marcella Gomez, UC Santa Cruz Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics and Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Baskin School of Engineering
Julie Edwards, PVUSD’s Director of Strategic Educational Options
Stephanie Sumarna, an EdTech and innovation leader
Rod Caborn, Emcee, Auctioneer & Fundraising Consultant
2026 Employment Law Workshop
Join the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce for an in-depth exploration of the pivotal legal developments that will impact employers in 2026. Michael Manoukian, partner with Lathrop GPM will lead "Overview of New Employment Laws for 2026," our annual workshop aimed at keeping you ahead of the curve on crucial legal changes affecting your workplace. Key highlights will be posted in December - don't wait to register. This annual workshop is limited to 50 participants and does sell out!
3DE Club Launch Event
Following successful pilot programs in both private and public schools in 2025—including Imagination Lab in Palo Alto and Pacific Elementary School in Davenport—3DE Club is preparing to launch its online after-school hybrid entrepreneurship clubs across ten Santa Cruz County and Monterey Bay schools in 2026.
The official launch event will be held at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History (MAH) on Jan 25th from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. This is a unique opportunity for educators, businesses, and government agencies to come together and lay the foundation for the next generation to innovate, thrive, and lead in an AI-driven world.
She Adventures Film Tour
She Adventures Film Tour | January 24th @ 7 pm, Rio Theatre | Supporting GirlsROCK!
She Adventures Film Tour returns for its annual celebration of women pushing boundaries in the outdoors, making a special one-night-only stop at the historic Rio Theatre on January 24th, 2026. This unmissable event brings over two hours of the most inspirational and entertaining adventure films from independent filmmakers around the globe.
From legendary cave diver Jill Heinerth exploring uncharted depths to ten-year-old skateboarder Mia Kretzer mastering her biggest trick while Robin Goomes nails it at Red Bull Rampage, the 2026 program showcases the fearless spirit of women and girls pursuing their passions across mountains, rivers and skate parks.
Locally sponsored by Apex Adventures, FOX, GOAT, Sandbar Solar, Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship, Specialized Santa Cruz Experience Center, Spokesman Bicycles, Sante Adairius Midtown Portal, Santa Cruz Sentinel and Event Santa Cruz
For tickets and list of films visit https://www.riotheatre.com/events-2/2026/1/24/sheadventures
🍃 AI Kit Framework Day — Vue Edition
About Event
Build elegant, reactive, AI-native applications with Vue 3 + AI Kit
Vue 3’s Composition API and reactivity system make it one of the most expressive frameworks for building modern interfaces — and with AI Kit, you can now integrate AI capabilities into Vue apps with unprecedented speed and clarity.
This workshop is designed for developers who want to build beautiful, reactive, production-ready AI applications in Vue using AI Kit’s composables, UI components, and ZeroDB-powered backend integrations.
If you’re creating chat interfaces, agent dashboards, generative tools, or interactive AI workflows, this Framework Day will give you the patterns, primitives, and architecture needed to ship with confidence.
CEO Works Luncheon | Relational Intelligence: Relationship Strategy in a Machine World
As automation accelerates, the real differentiator is no longer technical, it’s relational. As the impact of remote work and A.I. are beginning to be seen, executives recognize that the strategy needs to be more human and move beyond data and systems. While systems and process may run the business, people run those systems. The strength of a successful business is going to be the human architecture underneath those systems and will depend on the communication, trust, meaning, and belonging felt by the team. As a lifetime student and teacher of hospitality, and founder and C.E.O.’s of one of L.A.’s leading hospitality organizations, Steve Fortunato shares how hospitality is more than an industry, it’s a way of leading. When leaders adopt what he calls The Host Mindset, relationships go from feeling like a complicated hassle, to a reciprocal help, leading to a level of engagement, productivity and contribution that levels us up, in all the ways.
About the Presenter
Mind-Body Reset Retreat: Clarity, Calm & Connection
Enjoy all-inclusive vegetarian meals, breathwork, gentle movement, guided self-exploration, redwood hikes, outdoor hot tub, and optional Ayurvedic massage—all in a stunning natural setting.
Through gentle, research-based mind-body practices, breathwork, mindful movement, and reflection, you’ll learn to calm your nervous system, identify behavioral blind spots, and begin to shift long-held patterns that no longer serve you.
NOTE: THIS EVENT HAS BEEN MOVED FROM SEPT. TO JAN 2026.
▲ AI Kit Framework Day — Next.js Edition
About Event
Next.js is the modern standard for shipping fast, scalable, full-stack applications — and AI Kit is the missing layer that turns it into a production-ready AI platform. This workshop is dedicated to teaching you how to architect, build, and deploy powerful AI-Native applications using Next.js, Server Actions, Edge Runtime, and the full AI Kit ecosystem.
Whether you’re building AI dashboards, agent systems, chat interfaces, multimodal apps, or enterprise AI workflows, this Framework Day will show you how to combine Next.js with AI Kit and ZeroDB for an unbeatable developer experience.
🌟 What You’ll Learn
1️⃣ Next.js + AI Kit Architecture
Understand how to design scalable AI-native applications using:
App Router
Server Components
Server Actions
Middleware
Edge functions
Secure API routes
We’ll cover best practices for running AI inference at the edge and how to keep latency low while maintaining strong security guarantees.
2️⃣ Server-Side AI with AI Kit - Next.js
Leverage AI Kit’s Next.js utilities for:
Streaming completions
On-demand model calls
Chat workflows
Model routing & failover
Server → client data hydration
import { createAIHandler } from '@ainative/ai-kit-nextjs';Build AI without exposing API keys to the client.
3️⃣ Client-Side UX with AI Kit React
Combine server-side logic with AI Kit’s React components and hooks:
Chat windows
Tool Invocations
Real-time token streaming
Multistep agent flows
Prompt engineering interfaces
4️⃣ ZeroDB Integration for AI-Native Apps
Use ZeroDB as a unified backend to power:
Auto-embeddings and vector search
Hybrid search for RAG
Conversational memory storage
Event-driven AI workflows
RLHF logging for model improvement
All from within your Next.js app.
5️⃣ Live Coding + End-to-End Demo
We will build and deploy a complete Next.js AI application that includes:
Model completions
Chat UI
Tool calls
Memory replay via ZeroDB
A server action pipeline
Vercel deployment
Attendees get access to the full starter repo.
🎯 Who Should Attend?
Next.js developers
Full-stack engineers
AI builders & founders
Teams migrating from traditional stacks to AI-native patterns
Anyone who wants to build a polished AI experience with modern web tooling
If you want to build full-stack, production-ready AI features using Next.js and AI Kit, this workshop gives you everything you need.
5 Minute Film Fest
The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH) is pleased to announce the inaugural MAH 5 Minute Film Fest. The screening takes place on Thursday January 15, 2026 at the MAH from 6-7:30pm. Admission is $5.
More than 50 qualified films were submitted, and the jurors selected the top 15 for screening, each film under 5 minutes in length. Three awardees will be announced the night of the event with cash prizes. "I'm thrilled to present the inaugural MAH 5 Minute Film Fest at the museum,” says Ginger Shulick Porcella, the MAH’s Executive Director. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for local artists who might not otherwise be able to showcase their work at the museum to present their short films to the community." Submissions ranged from short documentary films, animation, music videos to experimental media.
Selected Films:
Andrew O’Keefe, Honoring our Ancestors
Cynthia Lee Ling, these days, I keep my grief leashed
Dwiti Rao, Whispers & Roars
Bridge Mary Henry, Omens
Stefie Gan, Carbon Traces
Maria Gian & Miranda Salvia, Origins
Bingan Li, I Have Always been Right
Amanda WouldGo, Lemon DoBerge, Watching the Watchers
Lewi Thute, Karina Zhou, Batu Alpas, William Zhou Larsen, Oh, Crab!
Miranda Felton & Kate Freels, Teacher Bling
Parker Bohl, Written Existence
Jack Hubbell, Love & Algorthythms
Jinqi Zhang, The Little Rabbit and the Little Cat
Huy Truong & Susana Ruiz, Chinatowns of the San Lorenzo
ABOUT THE JURORS
Paul Kmiec is an award-winning filmmaker and educator, terminally in love with Central Coast and Northern California. Paul serves as the Executive Director of the Santa Cruz Film Festival. He is the resident Acting for Film Instructor at the International Theatre & Dance Project in Greece and serves on the jury of the San Francisco Greek Film Festival. He earned his BFA in Filmmaking from the SUNY Purchase Film Conservatory in New York and his Master's in Film & Television from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. Paul has written and directed six short films; each of his films have screened and won awards at festivals nationwide and abroad. Paul is currently producing a feature film in NYC starring Alec Baldwin and Karen Allen. The film is the first-place winning screenplay of the Golden Script Competition (2023) and a two-time semi-finalist at the Sundance Institute Writer’s Lab.
Consuelo Alba is a visionary arts leader harnessing the transformative power of film and culture to ignite social change in Santa Cruz County and beyond. She is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Watsonville Film Festival (WFF), a nonprofit arts organization she has grown from a grassroots collective into a nationally recognized cultural force. Since 2012, WFF has uplifted Latine and Indigenous stories that illuminate our shared humanity, foster belonging and inspire action. Under Consuelo’s leadership, the festival offers year-round programming, supports local filmmakers and redefines what a film festival can be: an inclusive, community-centered space for dialogue, joy and collective imagination.
Ginger Shulick Porcella is a renowned arts leader, curator, fundraiser and author, currently serving as the Executive Director of the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History (MAH). Porcella holds an MA in Socio-cultural Anthropology from Columbia University and a BA in Art History from DePaul University. She has been the Executive Director and Chief Curator at nonprofits and museums across the United States, including: Franconia Sculpture Park (MN); Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson (AZ); and, the Institute for Contemporary Art San Diego (CA).
ABOUT THE MAH
The MAH is a thriving community gathering place that serves more than 130,000 people annually through rotating art and history exhibitions, visual and performing artworks, public festivals, education and outreach programs, and cultural celebrations in collaboration with its many partners. It maintains a permanent collection of regionally significant art and artifacts, a research library, a historical archive, and historic sites including the Evergreen Cemetery, Octagon Building, and Davenport Jail. It is also home to Abbott Square, a vibrant public plaza on the museum’s doorstep that offers food, social events, and year-round creative happenings.
⭐ Vibe Coding: New Year Builder Kickoff
Welcome to 2026! Start the year with a hands-on Vibe Coding session designed to help you kick off your next AI-native project. We’ll walk through updates across ZeroDB, AI Kit, AINative IDE, and Agent Swarm, then spend the rest of the session building together. New builders and returning community members both welcome.
What we’ll build:
A starter AI-native app using ZeroDB auto-embeddings + AI Kit UI
Basic agent orchestration with Agent Swarm
Cody IDE project setup
Deployment-ready architecture for 2026 workflows
THIS IS EVENT IS HYBRID, IN PERSON AT D20, AND ONLINE AT: https://bit.ly/paipalooza
ZeroDB Fundamentals Workshop - Free Intro Session
ZeroDB is redefining what an AI-native backend looks like. In this introductory workshop, you’ll learn how ZeroDB unifies relational, vector, memory, event, file, and RLHF data flows into a single, serverless API—built for modern AI development.
This session takes you step-by-step through creating your first ZeroDB project, storing structured and unstructured data, generating embeddings for free, querying with hybrid vector search, and wiring ZeroDB into agents, apps, or automations. We’ll also walk through real examples of using ZeroDB for RAG, memory replay, agent orchestration, and zero-ops SaaS applications.
If you’re curious about how to build AI products faster, cheaper, and with far less infrastructure, this free session is the perfect starting point.
Santa Cruz Makers Market
The Santa Cruz Makers Market featuring 40+ local artisan vendors is held the third Sunday of every month on the 1100 block of Pacific Avenue (between Cathcart and Lincoln Streets).
When
Sunday, November 16, 2025 | 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Sunday, December 21, 2025 | 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Sunday, January 18, 2026 | 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Sunday, February 15, 2026 | 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Sunday, March 15, 2026 | 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM
The Santa Cruz Chorale presents: "Christmas with the Chorale"
Christmas is a time of joy and tradition. Our audiences tell us they love our mix of early music and carols old and new. This year, our concert opens with overflowing joy, as we sing Sweelink’s “Christus natus est”—beloved in Europe as an opening for Christmas programs. The exuberance continues with the first performance in Santa Cruz of “Run Ye Shepherds to the Light”—a work for soprano solo, choir and orchestra by Michael Haydn, Joseph Haydn’s younger brother. Among modern composers, we bring you Morten Lauridson’s stunning “O Magnum Mysterium” and Arvo Pärt’s world famous “Magnificat,” composed for Christian Grube and his Berlin boys’ choir. We also sing three pieces by Kirke Mechem, as a special tribute in honor of his 100th birthday this year. We conclude with carols from around the world, singing joyously, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas!”
West Cliff Outdoor Market
Saturday, December 13, 2025 | 10:00 AM to 06:00 PM
The 2025 West Cliff Outdoor Market series continues featuring artisan goods, specialty food and music - there's something for everyone! Come out and enjoy shopping with the best views in Santa Cruz!
Winter Art Market
On Saturday, December 13, from 10 am to 5 pm, the Tannery Arts Center will once again come alive with creativity for the 13th Annual Winter Art Market. Proudly presented by Arts Council Santa Cruz County, this beloved holiday tradition brings together artists, families, and community members for a day filled with art, music, food, and festive cheer.
Event Details:
When: Saturday, December 13, 10 am–5 pm
Where: Tannery Arts Center, 1050–1060 River Street, Santa Cruz
Admission: Free and open to the public
Celebrate the season surrounded by art and creativity. Wander through more than 20 open studios, meet local artists, and shop a curated selection of handcrafted gifts from Tannery artists like, ceramist Rebeca Burciaga, Lil’ Jax Clothing, Ev&No Jewelry, Printmaker Johanna Atkinson, and many others. The Small Works Gift Show at Radius Gallery and artistic vintage collections from SALT the Store offer even more treasures for those looking to give meaningful, one-of-a-kind gifts this holiday.
100+ Women Who Care Meeting
100+ Women Who Care meets four times a year in March, June, September and December at the Museum of Art and History (MAH)’s Garden Room, located at 705 Front Street, Santa Cruz. For 2025, our dates are: September 10 and December 10. Come down early and grab a bite to eat and a beverage at Abbott Square, then head to the MAH’s Garden Room at 6:30 for our one hour meeting.
When 100 people come together to donate $100 each, we raise $10,000 – profoundly impacting nonprofits in our community.
Members nominate local nonprofits. Winners are required to earmark funds for Santa Cruz County residents. Become a member now.3 organizations are selected at random to be considered. They have 5 minutes to tell the group about their cause and how the funds will be used and answer any questions. The group votes and everyone donates $100 to the winning organization. You can donate by check or online.
Our Santa Cruz 100+ Women Who Care giving circle has already donated more than $306,000 to provide for those in greatest need in Santa Cruz County. We hope you will join us at our next meeting to see how easy and fun it is!
Winter Night Market
Join Cal State Monterey Bay’s Associated Students, Institute for Innovation and Economic Development, and Entrepreneurship Club for the third annual Winter Night Market. Enjoy an evening of holiday cheer with more than 30 local and student vendors offering handmade gifts, art, food, and unique products. Celebrate community, creativity, and local entrepreneurship on Thursday, December 4, 2025, from 4–7 pm at the CSUMB Otter Student Union and Inter-Garrison Plaza. Sponsored by Bay Federal Credit Union.
Downtown Sidewalk Sales
It's Sidewalk Sale season throughout Downtown Santa Cruz. The Sidewalk Sales are a great time to score great deals from shops you love and it's the perfect time to reacquaint yourself with your favorite Downtown eats - Don't miss these fun weekends.
Fri, Nov 28, 2025 - Sun, Nov 30, 2025 9am - 8pm
Holiday Gift Guide Submissions DUE
Call for Submissions:
Feature Your Product in the 2025 Santa Cruz Works Holiday Gift Guide!
DEADLINE NOVEMBER 24!
Santa Cruz Works is excited to announce the return of our annual Holiday Gift Guide! We are dedicated to supporting the vibrant local economy and helping our readers discover unique, high-quality gifts for their friends and family. This guide shines a spotlight on locally-made products and goods at all price points and for every type of interest.
🌟 Calling All Santa Cruz County Makers!
If you are a creator, builder, crafter, artist, or maker whose products are made or designed in Santa Cruz County, we want to see your work! This is your chance to showcase your awesome products to our dedicated audience of local tech enthusiasts, business leaders, and community members.
We are looking for gifts that are innovative, beautiful, practical, or just plain cool. Bonus points will be awarded for products that are tech-related or incorporate a technological or sustainable element!
📝 Submission Details
Who: Makers whose products are made or designed in Santa Cruz County.
What: Awesome products, art, and unique goods suitable for holiday gifting.
Deadline: Please submit your product to us by noon on Monday, November 24, 2025, Pacific Time.
How: Fill out the submission form below!
A Note on Previous Submissions: If you have submitted a product in the past, please note that we will prioritize new products that have not already been featured in our previous gift guides.
Check out last year’s gift guide here to see examples of what we’ve featured before.
Santa Cruz Demo Night
UCSC Startup Club × Pie Fi is going to host Santa Cruz Demo Night on Friday, November 22, 5:30 – 8 PM at 100 Panetta Ave on the Westside (2nd Floor).
This will be a high-energy evening featuring about 10 short demos from student startup teams, followed by open networking. One of our main goals is to have lots of mentors in the room to mix with the teams — a little startup dating to help spark future connections and mentorships.
Event Snapshot
Location: Panetta 2nd Floor, UC Santa Cruz
Time: 5:30 – 8:00 PM (setup at 5:00)
Purpose: Showcase AI-powered and student-driven projects from UCSC Startup Club and Pie Fi builder
Mentors Welcome: We’re inviting experienced founders and operators to share feedback and connect with teams
Sequoias of the Seas Screening
Check out a special community screening of Sequoias of the Sea!
Saturday, November 22, 2025 | 2:00–4:00 PM
Merrill Hall, Asilomar State Beach & Conference Grounds
Free admission — RSVP here
Discover Sequoias of the Sea, a visually stunning and deeply human documentary about the collapse and resilience of California’s kelp forests. Told through the voices of scientists, divers, Tribal leaders, and fishermen, the film shares a powerful story of loss, renewal, and hope along our coast.
Stay after the screening for a community panel discussion on kelp restoration and ocean recovery efforts in Monterey and beyond, and connect with local organizations working to protect and restore our ocean ecosystems.
Alumni Connections: Shaping the AI Future
Are you a #BaskinEngineering alum leading artificial intelligence innovation?
#AI is transforming every aspect of our world, and University of California, Santa Cruz engineers are leading that transformation.
We invite Baskin Engineering alumni working in the field of AI to attend a special event: Alumni Connections: Shaping the AI Future.
📍 UC Santa Cruz Silicon Valley Campus
📅 Wednesday, Nov 19, 2025 | 5–7 p.m.
The evening will bring together BE alumni, faculty, and professionals across academia and industry to:
🤝 Reconnect with fellow alumni driving AI innovation at Amazon, Apple, Cisco, Google, Intel Corporation, Meta, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and other Silicon Valley technology companies.
🤯 Discover how our researchers are advancing the field today, including previews of late-breaking results.
💡Explore the future of AI education and research, and how we can shape them together.
As a valued member of our community, your insights and experiences are integral to our growing AI ecosystem. We hope to see you there!
🔗 RSVP by Friday, Nov 7 to reserve your spot: https://bit.ly/4oLdr5R
Future Forum: Food Systems Dinner
How might our food systems improve the health of people and planet? How can we stand with the communities that grow our food? Join leaders from Pesticide Reform CA, Santa Cruz Permaculture, and Live Earth Farms Discovery Program as we explore the future of food through the lenses of justice, ecology, and regeneration. Together, we’ll imagine what a healthy, equitable, and resilient food system could look like—one that nourishes both people and the planet.
Ergonomics 101 with Dr. Madison Light
Tired of the inevitable midday slump accompanied by shoulder pain or an unrelenting headache? It’s time to move past temporary fixes and build a truly balanced body that supports your productivity.
This workshop, led by Dr. Madison Light, teaches the crucial principles of Ergonomics 101 to help individuals who spend significant time sitting—such as remote workers and students—eliminate the common midday slump, pain, and tension associated with desk work.
You will gain the tools to:
Eliminate Desk-Related Pain: Learn secrets to setting up a workspace that actively reduces strain on the neck, back, hips, and wrists.
Boost Focus and Energy: Discover how optimal body positioning supports a sharper mind and prevents exhaustion.
Future-Proof Your Health: Adopt sustainable habits and desk setups to prevent repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) and long-term musculoskeletal issues.
An hour's investment in this session will save countless hours of discomfort and lost productivity. Future individual ergonomic assessments will also be available to attendees.
Mountainfilm on Tour Santa Cruz
Mountainfilm on Tour brings a selection of culturally rich, adventure-packed and inspiring documentary films curated from the Mountainfilm festival in Telluride, Colorado. The tour will visit the Rio Theatre on November 15th with films that explore themes connected to Mountainfilm’s mission of using film, art and ideas to inspire audiences to create a better world. This year's screening will present the Adventure playlist. Mountainfilm on Tour in Santa Cruz has been hosted at the Rio Theatre since 2016. While presenting an inspiring film collection, the show is also an opportunity to support Second Harvest Food Bank as they kick off their Holiday Food Drive. Every ticket purchased, along with beer sales (provided by Sante Adairius Midtown Portal) will share a portion of revenue with this organization. For tickets and list of films visit https://www.riotheatre.com/events-2/2025/11/15/mountainfilm
Leveraging UC Resources To Launch Your Biotech Company
Are you a UCSC faculty member, postdoc, or graduate student with an entrepreneurial mindset?
Join us for an insightful panel discussion on how to turn your biotech research into a successful startup. Learn how to tap into the University of California’s robust innovation ecosystem—from research commercialization and funding opportunities to mentorship and startup incubation.
Hear firsthand from UC-affiliated founders, investors, and innovation experts who have successfully navigated the path from lab discovery to market launch. Stay afterward for a networking reception to connect with peers, panelists, and campus innovation partners.
Open to: UCSC faculty, postdocs, and graduate students
Light refreshments provided.
Registration requested: https://luma.com/2gmhjlbo
November Slugs and Steins with Associate Professor Mircea Teodorescu
Slugs & Steins is a monthly series of informal discussions highlighting UC Santa Cruz’s amazing faculty members. Talks are held on the 2nd Monday of each month with topics ranging from organic artichokes to endangered zebras, self-driving cars to Shakespeare.
All are welcome, and audience participation is encouraged. We encourage you to share the link far and wide as slugs and friends from around the world may join us.
This month, we welcome Associate Professor Mircea Teodorescu.
Downtown Santa Cruz: Fall WINE WALK, Antique Faire, Abbott Square Market
Presenting the Downtown Santa Cruz Fall Wine Walk 2025! Join this event in the heart of the Central Coast to taste great wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains and beyond.
Must be 21 or older!
Enjoy sipping while strolling through many favorite Downtown Santa Cruz shops. At Check-in, receive your glass, and a map of the pouring locations, and enjoy an afternoon of tasting and discovering. This walking event will be held on Sunday, November 9, 2025 from 2-5pm. Plan ahead for a dinner or movie to follow!
Registration check-in is at Oswald Restaurant, 121 Soquel Avenue and will open at 1:30pm on the day of the event and closes at 3:30pm.
Ticket holders and buyers MUST arrive at registration before 3:30pm in order to participate!
And if you are in Downtown early the Abbott Square Market from 12-4 or the Downtown Santa Cruz Antique Faire from 8-5pm!
Wine & Roses
Wine & Roses is a celebration of wellness in Pajaro Valley and raises funds for preventative health programs throughout the Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito counties.