Patch Picks: Mother's Day Activities

Sunday, May 8 is Mother’s Day, and you can be certain that long-distance phone calls, greeting card and flower sales will see their yearly spike, but instead of joining the masses and reaching for the usual Hallmark card or bouquet of flowers, why not awe the woman who made you by doing something different for her this year?

This is a lot easier than it sounds, thanks to a slew of fun events happening this weekend‚ from the usual Farmers Markets at Cabrillo and Live Oak (pick up fresh local produce and treats for your Mother's Day meal) to plant sales, art and chocolate tours and concerts. So, at the same time you're showering your mother with love and attention, you can support local schools, artists and the planet.

The best part about all of these activities is that they also provide a great cover-up for getting your mom out of the house so that someone can clean up or get to work on a home-cooked Mother’s Day meal to surprise her with. After all, she did give you life.

Here are Patch's picks for fun Mother’s Day-inspired events happening locally this year:

1. Annual Mother’s Day Gift Sale: The Annual Mother’s Day Gift Sale is sponsored by the Art Factory and features the work of 15 local artists and craftspeople. It's the spot to shop for unique, locally made gifts like botanical paintings and prints, garden sculptures, vintage and contemporary “upcycled” aprons, homemade soaps, handmade jewelry, gift certificates to local establishments and much more. Part of the sale proceeds benefit 100+ Women Who Care. This organization was formed in 2006 to raise money for local charities and non profits. Just last month, the Santa Cruz chapter donated $5,900 to Families in Transition. 

The Annual Mother’s Day Gift Sale takes place the day before Mother’s Day, on Saturday, May 7 at the Art Factory, 9099 Soquel Drive, Aptos. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

2. Mother’s Day Weekend Plant Sale: Okay, flowers are beautiful and much-appreciated by all women. But as beautiful as cut flowers in a vase are, they only last a week or two before they get wilty and have to be thrown out. A longer-lasting and equally charming alternative: potted plants. The Cabrillo College Horticulture Center will be putting on its annual Mother’s Day Weekend Plant Sale this weekend, with over 1000 student grown annuals, bedding plants, culinary & medicinal herbs, natives, salvias, perennials, cut flowers, succulents and vines for sale. The event is a fundraiser for the Environmental Horticulture Facility at Cabrillo.

The Plant Sale takes place at Cabrillo College on Saturday, May 8th from 9am-5pm and Sunday, May 9th from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos.

3. Fourth Annual Art and Chocolate Tour: Twelve different artists will open their studios on Mother’s Day weekend to show off their paintings, sculptures, photography and yes, chocolate. The studios are located within a one-mile radius of each other in Live Oak and Capitola, and will be brimming with possibilities for a special gift for your mom. This way you can support your local artists while giving your mom a different kind of Mother’s Day experience. And hey, if you’re already in the area, consider dropping by the Live Oak Market on Sunday morning to get some strawberries or other fresh goodies for your Mother’s Day Meal.

The Locations of open studios are in a brochure you can pick up at Capitola Book Cafe, Santa Cruz Art League, Lenz Arts and Palace Arts on 41st Avenue. Or you can view the map HERE, or call 831-462-9337 for more information. The Tour takes place Saturday May 7, and Sunday, May 8th from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

4. Mother’s Day Concert:  The Cabrillo College Women’s Chorus and the Soquel High School Concert Choir will perform on Sunday afternoon at the Cabrillo College Recital Hall. If your mother is the kind who sings in the shower and cherishes her record collection, chances are she will enjoy a dose of folk songs and spirituals performed by devoted students of music. 

A reception will follow the performance which runs from 3pm-4:30pm. $7 Adults, $6 for Seniors and Students. Call 831.479.6464 for more information.

5. Call Your Long Distance Mom. This may seem obvious, but if you have ever forgotten to call your mom on Mother’s Day and had to call her guilt ridden the next day, you will never forget again. A lot of us aren’t lucky enough (yes, I said lucky), to have their mothers living in the same town as them, or even to still have their mothers around. So, guilt trips aside, if you are one of those children who left their mother in a distant state, remember: she really misses you. Call her! You can also consider going the extra mile and sending her a lavish gift, like the Earth-friendly flowers and gifts found at Organic Bouquet.

What do you think the best Mother’s Day activity should be? Leave your ideas in the comments!