Festivals

From rotating biennials to annual community gatherings, join the MAH for a series of innovative, multi-day events to celebrate the creativity, history, and traditions of Santa Cruz County.

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CommonGround

September 13–22, 2024 | Mostly FREE

CommonGround is a biennial festival of place-inspired outdoor work hosted in locations throughout Santa Cruz County. Focused on temporary and performative public art projects in rural, urban, and architectural space, the 10-day event features site-responsive installations and interventions across the area’s natural and built environments, connecting people, stories, and landscapes.

Visit the 2022 CommonGround event page.

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Día de los Muertos

October 26, 2024 | FREE

For the past 5 years, our team here at the MAH has had the opportunity to experience, grow, and share Día de los Muertos with more and more of Santa Cruz County. This growth is thanks to our community partner Senderos, a local organization that centers on supporting youth to excel in education and honor their cultural identity. This October look forward to another vibrant gathering as we collectively celebrate life and death.

Visit the 2023 Dia de los Muertos event page.

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Frequency

September 18–21, 2025 | Mostly FREE

Frequency is a biennial festival of light, sound, and digital culture hosted in and around the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History. The 4-night event showcases local and global artists and integrates a variety of media-based art into the downtown landscape through illuminated artworks, interactive technologies, and immersive experiences.

Visit the 2023 Frequency event page.

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