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Santa Cruz County Parks has four venues perfect for weddings, family gatherings, parties, and fundraisers! Tour the venues and explore all your event possibilities at our Open House Events!
Over the last 40 years, the County of Santa Cruz Arts Commission has selected outstanding artists nominated by the public and honored them through the Artist of the Year Award. The award recognizes artists for outstanding achievement in the disciplines of performing, visual, or literary arts.
Join us at Santa Cruz County parks, beaches, trails and programs to celebrate Parks Make Life Better Month. Challenge yourself to visit the more than 60 parks, beaches and coastal access points County Parks has to offer! But first, mark your calendars for the activities listed on this page - all FREE, and designed just for YOU!
Splash around with friends and family at the Simpkins Family Swim Center! Free swim days occur annually and are sure to cool you off and connect you to our community. Annual dates include Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, and Winter Wonderland (date varies). Keep an eye out for times!
Join us for family-friendly movie nights under the stars this summer and fall. Family Movie Nights is a series of free outdoor movie events. Movies begin at dusk. Low back chairs, blankets and jackets recommended. Come early and bring a picnic to enjoy.
Community volunteer days are a fun way to be with others and beautify our parks and beaches! Volunteer days include fun activities such as painting, weeding, fence building, beautification, invasive plant removal and more!
Volunteer Day at East Cliff County Parkway
Everyone will have a blast at this end-of-summer summer celebration with great food, music, and fun in the pool for adults, children, and your dog, too! Join Santa Cruz County Parks Department and the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter for the Annual Parks & Rex Pool Party FUNdraiser at the Simpkins Family Swim Center. All proceeds will benefit County Parks youth programs and Animal Shelter programs.
Hop in the pool with your kiddos and begin your hunt for that perfect Halloween pumpkin!
Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy and a blanket to sit on while listening to live music and hearing local poets read from their work. All ages are welcome to attend this free series is hosted by County Parks and 2023 - 2024 Santa Cruz County Poet Laureate Farnaz Fatemi. Musicians will play before and after the poets read. More details.
County Parks is committed to providing safe, well-designed and maintained parks to our diverse community. Visit the Current Projects page to learn more about our projects and meetings.
Some events require prior registrations so we can plan accordingly. Thank you for registering!
County Parks strives to make our programs accessible to all individuals and will make reasonable accommodations to ensure accessibility to individuals needing such assistance. If you have accessibility requests or concerns and would like more information and support, please give us a call at (831) 454-7941.
(831) 454-7901 (General)
(831) 454-7941 (Registrations)
Monday – Friday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, except holidays
parksinfo@parks.santacruzcountyca.gov (General)
rec@parks.santacruzcountyca.gov (Registrations)
Our physical office is open, but staff availability is limited.