Día de los Muertos Celebration at the MAH, Saturday, October 24, 12 – 3pm, MAH invites you to join us for this free, family-friendly event to honor Latino cultural heritage with musical and dance performances by Senderos, hands-on activities, and beautifully crafted altars (altares or frendas) created by community organizations. Details

Mount Madonna School Fall Festival, Saturday, October 24, 5 – 8pm, Time to Celebrate Together at our much anticipated, Fall Festival. The Mount Madonna School Fall Festival brings together all of our favorite activities this time of year. Take a hay ride at dusk, create Fall-themed decorations to bring home, get a jump on trick-or-treating with our extended trunk-or-treat, enjoy a jump scare in the haunted woods of our fright hike, and much more! Details

Celebrate Día de los Muertos at Castro Adobe with Music, Dance and Local Traditions, October 25, 10:30am - 3:30pm

Details

Haunted Walk of Terrors, Fridays & Saturdays 8-9:30pm, October 23 & 24. Come for the terrors. Stay for the fun. And watch out… you never know what might be waiting along Forest Hill Drive, Details

Magic through Make-believe, Science and Creativity, October 21-23, Do you believe in magic? The magic of seeing the world through a child’s eyes, the magic that unfolds when we let go of what we know and let curiosity take the reins? Come in, let your imagination soar, unleash your creativity, and invite a little magic back into your life. Details

Trades Day, Friday, October 23, 9am – 12pm, High School Students, Join us for hands-on exposure to real careers in construction, engineering, design, technology and more. There are plenty of opportunities to learn about industry career opportunities in construction, design, sub-contracting, heavy equipment, engineering, and other skilled trades. Santa Cruz Trades Day is a hands-on, career-exploration event that brings together students, schools, and industry professionals to explore careers in construction, design, engineering, technology, and the skilled trades. Details

Try Some Chili! October 24, 9am-4pm, Boardwalk admission is free! Just purchase a Tasting Kit to sample chili from dozens of competitors. Details

Thomas and Percy’s Halloween Party, October 24-25, Dress up for Halloween with favorites Thomas and Percy, for a 25 minute train ride, entertainment, and fun filled activities for the entire family. Details

THRILLER dance Performances, Around the county 24-31.

Join the zombies who have been practicing!

All are welcome.

Details

Succulent Pumpkin Workshop, Saturday, October 24, 10am - 1pm, Join us for a hands-on succulent pumpkin workshop. Enjoy a warm beverage while we walk through making a unique creation to use as seasonal decor & holiday centerpiece. All materials will be provided. Tea, Coffee & Chai will be available! It will be a perfect fall morning! Details

Santa Cruz Dance Theater’s Annual Gala ‘Allegro: Clara’s Dream’, Sunday, October 25, 3-6pm, Join Santa Cruz Dance Theater in celebration at our annual gala, Allegro! We invite you to dress up and dawn your dancing shoes for a festive afternoon of performances, delicious food and drinks, a lively silent auction, and dancing at The Grove. All proceeds support the preservation of classical dance in Santa Cruz. Join us for an evening of community as we build a brighter future for our dancers . Details

Baby Time at Capitola Library, Mondays 10:30-11:30am, https://loom.ly/KuQuf5g

Contra Dancing at Live Oak Grange, Friday, October 23, 6:30pm - 10pm, Newcomers’ intro: 6:30pm, dance 7 – 10pm, 2nd Sundays: Newcomers’ intro 2:30pm, dance 3 – 5:30pm, Come kick your heels up contra dancing at Live Oak Grange with some amazing local talent and fun and friendly dancers! Details

Batty for Bats: Bat talk, crafts and refreshments, Tuesday, October 27, 3:30-5:30, Come learn about bats from a local expert. Refreshments will be served during the talk and then we will have some batty crafts! This event is for children, teens and their families/caregivers. Details

Pokémon Day! Sunday October 25, 11am-1pm, Get 3 FREE cards just for attending. Bring your own cards to trade with others. Learn to draw Pokémon, Enter our Pokémon raffle to win a special prize, Details

Food Truck Party with Hocus Pocus 2 at dark! Friday, October 30, 4:30pm, We are wrapping up with a huge community bash featuring Firepeach, Enjoy the region’s best trucks, including Pana and Tacos el Jesse. Come out for face painting, live music, and one last opportunity to raise a glass for our students at the SVEF Beer & Wine Garden. Don't miss this epic season closer! Details

Last Yappy Hour This Year. Thursday, October 29, 4-5:30 pm, Join us at our friends The MAH for the last Yappy Hour of the year! Bring your dog in costume for a chance to win a prize. Meet some pups that are up for adoption from the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter. Kincentricity Garden, Free and open to the public! Details

Raising Confident and Capable Adolescents, Last workshop in Navigating the Adolescent Years series, Monday, October 26, 6-7:30pm, Branciforte Small Schools Campus, Details

Making Music with MusicalMe, Bilingual, Tuesday, October 27, 11am – 12pm, Ages baby - 5, Details

Toddler Time Scotts Valley, Tuesday, October 27, 11-11:45am, Special; Series, Mental Wellness_, Details

Toddler Story Time Live Oak, Tuesdays 11am-12pm, Playtime, stories & songs, Details

Dancing Tales Downtown Library, Tuesday, October 27, 10:30 - 11am, A fun and interactive dance program for children ages 2-5. Come dance with us! Details

Parent Nest A Guided Play and Connection Series, Fridays 10am, Details

Let’s get moving, Super Tots! Mondays, 4pm, Give your little athletes a fun, active way to learn the fundamentals of sports! scparks.com/register or call 831- 454-7941!

2026 WHERE THE PUMPKINS ARE, September and October, Get your 2026 copy of the most comprehensive list of pumpkin patches! All of Santa Cruz County and more! The original and most comprehensive downloadable pdf - It’s free! Details

Aptos/Capitola Youth Chess Club, Ages 6-18, Tuesdays 3:30 – 4:30pm, Come and play chess, one of the world’s oldest and most popular games, with other kids! Note to parents: Chess is a great way for kids to build sportsmanship, concentration, and reasoning skills, while having a lot of fun! Details

Magic Show with Alex Ramon! Your eyes won't believe what they're seeing! On October 30, Alex Ramon invites you into a world where the impossible becomes possible. From astonishing illusions to jaw-dropping moments that leave audiences speechless, this is a magic show you'll be talking about long after the curtain falls. Get tickets

NorCal Renaissance Faire ~ LAST Weekend – October 24 & 25

SPCA Teen Service Saturday, Saturday 9am-12pm, October 24, November 21, December 12, Join our Teen Volunteer Saturdays and get hands-on experience behind the scenes at the Santa Cruz SPCA! Details