A&E

Getting to the Point

After three years on Portola Drive, And Friends Art Gallery is moving into a larger, more visible Pleasure Point location, expanding its role as a showcase for local artists, handmade goods and community connection.

Music and Art

UCSC grad Brett Dennen brings a new kind of performance to Felton Music Hall on Wednesday, June 17, pairing his singer-songwriter catalog with paintings that invite the audience into the conversation.

Lost (Boys) Weekend

Santa Cruz celebrates 40 years since The Lost Boys filmed on local shores, with a free Boardwalk screening, a Jamison Newlander signing at Atlantis Fantasyworld and vampire-themed festivities at the Blue Lagoon.

Tragedy Into Art

Former Cabrillo choral director Cheryl Anderson brings Considering Matthew Shepard to Peace United Church, reviving a powerful musical response to Matthew Shepard’s life and death for a Santa Cruz Pride benefit.

Under the Stars

I Cantori di Carmel performs Carmina Burana at the UCSC Quarry Amphitheater, where redwoods, stars and natural acoustics meet Orff’s thunderous music.

Beyond the 4th Wall

Robbie Fitzsimmons takes readers behind the scenes of Queerlantis, an immersive Santa Cruz Pride celebration of drag, music, art and queer resilience.

Mountain High

Redwood Mountain Faire brings two days of music to Roaring Camp, with headliners, rising acts, local bands and a volunteer-powered mission that supports Santa Cruz County nonprofits.

Alien Arrival

Irene the Alien, the sci-fi drag persona of Ian Hill, comes to Santa Cruz Pride’s Queerlantis after turning childhood difference, theater training and RuPaul’s Drag Race into a bold outer-space performance career.

Trigger Plays

UCSC Theater Arts presents Luis Alfaro’s Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles, a modern Chicano retelling of the Greek tragedy rooted in immigration, sacrifice and healing.

Making a Scene

A new compilation, Santa Cruz Scene Celebration Vol. 1, spotlights 12 local bands and celebrates its physical CD release May 31 at Streetlight Records with a performance by Perch.

Secret Projections

The Del Mar’s annual Secret Film Festival invites Santa Cruz movie lovers to spend the night watching mystery films, fueled by coffee, snacks and the shared thrill of discovering something unexpected.

Mind-altering Music

This week’s Santa Cruz music roundup explores New Music Works’ mind-altering concert with William Winant and Zeena Parkins, a powerful Westside chamber performance and Espressivo’s upcoming season finale.