Whether you’re buying a gift or sharing a meal, kick off the holiday shopping season by supporting your favorite Santa Cruz small business on Nov. 29 for Small Business Saturday. Not sure what to buy someone? Consider a gift card to their favorite restaurant or introduce them to a “new to them” spot they might enjoy. Your dollars go further when you spend them locally rather than shopping online.

Downtown

Pick up a passport from the Downtown information kiosk and join Downtown’s Reindeer Round-Up, browse a sidewalk sale, or warm up indoors at the Downtown Santa Cruz Makers Market Holiday Pop-Up at 1407 Pacific Ave. The Pop-Up is open Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., every weekend from Nov. 28 through Dec. 21.

Keep the festivities going with the Golden Envelope, the Holiday Parade, and more.
View the full lineup of Downtown holiday events on the Downtown Santa Cruz events page.

Seabright and the Harbor

Support Seabright and Harbor businesses by grabbing a bite to eat, booking an excursion, or doing some holiday shopping. Celebrate the season at the Lighted Boat Parade on Dec. 6 and enjoy dinner or drinks before or after the event. Free two-hour parking is available daily on Seabright Avenue.

Add a little extra fun by playing Harboropoly. Pick up a game board at the Harbor office or download it online.

Join the Tide and Seek neighborhood scavenger hunt from Nov. 29 to Dec. 21. Find hidden sea otter ornaments in participating businesses for a chance to win prizes. View the list of participating businesses on the City’s Shop Small page.

Wharf and Beach Area

Celebrate the season at Winter on the Wharf on Saturday, December 20. Enjoy festive decorations, Wharf specials, and Santa’s arrival on a vintage fire engine.

The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk transforms into a Winter Wonderland from November 27 to January 4, featuring ride specials, nightly live shows, festive food, and holiday shopping.

No matter where your holiday plans take you, you can’t go wrong when you shop local. Supporting small businesses adds vibrancy to Santa Cruz with plenty of holiday cheer along the way.

In February 2026, one lane of the Murray Street Bridge will reopen to cars and bikes. Two-way pedestrian access across the bridge will also reopen at that time.

The City is currently working with the project contractor to look at other ways to improve travel in the area during construction. One option being reviewed is the use of temporary traffic signals to allow alternating one-way traffic when one lane reopens in February 2026.

The east harbor access path, which runs under the bridge, is expected to reopen in January 2026. The harbor access paths connect pedestrians and cyclists to the north and south sides of the harbor.

Harbor Rail Bridge Update

Over the past several months, the City worked with the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) and Progressive Rail to explore a temporary walking and biking path on the Harbor Rail Bridge next to the Murray Street Bridge. This work included preparing designs, applying for funding, and receiving early approval from the RTC for access.

At the November 18 City Council meeting, staff presented concerns regarding unsafe conditions for the public stemming from the rail bridge’s seismic deficiencies, challenges in achieving Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance for the temporary path, and the absence of adequate lighting, all of which contributed to difficulties in securing proper insurance. Consequently, City Council elected not to proceed with the temporary path.

The City of Santa Cruz is seeking community-minded residents to serve on the new Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax Oversight Committee (SSBTOC). This advisory body helps ensure that tax revenues support programs that promote community health, wellness, and vital City services.

Committee members will help guide investments in:

• Programs for youth, seniors, and working families.
• Parks, beaches, and open spaces.
• Facility improvements that support community activities.

What the SSBTOC does:

• Meets four times per year.
• Advises the City Council.
• Reviews expenditures from the Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Fund.
• Makes recommendations for future revenue use.

If you’re passionate about strengthening community health and supporting local programs, consider applying. Your voice can help shape positive change for generations to come. Applications open through Dec. 1, 2025.

Winter festivities are just around the corner, and we’re lighting up Santa Cruz once again! Help us create a community-wide map of festive homes by adding your decorated house to the 2025 Glow Guide. Whether you feature twinkling lights, lawn displays, or creative holiday décor, we’d love to include your home in this cheerful seasonal tradition.

Perks for Participating:

• Every entry receives a $5 promo code toward any Parks & Recreation class
• All entries are automatically entered into the Best Holiday Decorations Contest
• One winner will receive a $50 Parks & Recreation Gift Card

Share your holiday spirit and register today! The Glow Guide runs from Dec. 1, 2025, through Jan. 2, 2026.

Holiday magic returns to the Santa Cruz Wharf on Saturday, December 20! Join us from 2-5 p.m. for a festive afternoon filled with sparkling decor, seasonal fun, and activities for all ages. Santa will arrive in style on a vintage fire engine, with free photo opportunities with Santa, Elsa, and Anna, perfect for holiday cards and family keepsakes.

Event Highlights

• Twinkling decorations and special Wharf promotions.
• Free photos with Santa, Elsa, and Anna.
• Kids’ activities, including letters to Santa, balloon art, face painting, feathers, and more.
• Special Wharf business offerings throughout December.
• Community giving opportunities with Toys for Tots and Second Harvest Food. Bank. Bring an unwrapped toy or canned food item.

A special thank-you to Big Creek Lumber and Patchen Tree Farm for helping keep the holiday magic bright.

Resilient Coast Santa Cruz 2.0 is developing long-term shoreline adaptation plans for West Cliff, Main and Cowell Beaches, and East Cliff/Seabright through 2026. If you missed the recent open houses, materials and feedback opportunities will be available on the project webpage the week of Nov. 24.

Community feedback will help update current and future coastal condition maps and guide the next phase of evaluating adaptation options.

What’s Next

• Feedback from community members and the advisory committee will be incorporated into updated equity principles to help shape fair and effective adaptation strategies.
• Work is underway to identify feasible projects, trade-offs, and costs to address coastal hazards over the next 20-30 years. A larger community workshop is planned for spring 2026.
• Focus groups will take place this winter and spring. If you are part of one of the following groups and want to participate, email hpapendick@santacruzca.gov.
  • Beach Flats and Lower Ocean neighbors (in Spanish)
  • Main and Cowell Beach adjacent businesses
  • West Cliff neighbors
  • Surfers and coastal recreation users
  • Seabright neighbors

What are the places, features, and local icons that capture the true Santa Cruz spirit? We’re gathering ideas from residents and the broader community through the Santa Cruz Icons Community Brainstorm, and we’d love your input.

Your ideas will help shape the look and feel of the Downtown Play and Paseos project, including wayfinding imagery, interactive elements, and playful points of interest designed to bring Santa Cruz’s personality to life.

Each year, the City celebrates student creativity through a K–12 poster contest that promotes recycling and litter prevention. The winning artwork is turned into large-scale displays on the sides of City recycling trucks, bringing local student art to neighborhoods across town.

This year’s winners, freshman Cynthia Gutierrez Alfaro, seventh grader Mailie Hendron, and seventh grader Mariposa “Posie” Rois, joined Waste Reduction staff to see their designs transformed into full-size truck signs for the first time.

Each student received a canvas gift bag filled with art supplies and a framed copy of their winning piece. Keep an eye out around town, and you might spot one of the recycling trucks proudly showcasing their creativity.

Members of our Public Works team were recently recognized at the Bike Santa Cruz County Wheelie Awards for their role in creating safer, more connected bike routes across the region.

Rail Trail Segment 7, Phase 2, received an Infrastructure Award, highlighting the strong partnership between Public Works and the Regional Transportation Commission, as well as the years of planning, coordination, and fieldwork carried out by staff.

City teams were also acknowledged alongside regional partners for broader trail and bike network improvements that have helped secure major state funding for active transportation projects countywide.

The Wheelie Awards celebrate not only the projects but the people behind them. We appreciate the expertise and collaboration of our staff who continue to make Santa Cruz safer and more accessible for everyone who bikes, walks, or rolls. Thank you to Bike Santa Cruz County for hosting this year’s event and supporting a more connected community.

A more connected, reliable electric vehicle (EV) charging network starts with community insight. The Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments is gathering local feedback to help guide the future of EV charging across San Benito, Monterey, and Santa Cruz counties.

Community members are invited to explore an interactive Padlet map where you can share experiences and recommendations related to:

• Existing EV charging stations.
• Planned charging sites.
• Suggested locations for new chargers.

Your input will help identify infrastructure gaps, improve access, and support a cleaner, more climate-resilient EV network for the entire region. Visit the map and share your ideas by Dec. 31.