After watching Thirst, a six speaker panel discussed water issues around the world with a focus on Felton, a rural community in the Santa Cruz mountains.
On September 9, 2004, Santa Cruz residents held a gathering at the clock tower to mark the 1,000th dead American solider in Iraq. Veterans For Peace and others held signs and spoke at an open mic to call for peace and the withdrawal of US soldiers from Iraq.
On August 12, 2004, the California State Supreme Court ruled that San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom lacked the authority to issue same-sex marriage licenses.