Because many in-person events across Santa Cruz County have been canceled or postponed during the pandemic, Good Times is compiling a weekly list of virtual events hosted by local nonprofits, artists, fitness instructors and businesses. To submit your virtual event, send an email to ca******@go*******.sc.
ARTS AND MUSIC
CABRILLO MUSIC FESTIVAL The virtual Cabrillo Music Festival runs July 27-Aug. 9. All events are free and accessible on the festival’s website, cabrillomusic.org.
GHOST LIGHT THEATER Mountain Community Theater presents a digital festival, “Ghost Light Theater,” named for the safety light that theaters place on the stage between performances. The festival so far has posted five productions, with new ones being added almost every week. They include short plays, monologues, and videos of past productions. Future works will include radio plays, musical performances, behind-the-scenes interviews and panels with theater professionals, and even a participatory writers’ workshop. You can see everything at mctshows.org and on MCT’s YouTube channel. To receive notifications of new productions as they are posted, go to mctshows.org and sign up for the mailing list. We hope to see you again in person in 2021!
CLASSES
GROW YOUR SELF-LEADERSHIP FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING Join us for a one-hour event to learn five simple tips you can use any day to help yourself feel great, manage your stress response and continue to lead yourself in a positive direction even in this unusual time. Tuesday, Aug. 11, 1-2pm. For more info visit: gatherinsantacruz.com.
SALSA SUELTA IN PLACE: Free weekly online session in Cuban-style Salsa Suelta for experienced beginners and up. Contact to get a Zoom link. Thursdays at 7pm. salsagente.com.
COMMUNITY
LUMA YOGA SIDEWALK SALE We’re havin’ a yard sale! With this new round of county guidelines we are cleaning out our closet, and making (physical, mental, and emotional) space for our virtual offerings only. This is good news! We are offloading the incredible, unique, and lovely Luma boutique inventory at 50% off! Everything is on sale, from jewelry and apothecary goods to apparel and yoga props! Aug. 7-9.
LUMA BOOK CLUB This is a time of seismic shift, and yet also one of opportunity. Luma Yoga is a community center operating on principles of inclusion, compassion, and, yes, reflection, but make no mistake—also of action. The first step in effective action is gaining knowledge. To this end, Luma is hosting a book club on the topic of racism and social justice issues. The reading groups will be held remotely (for now) over Zoom Thursday nights 7-8:15pm. The purpose of the groups is to learn the endless shapes oppression can take in the world, to recognize our own biases within ourselves, and to move from discomfort to action in support of Black and non-white POC. The groups will be facilitated by Steven Macramalla, a professor of psychology at SJSU. The Club will work on a 3- to 4-week cycle, reading one book per cycle, with several chapters covered each week. For more info visit lumayoga.com. Thursdays at 7pm.
2020 SUMMER LUNCH PROGRAM Children and youth age 18 and under can get free lunches this summer at 12 sites throughout Santa Cruz County! The annual Summer Lunch program, sponsored by La Manzana Community Resources, a program of Community Bridges, combats food insecurity and supports good nutritional habits. The Summer Lunch program serves lunch Monday through Friday from 12-1pm. Free meals will be provided to all children, without eligibility documentation, who are 18 years of age and younger. For more info visit communitybridges.org/lmcr.
TALES TO TAILS GOES VIRTUAL Tales to Tails goes virtual to create a comfortable, neutral, and fun reading experience. Bring some books, a stuffed animal or your own pet, and come read with us! This is a YouTube livestream event so you might be reading to up to six animals at once. Woo hoo! Caregivers, you can post your child’s first name and city in the comments section, along with the book they are reading, and we’ll read off as many of those names as we can, live, during the break we need to give the dogs. Each week you register we’ll send you your dog bone “punch cards.” These will be dated dog bones your child can color and email to us. The following week, we’ll display them live on the feed. This will also be recorded so if you can’t make it live, the dogs will still be there for you. Every Wednesday, 10-11am. Learn more at santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/6764929.
GROUPS
SUNSET BEACH BOWLS Experience the tranquility, peace and calmness as the ocean waves harmonize with the sound of Crystal Bowls. Every Tuesday at 7:45pm. Moran Lake Park.
VIRTUAL YOUNG ADULT (18-30) TRANSGENDER SUPPORT GROUP A weekly peer support group for young adults aged 18-25 who identify as transgender, non-binary, genderqueer, agender, or any other non-cisgender identity. This is a social group where we meet and chat among ourselves, sharing our experiences and thoughts in a warm, welcoming setting. Our meetings will be held on Discord during the shelter-in-place order. For more info, contact Ezra Bowen at tr***@di*************.org.
LGBTQNBI+ SUPPORT GROUP FOR CORONAVIRUS STRESS This weekly LGBTQNBI+ support group is being offered to help us all deal with stress during the shelter-in-place situation that we are experiencing from the coronavirus. Feel free to bring your lunch and chat together to get support. This group is offered at no cost and will be facilitated by licensed therapists Shane Hill, Ph.D., and Melissa Bernstein, LMFT #52524. Learn how to join the Zoom support group at diversitycenter.org/community-calendar.
OUTDOOR
MOUNTAIN LIONS DON’T MAKE GOOD PETS You probably shouldn’t cuddle with these cats, but what can we learn about their importance to the Santa Cruz Mountains? This interactive program will be broadcast as a Zoom webinar. Registration is required. To register, visit tinyurl.com/SantaCruzJuniorRangers. Free event. California State Parks in Santa Cruz County are offering virtual junior ranger programs for children ages 7-12 during the Covid-19 pandemic. These fun, free Zoom webinars are scheduled Friday through Monday at 10am each week in August. Children receive a digital stamp for each program they attend; after receiving a certain number of stamps, they can earn prizes! Friday, Aug. 7, 10am.
PLANT POWERED Plants provide people and animals with many things that help us survive. Learn how plants at the park provide shelter, food, and oxygen for animals and people. This interactive program will be broadcast as a Zoom webinar. Registration is required. To register, visit tinyurl.com/SantaCruzJuniorRangers. Free event. California State Parks in Santa Cruz County are offering virtual junior ranger programs for children ages 7-12 during the Covid-19 pandemic. These fun, free Zoom webinars are scheduled Friday through Monday at 10am each week in August. Children receive a digital stamp for each program they attend; after receiving a certain number of stamps, they can earn prizes! Saturday, Aug. 8, 10am.
ROCKS ROCK Join us on an adventure through time as we learn about how these unique mountains and rocks were formed! This interactive program will be broadcast as a Zoom webinar. Registration is required. To register, visit tinyurl.com/SantaCruzJuniorRangers. Free event. California State Parks in Santa Cruz County are offering virtual junior ranger programs for children ages 7-12 during the Covid-19 pandemic. These fun, free Zoom webinars are scheduled Friday through Monday at 10am each week in August. Children receive a digital stamp for each program they attend; after receiving a certain number of stamps, they can earn prizes! Sunday, Aug. 9, 10am.
OUTDOOR GREENWOOD ARTS Inspiring ourselves and our world through song, music, dance, free-form movement, with colored materials, pastel drawing, writing and sharing circle. Directions given with your RSVP to sh*********@gm***.com. Kindly sign up soon as limited to eight participants. Includes all art and writing materials. Hand sanitizer available for use by everyone! No previous experience necessary. Juliet Goldstein has led Greenwood Arts groups for over 20 years. Qualified as a movement and drama teacher, she also practices Angel Healing and learned from the Wellsprings program, a Healing Center for the Arts. Sunday, Aug. 9, 2-4pm.
SHARK SCIENCE WEEK For a full week, the Seymour Marine Discovery Center will virtually celebrate Shark Science Week by revealing fascinating facts about these cartilaginous fishes. Explore amazing shark adaptations including their extraordinary senses, the unique ways in which they reproduce, and so much more—all online! Shark Science Week crafts, activities, and videos will be available on the Seymour Center’s website Aug. 9-15. Learn more at: seymourcenter.ucsc.edu/learn/family-activities/family-events/#shark-science-week.
CALIFORNIA’S UNDERWATER PARKS The wonders of California don’t stop at the water’s edge. Take a virtual dive into our coastal Marine Protected Areas, home to giant kelp forests, octopuses’ gardens, and big, old fish. This interactive program will be broadcast as a Zoom webinar. Registration is required. To register, visit tinyurl.com/SantaCruzJuniorRangers. Free event. California State Parks in Santa Cruz County are offering virtual junior ranger programs for children ages 7-12 during the Covid-19 pandemic. These fun, free Zoom webinars are scheduled Friday through Monday at 10am each week in August. Children receive a digital stamp for each program they attend; after receiving a certain number of stamps, they can earn prizes! Monday. Aug. 10, 10am.
NATURALIST NIGHT: SANTA CRUZ HABITATS AND HISTORY Santa Cruz Public Libraries and the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History have partnered to bring you Naturalist Night! Join fellow nature enthusiasts for monthly explorations of the biodiversity of Santa Cruz County. Each month, Marisa Gomez from the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History will share the stories of a specific Santa Cruz habitat as we develop our skills as naturalists. This series will feature a presentation as well as an interactive session. This program occurs monthly on the fourth Tuesday from 6-7 pm, with upcoming events Aug. 25 and Sept. 22. Registration is required for Zoom access link. Your registration confirmation email will have the Zoom link in it. Register online: santacruzpl.libcal.com/event/6857442.
