WATSONVILLE

El Pájaro CDC holds fundraising party

El Pájaro Community Development Corporation (El Pájaro CDC) will celebrate its 45th anniversary with a festive Tacos & Tapas Fundraising Party from 6-9 p.m. Thursday at the El Pájaro CDC Kitchen Incubator, 412 E. Riverside Drive, Watsonville.

This event will showcase the best in local food and drink, featuring over 20 food entrepreneurs who have launched their businesses through El Pájaro CDC’s Commercial Kitchen Incubator Program. Guests will enjoy an exclusive selection of tacos and tapas, crafted by talented local food producers, alongside brews, wines and ciders from local breweries and wineries. Dance to the lively sounds of Flor de Caña, whose energetic beats will keep the atmosphere buzzing all evening long.

Admission is $75 per person at tinyurl.com/tacosandtapas and includes five food and/or drink tickets. Send an email to marketing@elpajarocdc.org for sponsorship or ticket information.

Founded in 1979, El Pájaro CDC supports economic development and entrepreneurship through training, technical assistance, and access to resources. Their Kitchen Incubator program has launched numerous successful food businesses, contributing to the economic and cultural vibrancy of the region.

SANTA CRUZ

UC Santa Cruz to host Harvest Festival

The 2024 Harvest Festival will feature live music, an apple pie bake-off, kids’ activities, pumpkins for sale, delicious food, and more 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 19, at the UCSC Farm, Farm Road, Santa Cruz.

Admission is $5, with free admission for kids under 12, UCSC, Hartnell College, and Cabrillo College students with a student ID, Semillas program families, and Friends of the UCSC Farm & Garden members. Go to calendar.ucsc.edu/event/harvest-festival to preregister.

Bicycling, carpooling, ridesharing and public transportation are encouraged as parking is limited. If you drive to the event, plan to park in UCSC Lot No. 104 (East Remote parking lot) and walk or take a complimentary shuttle to the farm. There will be directional signage to help you get to the correct parking lot and farm entrances.

Bring a reusable water bottle to save plastic and stay hydrated. Pets are not allowed on the UC Santa Cruz campus (with the exception of service animals).

SANTA CRUZ

City to host paper, pumpkin recycling event

Residents of the city of Santa Cruz will be welcomed to bring confidential paper documents to be shredded and pumpkins to be recycled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 9 at the City Hall parking lot, 809 Center St., Santa Cruz.

Each person is allowed a maximum of three banker-size boxes (12 inches by 10 inches by 15 inches) or three brown paper bags of equivalent size of confidential paper documents. Documents are shredded at the event and then taken to a facility for recycling. Pumpkins will be processed through the city’s Food Scrap Collection Program.

The event is only for residents of the city of Santa Cruz and participants will be asked for proof of residency. Note that the event may end before 1 p.m. if the shredding trucks reach capacity.

SANTA CRUZ

Conversation with ‘Seeing through Stone’ artists

Attend UCSC’s Institute of the Arts and Sciences at 100 Panetta Ave., for a discussion featuring internationally acclaimed multidisciplinary artist Rebecca Belmore, and renowned scholar, writer and artist Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, from 6-8 p.m. Oct.18.

Moderated by Professor Gina Dent and IAS Director and Chief Curator Rachel Nelson, the discussion will center on the practices of Belmore and Betasamosake Simpson as they reflect on the multi-sited exhibition “Seeing Through Stone.” The exhibition showcases the works of over 85 international and national artists across three venues, including Belmore’s piece “At Pelican Falls,” currently on display at the San Jose Museum of Art.

The event is free and open to the public. For more details, visit ias.ucsc.edu/exhibits/visualizing-abolition/seeing-through-stone/.

SOQUEL

Pancreatic Cancer Support event and concert

Join the Santa Cruz Cancer Benefit Group at the Bargetto Winery, located at 3535 N. Main St., for an afternoon of hope and support honoring those affected by pancreatic cancer. Celebrate the 2nd annual Pancreatic Cancer Support event from 2 to 5 p.m. Nov. 2, featuring a concert with popular Australian singer Uma Dobia and Watsonville accompanist Marina Thomas.

Tickets start at $76.54 and include seasonal appetizers, desserts, wine and mead, Martinelli juicers, sparkling water, tea and coffee. There will be a raffle offering great prizes, with proceeds benefiting the SCBG. Availability is limited. For tickets and more information, visit SCCBG.org/events.

SANTA CRUZ

Tickets on sale for outdoor Celtic concert

The Community Music School of Santa Cruz will be hosting their annual fundraiser at El Vaquero Winery in Corralitos from 3-6 p.m. Oct. 20. The first two hours will feature some of Santa Cruz County’s best acoustic musicians, followed by a traditional Irish session in the last hour, where audience members are encouraged to bring their instruments and join performers in playing Celtic tunes. A selection of wine and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase, as well as snacks. All proceeds from ticket and food sales will support the Community Music School’s youth programming. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit CommunityMusicSchool.org or call 831-471-5184.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Each day, the Sentinel will document the domestic violence calls in Santa Cruz County received by emergency dispatchers.

Figures are compiled by the District Attorney’s Office and include reports of domestic violence, restraining-order violations and other domestic disputes.

The 24-hour domestic violence hotline is 888-900-4232.

Calls for Saturday: 10.

Total for month: 174.