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As dusk falls over the Santa Cruz Municipal Pier and Main Beach, lights along the Arcade illuminate the coconut groves of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Named a California Historic Landmark in May 1989, the building was designed by local architect William H. Weeks, who also designed Santa Cruz High School and hundreds of ecclesiastical public buildings throughout California from 1892 to 1936. It took 500 local workers just seven months to complete construction, overcoming a shortage of building materials caused by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and rugged winter storms. When Cocoanut Grove (then called the Casino) opened in June 1907, more than 1,200 guests attended the grand opening. During the big band era of the 1930s and 1940s, the ballroom played host to most of the major big bands of the time, including Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and Xavier Cugat. (Shmuel Thaler – Santa Cruz Sentinel)
SANTA CRUZ – For more than 116 years, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has been a magnet for residents and visitors alike, not only because of the rides, amusement park attractions and proximity to the main beach, but because Its numerous other forms of entertainment: music, movies, magic, and more.
All of this will be on display this summer, when the Boardwalk hosts a variety of free entertainment.
The first major entertainment program is the Colonnade Live Music Series every Thursday night from June 15th to August 10th, featuring various bands, tribute acts and even some local groups.
Boardwalk spokesman Kris Reyes said the bands were selected through a rigorous process to find great performers.
“We spent a lot of time researching bands, talking to people in the industry who knew about great live acts and filtering, trying to figure out which bands would work for our Boardwalk guests and which ones would work for us to try to achieve,” he said.
For the past few years, the Boardwalk has hosted a free summer concert series on Fridays, attracting big names like Blue Oyster Cult and Eddie Money. However, Reyes said the temporary closure of the park during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a change in the way the Boardwalk hosts concerts.
“As we recovered from COVID and reopened, it gave us an opportunity to reevaluate our entertainment offering as a whole and look at things differently than in the past,” he said.
Last year, Boardwalk experimented with hosting smaller local bands on weeknights rather than Fridays, which Reyes said resonated with audiences.
“We’ve found that our guests really enjoy the experience, and it does align with our revised post-COVID hours,” he said. “It’s a perfect fit for us, so we’re really looking to expand on it this year.”
Kicking off on June 15th is Sang Matiz, a seven-piece San Francisco band that fuses Afro-Latin beats, tropical elements and funk.
Performing on June 22nd is Man in Black, a four-piece Santa Cruz band who will perform songs by Johnny Cash ranging from “Ring of Fire” to “Get Rhythm.”
Extra Large will perform on June 29th. The Santa Cruz sextet mixes reggae, funk, Latin rock and classic California rock.
Fast Times is throwing a real dance on July 6th. The quintet’s neon outfits and playlist are truly a throwback, including the latest hits from Temptations, Queen and Michael Jackson to Lizzo, The Weeknd and Bruno Mars. No matter which era of music you love, Fast Times will hit that nostalgic sweet spot.
On July 13, local trio Santa Cruda will deliver soulful harmonies and reggae beats.
Tsunami Band will be making waves on July 20, mixing classic rock tunes from the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Jimi Hendrix and Tom Petty.
On July 27 there will be a performance by the Deadlies, a band that blends ’60s surf rock with cowboy punk and psychotic styles reminiscent of cramp and social twists.
On August 3rd Watsonville/Salinas quartet 4to Prestigio will perform a mix of corridos, zapateados, rancheros and other Mexican musical styles.
The season, which ends Aug. 10, will be Pacific Roots, a Santa Cruz band that plays a reggae and punk rock mix deeply rooted in California culture.
All performances will be on the colonnade near the pirate ship every Thursday night from 8:30 to 10 pm.
Reyes said he likes what the schedule offers for everyone.
“It’s a really fun, eclectic mix, and the Boardwalk is a really fun, eclectic place, so it fits perfectly with what we do every day,” he said.
Music lovers will have plenty to entertain this summer, but movie buffs needn’t feel left out either. Free Movies on the Beach returns on Friday nights, and families are encouraged to bring blankets or chairs to enjoy the aromas of the ocean and carnival treats while watching Hollywood blockbusters.
Opening on June 16, the film will be a local favorite: 1987 vampire classic “The Lost Boys,” which was shot mostly in Santa Cruz, including the boardwalk scene. What follows is a slew of classic and recent family favorites, including “Mamma Mia!” June 23 Space Jam June 30 Labyrinth July 7 Selena July 14 Minions: Rise of Gru July 21 Top Gun: Maverick July 28 Shrek August 4 and The Neverending Story August 11.
The film will be shown at the Colonnade on Friday night at 9pm with a 15-minute intermission. All films are PG with the exception of The Lost Boys, Mamma Mia, and Top Gun.
Plus, every day on the Boardwalk from June 19 through August 11, both locations will feature free daily entertainers, from juggler John Parker to sword swallower Wendy Blades to surf magician Doug Huffkin s.For a complete list of daily performers and schedules, visit Beachboardwalk.com/shows.
There are no new rides at the Boardwalk this year, though Reyes said the park is constantly experimenting with new game and food locations, including a fresh pretzel stand currently under construction.
For Reyes, entertainment is as much a part of the Boardwalk as the rides and classic carnival fare.
“People really want to be entertained,” he said. “They want to have fun, they want to laugh, they want to sing, they want to dance, so whether it’s a daily show, a movie or live music, there’s something for everyone.”
The address for The Boardwalk is 400 Beach St.For information, visit www.beachboardwalk.com.
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