First timer at the tequila & taco music festival...Had an absolute blast!? Who would of thought…read morecombining my two favorite things would bring so much joy! We arrived early and wow there was surely a line to meet us. It was pretty smooth entering when you arrive when the event starts. Now let's taco bout how awesome this event was!? We opted to get the souvenir glass with the one margarita drink purchase. We walked up to the margarita stands trying to see the options. One of the bartenders came up to us and asked, do you want to try the best margarita you'll ever had!? I mean who could say no to that, we were like game on! I was a bit skeptical at first because that's a tall order to serve. Once I took my first sip, my eyes lit up and I immediately took in all the flavor. I have to say, that was the best margarita I've ever tasted! It was a perfect combination of sweetness, watermelon flavor, salt, and spicy mix. Big shout out to Red and Aria for fixing a mean delicious drink! I set out to find the best al pastor tacos and I sure found many. So many choices of wonderfully authentic Mexican food. But, it's all about the tacos! There were carne asada fries, al pastor galore, lobster tacos, and so much more! The event got more and more busy as the day went on so we appreciated coming when they opened. We got to go home with full happy bellies, souvenir t-shirts, and souvenir glasses. We'll definitely be back for years to come! Cheers to tacos and tequila!

What a fun day and experience...it was our first time at the clam chowder cook off and it was a…read moreblast. We decided to go on Saturday which was for amateurs, Sunday was the pros. 6 tastes for $15-you think it's not much but by the last one, I was getting full, lol. You are given a kit with one cup and one spoon so don't lose or drop them! We got there a little later than I wanted and it was pretty packed by then so next year I'm going to pre-buy my kit. The vendors are set up along both sides of the boardwalk from one end to the other but since there was such a large turnout, it was very crowded. So if you don't like being pressed up against a lot of people this event is not for you. But if you don't mind crowds and love clam chowder, I'd highly recommend going to this event. Good food and good friends with the ocean as the back drop made for a perfect day.

Awesome annual fundraiser held at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, an ideal setting for engaging in…read moreother activities on site, but be prepared for crowds and long lines in the afternoon. Online ticket sales ended 2 days before the first day of the event. Then on the day of, tasting kits went on sale at 10am for those without advance tickets, and there were already lines at the Parks & Rec booths along the street side of the park, but it moved quickly just like the tasting lines later. The cheapest package, costing $15, included 6 tasting tickets (plus one red and one white ticket for voting), with 43 different clam chowder booths to choose from during the amatuer competition on Saturday, stretching from the boardwalk colonnade near the arcades to the ferris wheel and giant dipper roller coaster. Only 12 of the 43 were manhattan chowders. Of course I saved all my tickets for the creamy boston style concoctions... so yummy! The competition consisted of four categories, amateur chefs on Saturday (Boston and Manhattan), professional teams on Sunday (Boston and Manhattan). In addition to winners in each category, prizes were awarded for People's Choice, Most Tasted, and Best Theme. I'm glad I stuck with just the 6 tasting tickets because these were good-sized helpings, and I was already full after the first 4 or 5 cups. Yup, between oyster crackers and mini slices of bread, many of the chowder tents offer more carbs than you'd expect, to fill you up fast. Arriving early before the crowds showed up, I was able to carefully decide which ones I would want to try, observing the peeling, chopping, and mixing of all the ingredients during the prep and cooking period... potatoes, bacon, herbs and spices, and lots of butter! And of course clams. In fact, I was entertained by the decor, costumes, and characters of many of these chowder tents, with clever names like "Invasion of the Clam Snatchers", "Clams Gone Wild", and a Dr. Seuss themed "Clam I Am". The six chowders I tried were: Speer BBQ, Rosie's Clam & Get It, Rocky Horror Clam Show, Clams of the Caribbean, La Clam De La Clam, and The Silence of the Clams (this last one winning multiple first place awards at the Pirate Stage results show in the end, for the 2025 event). Of those I tried, my fave, the Rocky Horror Clam Show, won me over with the heavy bacon flavor and thick and creamy stock. Clams of the Caribbean was a close 2nd based on taste. And Speer BBQ had the best bread IMO. In addition, La Clam De La Clam had the cutest costumes, and Rosie's and Silence of the Clams best decor and setup (along with Rocky Horror which got my People's Choice ballot). I know that in trying only 6 out of the 43, I probably missed out on some other really good ones, but that just gives me more incentive to come back next year :D

This is a great festival for art and wine. I purchased the full combo package at $40 that included…read morea wine glass and 25 tokens. The tastings varied between 3 to 5 tokens per 2-3 ounce pour. It lasted the three hours that I attended this event. I prefer to attend this event on Sunday, better deals and lesser crowds. Come prepared to sample great wines and bring cash to pay for the cool art as some vendors will offer you discounts by paying cash.

Very nice first experience in beautiful and sunny Capitola. I was so happy to see people and see…read moretons of SUN! We arrived passed 4 pm, so no problem finding parking in that huge parking lot where you pay per hour (I found 50 cents per hour to be super cheap!). We walked over the area with wine tasting and art selling and just loved the vibe, mostly because I am social and need to see lots of people from time to time (although at moments felt overwhelmed). From the parking lot area to the event we walked I would say less than 10 minutes. It was very pleasant. We did not care about the wine tasting part (we don't want to pretend we are connisseurs when we are not) but I liked to observe and admire various artists, being an artist on the side myself. I don't understand the no photo policy of some booths. Honestly in this day and time where your portfolio is on Instagram, who cares if someone takes picture of your art? It is scared of being copied? I dont get it, you cannot control that from happening plus is a turn off (at least for me). That said, there was a lot of great arts and crafts there and loved also to see the pretty ladies with sundresses, cute hats and glass of wine in hand strolling towards the beach. There was a concert going on by the water, creating an amazing summer cohesive atmosphere of fun and festive mood. I will go back next year.

Food trucks, live entertainment, and mushroom madness at Roaring Camp Railroads... We had so much…read morefun this past weekend! Such a well-organized event guaranteeing a good time, whether or not you're a mushroom lover. Food offerings stayed true to the theme of this festival. We got some chicken bacon flautas from SC Eatery, stuffed mushroom skewers and pork belly tacos with glazed oyster mushrooms from the Vegan Hood Chefs, new england style mushroom chowder from Far West Fungi, and some sweet treats from the Penny Ice Creamery offering flavors like candy cap mushroom (though I just got a scoop of fresh mint chip) and Santa Cruz Fungi's popsicles with benefits (tried the key lion's mane pie, it was decent). We loved picnicking in front of the music stage with several bands providing awesome tunes throughout the day. Hay bales were provided, but we brought our own mat to lay on the grass, and there was a ton of seating (picnic tables, etc.) throughout the entire event space too. There were also several stages with different mushroom-related presentations at different times, to entertain and educate the public, and cooking demonstrations as well where the audience could taste the creations (the oyster bahn mi was yum). A short nature walk in the forest led us to our favorite stage at the festival, among the towering trees, where we got to hear funny and interesting mushroom hunting stories from David Aurora and a panel of four mushroom enthusiasts/mycologists. We had some laughs and also learned a thing or two, especially about the glowing jack-o-lantern mushroom. We checked out the art displays and merchandise vendors as well, and didn't leave empty-handed. Picked up some wormwood from Forest + Sea Dreams (home of the original sea shrooms), a nicely designed banana slug shirt from Erin Rose Prints, and of course assorted mushrooms from Far West Fungi.

From the owner: Santa Cruz Mountain Mushroom Festival is the premier celebration of all things fungi—set in the…read moremajestic redwoods of Roaring Camp Railroad. Our 2024 debut welcomed over 3,000 mushroom lovers for a vibrant weekend of exploration, education, and community. With 50+ expert speakers, world-renowned chefs, hands-on DIY workshops, live music, nature walks, art, and more, there's something for everyone—from curious kids to serious mycologists. Whether you're into medicinal mushrooms, gourmet cooking, cultivation, or just the magic of the mycelial world, this is the place to connect, learn, and grow. Join us under the redwoods for the ultimate mushroom experience!

First time here. Seen a lot of advertising on our local TV channels and it looked pretty good. What…read morea huge disappointment. It's all about the food here. About 10 food booths. One for water and soda, one for beer and Greek liquor. Only 8 other vendors. Jewelry, Henna, Russian items, Lularoe, hats, and some nice pottery. They did have some live music but I didn't see any Greek dancing. Was about a block long. Really a waste of time and driving all the way here. The one good thing is that it's dog friendly. I would have liked to seen more vendors here.

We stumbled over this while visiting Santa Cruz - and who can resist fresh greek food??…read more Not us, so we went and spent some time there exploring the orthodox church, the vendors and their goods, the many many food options as well as the stage with live music. It's small but has everything you could ask for. efcharistó!

I had low expectations but this was truly more lame than I was prepared for. I'm glad it at least…read morewas a charity event so my money is going to something good but honestly I would've preferred buying a chocolate bar for $30 instead of planing my whole day around going to this event. There were 15 vendors and the majority were selling confections and not even giving samples. The samples were small and most weren't good. One vendor packed up about 1.5 hours into the event, I guess because they ran out. There were zero demonstrations, which was advertised. You could have seen and tasted everything within 10 minutes. I can't believe this was a sold out event. I hate to come across as rude given this is for charity but it truly felt like a misleading event.

Im not sure if this was the first year. This was held as a fundraiser for big brothers big sisters…read moreof Santa Cruz at $30 a person. They advertised on Facebook and you could get samples from the vendors and it was a "chocolate festival".......In reality it wasn't. There was maybe 15 booths and most of them did not have chocolate and also I would say at least half of them we're not giving out samples. A few people would ask for a sample but they would say no samples. I think that they're going to continue to have this then they need to be better prepared, space the tables out more, and maybe use the inside area so people aren't squished together with 300 other people. The area they used was very small for as many people as were squished like sardines. If they're gonna advertise that we're going for a chocolate festival, let alone we get sample chocolate... Then they should have vendors other than 3 vendors that have chocolate and verify the companies will be giving samples. One guy was selling very expensive cookies and said no to people getting a sample. Sorry not sorry but I'm not gonna spend $12 on a cookie that I would potentially throw away if it's not good. If we wanted to go to a regular food booths we would go to an arts and crafts fair or a food fair. Honey and coffee aren't chocolate. For $30 I could have got some yummy Godiva. I understand it's a fundraiser but if they're gonna advertise something then give the customer what they're paying for.

First let me say that we LOVE the Redwood Mountain Faire. But we don't love when a band doesn't…read moreshow up and delays the music performances by more than a hour. I understand it's not the events fault and they did try to fill in music with what they had available. It is a fundraiser for local non-profits so I'll forgive them. It's a great venue in a park like setting. Lots of food, beer and wine options available. A bonus is you can walk over to the Roaring Camp side and check out the train and shops they have there. They have there own merchandise like t-shirts, wine and beer glasses for purchase. The beer pints were only 5 bucks. This is a great family friendly event that also offers all sorts of arts and crafts, albeit they are on the pricey side so no real bargains here. There is also a kids area with a swingy bouncy thing, photo booth, bounce house and craft activities for free. Children under 12 are free with a parent. No ice chests, dogs (only certified service dogs allowed) or outside food allowed. Be sure to bring chairs as there is no seating.

Great event! Event usually takes place the first weekend of June…read more Held at Roaring camp in Felton. Steam trains and Redwoods! Bitchin' Relaxed vibe. families are welcome. Plenty of adult space too. Music and art festival in the Santa Cruz mountains. Features 2 stages of music . with around 20 bands. All the proceeds benefit local non profits. http://www.redwoodmountainfaire.com/

I attended "Contrasts" last night 3 August and I found the orchestra to be fantastic. The conductor…read morealso seems to really lead the musicians with incredible energy. That being said, I didn't enjoy the pieces of music at all. Both composers were present and their compositions were "new wave" classic which I find disgusting compared to such artists as Beethoven, Mozart and Tchaikovsky. That is just my opinion. Ben F Tarsitano, DDS, MD.

This is an amazing, one-of-a-kind event. I've been volunteering with the festival for the last 12…read moreyears and it's always the highlight of my summer. I started with the student staff program where I was able to meet the musicians, take master classes, and compose music for the student ensemble. I even met my fiancee here. I still make it back every summer to usher the shows and listen to the great music. It's one of the only places you can hear the latest music not to mention music performed by highly skilled musicians that come from all across the country.