News alert (!): It’s nearly 2024, already, and time has officially pledged to do anything and everything but stand still.
Which provides reasons to seize it.
Around the greater Monterey Peninsula area, timeless strategies to make the most of your days, hours and minutes await: abundant hiking terrain, from Big Sur to Fort Ord; farm-driven restaurants dotting area cities; world-class adventures like scuba diving and golf; whale watching, beach combing and boutique shopping, too.
Then there are the more time-sensitive forms of inspiration, including our top event recommendations for January, which range from the oldest organic farming convention in the U.S. to the freshest mushroom fest in the forest.
Feature Photo: Monterey SwingFest, by Ahmad Odeh
Petty Theft: San Francisco Tribute to Tom Petty
Date TBD
Since 2003, San Francisco based Petty Theft has been touring the Western United States performing Tom Petty’s songs true to the originals and in the spirit of the Heartbreaker’s live shows. Their takes on hits like “American Girl,” “Listen to Her Heart” and “Refugee” help earn them awards across California, but it’s the in-the-moment response from audiences that verify their skill most brilliantly.
More info: goldenstatetheatre.com
Quintuple Debut at Pacific Grove Art Center
Date TBD
Art improves life. PGAC, located in the heart of Pagrovia, gets that, and spreads that with five new exhibits opening Jan. 5 with a 7-9pm reception and hanging around through Feb. 22. The dynamic art spaces-within-a-space host David Hohmann’s Back at it! (namely watercolor, acrylic and pen & ink); Amy Small’s Soul Direction (acrylic layered with oil pastels and charcoal); Helen MacKinlay’s Cosmogonies: Creation Myths (inspired by ancient peoples’ creation myths); Lee Cox’s Time Capsules (memory-driven paintings); and Nantai Mendoza and Montana Cota’s Urban Fantasies (bold and colorful illustrations and finely-textured color photographs).
More info: pgartcenter.org
Monterey SwingFest
Dates TBD
Yes, there will be top-level instruction, competition and music. But there’s also a wine tasting tour, pre-event bootcamp, puppy play dates and a slate of specialty classes. On top of that, Saturday’s special Legends Show is back, with a major twist promised.
More info: montereyswing.com
Santa Cruz Warriors vs. South Bay Lakers
Date TBD
The Wave City Warriors, Golden State’s G League development team, roared into the season, scoring the first 14 points opening night and winning six straight. Ticket prices are reasonable, there’s not a bad seat in the house, the crowd-centric activities are lit and everyone gets free ice cream if the Dubs, who remain in first place as this publishes, score 100.
More info: santacruz.gleague.nba.com
EcoFarm at Asilomar Conference Grounds
Date TBD
More than 60 skill-building workshops, pre-conference events, farm tours and keynotes (from the likes of 2024 headliner David Mas Masumoto) ground the oldest organic farming gathering in the country, and perhaps on the planet. But on top of that come seed swaps, wine and beer tastings, meals cheffed specifically for event goers and the expansive (can’t miss) EcoFarm Expo.
More info: eco-farm.org
Lewis Black: Goodbye Yeller Brick Road, The Final Tour
Date TBD
The one and only Lewis Niles Black (born August 30, 1948) is an American stand-up comedian, author, playwright, social critic and actor. He is best known for his feisty takes and rapid-fire comedic style, in which he flirts with mental breakdown in the most habit-forming way. Bring on all the rants — about history, politics, religion, or — literally — anything. Dude’s been doing The Daily Show since Craig Kilborn, and fingers crossed he’s not stopping soon, but this is titled as his final go round, so get after it.
More info: goldenstatetheatre.com
Maxwell String Quartet at Sunset
Date TBD
The New York Times writes about their “striking arrangements of folk music” and “their charisma and sense of adventure.” The Strad Magazine promises “superb storytelling by four great communicators.” The Scottish Herald describes something “brilliantly fresh, unexpected and exhilarating.” MSQ, meanwhile, describes what they do as simply “Scottish work songs.” Whatever the description, the experience will meet the moment, and likely transcend it.
More info: chambermusicmontereybay.org
Big Sur Foragers Festival
Dates TBD
Four “Wild Foraging Walk and Talk” hikes span two days in the redwoods and all sorts of revelations. Then arrives the much-anticipated Fungus Faceoff, with a stacked lineup of chefs prepping mushroom recipes as inventive as they are mouthwatering. Participating flavor makers include The Pocket, Ventana, Big Sur Bakery, Wild Plum, Fernwood, Coast Big Sur, Sierra Mar, River Inn, Solstice Big Sur, The Big Sur Lodge and Kin and Kitchen. Wineries like Morgan, Talbott, CRU, Bernardus, Cordant, Flywheel, Scheid and Wrath pour.
More info: bigsurforagersfestival.org
She Adventures Film Tour in Santa Cruz
Date TBD
The curated selection of short films entertain, enthrall and enlighten. Two and a half hours of action feature everything from blind speed skiing to running the 620 mile Bibbulmun track in record time to cycling from Switzerland to… New Zealand, which sounds difficult, and worth seeing on the big screen.
More info: riotheatre.com
Kevin Nealon at Sunset
Date TBD
The short version: The dude is funny. And you don’t need to note the Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations to know it. A glimpse of his near decade’s worth of work at Saturday Night Live would suffice. Better yet, peek at his self-produced, edited and hosted web series “Hiking with Kevin,” wherein he interviews friends like Jimmy Kimmel, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Cheryl Hines and Adam Sandler on hikes throughout the country.
More info: sunsetcenter.org/event/kevin-nealon
Event Venues
Looking to see what’s happening right now on the Monterey Peninsula? Our comprehensive list of venues across the city below will help you find what you need to know what’s going on.
Looking for more things to do in the area?
Visit our What to Do in Northern California page!
