Applications open for Youth Poet Laureate
Santa Cruz Public Libraries, in collaboration with Urban Word, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, the Rotary Club of Santa Cruz and the Arts Council Santa Cruz County, is seeking applicants to serve as the county’s third Youth Poet Laureate.
The program celebrates youth poetry across Santa Cruz County and offers young writers opportunities for readings, publication and community engagement. The selected Youth Poet Laureate will serve a one-year term from April 2026 to April 2027, promoting poetry and encouraging peers to explore creative expression. Finalists will also participate in events as part of a cohort of teen poets.
Applicants must be 13 to 18 years old, live in Santa Cruz County and be able to participate in local activities throughout the program year.
Workshops to help students prepare applications are scheduled for noon Saturday, Feb. 21, at Capitola Branch Library; 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, at Felton Branch Library; and 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, at Downtown Branch Library.
Applications are due March 1, with finalists to be announced March 15. The 2026-27 Youth Poet Laureate will be named April 16 during the Santa Cruz County Youth Poetry Celebration at Kuumbwa Jazz Center, which will include a free public reading and celebration of teen poetry.
Workshop set on Highway 17 corridor plan
Residents of Santa Cruz County and Santa Clara County are invited to learn more about a long-range transportation planning effort for State Route 17 during an upcoming virtual public workshop.
Caltrans Districts 4 and 5 are jointly developing the State Route 17 Comprehensive Multimodal Corridor Plan, which will address safety, reliability and multimodal accessibility along the corridor. The effort also focuses on sustainability issues, such as climate change resiliency, emergency management and wildlife habitat connectivity.
The plan is intended to establish a vision for the corridor and identify potential transportation improvements and resiliency strategies.
The remaining virtual workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 24, from 6-8pm. Spanish and Chinese interpretation will be available.
Project leaders say the planning process builds on earlier efforts and aims to work with communities to define a long-range vision for the corridor while supporting projects that integrate climate resiliency with mobility and safety improvements.
Fair theme announced, poster contest opens
Santa Cruz County Fair has announced its 2026 theme, “Apple Pies and Starry Skies,” while also inviting local artists to help bring the concept to life through this year’s poster art contest.
The fair, scheduled for Sept. 16-20, selected the theme from nearly 100 submissions entered in its annual contest. Volunteer department heads and staff chose the winning entry, submitted by Randy Fong.
“Fairs can be so fun,” Fong said. “I thought that coming up with the official tagline for the Fair would be pretty cool.”
For his winning suggestion, Fong will receive four fair passes and a parking pass. Organizers said the theme aims to evoke both nostalgia and optimism, blending the imagery of a classic American dessert with the night skies over the fairgrounds in Watsonville.
With the theme set, fair officials are now turning to the 2026 Poster Art Contest, which is open to artists who live in Santa Cruz County. Participants are asked to create original artwork inspired by “Apple Pies and Starry Skies” and the spirit of the fair.
Designs may incorporate agricultural elements, farm animals, carnival rides, summer scenes, the coastline or other local imagery. Because 2026 marks the nation’s 250th anniversary, artists may also include touches of red, white and blue, though it is not required.
The winning design will become the official poster for the 2026 fair and will appear in promotional materials, including the fair’s entry and event guides, advertising and signage.
A sketch, concept or partial design is due by 4pm on March 6. Entries must be submitted by email to the fair. More information and requirements are available on the fair’s website santacruzcountyfair.com.
