The end of May signals something special at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk—summer has officially arrived! Families and friends come together to celebrate Memorial Day weekend, wrap up the school year, and kickoff a season of fun.
We caught a glimpse of that energy during Spring Break (check out the blog on how Boardwalk Team Members rally around one another to create a Guest experience like no other) and now the Boardwalk is open daily through Labor Day, providing ample opportunity for Guests to enjoy the thrill of a ride, the cheers from a game, and the taste of a unique treat.
This year we kicked off summer with a spectacular beach and Boardwalk inspired drone show over Main Beach. Our hope, as always, is to bring our Guests together for a moment of joy that they will cherish for years to come; those fun summer memories that live on and carry through generations. As the glow of the sunset started fading into night and 9pm rolled around, families gathered ’round and sandy feet settled into beach blankets, waiting in anticipation. Then, just like that, the sky came to life.
Shapes and colors moved overhead to the sounds of a carefully curated soundtrack, shifting and glowing in a way that felt both new and strangely familiar… like our previous firework shows, but reimagined. Guests leaned back, pointed up, and for a while, everything slowed. It was the unmistakable feeling, the kind that comes with waiting for your favorite time of year… The quiet excitement of something special unfolding.
Two weeks later, during Memorial Day weekend, another special event marked the start of summer—the debut of the much anticipated Vertigo 360! There’s nothing like a new ride to make a season extra special. Guests queued up to experience the latest the Boardwalk has to offer, some dared to take a literal spin on the newest thrill ride and were rewarded with a collectible “I survived Vertigo 360” button. Others looked on from the comfort of nearby picnic tables or enjoyed the unique view from the overlook above the ride. However you choose to experience Vertigo 360, it is now part of the Boardwalk legacy to be shared by Guests for years to come.
Special events, new rides, and with a 119-year history we can usually count on a milestone anniversary to celebrate, as well. This year, we celebrate the heart and soul of the Boardwalk with the 115th anniversary of the Looff Carousel. The Boardwalk’s oldest ride has been a timeless centerpiece for generations of memories and connections. And Splash is well on his way to riding it 115 times this year as part of his 2026 New Year’s resolutions.
While today’s celebrations may include drone shows and new thrill rides, the spirit behind them is nothing new. For more than a century, the start of summer in Santa Cruz has brought people together in much the same way.
Let’s travel back to the early 1900s to see how earlier generations welcomed the season.
Boomer Trains, Bands, and Beachfront Dining
Much like today, music, spectacle, and new attractions were at the heart of the season’s excitement.
The Santa Cruz waterfront received an influx of tourist attention with the construction of the Neptune Casino in 1904. Opening in June to much fanfare, crowds were drawn to the beach and ballroom by the sounds of the live concerts by the Third Artillery Band led by Armand Putz. That same year, Fred Swanton and the Santa Cruz Publicity and Entertainment Committee launched a now legendary tradition of kicking off the season by traveling the state on a “Boomer Train” to showcase all that Santa Cruz had to offer that summer season. Members of the Third Artillery Band would go along on these excursions, giving spectators a preview of the music, energy, and excitement awaiting them in Santa Cruz.
By April 1906, anticipation for the summer season was already building. The Santa Cruz Sentinel predicted it would “…be the greatest summer in the history of Santa Cruz, the entertainment for guests being the most elaborate ever seen in any California resort”. One big draw that year was the Balboa pleasure ship anchored in the bay with the Sinaloa ferrying people from the shore. Onboard, Guests enjoyed a dance hall, restaurant, and shops. Back on land, the skating rink, concerts, and fireworks wowed crowds. With a turn of phrase we continue to use today to describe the activity at the Boardwalk, the paper declared: “There will never be a dull moment in Santa Cruz this summer.” (Santa Cruz Sentinel, April 28th 1906).
In a dramatic turn, the Neptune Casino was destroyed by fire in June of that same season—yet even that couldn’t dampen the spirit of summer. By the following year, a new Casino stood in its place, reopening with grand celebrations that once again drew crowds to the waterfront. With a lavish opening dinner featuring a menu by renowned chef Phil Jungman and entrainment provided by the Royal Hawaiian Orchestra the bar was set high for that season’s festivities.
From Boomer Trains and beachfront bands to drone shows lighting up the night sky, the details may change, but the purpose remains the same. Summer at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk has always been about bringing people together—about shared laughter, anticipation, and moments that become lifelong memories.
