New flavor, pop-up from Benni Pops

A new flavor of Benni Pops, Cinnamon Roll, “tastes like a freshly baked cinnamon roll — creamy, sweet and perfectly spiced,” say Katie Sarna and Paul Lazazzera, the local residents behind the dairy-free popsicles, which used to be called “Shroomsicles.” The name change happened this spring, along with a rollout of revamped recipes and new 100% home compostable packaging.

Each popsicle flavor — including strawberry mint, orange vanilla, fudge and latte — features an adaptogen such as lion’s mane, chaga, cordyceps or reishi. “These powerful mushrooms help the body find balance — supporting everything from focus to immune health — without tasting ‘mushroom-y.’ And we use 100% USDA organic ingredients,” says Sarna.

You can purchase Benni Pops at Soul Salad in Aptos or Dharma’s in Capitola, and you can hire the business for private events including weddings. Also, Benni Pops are popping up for sale at the Morgan Hill Mushroom Festival this weekend. Learn more at bennipops.com or on Instagram @bennipops.

Dessert festival this weekend

Collective Santa Cruz is hosting dessert festival Sweet Home Santa Cruz from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Humble Sea Brewing Co., 820 Swift St. Sweets vendors include Manresa Bread, Cracked Cookies, Nico’s Ice Cream, Emozioni Pasticceria, Laura’s Sweet Side, Emerald Mallard presents Bread Boy, and Dani O Bakeshop. There will be a pie-eating contest, kids’ activities including a bounce house and face painting, art/craft vendors and savory food for sale such as pizza, arepas and fish and chips. Visit Collective Santa Cruz on IG @collectivesantacruz for more details.

Tickets on sale for wine pairing series

Wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains has announced this year’s Taste of Terroir series, with three dinners from June through September at various wineries. The first program, June 14 at Beauregard Ranch Vineyard, features vintages from five local wineries plus food from chef Brad Briske of HOME Restaurant. The following dinners are Aug. 16 and Sept. 14. Tickets are $175 per person.

Dinner events usually begin with a wine reception highlighting a subregion of the Santa Cruz AVA or a particular grape variety, where attendees have the opportunity to speak with winemakers, followed by a multi-course farm-to-table dinner with wine pairings. There will also be a few walk-around tasting events scheduled in the future, which will occur during the summer and possibly early fall. Visit winesofthesantacruzmountains.com/events/ for details and tickets.

Colectivo Felix, Woodhouse partner for pop-up dinner

Tickets are available for Colectivo Felix’s next event, 6 p.m. Monday at Woodhouse Blending & Brewing, 119 Madrone St. The multi-course dinner, prepared by chef Diego Felix, will have beer pairings. Courses include spring chicken roulade with honeyed carrot and nut dip, kale chips and flowers, paired with hazy IPA. The cost is $110 and attendees under 21 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. To see the full menu and buy tickets, visit colectivofelix.com/upcoming-events.SANTA CRUZ

Event with food and drink vendors seeking volunteers

Save the date of June 21 for the 11th annual Pleasure Point Street Fair on Portola Drive between 41st and 38th Avenues. There will be live music, kids’ activities, a beer garden and over 100 vendors selling arts, crafts, food and beverages. Admission is free. The Pleasure Point Business Association presents the event.

This year’s nonprofit beneficiary, the Live Oak Education Foundation (liveoakedfoundation.org), will receive a portion of fair proceeds. There will also be a hot dog stand where all sales directly benefit the foundation. Interested in volunteering with the Education Foundation at the fair? Visit the website pleasurepointstreetfair.com to sign up online or email liveoakedfoundation@gmail.com.

SANTA CRUZ

Seasonal food truck series starts Friday at Simpkins

Simpkins Family Swim Center (979 17th Ave.) is hosting its first Food Truck Friday event from 5-8 p.m. Friday. Cre’s BBQ and Soul Food, Rollin Snack Shack, Taquizas Gabriel, Skills of Life Cafe and Scrumptious Fish & Chips will be selling food. The remaining event dates are June 20, July 18, and Aug. 22. For details, visit facebook.com/santacruzcountyparks.

There is also a separate event that night at Simpkins. Santa Cruz County Parks is hosting movie night at the pool from 7 to 9 p.m.; there is an admission fee. The film “Luca” begins at 7:20 p.m.

SANTA CRUZ

Pick blueberries at UCSC

The Farm at UC Santa Cruz has organic u-pick blueberries available, with the possibility of strawberries, from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday. Visit calendar.ucsc.edu/event/berry-u-pick for details and up-to-date information. There are also berry u-picks on May 31, June 7, June 21 and June 28. Proceeds benefit the university’s Center for Agroecology.

Flat and pint containers will be available for purchase. Customers should bring a credit card and smartphone for payment (you will need to scan a QR code) and should wear layers, a hat, sunscreen and closed-toe shoes. Parking is at lot 116 on the UCSC campus. For directions to the farm, visit agroecology.ucsc.edu/visit/directions.html.

WATSONVILLE

Wine, Beer & Art Walk on tap

The sixth annual Wine, Beer & Art Walk is 1-5 p.m. May 31 in downtown Watsonville. Tickets are $45. The event features many wineries and breweries. Attendees will receive a souvenir wine glass, tote bag and passport for one tasting at each site. Participants are Regan Vineyards Winery, Hecker Pass Winery, Quintessential Wines, Wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains, El Vaquero Winery, Windy Oaks Estate, Pelican Ranch Winery, Madson, Left Bend Winery, Fortino, Stirm Wine, Discretion Brewing, Hillside Brewing, Buena Vista Brewing Co., Fruition Brewing, Santa Cruz Cider Co. and Watsonville Public House. For details and tickets, visit https://bit.ly/434rGcF.

APTOS

Aptos Vineyard hosts pesto party

Rob Morse is offering a “celebrated neighborhood pesto party,” where attendees make their own pesto at Aptos Vineyard (105C Post Office Drive, 831-661-5150) from 3-5 p.m. Sunday. Cost is $45 per person, which includes a welcome wine pour and a jar of homemade pesto to take home. Visit aptosvineyard.com/events for details and tickets.

Other upcoming events include a “Paint Your Bottle” afternoon June 8 and game night June 16.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

Dream Inn, Outstanding in the Field collaborate

Guest chef Gus Trejo of Dream Inn’s Jack O’Neill Restaurant & Lounge will join the renowned dining experience Outstanding in the Field for an event at Mariquita Farm in Watsonville on May 31. Tickets for the event, part of Outstanding in the Field’s 25th anniversary season, are $385. For details and tickets, visit outstandinginthefield.com.

Dream Inn is offering a special Outstanding in the Field Farm Fete package as well. The cost is $844 and includes overnight accommodations as well as two tickets to the Outstanding in the Field dinner. Transportation to/from Dream Inn is also provided. Call 831-740-8069 to book this package.

Every year, Outstanding in the Field travels to farms, vineyards, ranches and beaches across the U.S., with occasional international locations, and offers multi-course family-style dinners with wine pairings. Mariquita Farm was actually the site of its very first event 25 years ago.

SCOTTS VALLEY

Wine tasting, music at Pelican Ranch

Pelican Ranch Winery (2364 Bean Creek Road, 831-332-5359) is celebrating National Wine Day one day early, during its normal wine tasting hours from noon to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Visitors can enjoy exclusive tastings of library wines and pre-release white, rosé, and red wines. Plus, Ben Davis will perform live acoustic original music from 2:30-4:30 p.m. For details, visit pelicanranch.com.

SCOTTS VALLEY

Events on deck at Inversion Winery

Inversion Wines (75 Mount Hermon Road, 831-419-5036, inversionwines.com) has upcoming events including guest food vendors. On Saturday, it’s hosting live music from 3 to 5:30 p.m. and wood-fired pizza from Italia Fire from 4 to 8. On May 30, Inversion will offer trivia from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and the S.C. Eatery food truck from 4-8. On May 31, Parker’s Picks oyster bar appears from 2 to 6 p.m., with live music from 3 to 5:30.

Quick Bites, compiled by Tara Fatemi Walker, is your weekly helping of Santa Cruz County restaurant, food, and drink news. Send items to sentinelfood@gmail.com (Sunday 7 p.m. deadline for that week’s column). Want local food & drink news as it happens? Follow the Sentinel’s food crew on X @santacruzfood.