How do we grow? As children, as adults, as a community, there are many more ways to grow than are visible to the naked eye. We can grow through gardening and eating healthy local food, through self-care and awareness, and through connecting with our cultural history and local community. On Friday, August 21 as part of its 3rd Friday at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History series of events, the museum celebrates all aspects of growth through performances, hands-on workshops, and demonstrations of all sorts, from an early 19th century dinner party to gardening, button making, music and dance.
Bring the little ones for Kid Happy Hour art activities from 4-5 p.m. And keep things growing by creating a paper plant for the museum’s classroom window installation, sowing your dreams within a wishing tree, or crafting a mini green house in a garden glove.
Live performances and food will sprout up in Abbott Square at 5:30 p.m., with music by The Narrators and dance performances by Motion Pacific Camp Create. Foodies take note, Antidotum will be on hand to provide teas, tonics and local healing food. Antidotum’s changing seasonal menu features locally farmed, organic ingredients.
Grow your local food history knowledge with the Community Table workshop by the Santa Cruz Heritage Food Project, on the first floor. A collaboration with Slow Food Santa Cruz and The Curated Feast, a 19th century dinner party table will be set for 12 people who have significantly impacted Santa Cruz agricultural history. Each setting will represent a different food, along with the person who has influenced it. There will be Pinot Noir grapes, potatoes, hops, clams, sugar beets, apples, artichokes, brussel sprouts, berries, eggs, dairy, and dry-farmed tomatoes.
Other first floor drop-in workshops include: Here I am Growing with Motion Pacific, Camp Create, Button Making with the NAACP, Positive Postcards with NAMI, Life Recipes with Pie for the People, The Rose that Grew from Concrete with Friends Outside, and so much more. In the first floor auditorium, check out Evolving Sounds by Darwin Arts and Chaotic Pixel Growth Patterns with David Van Brink.
Grow on up to the second floor for Pen-do Chronology with Trevor Tubelle, Tent-Making with the Gallery Hosts, and From the Cushion to the Canvas with Odin Cortes Carbrera. Enjoy the Everyday Hero Timeline on the stairs, and hit the third floor for Chair Massage with Rising Root Wellness, and Art for Healing with Wendy Trabe.
And just when you think you’re done growing, check out the back patio for even more workshops, such as Gardening with Mesa Verde Gardens, Growing the Bike Movement with Bike Santa Cruz County, DIY Crafts with the Homeless Garden Project, and Growth of a River with the Coastal Watershed, just to name a few.
Don’t miss this chance to get rooted down and celebrate growth at an inspiring evening at the Santa Cruz MAH.
Info: Friday, August 21, 5-8 p.m. Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, Downtown Santa Cruz. $5 General, $3 Students, Seniors and Kids; free for Members and Children under 4.
