Posts from — July 2009

It’s a weekend of festivals in Monterey County! Not only does the Carmel Bach Festival conclude with some great concerts, but the Spirit West Coast Christian Music Festival takes over Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. In addition, the Turkish Arts and Culture Festival will take place on Custom House Plaza, the Scottish Games and Celtic Festival returns to Toro Park, and Carmel Valley residents celebrate the Carmel Valley Fiesta in the Park.

Friday

Spirit West Coast’s lineup features Richard Andrew, BarlowGirl, HawkNelson, MercyMe, Esterlyn, Stellar Kart, Disciple and Family Force 5, among many others. Day passes are $59 for adults, $39 for children ages 6-12, and free for those under 12.

It’s the Carmel Bach Festival’s final weekend! While most events are sold out, you can still get tickets to a couple of concerts. Hear two of Haydn’s latest compositions and one of Beethoven’s earliest at “Passing the Mantle,” which features Haydn’s Quartet No. 67 and Notturno String Quintet, as well as Beethoven’s Quartet No. 2. Church of the Wayfarer, Carmel-by-the-Sea. 2:30pm, $25.

The Henry Miller Library has an afternoon of music to mope by lined up. LA’s sixties-shoe-gazey Dead Meadow plays with San Francisco’s SLEEPY SUN and psychedelic Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound, the slightly livelier MOONRATS, indie-ambient WARPAINT, and the always-intriguing spaghetti-western influenced Spindrift. The lineup starts at 3pm. $25.

All Saints Church in Carmel hosts a free concert, the Youth Chorus Master Class Showcase, as part of the Carmel Bach Festival. 5pm.

The Roger Eddy Band plays tonight at Jazz at the Plaza at Carmel Plaza, alongside wines from Ventana Vineyards and food from Bistro Beaujolais. 5pm, $15.

Tickets for Haydn’s The Creation at the Sunset Center are $47 and $65, and the concert begins at 8pm. If you’re feeling poor, you can still see the free pre-concert talk and a live brass performance at the Sunset Center. The talk starts at 6:45pm; the brass performance is at 7:15pm.

Wear your leather jacket and prepare to thrash your head at Jose’s on Wave Street tonight as Pride Subject play with Counter Clockwise and Adam Loomis. 9pm, $5.

Saturday

Carmel Valley’s Fiesta in the Park kicks off with an 8am pancake breakfast at the Carmel Valley Community Center and (for the more energetic) the Fiesta Mountain Trail Run at Dampierre Ball Park. Watch the parade through Carmel Valley Village at 10am, or head straight over to the park to get a leg up on the games, raffle, arts and crafts, food and train ride. Check out the car show from 11am-3pm. Free.

Get up bright and early for the Scottish Games and Celtic Festival, which starts right at 9am at Toro Park with piping, drumming, Highland Dancing and athletic competitions, as well as historic reenactments. The live bands start at 10am, and the big barbecue starts at 6pm. Tickets are $20/adults, $18 for 65+ and 13-16, and military, $10 for children 7-12, and free for children 6 and under. The barbecue is $12.

Spirit West Coast’s lineup features Worth Dying For, Rashelle Garrett, Needtobreathe, Brandon Heath, Falling Up, The Wedding, Ruth, Leeland, Thousand Foot Krutch, This Beautiful Republic, and Tobymac, among many others. Day passes are $59 for adults, $39 for children ages 6-12, and free for those under 12.

Forget kayaking – these days all the cool kids are doing stand-up paddle boarding. It’s kind of like standing on a surfboard with a paddle, and allegedly it gives awesome views of the ocean. Find out for yourself Saturday with the Monterey Peninsula Regional Parks District’s paddle boarding classes, hosted by Monterey Bay Kayaks. Register online; it’s listed under Teen and Adult Explorations. 10am to noon or 1pm to 3pm. $22/person includes lesson and all gear.

The final day of the Carmel Bach Festival begins with the Viennese Matinee Concertante, a morning of light Viennese classical (sadly, not accompanied by light Viennese pastries). Sunset Center. 11am, $27.

Check out folk dancing, belly dancing, and other live music and entertainment while eating some fantastic Turkish food at the Turkish Arts and Culture Fesival at Custom House Plaza. Kids’ activities include painting, storytelling and puppet-making. Free. 11am-6pm.

See the best up-and-coming classical vocalists at Vocal Fireworks at the Sunset Center. 1:30pm, $22.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s extended weekend summer hours continue tonight from 6pm to 8pm. Wander the galleries with a glass of wine in hand while listening to live jazz, or make a dinner reservation at the Portola Restaurant. Included in admission fee.

The Best of the Fest Concert at the Sunset Center wraps up the Carmel Bach Festival, featuring all the performers from throughout the festival performing a smorgasbord of classical music. 8pm, $102 and $127.

The unprintable-in-a-family-blog F*** I’m a Ghost open for extremely experimental, free-form jazz act The Eastern Seaboard at Jose’s in what is sure to be an interesting show. 9pm, $3.

Monterey locals Darktown Rounders‘ alt-country music is similarly family-unfriendly, but they’re one ton of naughty fun. Catch them tonight in Big Sur at Fernwood Resort. 9pm.

Sunday

Carmel Valley’s Fiesta in the Park throws another pancake breakfast at 8am, followed by a dog show at noon, a wild animal show from 1pm to 3pm, plus all the usual arts and crafts, games, food and music throughout the day. Free.

The fun continues at the Scottish Games and Celtic Festival at Toro Park. 9am to 5pm. Tickets are $20/adults, $18 for 65+ and 13-16, and military, $10 for children 7-12, and free for children 6 and under.

Get your baklava and bellydancing on with the final day of the Turkish Arts and Culture Festival at Custom House Plaza. Free, 11am-6pm.

Seaside‘s Blues in the Park brings in the big guns with Louisiana’s Kenny Neal. 1pm, free.

Stay late at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where extended weekend summer hours continue tonight from 6pm to 8pm. Wander the galleries with a glass of wine in hand while listening to live jazz. Included in admission fee.

You say after all this you’re still lookin’ for a good time? Head on over to the Monterey County Weekly’s online calendar for an even bigger list of things to do.

Free for you to download, here’s our new Big Sur wallpaper!

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Mark Jardine edited this beautiful video of the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Monterey Bay Aquarium from Mark Jardine on Vimeo.

See it in person! The Monterey Bay Aquarium will be open until 8pm on Saturdays and Sundays for the rest of the summer. Wander the exhibit halls with a glass of wine or a beer, enjoy light appetizers and listen to live music. On Saturdays, you can even dine at the Portola Restaurant.

According to the blog CarThrottle, Infiniti will do a virtual preview of the M sedan at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. In this virtual preview, video of the car will be projected onto a full-sized clay model, making it look like the real thing.

The plug-in hybrid Fisker Karma, meanwhile, will take to the track at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca during the Monterey Historic Automobile Races.

Whet your appetite for the big Concours d’Elegance reveal of the new Grand Bentley with this video:

Meanwhile, TheCarConnection has a roundup of all the latest gossip.

Saturday night’s fireworks over Monterey Bay are only one of the many big things going on this weekend. If you’re a live music fan, you’ve got some decision-making to do, as there’s great live performances going on all over the county this weekend.

Friday

It’s the beginning of a big weekend for classical music fans, as the Carmel Bach Festival rolls into its second week.

From 11-noon, listen to a performance of the work of 17th-century Baroque composer Henry Purcell at Wave Street Studios in Monterey. $25.

Hear two landmark string quartet pieces by Haydn and Beethoven, as well as a string quintet piece by Haydn, at “Passing the Mantle” at Church of the Wayfarer in Carmel. 2:30-3:30pm, $25.

In Pacific Grove, the annual Feast of Lanterns kicks off with the Pet Parade down Lighthouse Avenue at 2:30pm. Stick around for the street dance at 6pm. Free.

Tonight, Carmel Plaza‘s Jazz at the Plaza series features music from David Morwood (who is both an accomplished jazz drummer AND an accomplished surgeon) and wine from da Giovanni Winery, plus food from Bistro Beaujolais. 5pm-7pm, $15.

Friday night’s main Carmel Bach Festival concert is Haydn’s The Creation at the Sunset Center. The concert is from 8-10pm, and is preceded by a free lecture on The Creation from 6:45-7:15, as well as a brass performance in the courtyard from 7:20 to 7:45pm. Concert tickets are $47 and $65.

Former Pavement member Stephen Malkmus brings his new act The Jicks to Big Sur‘s Henry Miller Library tonight, and (astoundingly) tickets are, at last report, still available. The Entrance Band opens. 7pm, $22.50.

Three country-flavored Bay Area indie artists hit Jose‘s on Wave Street in Monterey tonight: The Aerosols, Gravid Wives and Antonette G. 9pm. $5.

On the other side of Monterey, The Hippodrome continues bringing in great hip-hop acts, with a live performance from Grammy winners Bone Thugs ‘n Harmony. 9pm. $20/advance, $25/door.

Saturday

The Feast of Lanterns takes over Lovers Point Park in Pacific Grove. Children’s activities begin at 11am and the food booths open at noon. Live entertainment also begins at noon, and culminates in a live performance of the Legend of the Blue Willow at 7pm, followed by fireworks after nightfall.

Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley once again hosts their Lavender Harvest Demonstration and Lunch. Sip lavender-infused iced tea, lemonade and (non-infused) wine while touring the vineyard, then smell oils of lavender from all over the world while learning about the lavender distillation and fragrance-making process. Chef Cal Stamenov prepares a great meal (and gives guests the inside scoop on its preparation); the pastry chef does the same with dessert. 11am, $85/person.

The Carmel Bach Festival continues with concerts and films. Spend your morning listening to light Viennese classical music from Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven at the Sunset Center. 11am-noon, $27.

Carmel’s once-a-year House and Garden Tour gives you a rare chance to see places like the Frank Lloyd Wright House, Harmony House and The Door House in person. There’s also a reception at the First Murphy house. Self-guided tours run from 1-5pm; the reception is from 2:30pm to 5:30pm. $25 in advance, $30 day-of.

The documentary The Singing Revolution tells the moving story of how the people of Estonia used song as a means to nonviolently protest the Russian rule of their country and eventually win freedom. Sunset Center, 1:30-3:30pm, $10. Watch the trailer below, but make sure you have a tissue handy.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium‘s extended weekend summer hours continue tonight from 6pm to 8pm. Wander the galleries with a glass of wine in hand while listening to live jazz, or make a dinner reservation at the Portola Restaurant. Included in admission fee.

Tonight’s main concert at the Carmel Bach Festival is “Orchestral Heroics,” an evening of all-Beethoven featuring Symphony Number 3 in E-flat Major and Piano Concerto Number 4 in G Major, from 8-10pm. Learn more about Beethoven’s works with a free lecture from 6:45 to 7:15pm, and enjoy a free brass performance in the courtyard from 7:20 to 7:45pm. Main concert tickets are $47 and $65.

In a perfect combination of band and venue, House of Floyd performs “The Wall” in its entirety at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur, bringing lasers and video to the redwood grove to enhance your full sensory experience of the music. Gates open at 7pm; the performance starts at 8pm. $27.50.

Get a good look at the universe that surrounds us at the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District‘s “Exploring the Summer Sky” evening at Garland Ranch Regional Park. Look through high-powered telescopes while Dr. Jim Eagle points out the stars and constellations; you’ll be amazed at what you can see. Held at the Visitors Center. 8:30pm to 10:30pm, $11 per person or $33 for a group of four; register online.

Santa Cruz funky-soul outfit Naomi and the Courteous Rudeboys are sure to make the crowd dance at Fernwood Resort in Big Sur Saturday night. 9pm, free.

Sunday

For one day, Moss Landing‘s population will swell to rival Monterey’s as the Moss Landing Antique Street Fair takes over the sleepy burg. Literally hundreds of antique booths will line the streets. The pancake breakfast starts at 7:30, and the gates open at 8am. Make sure to wear sunblock! $5.

The Buddhist Temple of Salinas hosts the Obon Festival, which is in many ways the Buddhist equivalent of the Day of the Dead. The event includes many aspects of Japanese culture, including live taiko drumming, obon dancing, martial arts demos, a tea ceremony, karaoke, and lots of Japanese food. Noon-8:30pm, free.

Sunday afternoon’s main concert at the Bach Festival, “Sacred and Secular Revelations,” features performances of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Mendelssohn’s Psalm 42, Op. 2, and Brahms’ Nänie. The free pre-concert talk, from 12:45pm to 1:15pm, focuses on Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and is followed by a free brass performance in the courtyard. All performances are at the Sunset Center. The main concert starts at 2:30pm; tickets are $47 and $65.

Jazz flautist Kenny Stahl is this weeks’ artist at the Big Sur River Inn‘s Sunday Music Series. Grab some brunch, or just sit on the lawn and enjoy the music. 1pm, free.

The Feast of Lanterns ends with closing ceremonies at Jewell Park. There will be refreshments and live entertainment. 1pm, free.

Seaside’s weekly Sunday Blues event continues, with blues and art in Laguna Grande Park. Bring a picnic! This week, Berkeley funky zydeco act Tom Rigney and Flambeau perform. 1pm, free.

Stay late at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where extended weekend summer hours continue tonight from 6pm to 8pm. Wander the galleries with a glass of wine in hand while listening to live jazz. Included in admission fee.

A special late-night performance from the Carmel Bach Festival highlights one of the woodwinds’ most complex instruments, the oboe. Pieces performed will be Bach’s For Oboe and Strings and Marcello’s Concerto for Oboe in C Minor. 9pm -10pm, $30, All Saints Church.

If you’re looking for even more to keep you busy, then you must have more stamina than we do! Take a look at the Monterey County Weekly’s online calendar for more ideas.

Photo by Infidelic

This Sunday, July 26, in what is an annual tradition, the streets of sleepy Moss Landing will turn into California’s biggest open-air antiques market. Hundreds of antique vendors set up their booths on the side of the road. Thousands of visitors browse the stalls, increasing Moss Landing’s population to ten times its normal size.

The finds at the Moss Landing Antique Street Fair can be amazing. Steve Wayne Yvaska of the Mercury News reports that one friend of his almost always finds a great Civil War artifact at the Fair.

Antique fans know to get an early start on a day of antiquing, and the Moss Landing Antique Street Fair plays to this with a big, public pancake breakfast at 7:30am, before the gates open at 8. More food is available at booths throughout the fair, including all the traditional (but not antique!) Moss Landing favorites such as calamari, fresh fish, deep-fried artichokes, and burritos. (If you’re surprised that burritos are a Moss Landing favorite, you obviously haven’t been to The Whole Enchilada!)

Sunday, July 26, 8am-5pm, $5

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be one of the racers on the track at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca? Several racers have put their on-board videos up on YouTube. Check these out:

This one seems to be a little faster:

If you prefer to have your vicarious experiences in cars instead of on motorcycles, take a look at this video:

But why watch the video when you can experience it yourself? On July 22, August 19, September 16 and October 14, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca hosts Twilight Bike Rides. Riding the Laguna Seca racetrack on a bicycle may not be as fast as on a motorcycle or in a race car, but the legendary Corkscrew will be just as thrilling! The ride runs from 5:30pm to 7:30pm; a portion of the $10 per-rider fee is donated to charity.

Two great events take over Monterey County this week. In Salinas, the California Rodeo Salinas draws cowboys from around the world to compete in events throughout the weekend. In Carmel, meanwhile, classical music reigns at the Carmel Bach Festival.

Not a fan of either classical or cattle-roping? There’s plenty more activities lined up throughout the weekend.

Friday

Gates for the California Rodeo Salinas open at 3pm today. Kids can compete in the Stick Horse Race on the track at 5pm. The Grand Entry and Rodeo begin at 6pm. Tickets are $13-$20 at the door. Here’s some footage of one of the professional ropers who will be appearing:

The Carmel Plaza‘s great Jazz at the Plaza event continues with wine from J. Lohr Vineyards, food from Bistro Beaujolais and music from local “cowboy jazz” act Bruce Forman & Cowbop. Last week they had a packed house, so make sure to get there early for a seat with a great view of the stage.

Looking for something free to do? Head to downtown Pacific Grove for the Wine, Art and Music Walk. Businesses and galleries host – as the title implies – art and live music while doling out wine (and appetizers, but “Wine, Appetizers Art and Music Walk” just got too long). Free. 6pm-9pm, downtown Pacific Grove.

The Carmel Bach Festival kicks off with a performance of Haydn’s “The Creation” at the Sunset Center. Tickets are $62 and $80 and include the opening night reception. The reception starts at 6:45; the performance is at 8pm. For a taste of The Creation, watch the following video:

Hyatt Regency Hotel‘s Fireside Lounge in Monterey hosts noted jazz chanteuse Julie Kelly. Free, 7pm.

San Diego’s indie, downtempo-y Ded Pigeonsand LA’s Cream/Led Zep-esque retro-rockin’ Dead Meters play Jose’s Underground on Wave Street tonight. 9pm, $5.

Saturday

Gates for the California Rodeo Salinas open at 10am. You’ll have to ask yourself – do you want to score the best grandstand seat, or do you want to watch the Horse Parade downtown at 11:30am? The Grand Entry and Rodeo begin at 1:15pm. Tickets are $13-$20 at the door.

The Del Monte Center hosts Kids in Motion Day. Bring your children along for a baby animal petting zoo, kite flying, cookie decorating, story time, prizes, a special appearance from the Wheelie Mobilee, and much more. Free. 11am-3pm.

The World Wide Photo Walk takes place on Saturday throughout the world (if you didn’t guess from the title), and three walks take place on the Monterey Peninsula. One runs from 9:30am to 11:30 am and wanders through Carmel by the Sea, another goes from 11am to 1pm and targets Old Monterey, and the third runs from 1pm to 3pm and goes from Lovers Point to Cannery Row. If you’re very ambitious, you could do two in one day. Free.

Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley offers a demonstration of lavender harvesting and a guided stroll through their gardens and vineyards, followed by a lavender-themed lunch. 11am-2pm, $85 includes lunch.

France’s biggest film of 2004, Les Choristes, screens at the Sunset Center as part of the Bach Festival. It tells the story of a teacher at a boarding school for orphans and delinquents who changes the childrens’ lives by forming a choir. Bring tissues; this one’s a tear-jerker. 1:30pm, $10.

Spend an evening strolling through the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s exhibits while sipping wine or beer and listening to live jazz at Evenings by the Bay. You can even make dinner reservations for the Portola Restaurant. 6-8pm, included in the cost of admission.

Jamie O’Neal and Creedence Clearwater Revisited play the Municipal Stadium in Salinas tonight as part of the California Rodeo Salinas. Doors open at 6:30pm, Jamie O’Neal plays at 8pm, and Creedence Clearwater Revisited hit the stage at 9pm.

The Carmel Bach Festival spotlights Beethoven tonight with a performance of two of his works – the Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major and Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major. Attend a free lecture explaining the background of the pieces at 6:45pm, followed by a free brass performance at the Sunset Center’s courtyard. The Beethoven performance begins at 8pm; tickets are $47 and $65. For a taste of what Symphony No. 3 sounds like, watch this video:

Jazz singer Julie Kelly wraps up her three-day stand at the Hyatt Regency Hotel‘s Fireside Lounge. Free, 7pm.

San Luis Obispo’s Tom Petty-influenced Sparrow’s Gate play Big Sur‘s Fernwood Resort at 8pm.

The Northwest’s rough-rock Brandon Daniel & Everybody Gets Laid sound like the missing Iggy and the Stooges/Creem joint project. They play Jose’s Underground tonight with Oakland’s sixties-girl-group influenced Shannon and the Clams and local indie rockers The Mystery Lights. 9pm, $5.

Sunday

Explore Elkhorn Slough with your family on a trip arranged by the Monterey Peninsula Regional Parks District. The trip is led by a professional kayaker who knows the Slough and is happy to give beginners a hand. All equipment included. 9:30am. $50 each plus $10 materials fee on site. Register online; the ride is listed under “Family Discoveries.”

Gates for the California Rodeo Salinas open at 10am. Don’t worry about missing church – the Cowboy Church starts at 10:30am. The Horse Parade through downtown is at 11:30am, and the Grand Entry and Rodeo begin at 1:15pm. Tickets are $13-$20 at the door.

Celebrity chef Martin Yan, of Yan Can Cook fame, gives a Chinese cooking demonstration and talk at the Monterey Conference Center. The event is a fundraiser for the Monterey Public Library. 2pm, $20/adults, $10/children 12 and under.

The World Adult Kickball Association (yes, it’s a real organization) hosts a free pick-up game today at Peter J. Ferrante Ballpark, next to the Naval Postgraduate School. 2pm, free.

Take a ride through Del Monte Forest with the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District. The ride is open to those 50 and older. Pebble Beach Equestrian Center, 2pm, $55/ride. Register online; the ride is listed under “Teen to Adult Explorations.”

Spend a romantic evening watching the sun set with your sweetheart from a kayak off Lovers Point. The trip is arranged by MPRPD; Adventures by the Sea provides the guide and the equipment. 5:30pm; $55/person. Register online; the ride is listed under “Teen to Adult Explorations.”

Wrap up your weekend with a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Evenings by the Bay for jazz, wine and those amazing exhibits. 6-8pm, included in the cost of admission.

Need more ideas of what to do with your weekend? See the Monterey County Weekly’s calendar section for even more listings.

The New York Times science blog Tierney Labs has a great post about an underwater exploration of Monterey Bay from the Super Falcon, a winged submersible vessel. The Super Falcon, engineered with the same principles that keep airplanes flying through our skies, can travel much faster than traditional deep-water submarines. It can dive to 1,000 feet, and two people can travel underwater in it for up to 24 hours at a time.

Photo by Guillermo Söhnlein, from Flickr

Graham Hawkes of Hawkes Ocean Technologies is testing the submersible right now on Monterey Bay, as you can see from the photo above. The New York Times article – and the associated video – paint a wonderful picture of what the ocean looks like deep under the waves. Hawkes, who holds the record for deepest solo dive ever, also tells a fun story of stalking a gang of hammerhead sharks in a similar vessel around a Pacific island.

He explains the principles behind the underwater flyer here:

A recent article from CNet has more details on the engineering of the vessel. If you want to take a closer look at the ship, it’s docked at the Coast Guard Pier when it’s not underwater.

According to an interview with USA Today, Hawkes plans to market trips in this deep-sea submarine to the same sort of clientele who will be flying into space on Virgin Galactic. If you have a spare $15,000, you can participate in a three-day underwater flight school. Feeling a little strapped for cash? $5,000 will buy you a half-day lesson.

For those of us in the cheap seats, there’s still the opportunity to enjoy underwater views of Monterey Bay. Take a tour without stepping away from your computer. Google Earth now has fantastic views of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, as seen in this video:

Friday

Asilomar Conference Center becomes the Emerald City at the end of the Yellow Brick Road this weekend as it plays host to the International Wizard of Oz club’s 45th Winkie Convention. The festival includes presentations by L. Frank Baum expert Michael O. Riley, award-winning illustrator/writer Eric Shanower, and antique record expert Virginia Hawthorn; a ten-minute ballet; costume contests; trivia games; an auction; and displays of Wizard of Oz memorabilia. No rain predicted this weekend, so the Wicked Witch is safe to attend. Tickets range from $25/day for meeting sessions only to $201 for the whole weekend, including meals and all programs.

If you’re an antiques or collectibles buff, don’t miss the 52nd Annual Antiques and Collectibles Show and Sale at St. Mary’s Church in Pacific Grove, today through Sunday. 10am-5pm, $6.

It’s the opening night for Jazz at the Plaza at Carmel Plaza! Tonight enjoy wine from Pierce Ranch Vineyards while listening to the soulful jazz of singer Neal Banks and noshing on food from Bistro Beaujolais. 5pm-7pm, $15.

Modesto’s Fat Skeletons bring their early-Pink-Floyd-esque brand of indie to Jose’s on Wave Street in Monterey. Salinas female-led rockers My Refuge open, Terrence McManus headlines. 9pm, $5.

Saturday

The 52nd Annual Antiques and Collectibles Show and Sale continues at St. Mary’s Church in Pacific Grove. 10am-5pm, $6.

Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley offers a demonstration of lavender harvesting and a guided stroll through their gardens and vineyards, followed by a lavender-themed lunch. 11am-2pm, $85 includes lunch.

It’s the 25th anniversary of Earthbound Farm! Because it started as a raspberry farm, they’re celebrating with raspberry themed food and cooking demonstrations. There will also be games and crafts for the kids, as well as farm tours and live music. 11am-3pm, free.

Try four newly released wines, eat great barbecue and enjoy the music of Trusting Lucy at the Blackstone Bash BBQ, right off the 101 in the Salinas Valley. Noon-3pm. $10, call 866-626-WINE to reserve.

Get some exercise, learn about area history and do a good deed, all at the same time! On the Cooper Trail History Hike at Garland Ranch Regional Park, you’ll get the chance to learn the fascinating lore of the area as you beautify the signs and benches along the hike. 12:30pm, free. Meets at Garland Ranch Regional Park Visitor Center.

Spend an evening strolling through the Monterey Bay Aquarium‘s exhibits while sipping wine or beer and listening to live jazz at Evenings by the Bay. You can even make dinner reservations for the Portola Restaurant. 6-8pm, included in the cost of admission.

’70s rock legend Poco plays Monterey’s Golden State Theatre. 8pm, $29, $39 and $59.

Buzzy lo-fi, jangly San Francisco indie act Photons sound a little like Arcade Fire and a little like the Magnetic Fields, with a splash of Modest Mouse and a dollop of Pianosaurus. They’ve been getting a lot of press buzz, and they appear tonight at Jose’s on Wave Street with local indie band Beezle. 9pm, $5.

Funky groovemeister Dave Stein plays Fernwood in Big Sur at 9pm.

Sunday

Get a preview of the Carmel Bach Festival‘s lineup with a performance from baritone Tim Krol at All Saints Episcopal Church. 10:30am. Free.

The 52nd Annual Antiques and Collectibles Show and Sale wraps up at St. Mary’s Church in Pacific Grove. 11am-4pm, $6.

The Big Sur River Inn‘s Sunday Music Series hosts Carlson Rae, who sound like a country-influenced Indigo Girls. 1pm.

Start warming up for the California Rodeo Salinas with the Cowboys and Cabernet Cowboy Poetry Gathering at Sherwood Hall in Salinas. The wine tasting begins at 1pm; open mic poetry begins at 1:45pm, and the professionals take to the stage at 2:30pm. $30 for the poetry, $10 for four wine tasting tickets, $5 for children 12 and under.

Blues singer Barbara Morrison headlines Seaside‘s family-friendly Blues in the Park weekly event, kicking off today. Local artists Red Beans & Rice round out the bill. Dine on food from local vendors while cruising the arts and crafts on display. Laguna Grande Park, 1-4:30pm. Free.

The Henry Miller Library Second Sunday Concert Series continues with Santa Cruz psychedelic funksters Byron Space Circus, Oakland surf rockers The Pentacles, Tegan and Sara-influenced Los Angeles indie act The Lynx Technique and Ye Olde Panthers. 2pm.

Wrap up your weekend with a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium‘s Evenings by the Bay for jazz, wine and those amazing exhibits. 6-8pm, included in the cost of admission.

Still not enough to keep you busy? Discover even more events on the Monterey County Weekly’s calendar.