Santa Cruz Jug Band Festival

Name: Santa Cruz Jug Band Festival
Start: 2026-08-06
End: 2026-08-09
Location: Santa Cruz

The Santa Cruz Jug Band Festival returns from August 6 to 9, 2026, with four days of music and related activities in Santa Cruz. Events are planned at Abbott Square and Pono Hawaiian Grill, featuring jug band music influenced by blues, bluegrass, gospel, country, vaudeville, and ragtime.

Date: Aug 6-9, 2026
Location: Santa Cruz

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Event summary

Highlights

Expanded four-day festival program
Live jug band performances at Abbott Square
Performance and singalong at Pono Hawaiian Grill
Jug music history lecture on August 7

The Santa Cruz Jug Band Festival will take place from August 6 to 9, 2026, expanding to a four-day program across venues in Santa Cruz. The festival celebrates jug band traditions through live performances, singalongs, and music played with instruments such as jugs, washboards, spoons, and kazoos.

Activities include festival events at Abbott Square and an additional night at Pono Hawaiian Grill connected with The Trolley Drops’ regular performance and singalong. Before the August 7 show, co-organizer Peter Thomas is scheduled to present a lecture at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History on the history of jug music.

Practical details

Location described by the source: Abbott Square; www.santacruzsentinel.com
Area for browsing nearby events: Santa Cruz

Before attending

Check the sources below for current opening times, admission prices and registration requirements. A date range does not mean the event runs continuously or that admission is free.