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Best events in
Rio del Mar

Looking for events or things to do in Rio Del Mar, CA? While Rio Del Mar offers a quiet, beach-centric pace, the wider Santa Cruz County area provides a dynamic calendar of community gatherings and live entertainment. The local scene pulses from lively farmers' markets and art walks to bustling live music venues in nearby downtown Santa Cruz and Capitola Village.

Head to Capitola Village for a lively, walkable atmosphere, where the Esplanade Park Bandstand hosts a free summer concert series right by the beach.
Aptos serves as a community hub, home to the sprawling, year-round farmers' market at Cabrillo College and nightly live blues at Aptos St. BBQ.
For a wide variety of acts, the venues in downtown Santa Cruz like The Catalyst Club and Kuumbwa Jazz Center are the core of the region's music scene.

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Events near Rio del Mar

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Barnstorm Presents: meet me in the belly of the whale (Fri. Nov. 13) primary image

Barnstorm Presents: meet me in the belly of the whale (Fri. Nov. 13)

Friday • 7:30 PM

UCSC Theater Arts Center Studio B100

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Discovery Dinner at 1440: Sound Healing primary image

Discovery Dinner at 1440: Sound Healing

Sun, Nov 15 • 4:30 PM

1440 Multiversity

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Bosch eBike Systems MY27 Dealer ADVANCED Training (Santa Cruz, CA) primary image

Bosch eBike Systems MY27 Dealer ADVANCED Training (Santa Cruz, CA)

Wed, Nov 18 • 10:00 AM

Hyatt Place Santa Cruz

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Yala Lati | Melanie DeMore | Women Rise Choir (Hybrid Event) primary image

Yala Lati | Melanie DeMore | Women Rise Choir (Hybrid Event)

Sat, Nov 21 • 7:00 PM

Rio Theatre

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Improv Comedy MashUp primary image

Improv Comedy MashUp

Sat, Nov 21 • 7:00 PM

Broadway Playhouse

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Downtown Santa Cruz Holiday Parade Registration 2026 primary image

Downtown Santa Cruz Holiday Parade Registration 2026

Sat, Dec 5 • 10:00 AM

Downtown Santa Cruz

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Annual Winter Solstice Ritual + Sing w. Debbie Nargi-Brown & Amanda West primary image

Annual Winter Solstice Ritual + Sing w. Debbie Nargi-Brown & Amanda West

Sat, Dec 12 • 3:15 PM

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

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BUNT. - San Jose Warehouse - 12/30 primary image

BUNT. - San Jose Warehouse - 12/30

Wed, Dec 30 • 8:00 PM

WAREHOUSE

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Barnstorm Presents: meet me in the belly of the whale (Fri. Nov. 13) primary image

Barnstorm Presents: meet me in the belly of the whale (Fri. Nov. 13)

Friday • 7:30 PM

UCSC Theater Arts Center Studio B100

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Discovery Dinner at 1440: Sound Healing primary image

Discovery Dinner at 1440: Sound Healing

Sun, Nov 15 • 4:30 PM

1440 Multiversity

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Bosch eBike Systems MY27 Dealer ADVANCED Training (Santa Cruz, CA) primary image

Bosch eBike Systems MY27 Dealer ADVANCED Training (Santa Cruz, CA)

Wed, Nov 18 • 10:00 AM

Hyatt Place Santa Cruz

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Yala Lati | Melanie DeMore | Women Rise Choir (Hybrid Event) primary image

Yala Lati | Melanie DeMore | Women Rise Choir (Hybrid Event)

Sat, Nov 21 • 7:00 PM

Rio Theatre

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Improv Comedy MashUp primary image

Improv Comedy MashUp

Sat, Nov 21 • 7:00 PM

Broadway Playhouse

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Downtown Santa Cruz Holiday Parade Registration 2026 primary image

Downtown Santa Cruz Holiday Parade Registration 2026

Sat, Dec 5 • 10:00 AM

Downtown Santa Cruz

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Annual Winter Solstice Ritual + Sing w. Debbie Nargi-Brown & Amanda West primary image

Annual Winter Solstice Ritual + Sing w. Debbie Nargi-Brown & Amanda West

Sat, Dec 12 • 3:15 PM

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

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BUNT. - San Jose Warehouse - 12/30 primary image

BUNT. - San Jose Warehouse - 12/30

Wed, Dec 30 • 8:00 PM

WAREHOUSE

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Nearby cities

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26 miles away

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Menlo Park

37 miles away

Monterey

24 miles away

Pleasanton

48 miles away

Salinas

23 miles away

Morgan Hill

18 miles away

Cupertino

26 miles away

Seaside

24 miles away

Half Moon Bay

46 miles away

Hayward

49 miles away

Gilroy

17 miles away

Newark

40 miles away

Los Altos

32 miles away

Scotts Valley

10 miles away

Live Oak

5 miles away

San Carlos

43 miles away

Stanford

36 miles away

Saratoga

23 miles away

San Jose

26 miles away

Santa Clara

28 miles away

Santa Cruz

7 miles away

Palo Alto

36 miles away

Redwood City

42 miles away

Mountain View

33 miles away

Fremont

41 miles away

Sunnyvale

30 miles away

Atherton

39 miles away

San Mateo

48 miles away

Los Gatos

19 miles away

Milpitas

33 miles away

Campbell

23 miles away

Menlo Park

37 miles away

Monterey

24 miles away

Pleasanton

48 miles away

Salinas

23 miles away

Morgan Hill

18 miles away

Cupertino

26 miles away

Seaside

24 miles away

Half Moon Bay

46 miles away

Hayward

49 miles away

Gilroy

17 miles away

Newark

40 miles away

Los Altos

32 miles away

Scotts Valley

10 miles away

Live Oak

5 miles away

San Carlos

43 miles away

Stanford

36 miles away

Saratoga

23 miles away

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Managing Your Emotions - Prof Ethan Kross primary image

Managing Your Emotions - Prof Ethan Kross

Tomorrow • 7:00 PM GMT

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Lean Global Connection 2026

Thursday • 2:00 PM UTC

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The Walrus Talks at Home: Canada After America primary image

The Walrus Talks at Home: Canada After America

Thursday • 7:00 PM EST

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Physicians Financial Wellness Conference 2026 primary image

Physicians Financial Wellness Conference 2026

Saturday • 1:00 PM EST

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HBR Book Webinar: Unspeakable primary image

HBR Book Webinar: Unspeakable

Mon, Nov 23 • 1:00 PM GMT

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The MI5 Archive: Official Secrets primary image

The MI5 Archive: Official Secrets

Fri, Nov 27 • 2:00 PM GMT

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Washington Crossing the Delaware / The Crossing - Film History Livestream primary image

Washington Crossing the Delaware / The Crossing - Film History Livestream

Sat, Dec 19 • 8:00 PM EST

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PLAYFUL ARCHITECTURE: Drawing in Colour and Monochrome primary image

PLAYFUL ARCHITECTURE: Drawing in Colour and Monochrome

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Managing Your Emotions - Prof Ethan Kross primary image

Managing Your Emotions - Prof Ethan Kross

Tomorrow • 7:00 PM GMT

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Lean Global Connection 2026 primary image

Lean Global Connection 2026

Thursday • 2:00 PM UTC

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The Walrus Talks at Home: Canada After America primary image

The Walrus Talks at Home: Canada After America

Thursday • 7:00 PM EST

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Physicians Financial Wellness Conference 2026 primary image

Physicians Financial Wellness Conference 2026

Saturday • 1:00 PM EST

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HBR Book Webinar: Unspeakable primary image

HBR Book Webinar: Unspeakable

Mon, Nov 23 • 1:00 PM GMT

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The MI5 Archive: Official Secrets primary image

The MI5 Archive: Official Secrets

Fri, Nov 27 • 2:00 PM GMT

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Washington Crossing the Delaware / The Crossing - Film History Livestream primary image

Washington Crossing the Delaware / The Crossing - Film History Livestream

Sat, Dec 19 • 8:00 PM EST

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PLAYFUL ARCHITECTURE: Drawing in Colour and Monochrome primary image

PLAYFUL ARCHITECTURE: Drawing in Colour and Monochrome

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Frequently asked questions about Rio del Mar

Where is the best live music near Rio Del Mar?

Downtown Santa Cruz has the area's highest concentration of music venues. Major spots like The Catalyst Club host national tours, while Moe's Alley offers blues and reggae, and Kuumbwa Jazz Center presents world-class jazz performances year-round.

Are there any free events happening around Rio Del Mar?

Yes, the area hosts several free community events, especially during the summer. Capitola Village's Twilight Concert Series features weekly outdoor performances, and Midtown Fridays in Santa Cruz is a popular block party with local bands and food trucks.

What are some popular art events in the Santa Cruz area?

The monthly Monthly Santa Cruz art walk is a major cultural event. On the monthly of each month, galleries, studios, and businesses across the county host artist receptions and open their doors to the public for a night of art discovery.

Where can I find food and wine festivals near Rio Del Mar?

The region hosts several large-scale annual food and drink festivals. Aptos Village Park is the venue for Gourmet Grazing on the Green, and Capitola Village is home to the popular Capitola Art & Wine Festival, which features local wineries and food vendors.

What's the event scene like in Capitola Village?

Capitola Village has a lively, visitor-friendly atmosphere with frequent outdoor events. The beachfront Esplanade Park Bandstand is a focal point for summer concerts, and the entire village comes alive for the annual Capitola Art & Wine Festival.

What kind of nightlife is there near Rio Del Mar?

While Rio Del Mar itself is quiet, downtown Santa Cruz offers the most active nightlife. The area has a dense concentration of bars and live music venues like The Catalyst Club that host events late into the evening.

What are some good family-friendly event options in the Aptos area?

The Aptos Farmers Market at Cabrillo College is a great outing for all ages. Held weekly, it's a lively community gathering with local produce, artisanal food vendors, and live music in a relaxed, open-air setting.

Any suggestions for a date night event around Rio Del Mar?

For a classic date night, catch some live blues music at Aptos St. BBQ. This casual spot offers live performances nearly every evening, creating a fun atmosphere to pair with dinner and drinks before or after the show.