Starlight Evening Train | July 21 (6-11 p.m.)

Wonder at the beauty of a redwood forest lit up at night during a 2-hour, round-trip railway excursion from the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz. Reservations recommended. For tickets contact Roaring Camp at 1-831-335-4484.

Roaring Camp Railroad, Felton
Tickets/Info: 831-335-4484, www.roaringcamp.com

14th Annual "Cops 'n Robbers Classic Car Show and Cruise" | July 21 (7 a.m.-2 p.m.)

Start the day at 7 a.m. with a cruise through Scotts Valley to the opening of the Car Show at Siltanen park.

Siltanen Park
127 Vine Hill Rd., Scotts Valley
831-440-5663, www.scottsvalleypd.com

Ukulele Jam and Sing Along | July 21 (7-9 p.m.)

Although this jam is ukulele-centric, players of all acoustic instruments and singers of all levels are welcome. When the weather is fine the group meets at the Art Center campfire at the back of the Art Center. Limited seating so bring your own chair.

Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center
9341 Mill Rd. Ben Lomond
831-336-3513, www.mountainartcenter.org

35th Annual Wharf to Wharf Race | July 22 (Start 8:30 a.m.)

Limited to 15,000 runners - register early. Know at "The best little road-race in California." The six-mile race attracts a great field of runners from around the world. The race route is lined with virtual gauntlet of entertainment...singers, dancers, clowns and jugglers... bands of every type... pep... dance... classical... raging sixties... surf... heavy metal... pop... jazz... mariachi... percussion... bagpipes... more than forty groups in all. The race has more entertainment per mile than any other event of its kind in the world.

Route from Santa Cruz Wharf to Capitola's Wharf.
Registration & info: www.wharftowharf.com

Seaside Crafts at the Seymour Center | July 22 (1-3 p.m.)

Create fun crafts that feature the cool creatures of the tidepools. Make a seastar suncatcher, or create your own sea anemone! There are activity sheets, scavenger hunts, and a take home souvenir of your day.

Seymour Marine Discovery Center
End of Delaware Avenue, Santa Cruz
831-459-3800, seymourcenter.ucsc.edu

Rock Hound Delights Youth Event | July 22 (1-3 p.m.)

Local geologist and rock hound buffs offer a fun twist on rock collecting. Free. Age 6+.

Quail Hollow Ranch County Park, Ben Lomond
831-454-7930, www.scparks.com

Claymation Movie Making grades 4-8 | July 23-26 (1:30-4 p.m.)

Summer youth art classes (4th-8th grade level). Claymation with Brenda Berg. The entire class will be part of the movie crew: storyboard artists and writers, set painters and clay animation sculptors. The class will then digitally shoot the stop-motion frames and load them into a computer video program where the final claymation movie will be burned to a DVD. Each student will have a copy of their very own claymation movie with additional footage of the class progressively building the actual movie! $100 members; $115 non-members, $15 materials.

Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center
9341 Mill Rd, Ben Lomond
831-336-3513, www.mountainartcenter.org

Robotics for Youth grades 4-8 | July 23-26

Robotics with Brenda Berg. This fun class is ideal if you like to know how to make things work, crawl, roll, blink, buzz or even think! A great introduction to the world of robotics, students will have a chance to assemble and program simple to more complex robots that communicate, move and think on their own. During the week groups work with different types of robots including the totally fun Lego Mindstorms®. Learn how to build, program and control a robot! Each student will build and keep one simple introductory robot. Brenda is pleased to have Stanford Engineer Ted Berg as the class mentor! $125 members, $140 non-members, $15 material fees.

Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center
9341 Mill Rd, Ben Lomond
831-336-3513, www.mountainartcenter.org

Twilight Concert at Esplanade Park | July 25 (6-8 p.m.)

Free concert featuring Harpin Jonny and the Primadons - Rock and Blues. A family event. Bring your own beach chairs and picnic. No alcohol.

Esplanade, Capitola Village
831-475-6522, www.capitola.com

Free movie, "Lost Boys," at the Boardwalk Bandstand | July 25

400 Beach St., Santa Cruz
831-423-5590, www.beachboardwalk.com