From Arboretum to art tour to harp festival, the most interesting things to do in Santa Cruz this weekend.
FIRST FRIDAY
No matter where you are in Santa Cruz, it’ll be a breeze to scope out a place to find paintings, sculptures and art of all types on not only the first Friday of the month, but also the first Friday of the entire year. As usual, the MAH offers extended hours, live music and a no-host bar, while a plethora of other galleries, restaurants and shops in every corner of the county exhibit fresh works from the area’s diverse artists. https://www.santacruz.com/free-first-friday-e1793111
ARBORETUM TOUR
After the first Friday of 2013 comes the first Saturday, and the UCSC Arboretum’s monthly free guided tour. Take a trip around the globe with some worldly native plants for a very small fraction of what it would actually cost to see the flora in their natural habitats of Australia, New Zealand, Chile or South Africa. Plus you get to skip the airplane food. https://www.santacruz.com/first-saturday-arboretum-tours-e1796162
HARP FESTIVAL
It’s rare enough to see a harp in real life, but a whole orchestra of them? The Harp Festival provides an opportunity for harps to play more than the little jingles at the beginning of cheesy TV dream sequences. It’s not exactly the most portable of instruments, but harpists of all levels will be plotting ways to strap them into/onto their cars to get to the Tannery to perform the pieces they’ve been learning and practicing for a live audience. https://www.santacruz.com/harp-festival-e1793452
THE ENGLISH BEAT
The Beat formed in late-’70s England, when social unrest was high and employment low. Thirty years later, they’re a band so big they need three names: The Beat in Britain, the English Beat in North America, and the British Beat in Australia. Fusing ska, punk, soul, pop and reggae, the band produced three successful albums then called it quits in 1983, while their songs lived on in covers by the likes of the Who and Pearl Jam. https://www.santacruz.com/the-english-beat-e1801572
SEASIDE CRAFTS
The Seymour Center has a standing Sunday date with Santa Cruz’s crafty ocean-lovers and all their small fry. Perfect for all ages, glue some macaroni and glitter on a starfish made of popsicle sticks while spying on the real live dolphins and call it a day. Can’t make it this week? No problem, you’ve got 51 other Sundays to choose from this year. https://www.santacruz.com/seaside-crafts-at-the-seymour-center-e1801302
