Thursday, December 5, 2024, 3:30 pm “Alice in Wonderland” free movie rated G at the Community Room of the Monterey Public Library. Free popcorn and drink as you watch the movie of the story come to life on the screen.
Thursday, December 5, 6-8 pm – Parade of Lights in downtown Pacific Grove along Lighthouse. Hear holiday music as you watch this spectacle of lighted floats and performers. Free.
Friday, December 6 and Saturday, December 7, 10-4 pm Holiday Book Sale at the Monterey Public Library. Funds go to help the library. Preview Reception Thursday, Dec 5, 5-7 pm. Hardbacks $2, paperbacks $1.
Friday, December 6, 5-6 pm – Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony. Enjoy hot cider and cookies as you sing with live musicians the songs of the season, anticipating the finale of the lighting of our tree at the Colton Hall lawn. Free.
Friday, December 6, 5-8 pm, First Friday at the Monterey Museum of Art, 559 Pacific Street – Enjoy free admission to the museum and the new interactive Illuminado Exhibit. Refreshments may be purchased. Admission to the museum is free the entire month of December.
Friday, December 6, 5-9 pm.- Christmas on the Wharf begins, and continues for three weekends, with special entertainment, decorations including a giant 19 foot Christmas tree. and free visits with Santa. See announcements below for hours and montereywharf.com for event schedule and more details.
Saturday, December 7, 11-3 – Free Family Fun Day at the Monterey Museum of Art. Enjoy art activities and free admission.
Saturday, December 7, 3-5 pm Holiday Open House at the Venture Gallery, 260 Alvarado Street in the Portola Hotel. Celebrate the season and see the opening of their December Group Show. Enter a raffle with one lucky recipient receiving a $200 gallery gift certificate.
Saturday, December 7, 5:30-6:30 “The Sandman and the Mouse King; The Man Who Gave Us “The Nutcracker”, presented by British actor Howard Burnham on zoom, sponsored by Monterey County Theater Alliance. Free, but donations are appreciated. Register to receive zoom information at this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_k9tTmFnpQIShO32aYoVCTg#/registration.
Sunday, December 8, 5-7 pm – Brighten the Harbor Lighted Boat Parade Watch the boats decorated with holiday lights cruise down the coastline from the harbor, past the shops and restaurants on Cannery Row and return.
Tuesday, December 10, 5-9 pm Holiday at the Inns in downtown Pacific Grove. Enjoy music and treats as you visit the historic inns decorated for the holidays. More information and tickets at pacificgrove.org. $30.
Friday, December 13 and Saturday, December 14 – 5-9 pm. – Christmas in the Adobes. Enjoy this uniquely Monterey Christmas tradition. Many of our historical adobes are open only at this time of year and are decorated for the season. Hear the history of the adobe and the people who lived here. Get your tickets at 14https://www.eventbrite.com/e/christmas-in-the-adobes-2024-tickets-1039598606417?aff=oddtdtcreator.
Saturday, December 14, 11-2pm Winter Art Market at the Monterey Museum of Art. Find beautiful items created by local artisans at this craft and art fair. Find ceramics, candles, soaps, candles, textiles, jewelry, household items, baked goods, teas, landscapes and much more while supporting local artists.
Saturday, December 14 – Early Bird Pricing for First Night buttons ends. (Adults $24; Youth 6-15 $14 Children 5 and under free). Buttons may be purchased at Safeway, Andronico’s and Grove Market, or buy online with $3 service charge. See December 31 for more details or https://www.firstnightmonterey.org/Buttons/ to purchase online.
Thursday, December 19, 2024, 3:30 pm “Where the Wild Things Are” free movie rated G at the Community Room of the Monterey Public Library. Free popcorn and drink as you watch the movie of the story come to life on the screen.
Saturday, December 21, 2024, 5:30 pm “A Christmas Carol”, a performance on Zoom by British actor-writer Howard Burnham, who first presented the program in Malton, England, the site that inspired Charles Dickens. The performance, sponsored by Monterey County Theater Alliance, will be in the manner presented by Dickens on his 1867 tour of the United States. Free, but donations are appreciated. Reservations are required at
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_83ca81RTSNq17S1EkbpgvA#/registration.
Tuesday, December 31, 2024 – 3 pm to Midnight – First Night Monterey 2025 Celebration. Nine hours of fabulous art, music, dance and fun for the entire family with over 60 performances at 15+ venues. Free art and music begins at 3 pm at Colton Hall Lawn with twilight procession from there. Admission buttons are $31 for adults, $20 for youth 6-15 after December 14. Free for children five and under. Purchase buttons at Safeway, Andronico’s, or Grove Market. For more information or to purchase online, go to: https://www.firstnightmonterey.org/Buttons/.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
November 22-January 5 – Ice Skating by the Bay returns to Custom House Plaza. $15 plus $5 skate rental
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 history tour entitled “Tales of the Sea: Stories from the Monterey Bay”. Meet at the head of Old Fisherman’s Wharf near the pink Harbor House store. Advance reservations are required and can be made by contacting Tim Thomas at 831-521-3304 or by email at timsardine@yahoo.com. Participants must be 10 and above with a maximum group of 15 people.
Christmas on the Wharf– See dazzling decorations and enjoy free live entertainment weekends on the wharf throughout December until January 2. Santa visits Fridays, December 6, 13, and 20 from 5-9 pm, Saturdays, December 7, 14 and 21 from 11am-9 pm; and Sundays, December 8, 15, and 22 from 1-6 pm. Special toy drive to benefit the Salvation Army. More information and schedule of entertainment can be found on Montereywharf.com.
Monterey Museum of Art, 559 Pacific Street, offers free admission the entire month of December!
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.
Second Saturdays, 9-10 and 10:30-11:30 am- Tours of Ed Ricketts Pacific Biological Laboratory subject to availability. “Doc Ricketts” was featured prominently in John Steinbeck’s novels about Cannery Row, and the lab at 600 Cannery Row was the site where the idea of a Monterey Jazz festival was born. Tours are free, but limited in size. As waiting lists fill quickly, this item is listed as announcements so you can reserve in advance at this link: https://montereypl.libcal.com/calendar/pbl?cid=15157&t=g&d=0000-00-00&cal=15157&inc=0. You are also welcome to drop by without a reservation to self-tour this historic site from 12-4 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 ($20), 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. Note: Gentrain has arranged a special bus trip to tour the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento on October 27. For more information, visit gentrain.org – Special events.
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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.