Art & Music Events
Monterey County celebrates the arts through festivals, performances, tours and more. Annual events attract thousands of visitors and hundreds of acts from around the world, while intimate readings explore the works of some of the region’s most beloved literary legends.
Art & Music Events: Book Your Hotel Now!These events are popular with visitors from around the world, and hotels fill up quickly. For your convenience the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau, your trusted source for accommodations and vacation packages, provides an easy way to book your stay during art and music events in Monterey County. Click here for online reservations! |
The Monterey Jazz Festival, the world’s longest-running jazz festival, is a three-day celebration of the best in jazz, including more than 500 artists appearing on nine stages. Another three-day musical celebration, the Monterey Blues Festival is a multiple-stage event presenting some of the greatest living blues artists, as well as the most talented up-and-coming artists. But the festivals don’t end there…
The Carmel Art Festival educates and inspires people of all ages about the visual arts. In addition to Plein Air and Sculpture in the Park events, the festival is host to the Carmel Youth Art Show, Quick Draw, Kids Art Day and more. The Carmel Bach Festival is a three-week event featuring more than 50 performances by leading Baroque interpreters from Europe and the Americas.
Art in the Adobes, a three-day festival in Old Monterey, combines exhibits of rarely seen masterpieces of early California art in seven historic venues with informative lectures and activities for all of the family.
Last but not least, every December, the best cowboy poets and balladeers are featured at the Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival. This three-day event features a western art and gear sale, a Saturday night western dance, a “cowboy” church service, and a silent auction, among other festivities.
Check out our Events Calendar for a detailed listing of Monterey County’s artistic endeavors.
Sign up for
Order a Free Visitors Guide
Get Here
