Arts Council for Monterey County

Make & Take Crafts
2026-07-23 10:15 - 10:45, 2026-07-16 10:15 - 10:45 (America/Los_Angeles) | MY Museum, 425 Washington Street, Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
Get crafty with us on Thursday mornings!
Art making plays a central role in cognitive, motor, language, and social-emotional development. Enjoy creative exploration and make something fun to take home, too.
Recommended for children ages 2 and older.
Fee: Included with daily admission. free admission for members.

Carmel Bach Festival: Forest Quartets
2026-07-22 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-07-15 17:00 - 18:00 | Church in the Forest, 3152 Forest Lake Rd, Pebble Beach, 93953
Held at Church in the Forest, a striking venue nestled among the cypress and pine trees of Pebble Beach, this concert features two landmark string quartets: Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 10, the “Harp,” and Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No. 1, a work that balances classical structure with Romantic intensity.

Toddler Gymnastics
2026-07-22 10:15 - 10:45, 2026-07-15 10:15 - 10:45 | MY Museum, 425 Washington Street, Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
Join us on Wednesdays as we partner with Shea’s Gymnastics
Toddlers will learn about the basics of gymnastics through games and movement in this fun and engaging Caregiver & Me program.
Recommended for children ages 2-5.
Fee: Included with daily admission.

Carmel Bach Festival: Bach at Sunset
2026-07-21 19:30 - 22:00 | Sunset Center, San Carlos St at Ninth Ave, Carmel by the Sea, CA, 93921
Baroque music forms the foundation of the Carmel Bach Festival, and this program honors that tradition. J.S. Bach’s Cantata No. 39, Brich dem Hungrigen dein Brot, and Cantata No. 105, Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht, showcase his mastery of choruses, arias, and recitatives, blending intricate musical craft with profound spiritual and moral themes. Antonio Lotti’s Missa Sapientiae, a Venetian mass setting, pairs elegant polyphonic choruses with lyrical solo lines, exemplifying the devotional clarity and refinement of early 18th-century sacred music. Together, these works highlight the artistry and historical significance of the Baroque era.
Through these performances, we celebrate the composers and musical traditions that have shaped and continue to inspire the Carmel Bach Festival.

Carmel Bach Festival: Roaring 20’s
2026-07-21 15:00 - 16:00 | All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Doroles St & 9th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, 93921
The 1920s marked a decade of bold reinvention as composers responded to a rapidly changing world with wit, clarity, and new musical languages. Works by Poulenc, Martinů, and Stravinsky capture the energy of the era—from Parisian surrealism and jazz-inflected dance to the crisp lines of neoclassicism—revealing three distinct voices shaped by the same moment in history.

Carmel Bach Festival: 19th Century Guitar
2026-07-21 13:30 - 14:30 | Sunset Center, San Carlos St at Ninth Ave, Carmel by the Sea, CA, 93921
This concert features 19th-century works for fortepiano and mandolino by Beethoven, Hummel, Giuliani, and Carulli. The program highlights the interplay between the two instruments and the elegance of early Romantic chamber music.

Carmel Bach Festival: Vivaldi Four Seasons & Handel Water Music
2026-07-20 19:30 - 22:00 | Sunset Center, San Carlos St at Ninth Ave, Carmel by the Sea, CA, 93921
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons is a set of four violin concertos paired with short poems that describe the scenes each movement depicts: birds singing, dogs barking, storms breaking, and people celebrating. Vivaldi brings these images to life with musical details such as trills for birds, a repeating viola line for a dog, droning lines for Summer’s heat, and chattering teeth in Winter. The solo violin leads the story in each concerto, acting almost like a narrator. These concertos have captivated listeners for centuries and appear frequently in films, including The Four Seasons (1981) and Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019).
Handel’s Water Music was composed in 1717 for a royal barge trip on the Thames, performed outdoors for King George I as the boats traveled along the river. The suites include a series of dance movements for strings, horns, oboes, and bassoons, designed to carry across the water. Its lively rhythms and bright orchestration have made it one of Handel’s best-known works, and it has appeared in films such as Dead Poets Society (1989).

Carmel Bach Festival: July in Paris
2026-07-20 15:00 - 16:00 | All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Doroles St & 9th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, 93921
Step into Paris at the turn of the 18th century, when candlelit salons and royal courts were filled with elegant, expressive music. Works by François Couperin and Jean-Féry Rebel capture the refined beauty, rich harmonies, and vivid character of the French Baroque, offering a glimpse into the sound world of the city alive with new musical ideas.

Carmel Bach Festival | Meet the Composer: John Dowland
2026-07-20 13:30 - 14:30 | Sunset Center, San Carlos St at Ninth Ave, Carmel by the Sea, CA, 93921
This program features music by John Dowland, one of the most influential composers of the English Renaissance, marking 400 years since his death. Focusing on his celebrated lute songs, the concert explores themes of love, loss, time, and nature that made Dowland famous throughout Europe.

Carmel Bach Festival: All Bach Organ Recital
2026-07-20 11:00 - 12:00 | Carmel Mission Basilica, 3080 Rio Road, Carmel-by-the-Sea, 93921
Enjoy a morning of organ music in the historic Carmel Mission Basilica. Performed by Andrew Arthur, the Festival’s Principal Organist and a member of the Artistic Leadership Team, this recital highlights the beauty of Bach’s works as well as works by Heinrich Scheidemann & Georg Böhm.

Carmel Bach Festival: Music of Earth and Elysium – Candlelight Concert
2026-07-19 20:00 - 21:00 | CA
This candlelit string quartet concert explores musical depictions of nature, from sunrise and weather to birdsong and the infinite, with works by Dittersdorf, Fanny Mendelssohn, Angélica Negrón, and Haydn.

Carmel Bach Festival: Bach & Rebel
2026-07-19 15:00 - 17:30 | Sunset Center, San Carlos St at Ninth Ave, Carmel by the Sea, CA, 93921
This program traces how composers use music to explore our deepest responses to the world — grief and wonder, chaos and order, sorrow and joy.
The journey begins in darkness and disorder: Purcell’s Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary confronts mortality, while Rebel’s Les Élémens erupts from a single “Chaos” chord, giving form to Earth, Air, Fire, and Water — elemental forces whose turbulent beginnings echo the disorder and beauty of human life.
At the program’s center, Kaija Saariaho’s Nuits, Adieu evokes transformation, impermanence, and reflection through whispering voices and shifting harmonies. Sandström’s expansion of Purcell’s Hear My Prayer, O Lord gradually intensifies, layering voices and harmonies to convey human hope and resilience. The program culminates in Bach’s festive Cantata No. 214, a joyful celebration of life, energy, and the enduring human spirit.

A Documentary Screening: The Life and Legacy of Julia Morgan
2026-07-19 13:00 - 14:00 | Carmel Foundation, Southeast Corner of 8th and Dolores St, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
As part of this year’s celebration of the women who shaped Carmel’s architectural legacy, the Carmel Heritage Society and the American Institute of Architects Monterey Bay Chapter invite the community to a special screening of Julia Morgan, Architect of Dreams, a documentary on the life and work of pioneering architect Julia Morgan.
Morgan’s work resonates deeply on the Monterey Peninsula. She designed the beloved Asilomar Conference Center in Pacific Grove, as well as the Dr. Emma W. Pope House overlooking the Carmel Mission—one of the residences featured on this year’s Carmel House Tour. Though best known for Hearst Castle at San Simeon, Morgan devoted much of her career to buildings that served and uplifted women, including numerous YWCA facilities and structures at Mills College.
The screening of Julia Morgan, Architect of Dreams is presented as a companion event to the 32nd Annual Carmel House Tour, themed “Designing Women,” which takes place Saturday, July 18. Buy tickets at carmelheritage.org; $50 presale and $60 on the day of the Tour. House docent volunteers are still needed and will receive a free ticket. Contact executivedirector@aiamontereybay.org to sign-up.

MY Museum’s 29th Birthday Party!
2026-07-19 10:00 - 12:00 | MY Museum, 425 Washington Street, Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
MY Museum is turning 29! What does that mean? It’s time to party!!
We are super excited to have children’s entertainment group It’s Circle Time back at the museum to help us celebrate with a live concert. We’ll also have face-painting, crafts, and much more!
** Please note: we fully expect this event to sell out so please reserve your tickets now **
🎟️ Tickets: Included with daily admission; FREE for Members!
🗓️ Day: Sunday, July 19th
⏰ Time: 10am-12pm
🎤 WHERE: MY Museum Theater, 425 Washington Street, Monterey

MY Museum Birthday Bash
2026-07-19 10:00 - 12:00 | MY Museum, 425 Washington Street, Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
MY Museum is turning 29! We are so honored to have served our community for nearly 30 years, and hope to keep doing so for another 30.
What do we do when we turn 29? We PARTY like a rock star! We are super excited to have It’s Circle Time back at the museum to help us celebrate with a live concert. We’ll also have face-painting, crafts, and much more!
We hereby cordially invite you to come party with us!
** Please note: we fully expect this event to sell out so please reserve your tickets now **

Jagged Little Pill
2026-07-18 19:30 - 21:30, 2026-07-17 19:30 - 21:30 | Paper Wing Theatre 711 Cannery Row Suite I Monterey, Ca. 93940, 711 Canner Row Suite I, Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
Jagged Little Pill is a powerful and emotionally charged musical inspired by the iconic album by Alanis Morissette. With a compelling story by Academy Award–winning writer Diablo Cody and music that defined a generation, this groundbreaking show explores the complexities of modern life with raw honesty and unforgettable songs.
Set in a seemingly picture-perfect suburban home, the story follows the Healy family as they navigate love, secrets, and the pressures of keeping up appearances. Beneath the surface, each family member is struggling with their own challenges—addiction, identity, trauma, and the search for connection. As their carefully constructed world begins to unravel, they must confront uncomfortable truths and discover what it really means to heal.
Featuring electrifying performances of Morissette’s beloved hits—including “You Oughta Know,” “Hand in My Pocket,” and “Ironic”, Jagged Little Pill blends rock concert energy with deeply human storytelling. Bold, moving, and intensely relevant, this Tony and Grammy Award–winning musical shines a spotlight on resilience, empathy, and the power of community.
Recommended for mature audiences due to strong language and adult themes.

32nd Annual Carmel House Tour: Designing Women
2026-07-18 12:00 - 16:00 | Various locations, Carmel, Pebble Beach, Monterey, CA, United States
This summer, one of the Central Coast’s most beloved traditions opens its doors once more. The 32nd Annual Carmel House Tour will take place on Saturday, July 18, 2026, from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m., inviting guests into some of the most enchanting and architecturally distinctive homes in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
This year’s self-guided tour, themed “Designing Women,” celebrates the women who helped to shape Carmel’s architectural legacy; shining spotlight on historic and contemporary residences and commercial spaces shaped by women architects and interior designers — creatives whose visions have left an indelible mark on the character of this iconic coastal village. House docent volunteers are still needed and will receive a free ticket. Contact executivedirector@aiamontereybay.org to sign-up.

Carmel Bach Festival: Mike Marshall & Caterina Lichtenberg
2026-07-18 12:00 - 13:00 | Henry Miller Memorial Library, 48601 California 1, Big Sur, 93920
Mike Marshall and Caterina Lichtenberg are two of the most compelling voices in the world of mandolin. The two have redefined what the instrument can do and create music that is intricate yet playful, moving effortlessly between classical repertoire, folk traditions, and their own inventive arrangements.
There may be no better place to experience it than Henry Miller Memorial Library. Hidden among the redwoods, this beloved Big Sur venue has built a reputation for unforgettable, close-up performances. Arcade Fire, Father John Misty, Fleet Foxes, Patti Smith, Philip Glass, and more have all stepped into this singular space.
Marshall and Lichtenberg now join this remarkable lineage, adding their own voice to a space defined by creativity and connection.

Carmel Bach Festival | Family Concert: Birds of a Feather!
2026-07-18 11:00 - 12:00 | Sunset Center, San Carlos St at Ninth Ave, Carmel by the Sea, CA, 93921
This summer’s epic adventure is for the birds and all about birds! At the urging of George, the Blue Jay, Leonard and Rasmus fly to an oak woodland, meet a dryad named Kaerin, explore the world of birds, and are enlisted to find and rescue Hawk. Leonard implores the creatures around them to set aside their differences and help free Hawk from a rabbit warren. Don’t miss this epic adventure as we bring extraordinary, multisensory experiences that combine music, theater, and visual art with sound effects – some of them created by you, the audience – in an immersive and interactive experience. Bring your best bird call or bird song. You’ll have so much fun, you might even grow feathers!
Music by Vivaldi, Haydn, Respighi, Saint-Saens, Mussorgsky, Kats-Chernin, Britten, and yes, Byrd. We close with the jazz standard, Birdland, and invite the audience to sing along. The post-concert fair features DD, the red-tailed hawk, brought to us by the SPCA. The Ventana Wildlife Society and the Monterey Audubon Society will have displays. Other partners include Youth Music Monterey/Orchestra in The Schools, Pac-Rep, Chartwell School, Boys and Girls Clubs, and more!

Carmel Bach Festival: Beethoven 6 Symphony & Appalachian Spring
2026-07-17 19:30 - 22:00 | Sunset Center, San Carlos St at Ninth Ave, Carmel by the Sea, CA, 93921
Beethoven subtitled his Pastoral Symphony “Recollections of Country Life”. Each of its five movements depicts a countryside scene. The first movement conveys the calm joy of arriving in the countryside, with gentle, flowing melodies. The second evokes a babbling brook, while woodwinds mimic birdsong. In the third, people dance and celebrate with lively rhythms. The fourth depicts a sudden, dramatic thunderstorm, one of Beethoven’s earliest musical portrayals of nature’s power. The final movement offers a peaceful shepherd’s song and a sense of restored serenity. For fans of Disney, this piece will sound familiar, as it was featured in Fantasia (1940).
Appalachian Spring takes its title from a rural Pennsylvania farmhouse and evokes the optimism and spirit of pioneer life in early America. Featuring the iconic Shaker melody Simple Gifts, Copland’s work is one of his most celebrated, known for its open textures, folk-inspired melodies, and enduring association with the quintessential “American sound.”
Celebrating a different perspective on the America landscape, Puerto Rican composer Angélica Negrón is our featured composer this year. Her work, Marejada, captures the movement and energy of the sea through inventive textures and rhythmic drive. Negrón offers a fresh and compelling voice that complements Copland’s vision while reflecting her own cultural and musical soundscape.

Lecture: Carmel’s Designing Women
2026-07-17 18:00 - 19:00 | Carmel Foundation, Southeast Corner of 8th and Dolores St, Carmel, CA, 93921, United States
As part of this year’s celebration of the women who shaped Carmel’s architectural legacy, the Carmel Heritage Society and the American Institute of Architects Monterey Bay Chapter invite the community to a special lecture presentation by Alissandra Dramov. Dramov will focus on the various and eclectic female architects, designers, and builders who constructed houses and buildings in the town from the 1880s to the 1940s. Their accomplishments and achievements will be highlighted.
This lecture is presented as a companion event to the 32nd Annual Carmel House Tour, themed “Designing Women,” which takes place Saturday, July 18, from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at carmelheritage.org for $50 presale and $60 on the day of the Tour. House docent volunteers are still needed and will receive a free ticket. Contact executivedirector@aiamontereybay.org to sign-up.

Carmel Bach Festival: Bach Cantatas
2026-07-17 15:00 - 16:00 | All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Doroles St & 9th Ave, Carmel-by-the-Sea, 93921
Bach Cantatas features two expressive works by J.S. Bach—Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, BWV 7, and Cantata BWV 187. Rich in theological depth and musical invention, these cantatas showcase Bach’s gift for illuminating text through vibrant choral writing and nuanced instrumental color.

Carmel Bach Festival: Sounds of the Seasons
2026-07-17 13:30 - 14:30 | Sunset Center, San Carlos St at Ninth Ave, Carmel by the Sea, CA, 93921
This concert features French composer Joseph Bodin de Boismortier’s cantatas inspired by the seasons, written around the same time as Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Scored for voice, obbligato instrument, and continuo, they explore music’s ability to depict the changing seasons and the natural world.

Miss Sarah Sunshine
2026-07-17 10:15 - 11:00 | MY Museum, 425 Washington Street, Monterey, CA, 93940, United States
Please join our very own local celebrity, Miss Sarah Sunshine from It’s Circle Time, every Friday from 10:15 to 11:00 at MY Museum.
This educational and fun program will include singing, dancing, stories, and much more.
It’s Circle Time is a playful learning space where songs, stories, and meaningful connections come together. Designed for young children and the adults who love them, their content supports early literacy, emotional growth, and joyful learning—one circle at a time.
Fee: Included with daily admission, free admission for members.

Carmel Bach Festival: Bach, Brazilian, and Bluegrass
2026-07-16 19:30 - 22:00 | Sunset Center, San Carlos St at Ninth Ave, Carmel by the Sea, CA, 93921
This program brings musical worlds together in one exhilarating evening. Festival favorites Fire & Grace—Edwin Huizinga and William Coulter—are joined by mandolin luminaries Mike Marshall, long celebrated for his Brazilian collaborations, and Caterina Lichtenberg. Experience Bach’s brilliance as it meets bluegrass drive and the rhythmic warmth of Brazil.
