Food vendors, caterers or local restaurants interested in selling food items at Friends' PopUp Picnics in the Park this summer at Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park in downtown Santa Cruz have until May 1 to sign up. 
 
During the summer, Friends will host 10 PopUp Picnics in the Park. The events will be Thursdays from June 15 through Aug. 17, 11:30a.m. to 1:30p.m. Self-contained food vendors can apply for as many picnic days as they would like.

In return, vendors are required to donate 5 percent of their proceeds back to Friends on behalf of the Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park. Proceeds will fund education and restoration projects at the park.
 
Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park is at 144 School St. in downtown Santa Cruz. Contact Jorge Savala, Community Outreach Director, by email or at 831-429-1840 ext. 110 to sign up.

Tickets are still available — but they're going fast — for Vaqueros on the Rancho, 1-4 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at Castro Adobe State Historic Park.

This special cultural event is a fundraiser to support the opening of Castro Adobe State Historic Park. Jeffrey Mundell and Victor "Buddy" Montes will demonstrate aspects of early vaquero culture on horseback at 2 p.m. The event will also feature light refreshments; artisan and craftsmen wares on display and for sale; and tours of the Castro Adobe.

Tickets for the event are $25 each and are available on Eventbrite or by calling 831-429-1840. Advance ticket sales only. Additional donations are gratefully accepted. All donations and ticket sales will be matched 1:1 toward the opening of the park, up to $317,920 by the James & Carol Toney Fund.

Western dress is encouraged. The event is sponsored by Vaquero Heritage Times Journal. The Castro Adobe is at 184 Old Adobe Road in Watsonville. Parking is limited; please carpool.

Bookshop Santa Cruz and Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks presents award-winning science writer Jennifer Ackerman and her new book, The Genius of Birds. Combining a travelogue with a scientific investigation, a nature guide with a philosophical journey, The Genius of Birds offers readers a surprising and beautiful look at the extraordinary grace of birds, and a thought-provoking meditation on intelligence itself.

As she travels around the world to the most cutting-edge frontiers of research, Ackerman not only tells the story of the recently uncovered genius of birds but also delves deeply into the latest findings about the bird brain itself that are revolutionizing our view of what it means to be intelligent.

The book talk and signing will be 7-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 12, at Bookshop, 1520 Pacific Ave. in Santa Cruz.  

The 4th annual Coastal Wildflower Day on Saturday, April 15, marks the start of California Native Plant Week, celebrating the native wildflowers of the San Mateo coast with activities for the whole family.

There will be games and educational activities for youth, a habitat restoration project, guided wildflower walks, resources to help you grow your own native plants, artwork, and a native plant sale. Donations for native plants will support the State Beach native plant nursery, which raises plants for restoration projects along the coast.

The event is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is free. Most activities begin at the Half Moon Bay State Beach visitor center. Parking is $10 and supports the park. Biking and walking is encouraged. Heavy rain cancels. For more information, call (650) 726-8804, or email. This even is co-sponsored by Coastside State Parks, Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks and California State Parks.

The history and restoration of the Castro Adobe was brought to life in an article in Santa Cruz Style's spring issue, now available free at newsstands throughout the county. The article features historic and current photos, and shares the story of how this beloved site is being preserved for the public to visit and learn about. Read the full article here.