Community Calendar • Arts & Entertainment – Pages 28

First Tuesdays of the Month

UCSC ARBORETUM: FIRST TUESDAYS FREE

9 a.m. – 5 p.m., UC Santa Cruz Arboretum, 1156 High St, SC Community Day at the UCSC Arboretum means free admission on the first Tuesday of every month 9 a.m-5 p.m.

Guests are invited to explore the biodiversity of the gardens, enjoy bird watching or relax on a bench in the shade. arboretum.ucsc.edu

Third Thursday Each Month

PET LOSS AND GRIEF SUPPORT VIA ZOOM

6 to 7:30 p.m., virtual meeting BirchBark Foundation’s Pet Loss and Grief Support Zoom group offers a free support group, moderated by a licensed grief counseling therapist, on the third Thursday of each month. Register at https://www.birchbarkfoundation.org/griefsupport or call 831-471-7255.

First Sunday Every Month

WESTSIDE MARKETPLACE

11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Old Wrigley Building Parking Lot, 2801 Mission Street, Santa Cruz Come by on Sundays and shop at over 40 unique & wonderful artists, makers & vintage sellers — there’s something for everyone at the Westside Marketplace!

Rain dates are scheduled for the following Sundays.

The Market is free to attend and is 100% local!

All local and state health guidelines will be followed. Please wear your mask, maintain social distance while you shop and stay home if you don’t feel well. Hand sanitizing stations will be available. For more info, go to the event page: www.facebook.com/ events/ 170470481551895

DATED EVENTS

Friday February 4

CLAM CHOWDER COOKOFF EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION ENDS

The Annual Clam Chowder Cook-Off, hosted by the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, will take place Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 26-27. Registration for competitors is underway.

See how your recipe stacks up to the competition: • Amateur (Saturday) and Professional (Sunday) divisions • Boston & Manhattan categories • More than $3,000 in prizes • Fun atmosphere • Awards are given for Best Chowder in each category, plus People’s Choice, Most Tasted, and

Best-Themed Booth

Early bird registration includes free all-day rides wristbands and T-shirt for two people. Final deadline to register is Friday, Feb. 11.

The participants will be lined up across the Boardwalk offering their chowders to the public as part of the competition. Tasting Kits are $12 each and include six taste tickets, spoon, cup and a People’s Choice ballot. Visit https://beachboardwalk.com/clam-chowder-cook-off/ for more details.

Saturday February 5

AFRICAN SHADE FUNDRAISER

2-5 p.m., Santa Cruz Convergence Center, 3375 Capitola Road, Capitola A fundraiser for African Shade, an organization in Zambia started by Lena Wikner and Kathleen Pruitt, two women who met while in recovery in Santa Cruz, will take place at the Santa Cruz Convergence Center (formerly Takara restaurant.

Meet Lena and some of the local advisory committee supporting African Shade:

There will be appetizers, raffle tickets and a silent auction. Entry fee is $10. All proceeds go to projects in Zambia.

African Shade provides counseling for substance abuse, parenting and basic hygiene issues. Kuymabe House (which means starting point or new beginning) is a halfway house for young men who want to change their life away from drug and alcohol abuse.

African Shade has found safe houses for women escaping domestic violence, and developed sports teams for children.The latest project is building a corn meal mill, which will provide food for the hungry and jobs for locals. For information, call 831-239-0878 or visit africanshade.org

Sunday February 6

VALENTINE’S POP-UP ARTISTS’ STANDS

9 a.m.-1 p.m., Izant Court, Soquel Valentine’s Pop-Up Event on Izant Court in Soquel features unique hand-made gifts from local artists, including:

Butterfly Dream Dyes: hand-tied and ice-dyed new and upcycled clothing, purses and home goods.

Coastal Candle Co.: hand-poured natural soy container candles with wood wicks and beeswax candles.

Lavender Ladies: Eye pillows, and lavender items.

Theas Touch: Tiny succulent table-top gardens and sea glass treasures.

Saturday February 12

FALLEN OFFICER FOUNDATION BALL

5:30-11 p.m., Coconut Grove The nonprofit Fallen Officer Foundation presents the Fallen Officer Foundation Ball at the Coconut Grove in Santa Cruz. There will be dinner, dancing to the Lost Boys featuring James Durbin, live and silent auctions. Dinner tickets are $125.

The foundation assists first responders and families in times of crisis or special need, and 98% of funds go toward that goal. Make check to Fallen Officer Foundation, P.O. 67221, Scotts Valley CA 95067-7281. Info: Call 831-662-3105.

Wednesday February 16

APTOS CHAMBER MIXER

5-7 p.m. (tentative), Seascape Beach Resort, 1 Seascape Resort Drive, Aptos Seascape Beach Resort will host the first Aptos Chamber of Commerce business mixer of 2022, taking all Covid safety measures into consideration.

Sunday February 20

DANTE ALIGHIERI ART HISTORY LECTURE

7 p.m., Online Seminar Dante Alighieri Society of Santa Cruz presents Dr. Allan Langdale on “Promotion and Princes: The Art & Architecture of Italian Renaissance Courts,” an online lecture.

This lecture examines the ways renaissance princely families used art and architecture as a mode of political promotion and self-fashioning as a way to represent power and the idealized fictions of rulership.

Waiting room will open at 6:45 p.m. To register for this free event go to: https://bit.ly/Dante_Art_ Lecture

Wednesday February 23

SUPERVISOR FRIEND TO SPEAK

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Seascape Golf Course, 610 Clubhouse Dr, Aptos Second District Supervisor Zach Friend is scheduled to speak at the Aptos Chamber of Commerce networking luncheon meeting

PAJARO VALLEY QUILT SHOW

Saturday February 26 • Sunday February 27

10 a.m., Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, Watsonville. The Pajaro Valley Quilt Show will once again go live at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Watsonville, with more than 300 quilts and wearable arts on display.

There will be a large merchant mall, live auction and bargain garden.

Featured speaker is Watsonville resident Rachel D. K. Clark, contemporary folk artist, teacher and lecturer who has been making wearable art since 1973, showing her vibrant quilted coats in shows throughout the country.

County Covid standards will be followed. Shows end 5 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10, and parking is free. To learn more, see https://pvqa.org/

Photo: Rachel Clark with many of her vibrant quilted coats.

Dream Mountain

Friday February 25 thru Sunday February 27

2022 BANFF CENTRE MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL WORLD TOUR

7 p.m., Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz UC Santa Cruz Adventure Rec presents the 2022 Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour Santa Cruz at the Rio Theatre.

This event benefits the UCSC Wilderness Orientation Willie Williams Scholarship Fund and Adventure Rec student scholarships.

Each year, nearly $20,000 in scholarship funds are awarded to UCSC students based on financial need, affording them the chance to share in outdoor adventures.

Each night features a different lineup, Maple, Larch and Spruce. Tickets are $25 for Saturday and $23 for Friday and Sunday. To buy tickets, visit https://recreation.ucsc.edu/adventure/banff

Tuesday March 1

MARDI GRAS!

5-7 p.m., Seacliff Inn, 7500 Old Dominion Court, Aptos Swing into Spring presents Mardi Gras 5-7 p.m. March 1 hosted by Seacliff Inn and the Aptos History Museum, featuring Music by Ukes 4 You, tasty food, and a silent auction. Admission, general, $40; museum members, $35. RSVP at 688-1467. Proceeds benefit the Aptos History Museum

Wednesday March 2

TITANS OF TECH 2021

7-10 p.m., Online Seminar (In-person if possible, location TBA) Santa Cruz Works’ annual Titans of Tech features community members who have made an impact on the Santa Cruz tech community that year, plus Hometown Heroes, who helped us get through the year of COVID and wildfires. Organizers hope this will be an in-person + streaming event. For tickets, available mid February, see santacruzworks.org

Friday March 4 thru Sunday March 6

CAPITOLA COLLECTACON

Capitola Mall, 1855 41st Ave, Capitola Capitola Collectacon will take place March 4-6 at the Capitola Mall inside the former Sears Building.

Friday will be a VIP event from 3-8 p.m. featuring former American Idol contestant James Durban

Saturday and Sunday will be General Admission, starting at 10 a.m. and ending 5 p.m. on Saturday and 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Prices are $20 per day for General Admission/$35 for both days. The VIP pass is $50. See https://www.capitolacollectacon.com/ for more details and event options. n