A resource for families in Santa Cruz County
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Art - Geometry - Math - Peace
It's nourishing for us to retreat from the busyness of the world. We can choose to make our family’s small world peaceful and beautiful.

We can create beauty: the beauty of a welcoming lamp, a fountain in the garden, music that causes us to pause and listen, a place to play with blocks, plants to give us flowers and vegetables, a photo of a new niece smiling for the first time, a 1000 piece puzzle teasing us with blank spaces, a quiet place to escape with a book, our kitty deigning to cuddle or our pup jumping with joy to greet us when we return from "out there."
For inspiration, go to MAH’s amazing Art-Geometry-Light show by HYBYCOZO artists, Serge Beaulieu and Yelena Filipchukat. It opens Friday. Before you go, read about HYBYCOZO' ideas on education and its two creative artists. To help the children prepare for the show, download Serge and Yelena’s free geometric coloring sheets.
Here's a cheerful piece, 6 Reasons to Take Your Kid to the Library This Week—And Every Week, although it's "preaching to the choir."

I just read Barry Brownstein's essay on John F. Kennedy's Peace Speech. My spirits lifted! Please read it, because peace begins in the family. And next read and also listen to President Kennedy's original speech.

Peace, Parmalee
Point of Light
Don’t miss this Friday’s opening of Point of Light by HYBYCOZO. If you’re a MAH member, please join us for a special reception with the artists on Thu, Jul 20, from 6-8pm.

HYBYCOZO is a collaborative installation art collective made up of Serge Beaulieu and Yelena Filipchuk. Their work consists of larger-than-life sculptures that celebrate the inherent beauty of geometric form and pattern, composed in ways that harmonize the experience of sculpture, light, and shadow.

In addition to the in-gallery exhibition, one of the HYBYCOZO sculptures will be temporarily installed and illuminated outdoors on the museum’s Front Street entry terrace through Oct 1.
You're Thinking about the Fair, right?
Would you like to participate in a Santa Cruz County Fair contest? Win a prize? Get going!
Vegetables, flowers, fruit; Zucchini: heaviest, ugliest, best dressed, Veggies Look-a-like, Scarecrow

Collections, Hobbies ~ Paintings, Watercolors, Drawings and Graphics ~

Handspun yarns, Woven art ~  Home arts: Baked Goods & Confections: Preserved Foods, Clothing & Textiles, Quilts, Arts & Crafts

Innovation: Robots, Vehicles, Biosphere, Electronics, Digital, & more ~ Legos ~ Livestock: chickens, cows, pigs, goats, lambs ~ Photography ~ Poetry
 
Youth Groups: Arts & Crafts, Decorated Cakes, Photography, Fine Arts, Food Preservation, Food Nutrition, Honey, Home Decorating, Natural Science, Mechanical Science, Graphic Arts, and more

Always check for new posts!
California Rodeo, July 20 – 23, Join us for all your favorite rodeo events, from bull riding to barrel racing. The California Rodeo Salinas is one of the top 10 Professional Rodeos in the United States and the largest in California.
We are most proud of being a not-for-profit organization that gives back over $530,000 each year to local non-profits and western lifestyle/industry organizations.
It’s where the west comes alive! Non-stop action all four days of the Rodeo….saddle bronc riding, bull riding, barrel racing and much more for your entertainment. There is truly something for all ages including the kids corral, shopping, bar, saloon and more! Details
Snowdo White and The Fellowship of the Mirror, Weds – Sat, 7pm July 19 – 22 & 26 – 29 & Sunday 3pm, July 23 & 30
Attention members of the Fellowship, citizens of the Shire, and all friends of Little Earth: Tickets to transport you to our magical realm are on sale! Celebrate (Little) Earth Day with us by snagging your tickets, including Front Row and Riser special seating. Details
Super Summer Saturday, July 22, 11am – 3pm, Featuring nature activities, community groups, food vendors, and more! Plus enjoy free admission to the Museum all day. Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History Details
Lego Engineering Challenge, Thursday, July 20, 3 – 5pm, Are you looking for fun, and competitive challenge? Are you good at building stuff using Legos? Are you between the ages of 8 yrs to 12 yrs?
If you answered yes to all these questions, then you are more than qualified to join our Lego Engineering Challenge! The Lego Engineering Challenge is a fun way for tweens to learn about basic engineering, teamwork, and leadership by completing various lego projects. All lego challenges are self paced. Details
Back to School Bash, Tuesday, July 25, 2 – 6pm, Join us for a Back to School Bash at El Mercado Farmers’ Market at Ramsay Park. We are giving away 160 backpacks filled with school supplies. This is a first-come, first-serve event. Youth must be present to receive a backpack, however, if your child cannot attend, adults are welcome to present a valid student ID. Details
Triathlon at Franich Park, Saturday, July 22, 12 – 2pm, Looking for ways to get your little ones active? Come try out this family friendly Triathlon! Your toddlers Ages 3-5 will get to participate in running, water activities, and riding! Details
Triple P Workshops
Teaching Children to Do Chores, Thurs, July 20, 5:30 – 7pm.

Familypower: Boundary Skills, Saturday, July 22, 10 – 11am, Boundary skills help people of all ages have more fun and fewer problems with people – including friends and family members! You and your child age 7-12 will leave this class with more strategies to support you in setting boundaries. Details
LEGO® Pirates: The Hunt for the Golden Treasure, Saturday, July 8 – 23, 11am – 6pm, Captain Brickbeard’s ship has crashed and he’s on the hunt for enough golden treasure to buy himself the shiniest, speediest, and most beautiful ship that there ever was! Use the “Ye Olde Treasure Map” to scope out all of the hidden treasure locations throughout the attraction and earn an awesome prize fit for a pirate. Do you have what it takes to become a pirate? Join the hunt this Summer! Piratical Details
Music in the Stacks Watsonville Community Youth Band, Friday, July 21, 5pm, Support and enjoy the musical talent of our very own Watsonville Community Youth Band on Friday, July 21 at 5:00pm at the Main Library. Seating will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Details
Hike and Sketch Workshop, Saturday, July 22, 9am – 12:30pm,
Join us on a creative hike and sketch expedition through the Pogonip Trail in Santa Cruz! Science Illustrator Sami Chang, will be leading us on a hike through Pogonip as she teaches how to create quick field studies with accuracy and precision. Details
Free Books All Summer, Live Like Coco, June – August, There’s nothing better than giving out free books all summer! Details
Capitola Twilight Concerts, Wednesdays 6pm, June 21 – August 30, The Capitola Twilight Concerts are hosted on Wednesday evenings during the summer months. July 26: Pacific Roots, Details
Beach Boardwalk: Free Daily Entertainment , June 19 – August 11, Add more fun to your visit and see magicians, jugglers, acrobats and more perform at two locations in the park. Engaging performers invite you to be a part of the FREE show! Details
Free Movies on the Boardwalk Beach, Fridays 9pm, June 16 – August 11, Bring the family and your blanket or low-back chair and join us! July 21: Minions, The Rise of Gru Details
Live Music on the Boardwalk Colonnade,
Thursdays, 8:30 – 10pm, June 15 – August 10, Enjoy FREE Live Music Thursdays throughout the summer on the Boardwalk Colonnade! Come for the rides, stay for the entertainment! July 20 Tsunami Band, Details
Midtown Summer Block Party, Fridays through September 29 – 5:00 to 8:30ish, Come Celebrate all the vibrancy of Midtown at our Summer Block Party, happening every Friday! Food – Artists – Live Music – Vendors. July 16th: James Durbin & The Lost Boys w/opener Coffee Zombie Collective, Details
Watsonville Summer Concert Series Music in the Plaza, 1st & 3rd Fridays 6 – 8pm, June 16 – September 1, Ready to dance the night away? Our summer outdoor Music in the Plaza concert series is back and will feature a variety of bands to help you get your groove on! Grab a bite at our downtown restaurants and join us for the music Details
Heritage Events at Roaring Camp, All Summer, Heritage sounds like something old, unless you’re talking Heritage Events at Roaring Camp. Free Heritage Events with the purchase of a Roaring Camp train ticket: Monday: Blacksmith; Tuesday: Printing Press; Wednesday: Candle Making; Thursday: Crafts; Friday: Gold Panning Details
Free Harbor Water Taxi, All Summer Weekends, 11am – 6pm
The free, inner-harbor water taxi is back in service for the summer!
It operates on summer weekends and holidays through Labor Day. Click for locations to hitch a ride. Details
Daughters and Sons of the Beach Ukele Jam, Saturdays, 10am – 12pm, Strum Along on the beach behind the Crow’s Nest.
Learning Adventures in the Parks, 12 - 5pm, July 23 - The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, Join Watsonville Public Library for Learning Adventures. Sign up for a free field trip to one of the local State Parks with an expert bilingual guide. Details
Parenting Workshops, These parent workshops offer outstanding skills, tips and support in our parenting path. We are fortunate to have these resources. Even if everything is going well, it's good to know what's available! July