Join the 73rd celebration of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, his contemporaries and musical heirs on the beautiful Monterey Peninsula, July 17-31.

Beloved musicians and comedians can make you forget your blues. And they’re coming to the Monterey Peninsula in February – you don’t want to miss legendary rocker Dave Mason and funny man Craig Ferguson at Carmel’s Sunset Center….they’ll help you start Feelin’ Alright!

Monterey Symphony is bringing Gioachino Rossini, Samuel Barber, and Beethoven to the central coast in January. Special guest performances by world renowned and award winning violinist Judith Ingolfsson will enliven the already exciting show.

A visit to Earthbound Farms is a great day trip for families.  Earthbound Farm began in 1984 on a 2.5 acre raspberry farm in Carmel Valley. Today it’s a 30-acre research and development farm dedicated to all things organic and sustainable.
 You’re invited to help celebrate their 25th anniversary all summer long with the fruit that began it all – raspberries. Or on the first Saturday of each summer month you can take a bug walk and release ladybugs into the fields. Of course, fresh farm-ground produce and fruit is for sale.
For more information about summer activities, please visit www.ebfarm.com

It’s the seahorse!  In its new, jaw-dropping, interactive exhibit, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has 15 species of seahorses and their kin—one of the nation’s largest collections of these charismatic animals.
Meander through four multimedia galleries and discover how these shy and secretive animals grow up, attract mates and give birth—this is the only family in the animal kingdom in which the males get pregnant! You’ll also learn how you can help save seahorses and the vulnerable marine habitats they call home.
Our favorite is the stunning Leafy Sea Dragon. Seahorses, sea dragons, pipehorses and pipefishes come in many shapes and sizes, but beneath the surface they’re all fish, with fused jaws and bony plates in place of the scales normally associated with fish.
Perhaps what most distinguishes seahorses from the rest of the animal kingdom is their unique life history—the males become pregnant and give birth. Seahorse fathers shelter their young in protective pouches, while sea dragon and pipefish fathers carry their young on spongy patches on the undersides of their tails.
No one knows how many seahorses actually exist. That’s because identifying seahorses is difficult. The smallest known species, discovered in 2008, is the half-inch-long Satomi’s pygmy seahorse; the largest species is the potbelly seahorse, which grows to about 14 inches long.

No, it’s not the latest reality show, but ‘Cooking for Solutions’ – a celebration of great food, chefs and wines to celebrate the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s 25th year! Join Alton Brown, Thomas Keller and renowned chefs from across the country, May 15-16, as they share their passion for fine food and earth-friendly living during this two-day celebration. You’ll discover how to make healthy choices that are tasty and protect the soil, water and ocean wildlife.

The Big Sur International Marathon on April 26 is a spectacular road race set along one of the most breath-taking courses in the world. But this isn’t just one giant run – it’s several, from the traditional marathon to milers and relays.

Well, neither have we, but here’s the only place you will…The 19th Annual Sea Otter Classic will be held April 16-19 at the Laguna Seca Recreation Area, Monterey, Calif. The four-day “Celebration of Sport” is considered the world’s largest cycling festival, hosting nearly 10,000 professional and amateur athletes and 50,000 fans.
Cycling superstars such as Kelly Benjamin, Manuel Prado, Melissa Buhl and more will compete. Who will be the first to bonk? More information about BMX shows, music and the beer and BBQ garden, can be found at www.seaotterclassic.com or by calling 800-218-8411.

The Monterey Jazz Festival, a nonprofit leader in jazz education since its inception in 1958 and JazzTimes Readers’ Poll multi-year winner for world’s Best Jazz Festival, is proud to announce the 5th Annual Next Generation Festival, April 3 - 5, 2009 in downtown Monterey. The weekend event, devoted to the future of jazz, includes the Next Generation Festival Jazz Competition with Big Bands, Combos, Vocal Ensembles, and individual musicians vying for a spot on the stages of the 52nd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival presented by Verizon.

A three-year grant from the Surdna Foundation supports the Next Generation Festival and the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra’s international tours. The Surdna Foundation’s Arts Program is national in scope and supports the artistic advancement of teens, ages 12 - 18.

All Next Generation Festival competition events - from the Kick-Off Concert on Friday, April 3 to the exuberant and electric big band, vocal ensemble and combo competition on Saturday, April 4 and the College Big Band Vocal Jazz Ensemble finals on Sunday, April 5 - will be open to the public, free of charge. The Festival will also conduct clinics, workshops, jam sessions, and auditions in the heart of the historic Monterey, with music to be performed at the Monterey Conference Center, Cannery Row, and at Monterey Live.
For a complete schedule of activities and competition times, visit www.montereyjazzfestival.org.

Monterey’s Cathedral of San Carlos Borromeo, also known as the Royal Presidio Chapel, reopened recently after an extensive two year restoration. Work included seismic retrofitting, renovations to alleviate the moisture problems that plagued the chapel for more than 200 years, rebuilding of 80 percent of the rear walls, and the removal of layers of paint and plaster to reveal original decorative painting. Blocks of those paintings have been preserved for viewing.