Workshops and classes in Santa Cruz

Advanced Tractor Skills Workshop Oct 23–24

Community & Practice Workshop / PracticeUniversity / College

Oct 23–24 Fri, Oct 23 ·UCSC Farm ·Santa Cruz ·$550

A 2-day hands-on workshop for farmers with 2–4 years of tractor operating experience. Participants learn to operate tractors more efficiently and safely, covering tractor setup, implement attachment, equipment calibration, field operation, and maintenance. The program emphasizes real field demonstrations and practical problem-solving based on everyday farming situations. By the end, participants should operate tractors more efficiently, make better field decisions, and maximize machinery performance. Cost includes food, overnight accommodation in tent cabins, and parking; scholarships available.

via UC Santa Cruz ↗ Event link ↗ Edit
Día de los Muertos Celebration

Culture & HumanitiesCommunity & Practice MuseumLecture / ForumWorkshop / Practice Free

Sat, Oct 24 ·12:00 pm ·Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History ·Santa Cruz

The Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History hosts an annual Día de los Muertos Celebration honoring Latino cultural heritage. The day features musical and dance performances by Senderos, hands-on activities, live music, and community-created altares (ofrendas). Attendees can explore the museum's installations and learn about the holiday's significance from community partners and Senderos leaders, hearing stories of how Día de los Muertos is celebrated locally.

via Santa Cruz MAH ↗ Event link ↗ Edit
Make & Take Dried Floral Pumpkin Workshop

Community & Practice Workshop / PracticeUniversity / College

Sun, Oct 25 ·12:00 pm ·Hay Barn ·Santa Cruz ·$60

Learn to create a dried floral and succulent pumpkin centerpiece in this hands-on workshop led by instructor Amber Pearsall. You'll work with a selection of dried and fresh materials—some grown at the UC Santa Cruz Farm & Garden—to design your own artistic creation, guided by examples and encouragement to develop your personal style. The finished pumpkin will last well into the new year with proper care.

via UC Santa Cruz ↗ Event link ↗ Edit
Rite Life – A Writing Group Amongst the Dead

Community & PracticeCulture & Humanities Workshop / PracticeMuseum Free

Sun, Oct 25 ·1:00 pm ·Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History ·Santa Cruz

Rite Life is a workshop blending automatic writing with ancestor veneration practices, designed to confront difficult emotions and celebrate what sustains us. Facilitated by Gabe alongside local writers and spiritual practitioners, the workshop carries forward the vision of poet and spiritual teacher Honeysun, who conceived it in 2016. Participants of all ages engage in guided writing and reflective practice in the museum's cemetery setting. All ages welcome.

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Giving an Account of Our Hope: Catholic Social Teaching Today — Fr. William O'Neill

Culture & HumanitiesCivics & Power Lecture / ForumWorkshop / Practice

Sun, Oct 25 ·2:00 pm ·Santa Clara University ·Santa Cruz

A workshop exploring Catholic Social Teaching as a living tradition of shared discernment on justice and human dignity. Fr. William O'Neill, a Jesuit scholar and resident at Santa Clara University's Markkula Center, draws on his work in refugee camps across Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan to address how we embody CST's vision today—encompassing human rights, ecological ethics, immigration policy, and restorative justice. The session includes structured conversation and reflection, open to Christians and non-Christians alike.

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Plant Keying Workshop at the UCSC Arboretum & Botanic Garden

Science & TechCommunity & Practice Workshop / PracticeUniversity / College Free

Mon, Oct 26 ·5:30 pm ·Arboretum ·Santa Cruz

Learn plant terminology and identification techniques in a hands-on, informal workshop led by Lucy Ferneyhough, assistant director of the UCSC Arboretum & Botanic Garden. Participants are encouraged to bring plants to examine together and suggest topics for future sessions. Sessions held the 4th Monday of each month, 5:30–7:30pm at the Horticulture 2 meeting hall.

via UC Santa Cruz ↗ Event link ↗ Edit
Halloween Printing Party and Pop-Up Exhibition in Special Collections and Archives

Community & Practice Workshop / PracticeUniversity / College Free

Wed, Oct 28 ·11:30 am ·McHenry Library ·Santa Cruz

A hands-on printing workshop celebrating Halloween at UC Santa Cruz's Special Collections and Archives. Attendees can print their own designs on the BookBeetle, a replica Gutenberg-era common press, while exploring a curated display of Halloween-themed archival materials including movable books and historical documents. Open to all.

via UC Santa Cruz ↗ Event link ↗ Edit
Free Craft: Mask Making

Community & Practice Workshop / PracticeMuseum Free

Sat, Oct 31 ·10:00 am ·Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History ·Santa Cruz

Drop-in mask-making workshop at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. Decorate your own mask inspired by the museum's animal exhibits or create something supernatural for Halloween. All ages welcome.

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Honoring the Dark Season: A Samhain Celebration with Casey Zabala

Community & Practice Workshop / Practice

Sun, Nov 1 ·6:00 pm ·The 418 Project ·Santa Cruz ·$23.18

A Samhain ritual celebration honoring the thinning of the veil, the season of ancestors, and Earth's cycles. Intuitive witch and author Casey Zabala guides participants through meditative practices, shares energetic and traditional aspects of Samhain, and leads a spiralic ritual for integration and remembrance. All are welcomed—witches and witch-curious folks gather in non-dogmatic space for magical connection, honoring endings and the wisdom of the dark season.

via The 418 Project ↗ Event link ↗ Edit
Education in the Age of AI: Faculty Panel and Workshop

Science & TechCivics & Power Lecture / ForumWorkshop / PracticeUniversity / College Free

Tue, Nov 3 ·10:00 am ·Colleges Nine and John R. Lewis College Multi-purpose Room ·Santa Cruz

A faculty panel and workshop exploring AI's role in education, moderated by Pranav Anand (Faculty Director, Humanities Institute; Professor of Linguistics). Panelists include Leilani Gilpin (Computer Science and Engineering), Zac Zimmer (Literature), Lauren Lyons (Philosophy), and Adam Smith (Computational Media). The discussion addresses how AI impacts critical thinking, learning outcomes, and entry-level careers; questions of ethics, equity, and institutional policy; and whether students should embrace, avoid, or selectively use AI. Following the panel, attendees will join small-group workshops to brainstorm institutional responses and pathways forward. The first in a proposed series on AI and education.

via UC Santa Cruz ↗ Event link ↗ Edit
San Lorenzo River Walk Series: Where River Meets Ocean

Science & TechCommunity & Practice Workshop / PracticeMuseum Free

Sat, Nov 7 ·9:30 am ·Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History ·Santa Cruz

Discover the estuary where the San Lorenzo River meets Monterey Bay and learn why these habitats are vital for wildlife. Led by Suzy Clark of the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, this easy-to-moderate 2-mile guided walk combines natural history and ecology. Part of the San Lorenzo River Walk Series, featuring expert guides from the Monterey Bay Salmon & Trout Project, Coastal Watershed Council, and Santa Cruz Bird Club. Suitable for school-age children and adults.

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Marine Science Fest: Ms. Blue Returns!

Science & TechCommunity & Practice Conference / SymposiumWorkshop / Practice

Sun, Nov 8 ·11:00 am ·Seymour Marine Discovery Center ·Santa Cruz ·$15

A day-long celebration of marine science at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center featuring the return of Ms. Blue, a reconstructed Great Blue Whale skeleton. Attendees can ask marine scientists about whale biology, ocean ecosystems, and the Center's conservation research; create art at a community mural; explore a special exhibit on the whale's reconstruction; participate in music and movement activities; and enjoy coastal explorations and behind-the-scenes experiences. The festival includes food trucks, local makers, and live music throughout the day.

via KQED ↗ Event link ↗ Edit
Rite Life – A Writing Group Amongst the Dead

Culture & HumanitiesCommunity & Practice Workshop / PracticeMuseum Free

Sun, Nov 29 ·1:00 pm ·Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History ·Santa Cruz

Rite Life is a creative workshop blending automatic writing with ancestor veneration, designed to confront difficult emotions and celebrate what sustains us. Facilitated by Gabe alongside local writers and practitioners, the workshop honors the vision of Honeysun, a poet and spiritual teacher who conceived it in 2016. Participants of all ages engage in guided writing practice in the cemetery setting, combining craft instruction with contemplative spiritual work.

via Santa Cruz MAH ↗ Event link ↗ Edit
Rite Life – A Writing Group Amongst the Dead

Community & Practice Workshop / PracticeMuseum Free

Sun, Dec 27 ·1:00 pm ·Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History ·Santa Cruz

A hands-on writing workshop blending automatic writing with ancestor veneration practices, designed to confront what haunts us and celebrate what sustains us. Facilitated by Gabe alongside local writers and craft practitioners, the workshop preserves the vision of Honeysun, a poet and spiritual teacher who founded it in 2016. All ages welcome.

via Santa Cruz MAH ↗ Event link ↗ Edit
Meet & Greet + Workshop with Daniel Attaboy Seifert

Community & Practice Workshop / PracticeMuseum Free

Thu, Jan 14 ·5:00 pm ·Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History ·Santa Cruz

Join a creative paper plate sculpture workshop led by artist Daniel Attaboy Seifert at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. Participants will use paper plates, colored tapes, wire, staples, and scissors to create their own sculptural works. Materials provided.

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Lilith Intensive Workshop + Presentation — Scarlett Amaris

Culture & Humanities Lecture / ForumWorkshop / Practice

Sat, Jan 16 ·7:30 pm ·The 418 Project ·Santa Cruz ·$24.34–$29.95

An intensive workshop, illustrated lecture, and guided visualization exploring the figure of Lilith across mythology, literature, and modern reclamation. Scarlett Amaris, screenwriter of *H.P. Lovecraft's Color Out of Space* and author on occult studies, traces Lilith from ancient night spirits and Jewish protective traditions through her appearance in Romantic poetry and nineteenth-century art—Goethe, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Collier—examining how female refusal, sexual autonomy, and power outside sanctioned structures became coded as danger. The workshop includes an interactive reflection on inherited agreements and suppression, followed by a twenty-minute guided visualization inviting participants to meet the exiled or ungovernable aspect of self. Participation is fully optional; no disclosure required.

via The 418 Project ↗ Event link ↗ Edit

Advanced Tractor Skills Workshop Oct 23–24