Santa Cruz's 5 Most Unique Festivals And Beloved Annual Events

From hiking through the redwood forests to playing on the beach where surfing first came to California, there are so many fun things to do in Santa Cruz. And with its relatively balmy weather year-round, it's just about always a good time to visit this oceanside city. But if you time your trip with one of the city's iconic annual events, you'll be able to get in on something really special. At each of these events, you can celebrate local culture and flavor while mingling with the community in a uniquely Santa Cruz way.

Not every great event held in Santa Cruz could make our list, but these five represent some of the best of the best and the most popular events in some of the city's iconic settings. They also each offer a sampling of the local Santa Cruz culture with unique themes and activities. One important thing to keep in mind: All these events will get busy, so if crowds aren't your thing, at least you'll know what parts of town to avoid and when. (See the end of the article for more information on the methodology we used to compile our list.)

Santa Cruz is typically rainy during late fall and through winter, and the rain brings mushrooms to the forest. January is Mushroom Month in Santa Cruz, and the Santa Cruz Fungus Fair is held each year on a weekend in January with thousands of people attending this ticketed event. It kicks off with a mushroom dinner on a Friday evening, and then on Saturday and Sunday, you can check out an impressive array of different fungi that have been brought in from the forest. There are speakers to teach you more about the fascinating world of fungus, on everything from how to cook with mushrooms to identification and medicinal mushrooms. For a special souvenir, vendors sell goods such as mushroom-dyed silk.

After learning about mushrooms at the fair, it's exciting to see what you can spot on your next trip to the redwood forests of Santa Cruz. But remember: Do not forage and eat any wild mushrooms on your own; it's far better and safer to go with a group like the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz, which leads foraging tours.

Beyond the Fungus Fair, a number of businesses downtown highlight mushrooms in some way during January. Bookshop Santa Cruz, a celebrated independent bookstore, has a mushroom-themed display; Artisans & Agency has a discount on mushroom-themed art; and Penny Ice Creamery has a Candy Cap Mushroom ice cream.

The Santa Cruz Clam Chowder Cook-Off claims to be the country's longest-running clam chowder festival. It takes place over a weekend in late February, with amateur chefs cooking on Saturday and professional chefs the next day. It started in 1982 as a way to boost business during the off-season, and it's really taken off. It was first held in the mini-golf course at the Boardwalk, but as the event got bigger, it's since moved outside. And even the occasional rainy weather that you can experience in Santa Cruz in February doesn't deter people from coming out to the event each year.

The dozens of chefs at the competition can make either Manhattan (red) or Boston (white) clam chowders, and they're all vying to be the best. That's where you come in: Guests can buy a tasting kit to enjoy a handful of samples, and each year, the proceeds go to helping Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation. It's for a good cause, it's delicious, and the Boardwalk is always a fun place to be.

As an honorable mention, another foodie event held each year at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is the annual chili cook-off. Held on a Saturday in late October, it brings together chefs of all kinds who put together what they think is the best chili in town. The first chili cook-off was in 2010, and in 2025, the event saw a record 55 teams of chili makers vying to be the best, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel. There are categories for vegetarian and meat chili, and like the chowder festival, there's a range of awards, including "most tasted" and "people's choice."

The famous Santa Cruz Wharf has seafood restaurants and fantastic views out over Monterey Bay. It's also home to the annual Woodies on the Wharf. Held on a weekend in late June, this event features hundreds of classic cars on display. The cars date back to before the 1950s, a time when some vehicles were built with wooden sides and earned the nickname "woodies." The Santa Cruz Woodies club was first founded in the 1990s and set up the event, which has become a beloved annual tradition.

It's free to come and walk the wharf to marvel at these beautiful vintage cars. And if you happen to own a woodie, you're welcome to bring your car to the wharf to show it off. "I love the woodwork, artwork and all the crazy ways people present their vehicles is just fantastic," one attendee told the Santa Cruz Sentinel. "We love to come out here and support these guys." There's a festive, community vibe, and the owners of the cars are often happy to talk to you about the history of their car. You can see all the love that they have for their vehicles at this special and unique event.

If you're someone who likes to plan running vacations, aka "runcations," Santa Cruz has a number of options, most notably the Wharf to Wharf. The first race was in 1973, and it's become known as "the best little road race in California," according to the event's website.

This 6-mile race is held the fourth Sunday of July, and it runs from the Santa Cruz Wharf to the Capitola Wharf. Runners are treated to some incredible views of the coast as they make their way through Santa Cruz neighborhoods like Pleasure Point. The crowds of fans and live music along the way keep things lively, with everything from people banging pots and pans to playing the bagpipes.

It's limited to 16,000 participants, and it attracts both amateur and elite runners, with athletes coming in from around the world. While you can run it as an intense race, it's more of a fun run, with some people wearing costumes. If you are looking for something more intense, the Surfer's Path Half Marathon follows the same approximate route as the Wharf to Wharf, except it comes back to the Santa Cruz Wharf for the 13.1-mile finish.

First-time Santa Cruz visitors, families with kids, and amusement park fans are all likely to be prioritizing a visit to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, one of the world's best seaside parks. And if you go there in early November, you'll also be able to check out the Sea Glass and Ocean Art Festival. It's held at The Grove, which overlooks Monterey Bay, and it features dozens of artists that use sea glass, shells, and the like to create incredible pieces of art.

The first festival was held in 2009 at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center, one of the best under-the-radar spots to visit in Santa Cruz. It was started by Krista Hammond and her husband, and Hammond's sister, Nicole Mattacola, now helps organize the annual event. "I love seeing all the different mediums and ocean-themed designs that clever artists cook up," Mattacola told Beachcombing. "And I love seeing friends get that flash of love when they find an amazing piece of artwork or jewelry that calls to them."

Tickets are sold at the door, and there are bar drinks and food you can buy, with part of the proceeds going to ocean conservation. Along with the vendors, there's live music, presentations on sea glass, and raffle drawings over the two-day festival. It's one of my favorite places to go and get something pretty for myself or as a gift for friends.

I lived in Santa Cruz for over a decade, and I discovered so many special events held throughout the year, so it was hard to narrow them down. To help keep things focused for this list, I skipped events that are specific to a larger holiday, like Christmas and Halloween, so the list stayed dedicated to activities that were more tied to Santa Cruz's local culture. That means there are some honorable mentions for the best annual events in Santa Cruz, like hanging out downtown on Halloween when Pacific Avenue gets closed off to traffic and people come out in costumes to trick-or-treat at local businesses.

I also chose events that have been well attended for years, if not decades, and that provide a real flavor (sometimes literally) of the Santa Cruz community. And that meant only looking at festivals specifically in Santa Cruz (minus the end of the Wharf to Wharf Race). That resulted in leaving out a number of fan-favorite food and wine fests hosted by area communities, including the Scotts Valley Art, Wine, and Beer Festival in August and the Capitola Art & Wine Festival in September.