This month a new word started circulating around local conversations: “secret summer.” Local Getaways didn’t coin the term, but we’re here to endorse it.
The new vocabulary refers to a part of the year when visitors have generally settled back into work and school schedules, the beaches and adorable downtowns of the area get quieter, and the weather ranks among the best of the year. We’ll also accept “second summer” and — at least after a few more years of unchecked global warming — “Endless Summer, Part 3.”
Fun (related) fact: The same brothers behind Carmel restaurant institutions La Bicyclette and Casanova were intimately involved with the Endless Summer movies. Those documentaries traveled the globe in search of great surfing. Below, find some reasons to travel to Monterey — beyond the bonus summer itself.
Featured photo by Dock Annie Spratt.
October 5
All together now: Whatever the question, beer is the answer. That answer finds dozens and dozens of expressions on the rolling and oak-dotted lawns of Monterey County Fairgrounds, with brewers pouring everything from the most niche to the more mainstream. As the longest running beer festival in the area turns the magic age of — yes — 21, promoters promise that “[w]hether you’re a seasoned beer enthusiast or just looking to soak in the lively party atmosphere, the Monterey Beer Festival is the perfect place to be.” VIP tix go fast and allow for an hour of pre-entry without the eventual lines at festival favorites. Meanwhile the people-watching rivals the range of beer flavors.
October 12
“Classical boom” celebrates two decades at the appropriately iconic Sunset Center as violist Wil Baptiste and violinist Kev Marcus—aka Black Violin—merge classical training and hip-hop propulsion to sublime outcomes. They’ll tap into revelations from albums including Stereotypes, featuring Black Thought of The Roots and MC Pharoahe Monch, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Chart, and gifts that had NPR proclaiming, “their music will keep classical music alive for the next generation.” Baptiste puts a sharper point on it: “The stereotypes [of what a classical musician looks and sounds like] are always there, embedded so deep in our culture. Just by nature of our existence, we challenge those ideas.”
October 12-13, 19-20
Two weekends won’t be enough to see all the studios, but four days give those inclined to soak up art a decent chance to put a dent in the list of venues that runs 127 deep (!) as of press time. Bring on the paintings, prints, drawings, multimedia, photography, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, textiles, glass, paper work and plenty more mediums, with a number of venues hosting multiple artists. The map on the website will show you the way, but there’s no telling where these artists will transport you.
October 12-13
What do (deep breath) Blossoms Biodynamic Farm, Luz Del Valle Farm, Esperanza Community Farms, DeerBrook Farms, Live Earth Farm, Sea To Sky Farm, Thomas Farm, Prevedelli Farm, Whiskey Hill Farms, Mariquita Farm, Beeline Blooms, Dos Aguilas olive grove and Pajaro Pastures Ranch have in common? 1) They all implement sustainable agriculture practices; 2) They are family owned; 3) They throw open the barn doors for this decade long tradition focused on a vibrant working agricultural landscape; and 4) They make it fresh AF with activities like apple pressing, fig tasting and tomato picking.
October 15
It seems dimensionally impossible for this much Tinseltown soundtrack magic to squeeze into 87 minutes, but here we go. The most memorable pieces from Ben-Hur, Chinatown, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Lord of the Rings, Jurassic Park, James Bond, and Indiana Jones all figure in prominently, opening ears, widening eyes and blowing minds.
October 11-13
More than 40 — four zero — field trips fan out all over the Monterey area. Destinations include destinations like Rana Creek Ranch, Elkhorn Slough, Pinto Lake and Palo Corona. Activities include sketching classes, wood carving and even “Birds Bikes Burritos.” Dozens of experts descend on the area to lead the way. And attendees all understand being called a bird brain is a high compliment.
October 12
The Chainsmokers, Tiësto, Lauv, R3HAB, Lost Kings, Ayokay, and Sam Feldt lead the lineup at the debut Worlds Away, an experience that — per its website — “fuses timeless spirit with the futuristic pulse of tomorrow,” adding, “this experience is more than an event; it is a journey into the heart of creativity, innovation, and community.” Festival promotions also cite inspiration from the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, which redefined modern rock concerts, so the hefty aims of “creating a fusion of art and experiences of the future” feels appropriately ambitious.
October 26
El Negocio. El Ajetreo. Casa Mate. Cierto. Kokoro. Tres Tribus. Tesoro Azteca. Tequila Ocho. Don Pilar. Yéyo. Cazcanes. Sangré Alteña. Lost Lore. El Gran Legado. Mijenta. Tears of Llorona. All those tequila houses serve as brand partners for an all-out agave awakening at Hyatt Regency Hotel as Monterey Tequila Festival enters its 16th installment, five-hour tasting complete with around 20 vendors and local food purveyors, plus an 8-11pm afterparty chaser.
