Holiday celebrations in Monterey County bring back memories of a golden era. Here, the holiday season is centered on beautiful lights, the joy of sharing and the pleasure of cup of hot cocoa, all celebrated with warmth of spirit.
Late November and early December are packed with events that evoke the feelings these holidays were meant to engender. We could keep them all to ourselves, but in the spirit of holiday sharing, we invite you to join in the good cheer with us!
Santa sleighs in for a full day of play along legendary Cannery Row. The festivities begin at Steinbeck Plaza overlooking Monterey Bay when Santa flips the switch on a towering 25-foot holiday tree. He makes a return visit every weekend until Christmas Eve. Capture the moment with a free souvenir photograph. Explore Cannery Row with free surrey rides available for children of all ages. Admission is free.
Kick off your holidays at the annual Salinas family and community delight that attracts over 10,000 spectators. Parade entrants range from marching bands, floats and dancers to walking groups, and classic cars. The route winds up South Main Street and through Oldtown to the National Steinbeck Center. Celebrity announcers keep you well informed during the festivities.
Come to Pacific Grove for an old-fashioned Christmas tree lighting! The town Christmas tree is located at Jewell Park, at the corner of Central and Forest Avenues.
In 1956, Erica Franke, a local Carmel artist, was commissioned to create 100 unique holiday lamppost decorations for the City of Monterey. This was the birth of the "Monterey Angels." Over half a century later they still watch over the streets of of Monterey during the Christmas holiday season. The Cultural Arts Commission has invited local artists and students from the Youth Arts Collection to create new angels to join the ones that have hung for over half a century. The angels can be found this holiday season in many areas of historic downtown Monterey, as well as Custom House and Pacific House on Custom House Plaza in Monterey.
Take a walk on the wild side with the holiday night time flashlight tour of Wild Things Wild Animal Park. Meet real, live reindeer! Santa's added his sleigh-pulling friends to the menagerie at Wild Things; you can view them along with the kangaroos, hyenas, lions, tigers, elephants and other animals Wild Things has on display. Rumor has it that Santa himself will be dropping by. Don't miss him! Warm refreshments and candy canes are served after the tour. Photos are available with live reindeer! Tickets are $18 for adults, and $15 for children ages 14 and under. Call 831-455-1901 ext. 3 or visit the official website for reservations.
It's Pacific Grove at its most picturesque, as ten of the town's bed and breakfasts and inns deck their halls and open their doors so you can share their holiday cheer in Victorian-era splendor. Each and every location will have great live music and tasty holiday treats! A limited number of tickets are available. Admission is $20. Please call 831-373-3304 or visit the official website to reserve your spot.
An annual tradition, Pacific Grove's Holiday Parade of Lights is a fun hometown parade down "Main Street, USA." This lighted parade includes floats, marching bands, dance troupes, equestrian performances and Santa Claus. After the parade, carolers will walk through the streets of downtown Pacific Grove as local businesses stay open well into the evening for the holiday celebration.
Step into the Nativity story, as 200 re-enactors, along with live animals and musical groups, recreate the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. Volunteers from the First Baptist Church of Salinas recreate the entire town of Bethlehem to provide visitors with a truly immersive experience. Call 831-422-9872 for more information.
Carmel Plaza's annual holiday open house immediately follows the City of Carmel’s tree lighting with festivities for all ages at the corner of Ocean Ave. and Mission St. in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Live music, fun foods, holiday giveaways from Carmel Plaza Retailers and complimentary wine sponsored by Robert Mondavi Private Selection.
Drive out to The Farm and gather around the bonfire to sing Christmas carols, sip homemade cider, nibble cookies and even take a moonlit hayride in the Salinas Valley. Call 831-455-2575 or stop by the official site for more information.
Sing for joy and celebrate the holiday season with a night of music, wine and good cheer at Chateau Julien Wine Estate. This acoustic wonder featuring the A Cappella Choral Project out of San Jose echoes magnificently through the Chai. Come enjoy the music that is sure to put you in the spirit of the season, followed by a wine tasting and gift exchange in the Great Hall. Tickets are $40 for the general public and $30 for club members. Visit the official website for ticketing information or call 831-624-2600.
Step back into Monterey's past during Christmas in the Adobes. See the adobes by candlelight as volunteers in period attire welcome you into historic homes decorated in historical style. The twenty 19th-century adobes, lit by luminaries and enhanced with period decorations, are within an easy walk of each other, so you can enjoy the wide array of tasty refreshments and celebratory music that each has on offer. Learn while you celebrate; docents and volunteers will be on hand to tell the story of each of these charming buildings, many of which are only open to the public during this celebration. Special activities are planned at the state parks to celebrate this 25th annual celebration. Tickets are $15 for adults through November 14, and $20 after. Tickets are $2 for children ages 6—17 (must be accompanied by a paying adult), and free for children ages 5 and under. Buy tickets now at the Cooper Museum Store every day between 10am and 4pm. Contact the Custom House Museum at 831-649-7120 for additional information.
Pack those chaps and spurs for a wranglin’ good time with some of the nation’s top balladeers and cowboy/girl poets featured in Monterey's three-day weekend event that also includes seven great shows over the three day event, a western art and gear sale, a Saturday night western hodown, silent auction and “cowboy” church service among other festivities. Call 800-722-9652 or visit the official website for more information.
Seaside comes alive with the Seaside Holiday Fantasy Festival! Play in the snow at Seaside City Hall! Children will have fun jumping in the bounce houses and meeting animals at the petting zoo. There will be performances by youth choirs and a youth dance group, sing-along hay rides, the annual tree-lighting ceremony and an appearance by everyone's favorite bringer of holiday cheer, Santa Claus! Stop by the City of Seaside official website for more information or call 831-899-6805.
You've seen parades on land — now see one on the ocean! The boats of Monterey Bay will be brilliantly decked out as they sail from Coast Guard Pier past Cannery Row to Lover's Point. These are no paltry decorations; the ships compete fiercely to win the coveted award for Best Decorations from the Yacht Club at the end of the evening. Check out this unique, can't-miss event from along the Monterey and Pacific Grove coastline.
First Night Monterey celebrates the lively arts scene in Monterey County with its 17th annual family-friendly celebration of the arts. Over thirty venues hold concurrent performances and activities for both children and adults, culminating in a convergence on Custom House Plaza to ring in the New Year. Live music ranges from classical to Irish traditional to experimental hip-hop. There will be dance performances, great food and lots of surprises! Admission Buttons are available for $20 for adults and $15 for children. Children five and under are admitted free. Special Family Packages will be available from the official website.
Ring in 2010 with a New Year’s Eve at the Monterey Bay Aquarium dance party among the sea creatures sparkling and swimming in the Aquarium’s award-winning galleries. The “Silver Fishes and New Year’s Wishes” extravaganza will feature two live bands playing and a DJ spinning hits in front the million-gallon Outer Bay exhibit, in the dance-floor perfect Marine Mammal Gallery, and in front of the stunning, 335,000-gallon Kelp Forest exhibit. The adults-only event will also offer three themed VIP lounges, each with a signature drink and food – a Martini Lounge, a Reggae Lounge and a Speakeasy Lounge. Tickets range from $75 to $150 per person for Aquarium members and $95 to $175 per person for the general public. Call 866-963-9645 or 831-647-6886 to make reservations, or visit www.montereybayaquarium.org.
Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau P.O. Box 1770, Monterey, CA 93942 1-877-MONTEREY info@mccvb.org
In partnership with Monterey County and the cities of Carmel-by-the-Sea, Del Rey Oaks, Marina, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Salinas,
Sand City, Seaside, Soledad, Pebble Beach, Moss Landing, Carmel Valley, Big Sur, and Salinas Valley.
© Copyright 2009 Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau
