GET OUT: Santa Cruz has Fireworks, Art Walks, Bluegrass, a Sausage Fest and a Big Street Closure

Fleet Week...America's Cup...Hardly Strictly Bluegrass...San Francisco Giants playoffs...San Francisco 49ers game...Italian Heritage Parade...Castro Street Fair...whew! It's all happening in San Francisco this weekend and the city could see up to an additional 1 million people visit.

So, if you’re looking to avoid traffic jams and crowds, there’s plenty to do in and around Santa Cruz. Here are a few:

MONTE FOUNDATION FIREWORKS:

Every October Aptos makes up for those beach fireworks we are denied because of ever dicey weather on the Fourth of July.

The Rudolph Monte Foundation, started by the owners of Deluxe Foods, puts on the fireworks show of the year with food, booths, music at Seacliff State Park Beach. They charge $10 for tickets and last year raised $150,000 for schools. The festivities go from 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

There is free parking and shuttle buses from Cabrillo College.

FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK

Every first Friday Santa Cruz hosts what is an ever-growing event, bringing thousands of people downtown to check out art, food, wine, music.

All of it is worth leaving home for and you can't help but find unique creations in this city known more and more for its artistry.

Downtown's newest northerly enclave, the Tannery, has a special night planned for bluegrass fans. You don't have to head to crowded Golden Gate Park to hear Brookside with Rhan Wilson, Patti Maxine, Rick Zeek and Terry Sheilds, plus singer-songwriter Bob Red and a sing-along hosted by the Ukelele Club of Santa Cruz.

Showtime stretches from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and the music will take place in the courtyard in the studios complex. The event includes family-friendly activities such as face painting and caricatures and is free to the public.

FRIDAY FILM ABOUT OCCUPY SANTA CRUZ

Filmmaker Brent Adams will be showing his movie What Are you Doing Here? Inside Occupy Santa Cruz for free at Laurel Street Park, behind the Louden Nelson Center.

The movie starts at 8 p.m. after a general assembly meeting at 6 p.m. Bring food, incense and spelling guides to make sure signs, such as the OOCUPY that went up last year, don't make these folks look like Tea Partiers.

OPEN STUDIOS ALL WEEKEND

Local artists show their work and studios: get a guide here.

SATURDAY ART AT THE TANNERY ARTS CENTER

From noon to 5 p.m. at 1050 River St. will host special art exhibits by Maren Sinclair Hurn and Carol Eddy with an Open Studios Preview Exhibition, Stephanie Schriver, ceramics and painting, Pat Clarke, wood gems and jewelry, and Susan Kessler, photography, paintings and photo collage.

Rebecca’s Café will also be open and serving light meals, wine, and beer.

Pedi-cab rides will be offered to visitors along the San Lorenzo River levee between The Tannery Arts Center and The MAH.

SAUSAGE FEST

Last year this event at the Westside Farmers Market was so popular, they ran out of sausage.

It won't happen again on Saturday, they say. For $5 you can sample food from the Corralitos Market, the Freedom Meat Locker and El Salchichero. There will be music from Windy Hill, Tater Famine and Blackbird Raum, microbeers and gourmet desserts from the Penny Ice Creamery and Buttercup Cakes.

Hours are 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Westside Dr. and Mission St.

SUNDAY

Surf City Aids Ride

Feel like cruising a century on your bike? How about 60, 30 or 12 miles? All leave from the Santa Cruz Courthouse at 6:30 for the century; 7:30 for the 60; 8:30 for the 30 and 12.

Prices range from $20 for the shortest ride to $75 for the two longest. Register at scapsite.org

GET OUT AND WALK

Called Santa Cruz Open Streets, and started by a letter to the city council by nine-year-old Eleanor Mendoza, Westcliff Drive will be banned to cars from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday. Organizer Saskia Lucas helped bring this late-coming attraction to Santa Cruz that many big cities already do. Even New York has closed its Bronx River Parkway on Sundays for decades.

It's a chance to get out, meet your neighbors and walk and bike around free of choking fumes.

HOLY CROSS CARNIVAL

Sunday Holy Cross Parish and School holds its annual party from 10 a.m. to  3 p.m. at Mission Plaza.
This community event has expanded this year to include fare from
several popular local restaurants including Kianti’s Pizza & Pasta Bar
and The Crow’s Nest. Carnival goers will also be treated to free ice
cream compliments of Marianne’s Ice Cream and live bluegrass music.

The carnival offers family fun for everyone including raffle prizes,
carnival games, great food and entertainment such as face painting,
cake roulette, pumpkin walk, mini golf, football toss, cotton candy and
popcorn.

With all this, why leave?

However, if you are going to attend one of San Francisco's events, the City had this posted on its website:

“This weekend will be a great one for our City and we have the transportation system prepared,” said SFMTA Director of Transportation Ed Reiskin. “We urge anyone who will need to get around San Francisco that weekend to know their options, plan well, and leave their cars at home. We urge everyone to avoid delays by taking Muni, a bike, a taxi or a walk when getting around that week and weekend.”

Additional transit, biking and taxi options will be made available at various events, including extra bus shuttles on Market Street, a new pilot service on The Embarcadero, more buses and trains on most direct routes to and from special events, free bike valets, additional signage for cyclists and pedestrians, bike rentals are available throughout the city and 100 additional taxi will be made available with additional taxi zones at key events. 

A lane of northbound Embarcadero between Washington and Bay streets will be converted to bicycle use only on Saturday and Sunday. 

For more information about getting around the City this weekend, go to SFMTA: www.sfmta.com or call 311.