Weekend Guide: Things to Do in Santa Cruz & Monterey, October 2-4
October has arrived, and this is the weekend the Central Coast officially shifts into its golden season. First Friday lights up both downtown Santa Cruz and Old Monterey on the same night, the Santa Cruz Symphony opens its season with both a free rehearsal and a big opening concert, Poodle Day brings its gloriously joyful parade back to Carmel, the Carmel International Film Festival screens through Sunday, and vintage race cars take over Laguna Seca. Add farmers markets at peak fall harvest and whales still thick in the bay, and you have a weekend with something for everyone in the family.
I have lived in Santa Cruz County for more than 50 years, and early October is my favorite month to be out in these two counties. The crowds ease, the fog thins, the light turns golden, and the locals come out to play. I confirmed every event in this guide against official event calendars and local listings this week, so you can plan with confidence. Grab your people, pick your adventure, and get out there.
Friday, October 2
First Friday Art Tour Santa Cruz
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Galleries, shops, and cultural venues across downtown Santa Cruz
Downtown Santa Cruz turns into an open-air gallery for the monthly First Friday art tour. Galleries and shops stay open late, musicians play on the sidewalks, and the whole neighborhood gets that block-party energy that makes our art walk feel like a town festival. Free, family-friendly, and easy to wander: just follow the crowds and look up.
Free First Friday at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History
Free 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM; museum open until 8:00 PM | 705 Front Street, Santa Cruz
The MAH throws open its doors for a free First Friday with entry to the exhibitions waived and free drop-in making at the "Un Pueblo Unido" zine table. Stop in before or after the art walk, make something with your hands, and soak up the Abbott Square energy. One of my favorite free Friday traditions in town.
First Friday Monterey
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Alvarado Mall and Custom House Plaza, Old Monterey
Old Monterey does First Friday its own way: artisan vendors, local restaurants and a beer garden, and live music filling Alvarado Mall and Custom House Plaza. Free and family-friendly, with that unhurried Peninsula pace. Two counties, two art walks, one perfect night to be out.
First Friday at the Monterey Museum of Art
Free 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | 559 Pacific Street, Monterey
The Monterey Museum of Art joins the First Friday celebration with free admission, live music, and refreshments. A lovely, low-key way to see Pacific Street's galleries and catch real art between the market and dinner.
Santa Cruz Symphony: Free Open Rehearsal
Doors 7:00 PM, rehearsal 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM | Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church Street
The Symphony's 69th season opens this weekend with "United Sounds of America" featuring pianist Christine McLeavey, and Friday night you can watch the orchestra rehearse for free. Peek behind the curtain at how a season opener comes together, then come back Saturday for the real thing. Free, first come, first seated.
Sequoias At Night at Roaring Camp
Around 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM (confirm exact start) | Roaring Camp Railroads, 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton
A gentle lantern-lit stroll through old-growth redwoods towering overhead, with handcrafted lanterns glowing along the path. Sequoias At Night runs Fridays and Saturdays through October, and this is one of the season's first chances to walk it. Adults $26.50, kids 2-12 $15.90, and tickets should be booked in advance at roaringcamp.com.
Twin Temple at The Catalyst
9:00 PM | The Catalyst, 1011 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz
Twin Temple brings their wildly theatrical, tongue-in-cheek brand of rock and roll to the Catalyst for a Friday night show. Expect costumes, crowd sing-alongs, and an audience that came to have a good time. Tickets at catalystclub.com.
Diggin Dirt at Moe's Alley, Night One
Doors 8:00 PM, show 9:00 PM | Moe's Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz
Moe's Alley keeps a two-night streak going as Diggin Dirt plays Friday and Saturday in the best small music room in the county. A Santa Cruz treasure: intimate, loud, and the kind of place where good music sounds even better. Check moesalley.com for tickets.
Saturday, October 3
Poodle Day in Carmel
9:00 AM | Devendorf Park and Ocean Avenue, Carmel-by-the-Sea
One of the most joyful, gloriously silly traditions on the whole Central Coast. Poodle Day brings a judged parade of costumed poodles and doodles, off-leash beach play on Carmel Beach, and a crowd that cannot stop smiling, all to benefit poodle rescue. Free to watch, weird in the best way, and completely family-friendly.
Saturday Farmers Markets: Peak Fall Harvest
Aptos Farmers Market, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos
The county's oldest and largest market, in the Cabrillo College parking lot. October brings the last of the summer fruit alongside the first of the winter squash, plus artisan food vendors that make it feel like a tiny festival.
Westside Santa Cruz Farmers Market, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Mission Street at Western Drive
The year-round Westside Saturday ritual. Heirloom tomatoes lingering from summer, peppers, greens, and the first apples from nearby orchards. Grab a coffee and make the full loop.
Scotts Valley Farmers Market, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Graham Plaza, 219 Mt. Hermon Road
The friendly "above the fog" market runs Saturdays through the season, with local produce, crafts, and a warm small-town pace.
Old Town Salinas Farmers Market, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM, 300 block of Main Street, Salinas
The Salinas Valley at peak abundance: if you want farm-direct produce, this is the heart of it.
Downtown Santa Cruz Harvest Festival
12:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Lot 16 off Church Street, Santa Cruz
The City of Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation throws a free fall party downtown: a farmers and makers market, local performers, artisans, food vendors, carnival games, and crafts for the kids. A warm, easy, community-afternoon kind of event, right in the middle of the city.
Carmel International Film Festival
October 1-4, 2026 | Golden Bough Playhouse and venues around Carmel-by-the-Sea
CIFF runs Thursday through Sunday, packing four days of screenings, filmmaker panels, parties, and awards into walkable Carmel. The Golden Bough Playhouse anchors the fest and smaller venues around town fill in the rest. Pass details and schedules at ciffest.com.
Mission Foods Racing America at Laguna Seca
October 2-4, 2026 | WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Salinas
The Trans Am Series brings over 85 muscle cars in five classes to the legendary corkscrew, joined by SVRA vintage racing with classic Corvettes, Alfas, and Porsches, plus a car show across the paddock. Three days of noise, history, and horsepower in one of the most beautiful settings in motorsports.
Sequoias At Night at Roaring Camp
Saturday evening session | Roaring Camp Railroads, 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton
If Friday night slipped away, the lantern-lit redwood walk runs Saturday too. Same magic, same old-growth forest, and the crowds are usually smaller on opening weekends.
Santa Cruz Symphony: United Sounds of America
7:30 PM | Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church Street
Opening night of the Symphony's 69th season, with pianist Christine McLeavey joining the orchestra for a program that celebrates American music. Tickets at santacruztickets.com. If you caught Friday's free rehearsal, tonight is the payoff.
Diggin Dirt at Moe's Alley, Night Two
Doors 8:00 PM, show 9:00 PM | Moe's Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz
Night two of the Moe's Alley weekend. Same band, different crowd, and a Saturday night dance floor that does not quit.
Sunday, October 4
Sunday Farmers Markets
Live Oak Farmers Market, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM, 15th Avenue at East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz
The year-round east side market with a relaxed neighborhood pace. Stock up on apples and winter squash, then walk a block to Seabright Beach for an October picnic with the waves rolling in.
Marina Certified Farmers Market, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, Marina Village Shopping Center, 215 Reservation Road, Marina
Everyone's Harvest runs this sunny, family-friendly Sunday market on the Peninsula, rain or shine, a relaxed way to start your day before heading to the wharf or the aquarium.
Santa Cruz Symphony in Watsonville
2:00 PM | Henry J. Mello Center, Watsonville
The season-opening program travels to the South County for a Sunday matinee at the Mello Center. Same "United Sounds of America" program, same orchestra, and a much easier seat to score. A lovely reason to spend Sunday in Watsonville.
Carmel International Film Festival: Final Day
Sunday | Golden Bough Playhouse and venues around Carmel-by-the-Sea
Sunday is the festival's last day, so grab your pass and catch the final screenings and closing events. If you miss it this year, put CIFF on your calendar now: it is a gem that keeps Carmel feeling like a real film town every fall.
Mission Foods Racing America: Final Day
Sunday | WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Salinas
Championship Sunday at the track, with Trans Am finals and the last vintage sessions of the weekend. Bring ear protection, sunscreen, and plan to stay for the whole show.
MindTravel Live-to-Headphones Piano Concert
6:00 PM | Del Monte Beach, Monterey
A silent-headphone piano concert right on the sand. Put on your wireless headphones, find a spot on the beach, and let the music wash in with the tide as the sun goes down over Monterey Bay. Tickets are limited, so reserve ahead. This is the kind of evening people remember all year.
All Weekend: Outdoors, Wildlife & Fall Flavors
Whale Watching: Peak Season on the Bay
Daily departures | Old Fisherman's Wharf and Monterey Harbor, Monterey
Early October is one of the best wildlife windows of the year on Monterey Bay, with tour operators reporting roughly a 90-95 percent sighting rate. Humpbacks are still feeding heavily, blue whales are around through October, and the gray whale migration is starting to ramp up. Tours leave daily from Monterey and Moss Landing; dress in layers, because it is always cooler on the water than you expect.
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk: Weekend Ride Hours
Weekend hours, rides from about 11:00 AM | 400 Beach Street, Santa Cruz
Summer's daily schedule has wrapped, and in October the Boardwalk runs rides on weekends with free admission, so the Giant Dipper at golden hour is very much on the table. Check the hours page at beachboardwalk.com before you head out, and enjoy fall on the beach with a fraction of July's crowds.
A Coastal Trail Stroll
Anytime | Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail, Monterey
Sometimes the best plan is no plan. The paved path along the Monterey Bay waterfront is an easy, gorgeous walk or bike ride past Cannery Row and the Peninsula's beaches. October light along the water is worth leaving the house for.
Community News & New Openings
Taqueria Los Viejones Opens Its First Brick-and-Mortar
Now open | 736 Water Street, Santa Cruz
The local taco favorite graduated from its pop-up days to a permanent spot on Water Street, and it has been packed since opening week. New to the neighborhood or just hungry, this is a great excuse to explore the Water Street corridor.
Humble Sea Brewing Co. Expands
Taproom at 820 Swift Street, Santa Cruz; expansion underway
Humble Sea, the playful Westside brewery on Swift Street, is in the middle of a major expansion after acquiring a production facility, with news that has the local beer world buzzing. Their sunny taproom is a perfect Saturday afternoon stop between the farmers market and dinner.
Paint the Town Purple in Pacific Grove
September 28 – October 4 | Downtown Pacific Grove
Pacific Grove's downtown lights up purple all week for Alzheimer's awareness, with local businesses joining in and community festivities wrapping over the first weekend of October. A small-town tradition with a big heart, right on the Peninsula.
Looking Ahead: Mark Your Calendar
Boardwalk Fright Flicks
Wednesdays, October 7-28, at 8:00 PM | Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Free scary movies on the beach kick off Halloween season at the Boardwalk. Bring a jacket, claim a spot in the sand, and check beachboardwalk.com for the lineup.
Thomas & Percy's Halloween Party at Roaring Camp
October 10-11, 17-18, and 24-25 | Roaring Camp Railroads, Felton
Dress-up Halloween train rides through the redwoods for little ones, with activities along the way. These weekends sell out every year, so book early at roaringcamp.com.
Santa Cruz Film Festival
October 14-18 | Venues across Santa Cruz County
Independent films, documentaries, and local filmmaking take over theaters across the county for five days. Details to come, but it is never too early to clear a night.
Shareable Social Captions
Planning to post about your weekend? Here are some ready-to-copy captions for Instagram and Facebook, written the way I share my own weekend plans with friends.
Two counties, one First Friday, and honestly, it is my favorite night of the month. Art walks in downtown Santa Cruz and Old Monterey at the same time, free First Friday at the MAH, and the Monterey Museum of Art open late with live music. I am starting at Abbott Square, wandering downtown, and probably ending with dinner and a show. Who is joining me? 🎨 🍷 #FirstFridaySantaCruz #SantaCruzEvents #ThingsToDoSantaCruz #WeekendInSantaCruz #MontereyBay
Poodle Day is Saturday in Carmel and honestly it is the most joyful thing I will do all month. A parade of costumed poodles down Ocean Avenue, beach play, all of it benefiting poodle rescue. Free to watch, delightful for kids, weird in the best way. Then Saturday night I am walking the lantern-lit redwoods at Roaring Camp. October, you are already my favorite. 🐕 🌳 #PoodleDay #CarmelByTheSea #SantaCruzEvents #WeekendInSantaCruz #MontereyBay
Whale watching is peaking right now: humpbacks feeding, blue whales still around, and trip operators reporting sightings nearly every day. Meanwhile the farmers markets are at peak fall harvest with apples and winter squash everywhere. Golden light, full coolers, and the bay full of life. This is the weekend I would book a boat for. 🐳 🍎 #MontereyBay #WhaleWatchingMonterey #SantaCruzEvents #ThingsToDoSantaCruz #WeekendInSantaCruz
My October weekend plan: Friday art walks in Santa Cruz and Monterey, Saturday poodle parade then the Symphony's season opener at the Civic, Sunday matinee in Watsonville and a piano concert on the sand at Del Monte Beach. The crowds are gone, the light is golden, and the coast feels like ours again. Send me your plans and I will meet you out there. 🌊 🌙 #SantaCruzEvents #ThingsToDoSantaCruz #WeekendInSantaCruz #SantaCruzLife #MontereyBay
New spots and old favorites: Taqueria Los Viejones just opened its first brick-and-mortar on Water Street, Humble Sea is expanding its brewery footprint, and downtown Pacific Grove is painted purple for Alzheimer's awareness all week. Plus vintage race cars at Laguna Seca and the Carmel International Film Festival wrapping Sunday. Local news never slows down around here. 🚀 #SantaCruzEvents #ThingsToDoSantaCruz #WeekendInSantaCruz #SantaCruzLife #MontereyBay
Enjoy the weekend, everyone. Whether you are walking the art galleries, cheering for poodles in costume, watching the Symphony open its season, or sitting on the sand with headphones on as the sun sets, I hope this first October weekend gives you exactly what you need. And if you are thinking about buying or selling a home in Santa Cruz or Monterey County, I would love to hear from you. Call me at (831) 247-5719 or visit the contact page. I want you to make informed decisions, and I love helping people find their place in this beautiful corner of California.
Talk soon.
Kieron Bery, REALTOR® with Century 21 Masters
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