Festival of Monsters
Frequently Asked Questions
What airports serve Santa Cruz?
San José International (SJC) Airport is approximately 35 miles from Santa Cruz. San Francisco International (SFO) Airport is approximately 62 miles from Santa Cruz. A list of airport transportation can be found at https://conferenceservices.ucsc.edu/transportation/travel-options.html .
What hotels have conference rates for the Festival?
We have reserved a conference room block at the Courtyard by Marriott Santa Cruz by the Boardwalk. Please use this link —https://bit.ly/MariottMonster— by Sept. 14 to reserve your room at the conference rate of $145/night plus tax.
What are the conference locations?
The 2026 conference will be held inside the Courtyard by Marriott, 313 Riverside Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.
Where can I park?
If you are staying at the conference hotel, valet parking is $35 per vehicle, per night. There is limited onsite parking. Parking is also available in the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk lot, which is a block away. Parking is $5/day on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and $25/day on Saturday and Sunday (when the Boardwalk rides are open). The Boardwalk lot does not let you park overnight. These prices are subject to change, per the Boardwalk.
Where can I go to lunch near the conference location?
El Chipotle Taqueria, The Picnic Basket, Ideal Bar and Grill, Namaste Grill, and El Hermoso Mar are all in walking distance of Courtyard by Marriott.
Do I need to dress up for the Monsters Ball?
While it's not required, we hope you do! Wearing a costume makes doing the Monster Mash feel much more monster-y!
Will the conference be online at all?
No. We are planning to tape the panels and put them on our Center for Monster Studies Youtube Channel.
I'm a UC Santa Cruz student/staff/faculty. Do I have to pay?
No. The conference and festival are FREE to all current UC Santa Cruz students/staff/faculty. If you are a current UC affiliate who is NOT presenting at the conference, please register by going to https://bit.ly/UCSCMonster26. This free registration DOES NOT include food or parking. Bus 19B takes you within easy walking distance of the hotel. If you are a UC affiliate who IS PRESENTING at the conference, please go to https://bit.ly/2026MonsterEvent to register and use the code you were given to get a free ticket. If you do not have a code, please contact us.
There are two panels at the same time and I want to go to both!
We are so glad you are excited about the amazing work being presented at the Festival. We are hoping to have videos available of all of the panels on our YouTube channel — https://www.youtube.com/@ucscmonsters. — after the conference
What is your refund policy?
Refunds are available until Oct. 5, 2026, minus Eventbrite’s fee, which is nonrefundable. Please contact us at ucscmonsters@gmail.com. Keep in mind that we are a center within a public university, and refunds will not be instantaneous.
What is your COVID policy?
We request that all conference attendees test for COVID 24 hours before attending. While masking is not required, it is strongly recommended.