Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, Santa Cruz

The Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium is a notable event and convention venue located in the heart of downtown Santa Cruz, on Church Street. Since its opening in 1940, the building has been an architectural gem, blending Mission-style design with modern touches and featuring open porches on its corners and sides. Its architectural style has also been characterized as Art Deco.

Owned and operated by the City of Santa Cruz, the auditorium serves as the primary venue for the Santa Cruz County Symphony. It also hosts a diverse array of events including concerts, expos, conferences, and sporting events. A distinctive feature of the venue is the carillon, installed in 1963, adding a unique auditory element to its structure.

The venue has been part of significant cultural and social events. Notably, in 1956, it gained national attention when a rock and roll concert was halted by local police due to the "suggestive, stimulating and tantalizing motions" of the dancers. From 1966 to 1985, the auditorium was the proud host of the annual Miss California beauty pageant. The pageant's departure in 1985 followed protests and the creation of the "Myth California" counter-pageant by feminist activists Ann Simonton and Nikki Craft, marking a pivotal shift in local cultural dynamics.

In 1984, the auditorium received a significant artistic addition when artist Guillermo Wagner Granizo donated a ceramic tile mural entitled "A Gift of Appreciation to this Area," which captures imagery of past events at the venue.