Christian music rocks Monterey, July 1-3, when the annual Spirit West Coast Festival sets up camp at the Laguna Seca Recreation area. One step from heaven for Christian music fans, this Festival is full of family fun and camaraderie.

The Monterey Peninsula’s prickly, but delicious artichoke gets it day in the sun with a two day extravaganza in Castroville on May 15 and 16. The Fest includes a classic car show, wine tasting, artichokes served every way you can think of (and some you didn’t), the crowning of the 2010 Artichoke King and Queen and much more!

The 6th Annual Next Generation Festival takes place April 9 – 11 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 this fall’s 53rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival presented by Verizon.

Join us Wednesday evening for “Wearin’ o’ the Green” and other classic Irish songs with the award-winning Monterey Bay Pipe Band in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Pub Crawl on Cannery Row.

Ever wonder what Christmas was like in Old Monterey? Then Christmas in the Adobes is for you. And tickets go on sale October 15. For twonights only – December 10 & 12 – twenty of Monterey’s historic buildings will be lit by candlelight as part of the 24th annual Christmas in the Adobes celebration. This is the only time of the year that many of these nineteenth century buildings are open to the public and open in the evening.

The 6th Annual Cannery Row Block Party kicks off a season of summer fun Sunday, June 7, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Community members as well as visitors are invited to Cannery Row in Monterey, California, for a free day of fun and entertainment for all ages. Highlights include live music, a Family Fun Stage with live animals, a magician, and ice cream and rib eatin’ contests. The event will include a food drive for the Food Bank for Monterey County, so bring a canned good or donation to help support the cause!

Beginning at 11:00 AM, three bands perform live all day on the Steinbeck Stage in Steinbeck Plaza offering a lively mix of sound. The local’s favorite reggae and world music group, Jonah and the Whalewatchers, fuse Caribbean and African beats with American jazz, blues and soul. San Jose-based Zebop will follow, offering seven energetic and talented musicians performing the music of Santana with passion, dedication and originality. Finally the sultry voice of Lara Price and her blues band will complete the show.

A Family Fun Stage in the Plaza in front of Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. presents exciting and educational events for the whole family throughout the day, featuring Wild Things Animal Shows and Live Monkey Shows. Children especially can delight in primate tricks while also learning many interesting facts about the animals’ origins, what they like to eat, and how they live in the wild.

More family fun can be found on Cannery Row with Mr. Miraculous the magician and a Balloon Artist. The afternoon will be deliciously filled with a Ghirardelli Ice Cream Sundae Eating Contest at 2:00 PM and, for adults, the Willy’s Smokehouse Rib-Eatin’ Contest at 2:30 PM.

The 6th Annual Cannery Row Block Party is free to the public.

Join the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s celebration of the ocean, the amazing ecosystem that covers 70% of our planet. June 6-7 you’ll learn about the treasures of the ocean, the threats it faces and what we can do to keep it healthy.
World Ocean Day is an international observance that’s recognized by the United Nations and celebrated at aquariums, zoos, schools and conservation organizations across the globe.
Throughout the weekend you’ll enjoy music, crafts and great speakers as part of your regular Aquarium admission, including:
• Family musical performances
• Author Joel Harper will read from his book “All the Way to the Ocean,” followed by a book signing (Saturday only)
• Author Brad Herzog will read from his book “S is for Save the Planet,” followed by a book signing (Sunday only)
• Family craft room presented by the Monterey County Youth Museum (MY Museum) in the Discovery Lab from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Face painting for kids
• Information booths from ocean conservation organizations
• Bilingual (English and Spanish) programs including sea otter feeding and training session, kelp forest feeding and penguin training and feeding (Sunday only)
Visit the World Ocean Days event booth near the Aquarium’s main entrance for a full schedule of programs and presentations.

Tap dancing Christmas trees, festively lit boats, ice skating, open houses and more are just some of the festivities and fun on the Monterey Coast this holiday season! We hope you and your family will join us!

Saddle up and ride to Old Monterey, where the West really began, for the 10th Annual Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival, December 5-7! The poetry round-up includes nine great shows over three days, a first rate western art and gear sale, Cowboy Church - a Saturday night western dance featuring Stardust Cowboys- and a super silent auction. Plus, this year, a Salvation Army benefit showing of the documentary entitled Houlihan. Maybe you’ll spot Prairie Home Companion’s Dusty and Lefty!

Celebrate the splendor of harvest at Monterey Wine Country’s 12th Annual Great Wine Escape Weekend, Nov 7-9, 2008. There’s something for everyone at this event! The highlights of the weekend include wine and food integration seminars, open houses at the wineries, guided wine country tours, winemaker dinners and the Grand Finale Evening.

Speical rates are available at the Inns of Monterey especially for the Great Wine Escape. For more information and tickets, please visit www.montereywines.org.