The big weekend event: Over 120,000 motorcycle racing fans will come to Monterey County for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, which begins Friday. This race will be extra exciting, as Valentino Rossi (pictured during last year’s race at left) will compete, only a few weeks after he broke his leg. If you’re planning to experience it for yourself, read our Insider’s Guide to the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix for tips on the best viewing points, what to wear, what to bring, and more!

The Carmel Bach Festival continues in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Several concerts are sold out; see below for a detailed description of events on each day with tickets still available.

Friday

Start your weekend early as the Carmel Bach Festival presents an unusual modern ballad-opera at Wave Street Studios. “The Grumbling Hive,” performed by a vocal quartet and string ensemble, is based on a poem by 18th-century poet Bernard Mandeville, and was considered scandalous when it was released. 11pm-noon, Wave Street Studios, 774 Wave Street (down the stairs on the bike path), Monterey. $28; tickets can be purchased online at the Bach Festival website.

Enjoy an avian-themed chamber music concert, “For the Birds,” at Church of the Wayfarer in Carmel. Works include Mozart’s Quartet in B-flat Major (“The Hunt”), Boccherini’s Quintet in D Major (“The Aviary”) and Haydn’s Quartet in D Major (“The Lark”). 2:30-3:30pm, Church of the Wayfarer, Lincoln Street at 7th Street, Carmel-by-the-Sea. $28; tickets can be purchased at the Bach Festival website.

Jazz singer and keyboardist Scott Brown plays at Jazz on the Plaza at Carmel Plaza. Enjoy great wine alongside food from Bistro Beaujolais. 5pm-7pm, Carmel Plaza at Ocean Avenue and Mission Street, Carmel. $15.

The Pacific Grove Wine, Art and Music Walk offers just what the name says – wine, art and music in Pacific Grove. 6pm. Pick up a map of open venues at the Chamber of Commerce, 584 Central Avenue, Pacific Grove. Free.

Tonight’s Carmel Bach Festival main concert at the Sunset Center is “Music of Destiny,” featuring three works (Haydn’s Symphony No. 22, Brahms’ “Song of Destiny” and Beethoven’s famous 5th Symphony) that explore the themes of idealism and destiny. The concert is preceded by a talk that explains the origins of the three works and a free, brief Tower Music concert at the Sunset Center terrace. Pre-concert talk (free) is from 6:45-7:15pm; Tower Music (free) is from 7:20-7:45pm; main concert is at 8pm. All take place at Sunset Center, San Carlos at 9th Street, Carmel. Tickets for main concert are $48 and $68 and can be purchased at the Carmel Bach Festival website.

Cuba expert Ann Louise Bardach gives a talk and signs books (including her latest, “Without Fidel: A Death Foretold in Miami, Havana and Washington”) at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur. 7:30pm, Highway One in Big Sur. Free.

Intense LA rockers Parents have a minimalist rock sound that is variously tinged with country and metal, and even a little bit of the Monkees. Sacramento singer Reggie Ginn sounds like what Vast would sound like if Amy Lee was their lead singer. If Green Day and Fall Out Boy had a love child, it would be northern Californian pop-punks Grenade Jumper. They play tonight at Jose’s Lounge Underground alongside local psychedelic rockers The Trees. 9pm, 638 Wave Street, Monterey. $5.

Saturday

You may have to occasionally cover your childrens’ ears at this classical concert! The “Viennese Matinee Concertante” features Mozart’s “A Musical Joke” and a section of the Concerto for Horn as well as his frequently risque commentary. Also featured is Symphony Number 8 by Mozart’s close friend Haydn. 11am, Sunset Center Theater, San Carlos at 9th Street, Carmel. $28; tickets can be purchased at the Carmel Bach Festival website.

Enjoy a free concert from the best middle and high school musicians on the Central Coast at the Carmel Bach Festival’s “Young Musician’s Showcase.” 4pm, Sunset Center Theater, San Carlos at 9th Street, Carmel. Free.

Thousands of top motorcycles pack Cannery Row tonight for “Race Night on the Row.” Check out the scene and some spectacular motorcycles. 5pm-10pm, Cannery Row, Monterey. Free.

Jazz bassist Pete Lips performs at “Evenings by the Bay” at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. In addition to the live music, enjoy special programs, wine, and light food. 6-8pm, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey. Included in admission fee.

The main Carmel Bach Festival concert tonight at the Sunset Center is “The Spirit Triumphant,” featuring Bach’s Cantata BWV 130 and 19, Barber’s Adagio for Strings, Brams’ Alto Rhapsody and Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy in C Minor. The concert is preceded by a talk that explains the philosophy behind these spiritually uplifting works and a free, brief concert by the Festival Brass at the Sunset Center terrace. Pre-concert talk (free) is from 6:45-7:15pm; free brass concert is from 7:20-7:45pm; main concert is at 8pm. All take place at Sunset Center, San Carlos at 9th Street, Carmel. Tickets for main concert are $48 and $68 and can be purchased at the Carmel Bach Festival website.

Pink Floyd tribute band House of Floyd blew people away last year when they played at the Henry Miller Library. They return tonight with two sets, more lasers, DJs between the sets, and that gigantic inflatable pig. 8pm, Highway One in Big Sur. Tickets can be purchased online for $30 + fees.

It’s another headbanging evening at Jose’s Lounge Underground as local death metal act Praetorian holds their demo CD release party. San Francisco’s Ontogeny and Pacific Grove’s Gorphyryac (who knew that quiet little town could turn out a band so loud?) support. 8pm, 638 Wave St. Monterey, $5.

Songs Hotbox Harry Taught Us play old-school country at Fernwood tonight. 9pm, Highway One in Big Sur, no cover.

Sunday

Hold onto your hats and prepare for traffic on Highway One as one of California’s biggest antiques festivals, the Moss Landing Antique Fair, increases the population of the tiny town by a factor of at least 10. There’s over 200 antiques vendors, free antiques appraisals, food vendors, a pancake breakfast, and more. Pancake breakfast starts at 7am, antique fair starts at 8am. Throughout Moss Landing.

Bach’s complex and soaring St. Matthew Passion is widely considered one of the pinnacles of Western sacred music, and it will be performed at the Sunset Center as today’s main concert at the Carmel Bach Festival. Lecturer and Adams Vocal Master Class director David Gordon has focused on it for 40 years and will give the free pre-concert talk at 12:45pm. At 1:45pm, enjoy a free half-hour brass concert on the Sunset Center Terrace, and at 2:30pm, experience the wonder of St. Matthew Passion for yourself. Sunset Center, San Carlos at 9th Street, Carmel. Concert tickets are $48 and $68 and can be purchased at the Carmel Bach Festival website.

Straight-ahead jazz quintet Along Came Betty plays on the patio of the Big Sur River Inn. 1pm-5pm, Highway One in Big Sur. No cover.

Jazz saxophonist Gary Meek performs at “Evenings by the Bay” at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. In addition to the live music, enjoy special programs, wine, and light food. 6-8pm, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey. Included in admission fee.

Franz Schubert’s Quintet in C Major was his final composition before his death. It’s the only quintet he ever wrote, and it’s unusual because it features two cellos instead of two violas. Tonight at the Carmel Bach Festival, one of those cello parts will be performed by internationally renowned cellist Raphael Wallfisch; his wife, concertmaster Elizabeth Wallfisch, will take the violin part. Plus, the entire concert will be candle-lit. How cool is that? 9pm, Sunset Center Theater, San Carlos at 9th Street, Carmel. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased at the Carmel Bach Festival website.

There’s so much to do this weekend in Monterey County that it is impossible to do it all!

Humpback tail, Monterey Bay, California, by Michael Rymer

If you like watching animals of any type, Monterey County is the place to be this weekend. As we reported earlier this week, hundreds of whales are still crowding Monterey Bay. They’re so plentiful, in fact, that they’ve been spotted from Point Lobos, Carmel Beach, Point Pinos and Lover’s Point. Prefer feats of an equestrian nature? Head over to the California Rodeo Salinas, where riders will show off skills in cattle roping, bareback riding and more. If you prefer your four-legged animals in a more manageable size, you can watch dogs show off their gymnastic skills at Agility on the Greens at Quail Lodge. And if you’re looking for music to soothe the savage beast, the Carmel Bach Festival kicks off this Saturday.

Allergic to fur and frightened of sea life that’s bigger than you are? No worries – we’ve got plenty of things for you to do, too.

Friday

This week’s biggest event is the landmark 100th California Rodeo Salinas at the Salinas Sports Complex. Today, watch the Mini Parade on North Main Street at 3pm, see kids compete in the Stick Horse Race on the rodeo track at 4:30pm, and watch the Grand Entry at 6pm. Throughout the evening catch roughstock and timed events like bareback riding, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, and more. Daily tickets run $13-$20 ($7 for children under 12) and can be purchased at the official California Rodeo Salinas ticketing site.

Show off your sportbike and admire some of the best motorcycles in Monterey County at Sportbike Night in Oldtown Salinas. There’s vendors, a raffle benefiting local charities, and more. 6pm-8pm, 153 Main St., Salinas. Free parking for motorcycles.

Central Coast jazz favorite Roger Eddy plays at Jazz on the Plaza at Carmel Plaza. Enjoy great wine alongside food from Bistro Beaujolais. 5pm-7pm, Carmel Plaza at Ocean Avenue and Mission Street, Carmel. $15.

Local punky rockers Ever Resistant sound like a Spanish Ramones. Kavarzee play straight-ahead rock with a psychedelic tinge. Los Tiliches infuse their rock with a tinge of reggae. The three bands play Jose’s tonight. 9pm, 638 Wave St., Monterey. $5.

Saturday

Show off your dog’s abilities on track and field, or just watch some amazing canine feats of acrobatics, at Agility on the Greens at Quail Lodge, 8205 Valley Greens Drive, Carmel. Free to attend; parking is $5 per car.

If you’re a fan of lavender, don’t miss the Lavender Celebration Lunch at Bernardus Lodge. Walk through lavender fields, drink lavender iced tea and lavender lemonade, see how lavender oil is distilled, and enjoy a buffet lunch centered on the herb, alongside Bernardus wines. 11am-2pm, 415 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley. $85. Call 831-659-3131 to reserve.

The 100th California Rodeo Salinas continues at the Salinas Sports Complex. Today, watch the Horse Parade downtown on Main Street at 11:30am, watch the Special Buckaroos Rodeo at noon, and watch the Grand Entry and Rodeo starting at 1:15pm. At 7pm, return for the fantastic Centennial Rodeo Music Stampede featuring country legend Dwight Yoakam. Daily Rodeo tickets run $13-$20 ($7 for children under 12); tickets for the Centennial Rodeo Music Stampede are $22 for general admission and $47 for VIP admission. Both can be purchased at the official California Rodeo Salinas ticketing site.

Acclaimed jazz flutist Kenny Stahl performs at “Evenings by the Bay” at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. In addition to the live music, enjoy special programs, wine, and light food. 6-8pm, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey. Included in admission fee.

The Carmel Bach Festival begins tonight. While the main concert, “The Spirit Triumphant,” is sold out, there’s still free events tonight that are open to all. Put on your best evening wear and celebrate the beginning of the festival with an Opening Night Reception at the Sunset Center Terrace. You’ll enjoy performances by both the Youth Chorus and the Festival Brass. 7pm, Sunset Center Terrace, San Carlos St. and 9th Avenue, Carmel-by-the-Sea. Free.

Sarah McCoy and the Zippidy Yeahs bring their Janis-Joplin-meets-Grateful-Dead sound to Bullwacker’s. 8:30pm, 653 Cannery Row, Monterey. No cover.

Lava Moon have a Jack-Johnson-meets-Grateful-Dead-meets-ukelele sound. They play Fernwood in Big Sur tonight. 9pm, Highway One, Big Sur. No cover.

Imagine if Ozzy Osbourne decided to start a band influenced by the Dropkick Murphys, and you’ve got an idea of what Bog Iron sounds like. Catch them tonight at Jose’s. 9pm, 638 Wave Street. $5.

Hot Club de Watsonville play sprightly, melodic swing with a gypsy flair. They play London Bridge Pub tonight. 9:30pm, Wharf Number 2, Monterey. No cover.

Sunday

The canine athletic event Agility on the Greens continues at Quail Lodge in Carmel. 8205 Valley Greens Drive, Carmel. Free to attend; parking is $5 per car.

Enjoy a beautiful, sunny Big Sur Sunday on the porch of the Big Sur River Inn, listening to the jazz of Andrea’s Fault. 1pm-5pm, Big Sur River Inn, Highway One in Big Sur. No cover.

The 100th California Rodeo Salinas draws to a conclusion at the Salinas Sports Complex. Attend Cowboy Church Services at 10:30am, see the horse parade downtown at 11:30am, and watch the Grand Entry and Rodeo starting at 1:15pm. Daily tickets run $13-$20 ($7 for children under 12) and can be purchased at the official California Rodeo Salinas ticketing site.

Immerse yourself in two of Bach’s greatest works today, as well as a free concert, at the Carmel Bach Festival. The afternoon concert features St. Matthew Passion. It’s considered one of the masterpieces of classical composition. David Gordon will explain the background and meaning of the piece in a free talk; then experience the music for yourself in a concert at the Sunset Center Theater. Lecture is at 12:45pm; concert is at 2:30pm. Sunset Center, San Carlos St. and 9th Avenue, Carmel-by-the-Sea. Free. Concert tickets are $48 and $68 and can be purchased at the Carmel Bach Festival website.

For the classical music fan on a budget, there’s the free Tower Music concert by the Festival Brass at the Sunset Center Terrace at 1:45pm. Sunset Center Terrace, San Carlos St. and 9th Avenue, Carmel-by-the-Sea. Free.

If you missed him Friday at the Carmel Plaza’s Jazz on the Plaza, now’s your chance to see Roger Eddy perform live. He appears at the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Evenings by the Bay tonight. In addition to the live music, enjoy special programs, wine, and light food. 6-8pm, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey. Included in admission fee.

The Carmel Bach Festival presents J.S. Bach’s “Musical Offering.” The music was based around a theme created by Frederick the Great and involves a number of compositional “riddles.” It’s one of Bach’s most intriguing pieces. 9pm, All Saints Church, Dolores St. at 9th St., Carmel. $35; buy tickets at the official Bach Festival website.

Monterey Bay is one of the best places for whale watching in the world, but whale sightings in the past ten days have left even the most jaded whale watcher agog. As reported in the KSBW segment below, Nancy Black of Monterey Bay Whale Watch says that in her over 20 years of leading whale watches, she’s never seen anything quite like this.

On July 5, Black reported seeing 28 rare blue whales in Monterey Bay. As reported by Pete Thomas Outdoors, the whales haven’t yet shown any sign of departing. Whale watchers this weekend spotted anywhere from 14 to 28 blue whales, 22 to 58 humpback whales, 60 to 200 Risso’s dolphins, plus minke whales, Pacific white-sided dolphins, northern right-whale dolphins and harbor porpoises.

Why so many whales? They’ve come to Monterey Bay for the same reason so many visitors flock here year round: Monterey’s great seafood. While most visitors prefer calamari or sanddabs, the blue and humpback whale are feasting on an all-you-can-eat buffet of krill. And while humans use a knife and fork to scrape up the last delectable crumbs of their dinner, whales sometimes make use of whale-watching boats to corral and herd the krill into their mouths, leading to close encounters like the one below (shot by Princess Monterey Whale Watching on a whale watch Tuesday afternoon):

For an even fuller desktop whale-watching experience, see the video below, shot by Princess Monterey Whale Watching on June 7. The video can give only a hint of how incredible this whale watching experience is in real life.

If you want, you can recreate Star Trek IV by visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which appeared in the film, before seeing the whales on the open ocean. (Just don’t dive into the Kelp Forest exhibit like Spock did!)

Don’t miss out on this rare experience; come to Monterey and see this magnificent convergence of whales for yourself! Local whale watch operators such as Princess Monterey Whale Watching and Monterey Bay Whale Watch are adding extra trips to their schedules for as long as the whales linger in Monterey Bay, but no one knows how long the whales will stick around. Book your excursion as soon as possible! Then read our Insider’s Guide to Monterey Bay Whale Watching for everything you need to know before departing on your whale-watching adventure, from what to wear to what to bring and more!

Friday

Celebrate the Carmel Plaza’s 50th anniversary tonight with the kick-off of one of the summer’s best weekly events! The “Jazz at the Plaza” series starts tonight with music by the smooth-voiced Neal Banks, wine from Ventana Vineyards, and great food from Bistro Beaujolais. 5-7pm, Ocean Avenue and Mission Street, Carmel. $15.

Warm up for the California Rodeo Salinas with “Cowboys and Cabernet.” At 5pm, taste wine and enjoy barbecue; starting at 6pm, poet Baxter Black and guitarist Dave Stamey provide the backbone for an evening of great Western poetry. Sherwood Hall, 940 N. Main Street, Salinas. Wine tasting is $10 and includes a souvenir glass; $40 for poetry event.

Shoegazey LA band Satellite Crush have been compared to The Cure and the Dandy Warhols; we’d describe them as what Slowdive would have sounded like with vocals by the Charlatans. They play Jose’s tonight; local melodic electro-acoustic charmers The Dreamer and the Sleeper open. 9pm, 638 Wave Street, Monterey. $5.

Saturday

See one of the most important exhibits of photography to appear on the Central Coast in many years as “Ansel Adams: Portrait of America” opens at the Monterey Museum of Art. Landscape photographer Ansel Adams selected over 70 of his images to be made available to museums and art institutions, but died before he could finish printing the sets. This exhibit displays one of the only complete sets. The exhibition runs through October 3. 11am-5pm, 720 Via Mirada, Monterey. $5.

The California Rodeo Salinas Big Week kicks off with two great parades! The Kiddie Kapers Parade features local children dressed in Western-themed costumes pulling kid-sized floats. The legendary Colmo del Rodeo Parade, once the greatest night-lighted parade west of the Mississippi, returns in what is sure to be a fun event for the whole family. The Kiddie Kapers Parade is open to all children; the line-up starts at 5pm and the parade starts at 6:30pm at the Salinas Recreation Center, 230 Lincoln Avenue. The Colmo del Rodeo Parade starts at West Acacia and South Main Streets at 8pm and continues down Main Street in Oldtown Salinas to the Steinbeck Center. Both events are free.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Monterey Jazz Festival have partnered to create a stellar line-up for this year’s Evenings by the Bay events at the Aquarium. Tonight, catch jazz pianist Bill Spencer. Wine and beer is available for purchase from the bar in the Marine Mammal Hall, and appetizers are available at the espresso cart. 6pm-8pm, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey. Event included in admission fee.

Get “lei’d” at the Hawaiian-themed Monterey Pride party tonight at the Monterey County Fairgrounds. The event includes a performance by Indigo Girls-esque locals Trusting Lucy, dancers, and music from D.J. AD. 6pm-midnight, King City Room at Monterey County Fairgrounds, 2004 Fairgrounds Road, Monterey. $20.

This week’s winner of the BlogMonterey trophy for “most unusual event of the weekend” is the Monterey Concours de Fromage at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. The Concours de Fromage uses the latest in innovative technology to combine an artisan wine and cheese tasting with cutting edge electric cars and motorcycles. Attend and you’ll get a free pass to see the electric cars and motorcycles on the track the next day at the ReFuel event. Proceeds from the event benefit Heifer International. 6:30pm, paddock at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, 1021 Monterey-Salinas Highway, Salinas. $45/person.

Catch up on the biggest Internet viral videos of the past year at the Henry Miller Library’s “Viral Videos in the Redwoods.” Your hosts are Eddie Codel, who founded Geek Entertainment TV and runs production services for Ustream, and Jamie Wilkinson, formerly of Rocketboom and currently a member of the copyleft FAT Lab. If those bonafides don’t mean anything to you, then consider this event your Internet cultural literacy course. 8pm, Henry Miller Library, Highway One in Big Sur. Free.

Pack a picnic and dress in your best retro gear for a free showing of the Elvis classic “Viva Las Vegas” in Scholze Park. To get free tickets to the movie, just stop in any participating shop on Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey. Sunset, Scholze Park (corner of Lighthouse Avenue and Dickman Avenue), Monterey.

New York indie folksters Big Tree have a bit of showtune spice like Nellie McKay and the throaty vocals and ethereal elements of Hanne Hukkelberg. Portland’s Papagaiyo are a jam band that’s 50% Grateful Dead, 40% James Brown and 10% Bob Dylan, while raspy-voiced Oregonians Volifonix play hooky funk rock that, refreshingly, owes far less to the Red Hot Chili Peppers than The Mars Volta. The three blow the roof off of Jose’s tonight. 9pm, 638 Wave Street, Monterey. $5.

Sweet-voiced Oakland indie act The Hot Toddies sound like New Young Pony Club meets Uncle Bonsai. They play what is sure to be a much-talked-about show tonight at Fernwood in Big Sur. 9pm, Highway One, Big Sur. No cover.

Sunday

It’s time to break that Tesla out of the garage and drive it on the track at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca! Refuel is the first on-and-off-track showcase for electric cars and motorcycles. Owners of electric cars will have the chance to drive their cars on the track. Both mass-produced and home-brewed electric vehicles will be on exhibit, and many will race to see which is the fastest (we’re betting on Tesla). The electric vehicle showcase runs 10am-5pm; the track sessions start at 2:30pm. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, 1021 Monterey-Salinas Highway, Salinas. $10.

Local surf zydeco band The Cachagua Playboys play what is bound to be a fun set today on the deck at the Big Sur River Inn Restaurant. 1pm-5pm, Highway One in Big Sur. No cover.

Central Coast singer/songwriters Lauren Shera, Andrea Blunt, Christina Bailey and Sara Bollwinkel have joined forces as the band honeymoon. The four blend their voices and musical styles to create something truly unique. They’ll open for Mary Chapin Carpenter next month; today they play at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur, an ethereal setting befitting their music. 2pm, Henry Miller Library, Highway One, Big Sur. Tickets are $20 at the door or $15 plus fees in advance via Eventbrite.

Tonight, catch jazz saxophonist Garry Meek at the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s “Evenings by the Bay,” and enjoy a glass of wine and light food as you browse the galleries. 6pm-8pm, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey. Event included in admission fee.

The Pacific Grove Butterfly Parade is one of the many traditions that lead people to call Pacific Grove “America’s Last Hometown.” It’s so legendary in the area that there’s actually a statue dedicated to it:

Butterfly kids by tsallam

These two historic photos, from around 1947, show how far back the tradition goes.

Both photos from Briguy 75

Recently, historic footage of the Butterfly Parade has turned up on YouTube. Step in a time machine back to 1976, full of butterflies, majorettes, marching bands and the occasional UFO costume. (Longtime Pagrovians may even spot themselves in this film!)

This film, from 1977, shows a number of robot costumes, in keeping with the release of Star Wars that summer.

In this video from 2009, you’ll see that even though the big floats have gone away, the cute children, marching bands and small-town feel have stayed the same.

This year’s Butterfly Parade takes place on October 2. Don’t miss this slice of Americana walking down “Main Street, U.S.A.”!

We considered holding off on posting this until Tuesday, so we could have the park to ourselves this weekend!

Limekiln, by Matthew High

Big Sur’s Limekiln State Park, a favorite of local hikers and campers, reopens today. The park was closed for two years as it recovered from the Chalk fire of 2008.

Campsites at Limekiln State Park are first-come, first-served, and the reopening of Limekiln has been hotly anticipated. If you want a campsite this weekend, your best bet is to head down right this second to claim one of the 33 sites.

The trail to Limekiln Falls is still closed, but the Limekiln Creek and Hare Trails are both open. Both short trails lead to beautiful redwood groves. Limekiln State Park also has one of the only accessible beaches on the Big Sur coast. Don’t miss this beautiful Big Sur jewel!

A recipe for Fourth of July weekend fun: start with two cups of the largest Christian music festival on the West Coast, add a pile of vinyl records in a redwood forest, mix in a cup and a half of Fourth of July picnics, barbecues, parades and lawn parties, a tablespoon of 10K race, and add one First Fridays Art Walk and several dashes of great concerts.

This week, we’re starting our hot picks with Thursday night’s events, just for those lucky people whose three-day-weekend starts Friday.

Thursday

The West Coast’s biggest Christian music festival, Spirit West Coast begins today at Laguna Seca Recreation Area, with bands appearing on six stages. Today’s lineup includes Jeremy Camp, Family Force 5 and BarlowGirl. The music begins just after 10am and continues until midnight. Enter Laguna Seca Recreation Area at Canyon Del Rey Rd. and General Jim Moore Blvd. in Del Rey Oaks. Tickets for adults are $129 for the full event and $59 for the day; $65/39 for ages 6-12; children under 5 admitted free.

The Henry Miller Library’s Big Sur International Short Film Screening Series features five films tonight, including two (Iran’s “The Final Match” and New Zealand’s “Lily and Ra”) that are part of the series “Stories on Human Rights.” 8:30pm, Henry Miller Library, Highway One, Big Sur.

Friday

Spirit West Coast continues at Laguna Seca Recreation Area, with bands appearing on six stages. Today’s lineup includes Third Day, Jars of Clay, Hawk Nelson and Group 1 Crew. The music begins just after 10am and continues until midnight. Enter Laguna Seca Recreation Area at Canyon Del Rey Rd. and General Jim Moore Blvd. in Del Rey Oaks. Tickets for adults are $129 for the full event and $59 for the day; $65/39 for ages 6-12; children under 5 admitted free.

Enjoy a family-friendly Friday night celebration in Salinas with the First Fridays Art Walk. The event steps it up a notch this month with artist booths on the sidewalk on Main Street in addition to art, music, and more at over 50 venues. 5pm-8pm, 100-300 block of Main Street and surrounding areas, Salinas. Free.

Blues rocker A.C. Myles plays over 140 shows every year, and yet he manages to bring amazing amounts of energy to each one. Tonight, catch him at Bullwackers. 8:30pm, 653 Cannery Row, Monterey. No cover.

Rex Wheeler plays country-tinged acoustic with a homespun style at London Bridge Pub tonight. 9pm, Monterey’s Wharf No. 2, no cover.

Saturday

Spirit West Coast’s live shows at the Laguna Seca Recreation Area include performances from Newsboys, Kutless, Pillar and more. The music begins at 10:30am and continues until 10:30pm; there’s also worship services, water baptism classes, evangelism training and more. Enter Laguna Seca Recreation Area at Canyon Del Rey Rd. and General Jim Moore Blvd. in Del Rey Oaks. Tickets for adults are $59 for the day; $39 for ages 6-12; children under 5 admitted free.

Celebrate that retro-popular musical technology, vinyl, at the Henry Miller Library’s Vinyl in the Woods event. Vinyl vendors including the legendary Amoeba Records and locals Vinyl Revolution will sell records and DJs from throughout California will spin vinyl throughout the day. Salinas rockers The Mystery Lights and San Francisco’s electro-psychedelic Seventeen Evergreen play live. Cuban food and beer and wine will be sold on site. Once night falls, watch a surprise rock and roll movie in the redwood grove (we’re hoping for “Celebration at Big Sur”). Bring cash; there are no ATMs on site. 11am-11pm, Highway One in Big Sur. $3 donation.

The Monterey Plaza Hotel starts Fourth of July a day early. From noon to 5pm, browse the artist and vendor marketplace. The Money Band performs from 5-9pm. Barbecue is on sale throughout the afternoon. Free to attend.

On July 7, 1848, Commodore John Drake Sloat raised the U.S. flag above Monterey’s Custom House and declared California part of the United States. Representatives from the city, local history organizations and military organizations including the US Navy, US Marine Corps, Defense Language Institute and US Coast Guard join together to commemorate the event at the Sloat Landing Ceremony today at Monterey’s Custom House. 2pm, Custom House Plaza, Monterey. Free.

Find out why Cheeky Spanks was voted the Monterey County Weekly’s Best Local Band as they bring the party to Bullwackers tonight. 8:30pm, 653 Cannery Row, Monterey. No cover.

Local acoustic act Band of Ninjas play a diverse set of cover tunes tonight at London Bridge Pub. 9pm, Monterey’s Wharf No. 2, no cover.

Danjuma & Onoloa play high-energy, danceable Afrobeat tonight at Fernwood in Big Sur. 9pm, Highway One in Big Sur, no cover.

San Diego’s Maren Prousel plays breathy, swoony melodic pop that sounds like The Bird and the Bee might if they were produced by Paul Banks of Interpol. Prousel caught a lot of attention this year at SXSW, and was also nominated for Best New Artist at the San Diego Music Awards. Find out what all the fuss is about tonight at Jose’s Lounge Underground. Locals The Trees and Bernadette Conant open. 9pm, 638 Wave Street, Monterey. $5.

Fourth of July (Sunday)

There’s Fourth of July celebrations everywhere in Monterey County.

Celebrate the Fourth with a 10K race at the 38th annual Spreckels Fourth of July Celebration and 10K Run. The races include a men’s, women’s and Special Olympics 10K run and a youth 1-mile run. There’s also a craft fair, children’s parade and activities, antique cars and fire engines, live music, food and drink booths, and more. Spreckels Memorial Park, Hatton Ave. and 2nd St., Spreckels. 10Ks are $30 for men’s and women’s and $10 for Special Olympics; register online by Friday to participate.

The city of Monterey hosts its family-friendly Big Little Backyard Barbeque at Colton Hall. There will be live music, carnival games, jump houses, food booths and more. Just down the block at the Cooper-Molera Adobe is Living History Day, featuring historic demonstrations, rope making, leather crafts and a fandango. The Backyard Barbeque runs from 11am to 5pm at Colton Hall, 570 Pacific St., Monterey and is free to attend; Living History Day is from 10:30am-1pm at the Cooper-Molera Adobe at 525 Polk Street and is $2 for adults, $1 for ages 7-17 and free for children under 7.

Marina hosts its first 4th of July Street Fair in years on Reservation Avenue. The event includes live music, cultural performances, kids’ activities, the Everyone’s Harvest Organic Farmers Market, a chalk art contest, and a “Safe and Sane” non-aerial fireworks show at 9pm. 11am-10pm, Marina Village Shopping Center and Seacrest Shopping Center, Marina. $3.50 for a “4th of July Walk-In Passport” to all activities.

Seaside’s 4th of July Parade features the San Benito High School Band, Monterey Bay Pipe Band, a 45-foot whale balloon named Jacob, Color Guard units, classic cars and more. The parade route runs on Fremont from W. Broadway Blvd. to Harcourt Ave. Noon.

Pacific Grove’s Fourth of July BBQ includes a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence by three local actors as well as a great BBQ lunch. 11am-2pm, Caledonia Park (Caledonia Ave. and Central Ave. behind the post office), Pacific Grove. BBQ lunch is $10 for adults and $5 for children.

Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Independence Day Celebration at Devendorf Park has music by Cheeky Spanks, games, food and more. Noon to 4pm, free.

Greenfield has one of the only aerial fire displays in Monterey County. The fireworks will start around 9pm at Patriot Park, 13th Street and Oak Avenue, Greenfield.

CB Brand are one of the seminal musical acts that reinvigorated the “Cali-country” genre in the early years of this decade. They play tonight at Fernwood. 9pm, Highway One in Big Sur. No cover.

This weekend fans of blues music are headed to the Monterey County Fairgrounds for the 25th Annual Monterey Bay Blues Festival. Artists include Kenny Lattimore, Sista Monica with her Gospel Choir, Johnny Rawls, Big Daddy Cade, Artwork Jamal, Mike Hammar & the Nails, Con FunkShun, and more. There are shows Friday night, all day Saturday and all day Sunday. Grounds tickets are $85 for all three days, $25 for Friday, and $35 for Saturday or Sunday. Arena packages range from $130 to $200. Ticket holders can ride the bus free from Monterey Peninsula College to the fairgrounds and back. Buy tickets at the official ticketing website.

Friday

Still hungering for blues music after leaving the Blues Festival? Head over to Bullwacker’s for a set by John “Broadway” Tucker. 653 Cannery Row, Monterey. 8:30pm-11pm, no cover.

Local metal acts Razorhoof and Pride Subject turn their amps up to 11 tonight alongside Denver’s Kingdom of Magic and Fresno’s Spacehooker at Jose’s Lounge Underground tonight. 638 Wave Street, Monterey. 9pm, $5.

Saturday

In what may be the most unusual 5K of the year, Paraiso Vineyards hosts the Winery Walk. Each walker must raise $200 to participate. The fundraiser will support community charities, including scholarships. Participants will get an event T-shirt, a walker bag of sponsor materials, an after-walk party and more. Registration begins at 7:45am; the walk begins at 8:30am. 38060 Paraiso Springs Road, Soledad.

The Carmel Mission Basilica holds a Founder’s Day Celebration. Step back into the past with activities like spinning and weaving, wool dying, tortilla making, soap making, acorn grinding, and traditional dancing. Plus there’s a delectable olive oil tasting, live music, and more. Noon-5pm, 3080 Rio Road, Carmel. Free.

Bullwacker’s hosts the Groove Hounds, another great show for Blues Festival attendees who aren’t ready to go to bed just yet. 653 Cannery Row, Monterey. 8:30pm-midnight, no cover.

Author Eric Simons read Darwin’s “The Voyage of the Beagle” and, amazed at the scientist’s Indiana Jones-like adventures, decided to follow in his footsteps. Tonight, he gives a talk (with slideshow) at the Henry Miller Library. We’re sure Miller would approve. 8:30pm, Highway One in Big Sur. Free.

If the Shangri-Las had traveled forward in time at their peak to record an album with Bad Brains, it might’ve sounded like Oakland’s Shannon and the Clams. If Dick Dale had recorded a Cramps-inspired album in 1964, it would have sounded like Portland’s Guantanamo Baywatch. And if Paris Hilton had used every awesome producer in Los Angeles, she still never would have sounded like Santa Cruz psychedelic jam band Wubakia. All three bands play Jose’s tonight. 638 Wave St., Monterey. 9pm, $5.

Fernwood in Big Sur will be full of a booty-shakin’ crowd tonight as the extremely danceable Afro-beat Hands on Fire Band hits the stage. If you can sit still for this show, you’ve got far more power of inertia than we do. Highway One in Big Sur. 9pm, no cover.

Sarah Ruhl’s edgy comedy The Clean House continues at Pacific Repertory Theater’s Circle Theater. Casanova between 8th and 9th Avenue, Carmel-by-the-Sea. 7:30pm. Tickets are $15, $26 and $35.

Sunday

Catch a matinee of The Clean House at the Circle Theater. Casanova between 8th and 9th Avenue, Carmel-by-the-Sea. 2pm. Tickets are $12, $22 and $30.

The Listening Place Reader’s Theater performs Anton Chekhov’s “The Marriage Proposal” and Joaquin and Serafin Alvarez Quintero’s “Sunny Morning” at the Monterey Museum of Art La Mirada. 720 Via Mirada, Monterey. 1:30pm, included in admission fee.

As you may have heard, there’s a little golf tournament in town this weekend. Not heading out to watch Tiger? There’s plenty of other ways to stay busy this weekend.

Friday

If you ride a sport bike or just admire them, head to Oldtown Salinas tonight for Mazda Raceway Sportsbike Night. Sport bikes park (for free!) in the lot across from the Steinbeck Center. There’s a raffle, restaurant deals, vendor displays, ticket specials for the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix, and more. 6pm-8pm, 100 block of Main St., Salinas. Free.

CANCELLED: the guitarist is sick. Los Angeles roots rockers The Americans could be described as a more serious Reverend Horton Heat, a stripped-down Brian Setzer, or the lost sequel to the Johnny Cash/Elvis Presley/Carl Perkins/Jerry Lee Lewis album “Million Dollar Quartet.” In other words, they’re darn good. They play the Big Sur River Inn tonight. 7pm, Highway One, Big Sur.

Sarah Ruhl’s play “The Clean House” is a melancholy comedy about the messiness of love. The Pacific Repertory Theater tackles this play featuring a doctor, her husband, her husband’s lover, her sister, and the Brazilian cleaning woman who teaches them all how to live. 7:30pm, Circle Theater, Casanova between 8th and 9th, Carmel-by-the-Sea. Tickets are $15, $26 and $35 and can be purchased online.

Monterey Bay’s favorite reggae party band, Jonah and the Whalewatchers, play Bullwacker’s tonight. 8:30pm, 653 Cannery Row, no cover.

San Francisco’s Slow Trucks play fun, spirited indie rock, as if Archers of Loaf all wound up at a party together and thought playing a surprise reunion gig was a good idea. San Jose’s Ugly Winner’s emotional indie rock sounds like Modest Mouse ran a bulldozer through an Interpol recording session. The two bands back to back should make a lively show at Jose’s Lounge Underground tonight. They’re joined by Monterey’s low-fi The Rugers and Visalia’s energetic, experimental Rapids. 8pm, 638 Wave Street, no cover.

Saturday

Celebrate Father’s Day a day early with a Father’s Day Pancake Breakfast at the Del Monte Center. All proceeds benefit local Lions Clubs charities. 9am-1pm. Del Monte Center, Munras Avenue and Highway One, Monterey. $6 adults, $4 kids under 12.

The City of Pacific Grove hosts the first Pacific Grove Fine Arts and Crafts Festival today and tomorrow. The event features arts and crafts vendors, live music, and great food. 9am-5pm, Jewell Park (Central Avenue and 16th Street), Pacific Grove. Free to attend.

Sarah Ruhl’s melancholy comedy “The Clean House” continues at the Pacific Repertory Theater’s Circle Theater. 7:30pm, Casanova between 8th and 9th, Carmel-by-the-Sea. Tickets are $15, $26 and $35 and can be purchased online.

Monterey’s Trusting Lucy’s sound has been described as sounding like a more rocking Indigo Girls, and as like “a dream duo of Grace Slick and Melissa Etheridge.” They play Bullwackers tonight. 8:30pm, 653 Cannery Row, no cover.

And the winner of the Most Interesting Lineup of the Weekend award is…Jose’s, which hosts a CD release party for Salinas alt-rockers (emphasis on “rockers”) Tumbleweed. They’re joined by metal reggae (yes, we just wrote that) band Euphoria v.SC and groovy SoCal electroacoustic act qiensave? 9pm, 638 Wave Street, $5.

Groove to the sounds of Grateful Dead cover band China Cats at Fernwood Resort. 9pm, Highway One in Big Sur, no cover.

Sunday

The Pacific Grove Fine Arts Festival continues, featuring arts and crafts vendors, live music, and great food. 9am-5pm, Jewell Park (Central Avenue and 16th Street), Pacific Grove. Free to attend.

Take Dad out for a jazz brunch with Tim Jackson and Real Time at the Big Sur River Inn. 1pm-5pm, Highway One in Big Sur, no cover.

The Listening Place Reader’s Theater performs two romantic one-act plays, Anton Checkhov’s “The Marriage Proposal” and Joaquin and Serafin Alvarez Quintero’s “Sunny Morning,” at the Monterey Museum of Art La Mirada. 1:30pm, 720 Via Mirada, Monterey. $5 non-members (free for members).

See Sarah Ruhl’s melancholy comedy “The Clean House” in a matinee performance at the Pacific Repertory Theater’s Circle Theater. 2pm, Casanova between 8th and 9th, Carmel-by-the-Sea. Tickets are $12, $22 and $30 and can be purchased online.

Monday marks the beginning of golf’s greatest annual tournament, the U.S. Open, held this year at Pebble Beach. Whether you’re in town early for the big week or just looking for some fun, here’s some things to keep you busy until Tiger hits the links.

Friday

Monterey County’s oldest wine festival, the Monterey Wine Festival, holds a grand tasting of new releases from Monterey County, Oregon, Washington and Australia. Try hundreds of different wines, gourmet food, and more. 5pm-9pm. Monterey Conference Center, One Portola Plaza, Monterey. $99; tickets can be purchased at the official website.

The National Steinbeck Center reaches out to the Carrie Bradshaws and Lady Gagas of Monterey County with its first ever Fashion Night at the Museum. The event includes a fashion show, DJ booth, and cash bar. 6:30pm-11:30pm. One Main Street, Salinas. $10.

Santa Cruz electro-funk glam band Trip Delight Fantastic returns to Bullwackers for another night of Latin-influenced dancing. 8:30pm. 653 Cannery Row, Monterey. No cover.

Naomi and the Courteous Rude Boys back up Naomi’s seductive voice with a sound that’s a mix of ’70s funk, reggae, and the occasional Steely Dan-esque slinky horns and beats. They play Fernwood in Big Sur tonight. 9pm, Highway One, no cover.

It’s another thrash-tastic Friday at Jose’s, with Monterey’s Counter Clockwise and Santa Cruz’s Thirty9Fingers and Pariah Faction. 9pm, 638 Wave St. Monterey, $5.

Saturday

The showers we’ve had all spring have led to some amazing wildflowers throughout the county. Check out the stunning natural beauty at Garland Ranch Regional Park’s Annual Summer Wildflower Show. Today and tomorrow take in a summer wildflower display, the Spring Flowers Photo Exhibit, and enjoy a reception at noon. 10am-4pm, 700 West Carmel Valley Road. Free admission.

Carmel Valley shows off its vinicultural and artistic flair at the 6th Annual Carmel Valley Art & Wine Celebration. Check out arts and crafts from over 60 artisans, taste great food, enjoy live entertainment and taste the best in Carmel Valley wines. 11am-5pm, Carmel Valley Village, free to attend ($20 for 5 wine tasting tickets and commemorative wine glass). Note: The Carmel Valley Chamber of Commerce has just announced you can ride the Grapevine Express for free to the celebration.

The Monterey Wine Festival continues with the West Coast Chowder Cook-off and Wine Tasting. Noon-3pm. Monterey Conference Center, One Portola Plaza, Monterey. $45; tickets can be purchased at the official website.

What’s better than flying kites? Flying stunt kites. Learn to do all kinds of cool things with aerodynamically designed dual-line kites. 2pm-4pm. Marina State Beach, Reservation Road, Marina. $11 ($10 for district residents); reserve online under “Family Discoveries.”

Santa Cruz band Wooster combines echoes of a more mature Sublime with a little bit of Pink and a passion all their own. 9pm. Fernwood on Highway One in Big Sur. No cover.

Sunday

Garland Ranch Regional Park’s 11th Annual Summer Wildflower Show continues. Admire the summer wildflower display, the Spring Flowers Photo Exhibit, and learn something at the “Science of Wildflowers” lecture from 10am-noon and the watercolor art demo from noon-1pm. 10am-4pm, 700 West Carmel Valley Road. Free admission.

The Mission San Antonio, located deep in the southern part of Monterey County, is said by many to be the only mission that Father Junipero Serra would recognize if he were to arrive at it today. Today the Mission celebrates its heritage with it’s big yearly family event, the annual Fiesta. Celebrate a Fiesta Mass at 11am. Afterwards, enjoy bluegrass, mariachi and Christian rock bands while browsing works from local artisans and dining on chicken and tri-tip roasted over an oak-fired barbecue. There will be plenty of kids’ games as well. 11am Mass, Fiesta noon-4pm. Mission San Antonio de Padua, Mission Road, Jolon.

Nashville singer-songwriters Rebecca Sayre, Kristin Porter and Rachel Pearl have joined forces to tour the country together as SugarBeat. The tour hits the Henry Miller Library today. 3pm, Highway One in Big Sur, $15 (plus $1.36 fee). Tickets are available online.