Community sought to help build mosaics
WATSONVILLE — The Main Street Revitalization Project is underway as local artist Kathleen Crocetti has begun production on mosaics for the new sidewalks.
Crocetti believes that local art should come from local sources, and will be conducting open houses so that people in the community can help build the mosaics.
The Creating Mosaics Friday Farmers Markets in downtown Watsonville, which kicked off Friday, will occur July 7 and July 14 and there will be open houses at 240 Maple Ave. on July 2 and July 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You may also request that Crocetti come to a private location near you.
For information, call Crocetti at 724-5981 or email Cr******@ro********.com.
•••
Free concert series kicks off downtown
WATSONVILLE — “Music in the Plaza” continues in downtown Watsonville.
The free concerts will take place the second and fourth Thursday of the month through Sept. 14.
The schedule is as follows:
• July 13: Chicano All Stars, Guest Band
• July 27: Beat Street, Victory Lane
• Aug. 10: Tributo a Las Sonoras, Con Rumba Cafe y Grupo Aktual
• Aug. 24: The Groove Foundation, Guest Band
• Sept. 14: 7th Street Band
•••
Ag History Project hosts Second Saturday event
WATSONVILLE — The Agricultural History Project will host its Second Saturday event on July 8 at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds.
The Agricultural History Project invites the public to celebrate summer with games and grilling. Activities will include sack races, three-legged races, jacks, marbles, hopscotch, stilts, hoops, graces, bean bag toss and more. There will be grilling demonstrations and recipe ideas.
There will be tractor driving, wooden cow milking and the old-fashioned water pump for kids to experience life on an old-style farm. Kids will be able to play with rabbits and feed the Ag History chickens.
Admission is free and donations are accepted.
The Agricultural History Project is a nonprofit organization. School groups and families from Santa Cruz County can explore their educational exhibits, historical archives, and agriculture research in the Codiga Center & Museum.
The organization is located at the entrance to the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds in Watsonville.
•••
Fishery bringing local fish to school cafeterias
MOSS LANDING — Real Good Fish, a fishery that supports local fishermen and provides coastal communities with seafood, is teaming up with the Bay2Tray program to bring food to school children throughout California.
Real Good Fish received $95,000 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm to School grant. The grant money is intended to strengthen ties between schools and local fishermen that will supply schools with locally caught seafood.
“School children need high quality, nutritious foods and fishermen need a market opportunity for species they are catching and otherwise unable to sell,” said Alan Lovewell, CEO and founder of Real Good Fish and developer of Bay2Tray.
Part of the program will also be to increase the number of visits that fishermen pay to the classroom to educate children on how food reaches the table.
Bay2Tray has received support from the Chase Mission Main Street Grant, Packard Foundation, Patagonia Environmental Grants, California Coastal Commission, Monterey County Fish and Game Commission, the National Marine Sanctuary and the J.M.Kaplan Fund Innovation Prize.
For information on Real Good Fish, visit www.realgoodfish.com.
•••
‘World’s Shortest Parade’ recognized
APTOS — An article in Land’s End Journal has recognized the “World’s Shortest Parade” in Aptos as one of “America’s Most Unique July Fourth Celebrations.”
The Journal showcased six small town, Fourth of July celebrations that they considered to be exceptional.
The “World’s Shortest Parade” previously gained national recognition as one of only seven Fourth of July parades recommended in 2013 as the “Best” by Condé Nast Traveler.
To read the article, visit www.landsendjournal.com/americas-unique-july-fourth-celebrations.
•••
Bay Federal department raises funds for charity
CAPITOLA — Bay Federal Credit Union’s Home Loans Department hosted its second annual Sip for Humanity event, raising $1,635 to benefit Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay in May.
The invitation-only mixer at Bargetto Winery in Soquel featured a raffle, area wines for sale, and local guitarist David O’Connor. Roughly 80 people, the majority of them real estate agents, were in attendance. A portion of wine sales and all proceeds from the raffle go to Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay.
“This was such a beautiful event, both in spirit and in execution,” said Carrie Birkhofer, president and CEO of Bay Federal. “We couldn’t be happier to support Habitat for Humanity in making a real difference in the lives of those in our community.”
