Friday, July 4, 2025, 7:30-10:30 – 4th of July Pancake Breakfast at Fire Station 11, corner of Madison and Pacific put on by Monterey Firefighters to benefit MY Museum. Activities for kids, music, and a chance to meet local firefighters while enjoying a hearty breakfast with all the fixings. Cost is $15. Reservations required at www.mymuseum.org/july4.
Friday, July 4, 2025 10 am – Annual Independence Day Parade beginning on Alvarado and Pearl Streets and continuing up Calle Principal.
Friday, July 4, 10:45-4 pm – Backyard Food Fest and Independence Day celebration on the Colton Hall lawn. Dance to great bands and purchase food from vendors or bring your own to enjoy while listening to music.
Friday, July 4, 11am -3 pm Living History Days at the Memory Garden behind the Pacific House museum. Enjoy 19th century games, rope making, leather stamping, and candle making at this free family event. Selfies can be taken outside the museum with Dr. Seuss’ Lorax character. Free guided history tours by the State Parks begin at 11, 1, 3, and 4 pm.
Friday, July 4, 6-8 pm – Pacific Grove Art Center Celebration and Reception for New Exhibits, Lighthouse Avenue, Pacific Grove. Enjoy a free slice of cake to celebrate the PGAC’s 56th anniversary while listening to music by Glenn Leon-Guerrero on keyboards. These new exhibits include PGAC Studio Artists in the Gill Gallery, “Beneath Pacific Skies”, an exhibit by Anastasiya Bachmanova in the Dyke Gallery, and “Full Soectrum” by Monterey Bay Plein Air Painters Association in the Annand Gallery. In addition, “Tiny Treasurers” in the Boyer Gallery and small halls, PGAC’s Annual Fundraiser, includes over 100 pieces of miniature art in all types of media. Each miniature will be displayed with a “box” from July 4-August 28 where patrons will deposit their purchased raffle tickets. At the close of the show, one winning ticket will be drawn for each piece of art.
Friday, July 4-Sunday July 6 – Carousel Candies’ 65th Anniversary Celebration on Fisherman’s Wharf. Customers who purchase any confection during the 4th of July holiday weekend will receive a complimentary bag of special homemade 4th of July Gourmet Salt Water Taffy, specially crafted in festive red, white and blue colors. In addition, Carousel Candies is donating 10% of all purchases to the Veteran’s Transition Center, to honor those who have served our country
Saturday, July 5, 2025, 10-12pm –“History of Abalone of the Monterey Bay”, a walking tour around Monterey’s Old Fisherman’s Wharf with maritime historian Tim Thomas. Meet at the head of Old Fisherman’s Wharf near the pink Harbor House store. Free, but advance reservations are required and can be made at monterey.gov/library/events or by calling 831-646-3933. This tour is recommended for ages 10 and up with a maximum group of 15 people.
Saturday, July 5, 3-5 pm Artist Reception at Venture Gallery for water color artist, Tamara Selyangina’s latest exhibit, “The Romance and Mysticism of Fishing Boats”. See her exhibit and watch her demonstrate her art at 260 Alvarado Street. The exhibit will run through July, 10 am to 6 pm daily.
Saturday, July 12, 2025, 1-3 pm Old Town Neighborhood Association Annual Picnic at Veteran’s Park Group Site 1. OTNA will provide sandwich bites and cold drinks. You are invited to bring a hand-held sweet or savory snack to share, but this is not required. No alcohol is allowed. Bocce, Corn Hole, Ladder Ball and Jumbo Jenga are available games to enjoy too! This is a free event, and families, along with dogs on leashes are welcome too. Please park along Veterans Drive or by the basketball courts, not in campsites. No RSVP is required. Come get to know your neighbors.
Saturday, July 12, 2025 11-4 pm Monterey Public Library Book Sale in the foyer. Hardbacks $2 each; paperbacks $1.00 each.
Saturday, July 26 and Sunday, July 27, 10-5 pm – Abalone Festival at the Japanese American Citizens League, 424 Adams Street and other sites. This free and fascinating festival of all things abalone will
include expert speakers, documentary films, live performances, cultural demonstrations, a walking tour, abalone races, and more. The event will also debut the inaugural presentation of the Roy Hattori Memorial Award, recognizing outstanding contributions to abalone heritage and conservation. One of the festival highlights will be a special “Abalone Dance” performed by Monterey Rumsen Ohlone Community on Del Monte Beach, led there by the Monterey Lion Dance Troupe at approximately 2:30 pm on Saturday. The weekend will also include a Zoom conversation with historians and researchers from Tateyama, Japan, the ancestral home of many Japanese divers who came to Monterey. An evening panel discussion and two film premiers on Saturday from 7-8:30 pm on the history of the White Abalone. Sunday morning will have a presentation and films on the Rumsen use of abalone. More details are available at www.jaclmonterey.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Monterey Free Trolley is back!
The free MST Trolley operates daily 10:00 am – 6:00 pm starting Memorial day weekend through Labor Day (May 24 through September 1, 2025). The route serves Downtown Monterey, Fisherman’s Wharf, Cannery Row and the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Monterey Museum of Art is open FREE on Sundays, 11-5 through the run of their Biennial Celebration.
Annual Residential Parking Passes are available to residents of Monterey and active military for $20, good for two hours at both East and West Downtown Garages, Cannery Row Garage and the Waterfront lot. Bring proof of residency, vehicle registration and ID to Parking office, 340 Tyler Street in the East Garage. See Monterey.org/parking for more information.
WILDFIRE READY Links from February 27 Town Hall Meeting:
Panel Discussion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8N3njGF6g6c
Tree Standards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cInp6kC0PP8
Defensible Space Inspections: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDk7zxULL2M
City of Monterey Accepting Applications for Boards, Committees, and Commissions. For position descriptions and requirements, please go to Monterey.gov/bcc.
MIIS Student Housing Needed! Do you have an extra bedroom in your house or a local rental? Consider renting to a Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) student! The housing crisis in Monterey is deeply affecting our student population with low inventory and high prices. MIIS is reaching out to our community to form partnerships with local landlords and homeowners. For more information, go to this link: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGb0hGd1Qk/V0hDlFvuILlZKtzRyIWIcQ/view?utm_content=DAGb0hGd1Qk&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=hba13c991dc. Still have questions? Contact the MIIS Landlord Coordinator Naomi Braswell at nbraswell@middlebury.edu or at (831) 647-4120.
Free Wharf Walks by Maritime Historian Tim Thomas the first Saturday of every month from 10am to noon. Hear and experience a two hour cultural maritime history tour, with themes changing monthly. Meet at the head of Old Fisherman’s Wharf near the pink Harbor House store. Free, but advance reservations are required and can be made at monterey.gov/library/events or by calling 831-646-3933. This tour is recommended for ages 10 and up with a maximum group of 15 people.
The Presidio Museum of Monterey is open Saturdays and Sundays 10-4 pm – Learn the fascinating history of our Presidio, including the early indigenous settlers, the founding of the fort, the history during three wars, and the history of the Buffalo Soldiers. An interpretive walk with great views of the bay lead up to the Sloat Monument. You can take a short cut from Van Buren over the creek bridge to reach it from Old Town. Free. Please consider volunteering as a docent for this great museum!
Free Public Tours of Ed Ricketts Pacific Biological Laboratories Second Saturdays, 10:00-11:00 and 11:30-12:30 pm subject to availability. Modeled after famed ecologist Ed Ricketts, “Doc” was featured prominently in John Steinbeck’s novels about Cannery Row. The Lab at 800 Cannery Row was also where the idea of the Monterey Jazz Festival was born and welcomed such prominent figures as Louis Armstrong. Reserve in advance at monterey.gov/museums or by calling 831-646-5648. Visitors are also welcome to drop by without a reservation to self-tour this historic site from 12:00-4:00 pm on the second Saturday.
Casa Serano, the historic adobe at 412 Pacific Street, is now open for free visits on Saturday and Sunday 2-4 pm. Docents can help you learn the interesting history of this adobe built in 1843, as you peruse the art and furnishings.
Old Town Neighborhood Association’s website is LIVE! Visit oldtownmonterey.org for the latest on events, issues, and to find the Historic Homes self-guided walk featuring historic homes in our Old Town neighborhood. Photos of the July 13 picnic are now posted on the social page of the website.
COMMUNITY GROUPS AND CLUBS
Are you interested in finding others with your interests? Below are some of the other local organizations that welcome new members:
American Association of University Women – This national organization promotes equity for women in the workplace and in education. In addition to supporting education through scholarships, they have book clubs, social events, monthly speakers, a Romancing the Coast monthly adventure, a hiking/walking group, and other interesting events. See http://mpb-ca.aauw.net for more information.
Monterey Civic Club – Founded in 1906, the club owns and meets monthly at the House of the Four Winds, located at 540 Calle Principal. This beautiful and historic adobe is believed to be the oldest women’s clubhouse in continuous use in the United States. Members meet the first Tuesday of each month for lunch and a social program ($25), often with a speaker of importance to members. Contact (831) 747-1072 for more information.
Gentrain Society is an organization for life-long learners. They generally meet the first and third Wednesdays from 1:30-2:30 at the Monterey Peninsula College Lecture Forum #103. Lectures are free and open to the public (except $3.00 parking fee). Topics range from drama, history, and understanding civilizations and more. Courses are also offered, along with trips organized for special events.
Native Daughters of the Golden West – founded in 1880s, for women born in California. The Monterey Junipero Parlor No 141 meets at 6:30 pm in the Casa Serrano on the second Monday of each month. An added benefit is that members can stay at the NDGW home designed by Julia Morgan on Baker Street in San Francisco. For more information, call or text Jerilynn Crivello at 831-320-2080.
Kiwanis Club of Monterey –founded in 1926, helps support community projects, scholarships, and youth groups in our community. Learn more at http://www.kiwanisclubmonterey.org or by emailing factpath-kiwanis@yahoo.com.
| Not Yet a Member of Old Town Neighborhood Association? Annual membership dues are just $20 for two adults in your household which covers the calendar year in which paid. Your dues help support social events and technical costs of website, Zoom meetings, and newsletter. Members can be renters, owners or landlords of a property in Old Town. Learn how to become a member on our website! If you have any questions, contact us! All residents living above Pacific St between the creek near Madison and the Presidio/DLI are eligible. Checks to OTNA can be mailed, along with your names, address, phone and email to our address below. Old Town Neighborhood Association P O Box 724, Monterey, CA 93942 |
This information is being shared as a service by Old Town Neighborhood Association. Information is presumed accurate, but is not guaranteed, and always subject to change. Visit our website at oldtownmonterey.org.