Happy 80th JoJo Urbancic!

The City of Capitola announces a community event 4-7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 6, at Esplanade Park in Capitola Village to celebrate the 80th birthday of a long-time Capitola local, fisherman JoJo Urbancic.

This event, planned by City of Capitola staff and community members, will kick off with JoJo making his grand entrance to Capitola Village. Cake, light refreshments, and speeches will follow, with live music by one of JoJo’s favorite local bands, the Digbeats.

There will be fun for all ages and the entire community is encouraged to attend.

JoJo was born in San Francisco on Nov. 6, 1943. His family began to take trips to the City of Capitola in the early 1950s, where they spent many summers. After graduating from high school in 1961, JoJo decided it was time to move to his beloved City of Capitola.

JoJo spent his early years in Capitola with very little, sleeping under boats “here and there” and spending lots of time fishing on the Capitola Wharf. It did not take long for JoJo to create life-long friendships and be recognized by the community of Capitola for his free spirit and kind soul.

Late in the summer of 1961, JoJo became a permanent resident of Capitola, thanks to many gracious community members. JoJo spent the next several decades on the Capitola Wharf teaching generations how to fish and being a bright light to members of the community.

In his 70s, JoJo still fishes, though he temporarily relocated to the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf following the January 2024 storm that cut off access to the Capitola Wharf.

JoJo is still extremely active in the Capitola community and can often be found spending time in Capitola Village.

He’s not a shy person and he enjoys making people happy.

He’s helped a lot of people fishing on wharf and he’s an expert at cutting up fish. He’s helped string Christmas lights in Capitola Village, and he’s played Santa Claus for Uncle Nathan’s Day at the Capitola Mercantile. He’s been a regular volunteer for the Capitola Art & Wine Festival. And he knows how to run the Merry-Go-Round, which went from the Esplanade to Casa de Fruta and then the Red Barn flea market in Aromas.

The City of Capitola is honored to host the 80th birthday celebration for JoJo Urbancic and invites community members to join in the fun on Nov. 6.

To learn more about Jo Jo, see the video interview by Niels Kisling for the Capitola Historical Museum at www.youtube.com/watch?v=r69QCkZb9n4