Food & Drink

A creamy showdown of clam-tastic proportions will bubble in Santa Cruz

Seafoodies will gather at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for chowders aplenty.

Angelo DeSantis

FEBRUARY, with brisk breezes interspersed with brief moments of springlike sunshine, can be a bewitching month that's almost chameleonic. You're longing for beachy moments, the sand and the sunshine, even as you're craving the cold-weather staples that are hearty, filling, and full of wintry depth. It's an ideal month for warm stews brimming with seafood flair, the dishes that possess both a bit of the beach and a bit of the bundle-up coziness, a true combo of winter and spring. So the fact that National Chowder Day falls near the end of February β€” Feb. 25 is the official date, which you may already know, if you're a devoted chowderist β€” truly feels right. Yes, National Seafood Month may be October, but we know that the chowderiest month is February, when one of California's creamiest and clammiest gatherings simmers in Santa Cruz.

THE TEMPTING TO-DO? It's the Santa Cruz Clam Chowder Cook-off, and it will break out the bivalves, pots, spices, and tasting cups just a few days ahead of National Chowder Day. The 2025 event is bubbling Feb. 22-23 β€” the amateur chefs are in the stewful spotlight on day #1, while the pros will step up to the pots on the final day β€” and Tasting Kits will be available for purchase, if you'd like to try out all of the tangy decadence. A kit is $15 and includes "6 taste tickets, spoon, cup, and a People's Choice ballot." Santa Cruz Parks & Recreation is the beneficiary of the flavorful festivity, which is billed as "the country's largest and longest-running clam chowder competition!"

BOARDWALK BLISS: As for other classic and kicky diversions popping up around the historic boardwalk? You can check out what's up here. Good to know? A recent boardwalk milestone honoring a famous ride is as sweet as chowder is creamy: The Giant Dipper, that iconic wooden roller coaster that delightfully twists and turns across a sizable swath of the destination, turned 100 in 2024.

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