WATSONVILLE

Vegetable gardening class series

Join the UC Master Gardeners of Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties for interactive demonstrations and answers to all your vegetable growing questions, online and in-person, in the second class of their Vegetable Growing series, “Planting and Caring for your Vegetable Garden.” Each class in the series will have two parts, with the demo building on information provided in the online class. April 17 will be the online class, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., and April 19 from 10 a.m. to noon will be in-person at Pinto Lake County Park, located at 757 Green Valley Road. Look for the signs at the second entrance across from Arroyo Drive for their new Master Gardener’s Demonstration Garden.

This series will give you the information you need to get your vegetable seeds and/or transplants into the ground and off to a good start. There will also be a discussion on watering, thinning, weeding and fertilizing to keep your veggies growing strong and healthy. The class is free, but donations are appreciated. Visit mbmg.ucanr.edu for information and to register.

APTOS

Dog contest calling for entries

Does your pup have what it takes to be best of show, cutest tail or best costume? Enter them in the Aptos Chamber Mutt Strut contest, set for April 5 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Aptos Village Green, 151 Aptos Village Way, and let them strut their stuff! Goodie bags will be available for all participants.

Calling all vendors! Now’s your chance to showcase your goods at this paw-some community event. A raffle at the event will benefit organizations like Santa Cruz SPCA, Los Angeles SPCA, Santa Cruz Animal Shelter, Unchained and Peace of Mind. Join for a day full of furry fun, shopping and community support. Open to the public. A nonprofit vendor fee will be $25, regular vendor fee is $50 and dog fee is $10. Vendor and dog registration can be found on the chamber website at aptoschamber.com or by calling 831-688-1467.

SANTA CRUZ

Homelessness community seminar

On March 30, Housing Matters is hosting “Picture This: Cultivating Our Compassionate Community,” a storytelling event that brings people together to work toward resolving homelessness in Santa Cruz County, at the Hotel Paradox, 611 Ocean St. The event features community leaders and individuals with lived experiences sharing their perspectives on housing justice.

Tickets are available for $30 per person. To purchase tickets and learn more, visit housingmatterssc.org.

FELTON

12th annual SCM Makers Market

The community is invited to Hallcrest Vineyards, 379 Felton Empire Road, for the 12th annual Santa Cruz Mountains Makers’ Market for a fun day celebrating art and music in the mountains with local artists and makers, food trucks, Hallcrest Wine, Scrumpy Cider, Steel Bonnet Brewery and live music on May 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This year’s music lineup includes the Bois Rouge Cajun Band, the Dirt Rakers and Sugar by the Pound’s Alison Steele. Over 40 local artists will be featured at the event including Bee Happy Clothing Co., Field Notes Farm & Studio and The Lily Pad Project Fine Jewelry. A cultural lineup of food is on tap as well featuring local food trucks Pleasure Point Tacos, Santa Cruz Eatery, Areperia 831, La Casa De Churros and the California Cookie Company.

The SCM Makers Market is a free, family and pet friendly event on the Hallcrest Vineyards property, less than a half a mile up from Highway 9 on Felton Empire Road. Lots of free on-site parking is available. For more information about the event, visit scmmakersmarket.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram @scmmakersmarket.

WATSONVILLE

Volunteers needed to plant trees in Mesa Village

Watsonville Wetlands Watch, Santa Cruz County Parks, 4th District Supervisor Felipe Hernandez and Pitch-In Santa Cruz County will co-host a tree planting and park beautification event on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to noon at Mesa Village County Park, 790 Green Valley Road.

Volunteers are needed to plant shade trees and native shrubs to beautify the well-utilized neighborhood park. The new trees and shrubs will provide additional shade for park users and habitat for birds and wildlife, as well as cleaner air, carbon sequestration, improved water infiltration and noise reduction.

The event will also include a mini fruit tree workshop and opportunity for Watsonville residents to adopt a free fruit tree of their choice. Students can receive community service hours for volunteering. For information, visit watsonvillewetlandswatch.org or visit Watsonville Wetlands Watch on Instagram or Facebook @watsonvillewetlands.

SANTA CRUZ

Zen Center to celebrate Buddha’s birthday

The Santa Cruz Zen Center at 113 School St. invites all to their Buddha’s Birthday Celebration on April 6, an opportunity to celebrate spring together in their garden surrounded by flowers and friends. The event is from 2:30 to 4 p.m. and starts with a short and lively ceremony that includes the story of Buddha’s birth and chanting. This is followed by snacks and the good company of friends. Free of charge.

SANTA CRUZ

SIR speaker to discuss history of local mob violence

SIR welcomes biographer and featured speaker Casey Tefertiller, for a trip back to the Old West with his presentation on “The History of Mob Violence in Santa Cruz” at the monthly meeting April 2, starting at noon, at the Elks Lodge on 150 Jewell St. Tefertiller will expose secrets of the past with his discussion of lynchings, near lynchings and thwarted lynchings. This legacy of crime and abrupt punishment occurred multiple times in frontier Santa Cruz, when it was a wild city in the Wild West.

An 11 a.m. optional social hour will take place prior to the general meeting. The meeting will wrap up with a chef prepared luncheon, concluding at about 2 p.m.

SIR promotes Social Activities for Enhancing Life. Branch 20, comprised of Santa Cruz and surrounding local areas, is one of many statewide, non-affiliated nonprofits dedicated to offering men over 50 — retired or not — a variety of programs and activities designed for socializing, making new friends and enjoying their free time. Email Jeff Ustick at jeffustick@gmail.com for an invitation to this event or visit sirinc2.org/branch20 for more information.