A resource for families in Santa Cruz County | | |
Falling leaves, pumpkins, jack-o'lanterns, gourds, pumpkin cookies,
donuts and apple cider, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin quesadillas, pumpkin pies,
and most of all,
our intriguing fascination with Halloween
and the fun of creating and donning a fantastic costume!
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I listened to my friend, who likes to pretend he’s a curmudgeon, complaining about “people who waste time dressing up as someone else and begging for candy.”
I laughed! "Did you forget about the magic of dressing up as a little tiger, so cute that you got more candy than your older brother and sister!? (family story)
Then he winked at me and I knew he would be on his porch dressed as a grouch with a little tiger stuffed with straw at his side, waiting to hand out candy to neighborhood ghosts, princesses and action heroes, and a cup of wine to their parents, as he has done every year ever since I’ve known him.
Enjoy all your Halloween preparations and adventures, Parmalee
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What's Next After High School?
College, Trades, A Combination of Both?
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As our teens in high school are beginning to think about what's next after high school, we parents want to help them consider choices that are the very best match for their interests and skills.
Two important and connected events are coming up for teens and their parents to explore opportunities. Meet representatives from colleges. and meet people from the trades.
College & Career Family Night ~ Trades Day in Santa Cruz
How about going to both events? Scroll down for the dates and more information. Even if your child is a freshman or sophomore, open this world to the future for them and for yourself.
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There's a new baby in your home!
Scroll down for some wonderful, fun support programs.
Meet other new parents and enjoy this special time in your life.
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Dominican Hospital has joined with Baby2Baby to provide local low-income families with babies delivered at Dominican with 400 diapers so that they can focus on the health and bonding of their newborn. Baby2Baby provides essential items to more than one million children across the country in homeless shelters, domestic violence programs, foster care, hospitals and school districts as well as to children who have lost everything in the wake of disaster. | |
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Haunted Walk of Terrors, Fridays & Saturdays 8-9:30pm, October 16 & 17th also 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
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Heritage Harvest Festival, Saturday, October 17, 11am – 4pm, Celebrate the fall at the Wilder Ranch State Park Harvest Festival! Enjoy living history demonstrations, crafts, games, live music, food and more! Taste history during the Heritage Apple Tasting hosted by the California Rare Fruit Growers Association! Details
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Thomas and Percy’s Halloween Party, October 17-18, 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
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Come learn the THRILLER dance for FREE at London Nelson Center!! LAST CLASS Saturday October 17, 10am - 12:30pm, All are welcome, no dance experience necessary! NEXT WE GO "ON THE ROAD!" Details
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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
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Baby Time at Capitola Library, Mondays 10:30-11:30am, Join Librarian Laura as we learn together through songs, rhymes, fingerplays and stories thoughtfully curated to support early literacy and gross motor skill development. Welcoming babies from birth to age two and their caregivers, this gentle program celebrates language, movement, and connection. Afterward, Stay & Play to continue learning through play and build community with other families. https://loom.ly/KuQuf5g
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Open Studios, All County: October 17-18, is a FREE, self-guided, countywide art tour presented by Arts Council Santa Cruz County. The first three weekends of October, more than 340 artists will open their studio doors to the public. Meet local creatives, experience their artistic process, and buy directly. Everything You Need to Know about OPEN STUDIOS 2026 is in the app, a mobile version of the Artist Guide. Download it! Details
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Haunted Harvest Pool Bash, Saturday, October 17, 4 – 7pm, Join us for an evening of Haunted Harvest Halloween fun at Simpkins Family Swim Center! Tickets are available now > > >
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Pancake Breakfast Highlands Park, Sunday, October 13, 8:30am- 12pm, Join us at Highlands Park Senior & Community Center in Ben Lomond. Make it a family day at the park: Have breakfast with us between 8:30am-12 Noon then play in the park- playground with picnic tables, restroom, river access, tennis courts, open space use, and skate park. Let us start your day with a beautiful and plentiful breakfast for a great price! Details
| Making Music with MusicalMe, Bilingual, Tuesday, October 20, 11am – 12pm, Ages baby - 5, Details | |
Navigating Tech & Screen Time Together, Wednesdays 5:30 – 6:30pm, October 21, December 9, March 3, A 3-Part Community Series Co-Hosted by the Santa Cruz County Office of Education & Common Sense Media Screen time. Digital habits, and classroom learning tools are top of mind for today’s families. We invite parents, guardians, and caregivers across Santa Cruz County to join us for a supportive virtual series focused on building healthy digital balance at home and in school. Registration required. Details
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Trades Day in Santa Cruz, 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. Volunteers help with student check-in, guiding groups, supporting exhibitors, and more. Learn more > > >
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𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲 Public Library, Simpkins Swim Center & Felton Library, 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟳, 𝟭𝟮– 𝟯:𝟯𝟬pm.
Bring the whole family to the Watsonville Public Library for a fun and interactive opportunity to learn more about the election process. There will be activities for all ages, along with prizes. Learn more.
| Preschool Storytime & Crafts Aptos, Fridays, 11:30am – 12:30pm, Details | Toddler Time - Special Series, Mental Wellness, Join us for a special series of Toddler Time where local community resource professionals answer your questions relating to aspects of child development. https://loom.ly/tahHCZ0 | Parent Nest A Guided Play and Connection Series, Fridays 10am, your little explorer can safely investigate their world while you connect with other parents who understand exactly what this stage of life is like. Details | Special Connections SC at La Selva Beach. Friday 2-3pm, October 16, Join us for a supportive conversation on early developmental milestones from birth to age three. Details | Let’s get moving, Super Tots! Mondays, October 19 & 26, 4pm, Give your little athletes a fun, active way to learn the fundamentals of sports! 45-minute sessions of organized practices, games, skills, drills, and activities will build confidence, develop teamwork, and engage social skills in a positive and supportive environment. Enroll now at 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
| Special Connections SC, Friday 2-3pm, October 16, Join us for a supportive conversation on early developmental milestones from birth to age three. Learn ways to build your child’s communication, motor skills, social-emotional development, and more — all in a welcoming, judgment-free space for families and caregivers. We’ll discuss what to look for, when to ask questions, and how Early Intervention services can support your child’s growth and development. Details | |
“Navigating the Adolescent Years” Free Parent Workshop, Harbor High: Monday, October 19, 5-6:30pm, "Finding Balance: Adolescents in a Digital World," Santa Cruz City Schools is offering a FREE parenting series “Navigating the Adolescent Years.” Open to anyone in the area (not just SCCS families) and also in Spanish! Same time and place! Learn more and register.
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College & Career Family Night, Monday, October 19, from 6 – 8pm, Cabrillo College will host this free event which gives local families the chance to meet representatives from four-year universities, tour campus housing, and attend bilingual workshops covering financial aid, transfer pathways, and dual enrollment.
Free parking is available in designated student lots, and food trucks will be on site with dinner options for purchase. Details
| Girls Who Code, Thursdays 4-5pm, October 15; November 5 & 19, December 3, 17, Details | SPCA Rescue Readers, Friday, October 23, 5:30-7pm, Rescue Readers is a special opportunity to read bedtime stories to our shelter animals while helping them feel calm, comfortable, and cared for as they settle in for the night. Sign up | | | |
NorCal Renaissance Faire, Oktoberfest – October 17th & 18th, Calling all revellers, Details | Monthly Free Book from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library - Details | 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 | SPCA Junior Animal Care Team Afterschool Program, Tuesdays 4-6pm, Details | |
Succulent & Botanical Pumpkin Workshop, Friday, October 16, Join us for our Succulent & Botanical Pumpkin Workshop! Come sip, succulent & create with us! Create your very own succulent & botanical pumpkin centerpiece or door piece designed to last all season long. Details
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