{"id":2014695,"date":"2025-09-11T17:39:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T17:39:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2014695"},"modified":"2025-09-11T17:39:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T17:39:14","slug":"best-9-top-events-for-the-week-ahead-in-santa-cruz-county-arts-entertainment-sept-11-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/best-9-top-events-for-the-week-ahead-in-santa-cruz-county-arts-entertainment-sept-11-18\/","title":{"rendered":"Best 9: Top events for the week ahead in Santa Cruz County arts &#038; entertainment, Sept. 11-18"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><\/figure>\n<p>Here they are, nine necessary know-abouts for the week ahead. It\u2019s the corn-dogs-and-funnel-cakes B9:<\/p>\n<p>\u27a4 The county fair is more than bad food and smelly livestock. Ideally, it\u2019s a portrait of its community, rendered in everything from fine art to fine tomatoes. The <strong>Santa Cruz<\/strong> <strong>County Fair<\/strong> has arrived at the fairgrounds outside Watsonville, and it\u2019s worth lingering over. Sure, you can get your turkey legs and garlic fries, and visit with the heifers and hogs. But also be sure to tour the pavilions and see the paintings, photographs and fiber arts, the collections, the culinary creations and, of course, all those fruits and vegetables. And also read the names attached to all those displays. They represent a lot of hard work and deep passion of your friends and neighbors. You might even decide to show off your prized zucchinis next year. Live entertainment this year includes the White Album Ensemble (Friday) and a Taylor Swift tribute act (Saturday). Can you get any more Americana? The fair goes through <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.santacruzcountyfair.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sunday<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u27a4 If you\u2019re looking for that one degree of separation from Miles Davis, you can find it with saxophonist and bandleader <strong>Kenny Garrett<\/strong>, a jazz veteran who\u2019s recorded with Miles, Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard and many more. He\u2019s known for his interest in the African roots of jazz, but his latest album, \u201cWho Killed AI?\u201d, is exploring electronic textures. He plays Kuumbwa on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lookout.co\/santa-cruz-events#\/details\/kenny-garrett\/16236144\/2025-09-15T19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Monday<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u27a4 Bluesy Texas-born singer-songwriter <strong>Ruthie Foster<\/strong> is gifted with a deeply expressive and powerful voice, which she employs in a style that touches on everything from gospel to blues to folk to soul. And she\u2019s on top of her game, winning her first Grammy earlier this year. Foster performs live at Moe\u2019s Alley next Thursday, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lookout.co\/santa-cruz-events#\/details\/moe-s-alley-presents-ruthie-foster\/16077361\/2025-09-18T20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sept. 18<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u27a4 Not to be confused with emo pioneers Sunny Day Real Estate (who performed in town Wednesday night), the New Jersey band <strong>Real Estate<\/strong> plays a hazy, almost dream-like brand of indie pop best exemplified in its 2014 album \u201cAtlas.\u201d The band comes to Felton Music Hall on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lookout.co\/santa-cruz-events#\/details\/-folk-yeah-felton-music-hall-presents-real-estate-a-celebration-of-atlas\/16735541\/2025-09-12T20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Friday<\/a> as part of a tour that\u2019s looking back at the chill groove of \u201cAtlas.\u201d It\u2019s a pretty sweet vibe.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"395\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/unnamed.jpg?resize=780%2C395&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-101316\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/unnamed-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C519&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/unnamed-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C152&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/unnamed-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C389&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/unnamed-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C778&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/unnamed-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1037&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/unnamed-scaled.jpg?resize=1200%2C608&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/unnamed-scaled.jpg?resize=1568%2C794&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/unnamed-scaled.jpg?resize=2000%2C1013&amp;ssl=1 2000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/unnamed-scaled.jpg?resize=400%2C203&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/unnamed-scaled.jpg?resize=706%2C358&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/unnamed-scaled.jpg?w=2340&amp;ssl=1 2340w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/unnamed-1024x519.jpg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Judy Appleby, Bonny June and Stephanie Madrigal in a 2024 production of Laura February Strange\u2019s \u201cKaren With a K.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<p>\u27a4 Straight outta the skit-comedy hotbed of Corralitos comes <strong>\u201cKaren with a K,\u201d<\/strong> the brainchild of writer\/performer Laura February Strange, featuring the musical misadventures of the aggressive and self-righteous title character in a wild, over-the-top <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lookout.co\/karen-with-a-k-local-satire-karen-ready-for-bigger-stages-kuumbwa-jazz-santa-cruz\/story\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">lampoon<\/a>. It takes hold of the Kuumbwa Jazz Center on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lookout.co\/santa-cruz-events#\/details\/corralitos-cultural-ctr-presents-karen-w-a-k-a-musical-temper-tantrum\/16267155\/2025-09-13T19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Saturday<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u27a4 Singer-songwriter <strong>Edwin McCain<\/strong> emerged out of South Carolina back in the 1990s with a big, unapologetically passionate voice that trafficked more in soul and R&amp;B than in country, a la the great Delbert McClinton. McCain\u2019s muscular brand of Americana roots music lights up the Rio Theatre on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lookout.co\/santa-cruz-events#\/details\/edwin-mccain-live-at-the-rio-santa-cruz\/15874721\/2025-09-13T19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Saturday<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u27a4 It\u2019s nothing short of astonishing that local music fans can see live and in person a group like <strong>Black Uhuru<\/strong>, one of the great bands of the reggae revival of the 1980s. But yes, the great Duckie Simpson is still touring and still exploring the deep grooves that made his group a touchstone for Jamaican reggae for decades. They come to <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/moesalley.com\/tm-event\/moes-alley-presents-black-uhuru-w-special-guests\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Moe\u2019s Alley on Saturday<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"468\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/web-square-john-scalzi-copy.jpeg?resize=700%2C468&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-262837\" style=\"width:810px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/web-square-john-scalzi-copy.jpeg?w=700&amp;ssl=1 700w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/web-square-john-scalzi-copy.jpeg?resize=300%2C201&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/web-square-john-scalzi-copy.jpeg?resize=400%2C267&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lookout.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/web-square-john-scalzi-copy.jpeg?w=370&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Author John Scalzi comes to Bookshop Santa Cruz next week to discuss his latest novel. <span class=\"image-credit\"><span class=\"credit-label-wrapper\">Credit:<\/span> <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/bookshopsantacruz.com\/event\/2025-09-18\/john-scalzi-shattering-peace\">Bookshop Santa Cruz<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<p>\u27a4 In the realm of contemporary science fiction, <strong>John Scalzi<\/strong> is a blue-chip name. He emerged in the early 2000s with his popular \u201cOld Man\u2019s War\u201d series of novels and has since snagged several Hugo awards for his writing, which is known for its keen satirical bite and sense of humor. Scalzi visits Bookshop Santa Cruz on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lookout.co\/santa-cruz-events#\/details\/bookshop-santa-cruz-john-scalzi-the-shattering-peace\/16320594\/2025-09-18T19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sept. 18<\/a> to share his new novel, titled \u201cThe Shattering Peace.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u27a4 Can you believe that the <strong>Circle Jerks<\/strong> are still going strong? The Jerks, you\u2019ll remember, were a key part of the West Coast punk movement in the early Reagan years, keeping punk honest with ferocious, politically pointed jolts of energy that often lasted no more than two minutes. The Circle Jerks play a familiar old haunt, The Catalyst, on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lookout.co\/santa-cruz-events#\/details\/the-circle-jerks-live-at-the-catalyst-santa-cruz\/15773087\/2025-09-12T19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Friday<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source lookout.co \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here they are, nine necessary know-abouts for the week ahead. It\u2019s the corn-dogs-and-funnel-cakes B9: \u27a4 The county fair is more than bad food and smelly livestock. Ideally, it\u2019s a portrait of its community, rendered in everything from fine art to fine tomatoes. The Santa Cruz County Fair has arrived at the fairgrounds outside Watsonville, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1947228,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[22491,74739],"class_list":["post-2014695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-instagram","tag-premium"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Best-9-Top-events-for-the-week-ahead-in-Santa.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2014695","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2014695"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2014695\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1947228"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2014695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2014695"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2014695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}