SCOTTS VALLEY

Music at Skypark concert season wraps up

The free community-wide outdoor Music at Skypark concert series will finish up its 15th season Sunday starting at 1:30 p.m.

The concert features The Shady Rest Band (playing “rock ’n’ blues with strings attached” complete with female lead vocals, violin, congas, guitar, bass and drums) from 1:30-3 p.m., and headliner Extra Large (funky grooves rooted in blends of classic rock, funk gyrations, blues, reggae riffs and Latin beats) from 3:30-5 p.m. Bursting with horns, strings, drums and bass, Extra Large has repeatedly headlined Music at Skypark.

The all-volunteer Kiwanis Club of Scotts Valley is again organizing the concert and dedicating all profits to the music and arts programs at local public schools (concert profits over the years now top $200,000). Kiwanis and local businesses will offer food, wine, beer and other concessions for sale. There will be kids’ activities and plenty of dancing. Visit www.svkiwanis.org for details. Skypark is located at 361 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley.

CAPITOLA

Benefit dance concert at Senior Center

The Mid-County Senior Center will be hosting a benefit dance and concert featuring Ten O’Clock Lunch Band from 7-9 p.m. Friday at 829 Bay Ave., Capitola.

Tickets are $10 per person and everyone 18 and older is welcome to attend and participate in the dances. Mid County Senior Center provides a variety of programs and activities for the local community.

SOQUEL

Taste of Soquel to raise money for Food Bank

The 15th annual Taste of Soquel, a benefit for Second Harvest Food Bank, runs noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Congregational Church of Soquel, 4951 Soquel Drive.

The event will feature live music by The Earth Rangers, Coffee Zombie Collective, and Extra Medium.

Participating restaurants and food vendors include El Chipotle Taqueria, Tortilla Flats, Jeff Walls’ Family Honey, HOME, Sawasdee Thai Cuisine, Cafe Cruz and VinoCruz, Dorothy’s Desserts, Home Grown and Emozioni Pasticceria. Bargetto Winery, Discretion Brewing, Everett Family Farm (Soquel Cider), Poetic Cellars, Soquel Vineyards, Vino-Cruz, and Wargin Wines will be on hand pouring tastes.

Tickets are $30 for adults and cover all food and beverage tasting. Tickets for people ages 12-20 are $10. The Kidzone will offer music, crafts and games. There is also a raffle with overs 60 raffle items donated by local vendors. Advance tickets are available at the church and eventbrite.com. Visit tasteofsoquel.org or call 831-325-9615 for details including music schedule.

SOQUEL

Get documents shredded at event

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 5, bring any mail that contains personal information and have it shredded at 3333 Soquel Drive, Soquel. Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) will be on hand providing information on the upcoming Medicare annual enrollment period, and information on how to avoid Medicare fraud. Call 831-462-5510 for information.

SANTA CRUZ

Church to host free event to serve unhoused community

New Beginning Community Church will be hosting a free event to serve the Unhoused Community noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. The event will be held at the Resource Center for Nonviolence, 612 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. Organizers will be offering a boxed lunch, some clothing, bags with toiletries, socks, beanies and gloves. For information, call 831-239-3659 or email swmiller@pacbell.net.

SANTA CRUZ

Find out about the sister cities of Santa Cruz

An exhibition of memorabilia, art, and the history of the Five Sister Cities of Santa Cruz is now showing at London Nelson Center, 301 Center St., Santa Cruz. The exhibit illustrates and tells the stories of current and past exchanges with Santa Cruz’s five sister cities of Shingu, Japan; Sestri Levante, Italy; Biarritz, France; Jinotepe, Nicaragua; and Alushta, Crimea.

The exhibition will be up until Oct. 4 and available for viewing every day except Sundays. Members of the public are also invited to a free reception from 5-7 p.m. Oct. 3 at London Nelson Center. Sister Cities Committee members will be there to answer questions and let community members of all ages learn how they can become involved with this exciting program. Refreshments will be served, and there will be an opportunity to meet a delegation from Shingu, Japan, celebrating a delightful relationship of 50 years.

SANTA CRUZ

Elks Lodge to host annual Oktoberfest event

The Santa Cruz Elks Lodge will host its annual Oktoberfest 3-7 p.m. Saturday at the lodge, 150 Jewell St., Santa Cruz.

Guests are invited to enjoy a festive atmosphere featuring German food and live music by Alpinesound. Beer provided by Discretion Brewing will be available for purchase and the lodge bar will be open. All ages are welcome.

Advanced tickets are $25 for ages 19 and up, $15 for 18 and under. The event is free for kids 10 and under. Ticket price includes dinner. Larger groups can call the lodge for table reservations at 831-423-8240. All event pricing includes sales tax.

Proceeds from the event will support the California-Hawaii Elks Major Project Inc., which provides free therapy for children with disabilities. For information on this event and to purchase tickets, visit 2024santacruzelksoktoberfest.eventbrite.com.

APTOS

Central Fire District to hold open house

The Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County is inviting the public to its open house 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Station No. 5, 6934 Soquel Drive, Aptos.

Bring your family and friends for a day of fun, learning, and community. Meet your Central Fire District firefighters, as well as representatives from American Red Cross, the Capitola Police Department, the Santa Cruz FireSafe Council, American Medical Response State Parks (including lifeguards), Monterey Search Dogs Santa Cruz County CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams), and more.

The open house will have lots of fun activities for all ages, live demonstrations, food trucks, and a wealth of educational information for you and your families.