Jul 17 Thursday
Join us for Ben Lomond’s monthly Wee Kirk Market, a charming, old-fashioned farmers and makers market celebrating local artisans, farmers, musicians, and food vendors. Enjoy fresh produce, handcrafted goods, live music, and delicious eats in the heartof Ben Lomond.
This outstanding market takes place on the First Sunday of Every Month through October at 9500 Central Avenue in Ben Lomond.
Bring your friends and family for a fun-filled community gathering.
Admission is Free.
Join us for this unforgettable Celebration of Tradition, Culture, History, and Conservation -- and help honor “All Things Abalone.”
Abalone has long held a significant place in Monterey’s cultural and culinary history. The community is invited to celebrate this rich legacy at the first-ever “Abalone Festival: All Things Abalone” on Saturday, July 26th and Sunday, July 27th at the Monterey Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) Hall and additional nearby sites.
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WHAT: “The Monterey Abalone Festival: All Things Abalone”WHEN: Saturday, July 26th and Sunday, July 27thTIME: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm both daysWHERE: Monterey JACL Hall, 424 Adams Street, Monterey
This unique two-day celebration will feature an outstanding lineup of expert speakers, documentary films, live performances, cultural demonstrations, a walking tour, abalone races, and more. The event will also debut the inaugural presentation of the Roy Hattori Memorial Award, recognizing outstanding contributions to abalone heritage and conservation.
One of the festival highlights will be a special “Abalone Dance” performed by the Monterey Rumsen Ohlone Community on Del Monte Beach, led there by the Monterey Lion Dance Troupe at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. The weekend will also include a Zoom conversation with historians and researchers from Tateyama, Japan, the ancestral home of many Japanese divers who came to Monterey.
More information is available at: www.jaclmonterey.org
Jul 19 Saturday
Classic Car Show is a fire fighter fundraiser supporting 4 local fire districts: Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond, Felton, and Zyante. Beautiful Classic cars on display with a completion element and People’s Choice. Live Music by Love Creek, Charlie Browns BBQ, local vendors and a beautiful day in the sun beneath the redwood canopy. Bring the family and come enjoy this amazing event. Thank you.
Aug 02 Saturday
Join the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), Monterey County Branch, for a moving commemoration marking the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This free public event honors lives lost and affirms a commitment to a nuclear-free future.
The evening includes taiko drumming, music, poetry, and stories, concluding with a serene lantern floating ceremony at sunset. As peace lanterns drift across the cove, shakuhachi flute music will offer a meditative close to the evening.
Co-sponsored by the City of Pacific Grove, Peace Coalition of Monterey County, Veterans for Peace Chapter 46, Monterey Peace and Justice Center, and others. With appreciation to Pacific Grove Adventures for kayak support.
All are welcome to arrive early and decorate peace lanterns. Bring a blanket and dress warmly.
Program HighlightsEmcee: Alexandra Ramos – WILPF Monterey County & Monterey Peace and Justice CenterGuest Speaker: Masako Toki – Senior Project Manager, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
Schedule:7:00 PM – Lantern making begins; performance by Shinsho-Mugen Daiko taiko drummers7:45 PM – Music, poetry, and messages of hope:o Opening Blessing – Brendan J. Ramsden, minister, Center for Sacred Studieso Indigenous Land Acknowledgement – Michael Lojkovic, musician and peace activist o Mayors for Peace – Pacific Grove Mayor Nick Smitho Nagasaki Story – Troy Ishikawao Peace Poem – Jennifer Fellguth, poet, storyteller, retired educator8:15 PM – Lantern Launch: Kayakers will guide lanterns serenely across the cove as Tai Chi Master Jim Scott-Behrends plays the shakuhachi bamboo flute
Sep 13 Saturday
When you attend or sponsor the Gala for the Arts, you’re not just supporting a one-night event. You're investing in young people and artists with big dreams.
You and your guests will enjoy a joyful evening of delicious food and drinks, a silent auction, and an uplifting program. We’ll honor incredible individuals: Gary Smith for Distinguished Service to the Arts and Jesús Ruvalcaba as our Distinguished Alumnus in the Arts. The Gala for the Arts will also feature live music from the Hilltown Bluegrass Band and include a pre-Gala peek in the newly renovated Hartnell Art Gallery.
After the Gala, guests are invited to attend The Western Stage's production of Bright Star, a heartwarming musical by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell set in the Blue Ridge Mountains between the 1920s and 1940s.
Learn more:https://hartnellfoundation.org/event/gala/
Watsonville Taiko hosts the Tanabata Star Festival at the Kizuka Hall in Watsonville on Sunday, August 10th.
Watsonville Taiko will host the Tanabata Star Festival at the Kizuka Hall in Watsonville on Sunday, August 10th. This very special event celebrates and symbolizes the annual reunion of two stars separated by the Milky Way: Vega. The Weaver Star and Altair, the Cow-herder Star. As part of this Festival, the Bamboo Tree, a symbol of Hope and Properity, will be adorned with Origami and Wishes in the hope of reuniting the couple and bringing Good Fortune.
A Japanese Lunch is available and can be ordered for $20.00. This includes:• Soup• Salad• Rice• Either Chicken Teriyaki and Pork Gyoza (or) Tofu Dish and Vegitarian Gyoza
The event will be highlighted with very special Origami Artwork to include decorations on Bamboo Branches with Origami Art created by atendees.
Please email info@watsonvilletaiko.org for reservations.
DATE: Sunday, August 10thTIME: 12:00pm to 3:30pm LOCATION: Kizuka Hall, 150 Blackburn Street, WatsonvilleADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Lunch Ordering Deadline is Friday, August 1st. For Event Reservation and Lunch Orders please contact: info@watsonvilletaiko.org
Watsonville Taiko is a registered 501(c)3 Organization.
MAILING ADDRESSP.O. Box 1673Watsonville, CA 95077-1673
Inspired by the vibrant open-air street bazaars from around the world, Night Market 831 is a lively gathering where friends and families can sip, savor, socialize, dance, shop, and explore. Held in the colorful Sand City Art Park, surrounded by stunning murals, the market creates a unique and inviting atmosphere. Committed to fostering a safe, fun, and inclusive community space, featuring a rotating lineup of local performers, creatives, and entrepreneurs who bring their talents to life each month.
Where: Sand City Art Park, 525 Ortiz Ave, Sand City, CA 93955
When: Every First Friday of the month, from 5PM to 9PM
There will be a Free Observatory Tour at the Oliver Observing Station located at Chews Ridge, Los Padres National Forest in Greenfield.
See MIRA’s 36-inch professional research telescope, learn some of the unique history that led to MIRA and the Oliver Observing Station, and discover how our mountaintop scientific research facility runs on solar and wind power and collects rainwater.
Voted the best place to watch the stars in Monterey County, the Oliver Observing Station on Chews Ridge is actually one of the best places in the continental U.S. for Optical Astronomy. High in the Santa Lucia Mountains, an afternoon on Chews Ridge also provides excellent views of the Ventana Wilderness, the Salinas Valley, the Monterey Peninsula, and, on a clear day, the Sierra Nevada.
DATE: THIS Sunday, July 20thTIME: 2:30pm to 4:00pmLOCATION: The Oliver Observing Station, Chews Ridge, Los Padres National Forest, GreenfieldADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Admission is Free to the Public. There is a $100.00 deposit for groups of 6 & more.
Space is limited so reservations for these free events are required. Additionally groups of 6 or more must provide a deposit of $100 at least one week in advance, as groups who no-show deprive others of the tour. The deposit will not be charged if your group honors the reservation.
Please call (831) 883-1000 to register. Before traveling, please see the Contact Info & Directions page on our website.
Offered in conjunction with Monterey Makers, this is a series of entry-level workshops aimed at teaching skills in astronomy-relevant hardware like CAD, 3D Printing, Arduino programming, and more.
Come along bi-monthly (usually) on the third Thursday Evening to learn how to make and program devices and gadgets.
View the MIRA Makers page or contact us for more details.
DATE: Thursday, August 21stTIME: 6:00pm to 8:00pmLOCATION: Hamming Astronomy Center, 200 Eighth Street, MarinaADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Registration required.
Register via meet-up or email. Friends and aspiring new members welcome: First two workshops are free!
Good Trouble Lives On is a national day of nonviolent action to respond to the attacks posed on our civil and human rights by the Trump administration and to remind them that in America, the power lies with the people.
On July 17, the anniversary of Congressman John Lewis’s passing, we’re taking action across the country to defend our democracy and carry forward his legacy of Good Trouble.
From voter suppression bills like the SAVE Act to the criminalization of protest, the Trump administration is launching a full-scale attack on our civil and human rights. But we know the truth: in America, the power lies with the people, and we’re rising to prove it.
This is more than a protest; it’s a moral reckoning. A continuation of the movement Lewis helped lead, and a new front in the struggle for freedom.
Please note: A core principle behind our Good Trouble Lives On actions is a commitment to nonviolence in all we do. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values.
Jul 18 Friday