Send ideas to calendar@montereycountynow.com 36 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY december 12-18, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com way to get in the holiday spirit? [DF] 7:30pm Saturday, Dec. 14 at Western Stage, Hartnell College, 411 Central Ave., Salinas. 3pm Sunday, Dec. 15 at Carmel High School Arts Center, 27990 N. Doris Watson Place, Carmel. Free. 484-5511, montereycountypops.org. Saturday, Dec. 14 RUdy, the Runner Run Rudolph Run 2024 is upon us— and it involves you, not just reindeer. The mission of this scenic race, which starts at Lovers Point, is to raise awareness about arthritis. If you don’t want to run, you can walk—or volunteer, donate or sponsor this event, organized by Arthritis Research Coalition, which supports Monterey County and the Bay Area. Gather your loved ones, canine companions and join them for a festive walk, run, roll or leisurely stroll along the coastline. Optional but strongly encouraged: Run the race decked out in your most festive holiday gear. Enjoy timed and untimed 5K races, a 1K Elf Race for children, costume contests for attendees and their furry friends and activities for children. Expect Santa and Rudolph to make appearances, although a reindeer seems to have an unfair advantage in a 5K. [AP] 7:30-11:30am Saturday, Dec. 14. Lovers Point Park, 631 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove. Free. arthritisresearchcoalition.org/rrr. Jolly Old Time Apparently Santa’s reindeer only work on Christmas, because the Jolly Old Elf and Mrs. Claus have to helicopter into Carmel Valley for their annual fly-in. No matter, nothing can dampen ol’ Kris Kringle’s mood. After they land at the old airstrip around 10:30am, he leads a parade to Carmel Valley Community Youth Center, where there will be a petting zoo, carriage rides, a bounce house and more, as well as a chance to meet Santa and try to convince him that ignoring your mother’s calls is not at all naughty. Good luck, because he’s already made the list. The fly-in and parade are free, activities at CVCYC are $2. [DF] 10:30am-2pm Saturday, Dec. 14. Carmel Valley Community Youth Center, 25 Ford Road, Carmel Valley. Free to attend; $2/activities. 659-3983, cvcyc.org. Hit the Road Nobody has criticized the Back to the Future movies for their lack of realism. If they did, they would note that it’s impossible to get a DeLorean up to 88mph as quickly as it does in the flicks, or at all. Thankfully, you don’t need to go fast for Monterey Touring Vehicles’ upcoming event—in fact, you should go slow to take in the views. Hop into a DeLorean (or Corvette, or Mustang, or Firebird, or…you get the picture) and take part in a cruise along the Peninsula while solving clues on a scavenger hunt and visiting scenic spots. Make sure you wear an ugly holiday sweater, because after the drive there will be a market with live music and food for all to enjoy. [EC] Noon-2pm (cruise and scavenger hunt), 1-5pm (holiday market) Saturday, Dec. 14. Monterey Touring Vehicles, 2228 Del Monte Ave., Monterey. $175 (includes four people). 3378800, montereytouringvehicles.com. Something Original Woodstock. Monterey Pop Festival. Glastonbury. Those events may reverberate in music festival lore, sure. But it could easily be argued that—come Dec. 14—the American Legion in Carmel will be remembered for something truly cool. How Original features a lineup of local musicians all performing original songs. It kicks off with the soulful rock of The Transducers and wraps with Rosewood’s garage sound. In between are nine other acts, includHOT PICKS holiday block print card-making event. At this arts-and-crafts gathering, you can design your own block print to create unique, handmade cards with a personal touch. All materials are provided—just bring your creativity, meet some friendly folks, and enjoy the festive fun. [KR] 6pm Friday, Dec. 13. The Pearl Works, 288 Pearl St., Monterey. 645-1165, thepearlworks.com. Jet Plane Time Machine Clones of humans don’t exist, at least not yet, though who the hell knows what’s going on in North Korea—there might be a Kim Jong Un IV by now. Rick Schuler might make you think they do. Schuler, a musician, is both a John Denver doppelganger and plays his songs, and in that mix, Schuler’s Rocky Mountain High Experience was born. He swings into Golden State Theatre to bring the audience back to that time and vibe in the 1970s when Denver was at his peak, and when America—if not more innocent—was at least more hopeful. Time machines also do not exist, though Schuler’s act will take you back, regardless of when you were born. [DS] 7:30pm Friday, Dec. 13 (doors 6:30pm). Golden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado St. Monterey. $39-$102. 649-1070, goldenstate- theatre.com. Friday, Dec. 13- Sunday, Dec. 15 Christmas Cheer Good vibes for the season—think toys for kids, Christmas tree giveaways, arts and crafts, photos with Santa— are returning for the fourth annual Christmas in Closter Park. This community holiday affair features all the staples of the season, including real snow and local art on display. But although the concept is simple, the spirit is about much more. Community members banded together during the dark days of the pandemic to create a family-friendly, outdoor holiday experience, and the joyful affair has grown into a multi-day, festive tradition packed with events and smiles. Stop by the gazebo for a full schedule of events; tree giveaways take place on Sunday. [SR] 5-9pm Friday, Dec. 13; 3-9pm Saturday, Dec. 14; noon-4pm Sunday, Dec. 15. Closter Park, 401 Towt St. (parking at 901 N. Sanborn Road), Salinas. Free. (310) 743-4935, christmasinclosterpark.com. Saturday, Dec. 14- Sunday, Dec. 15 Pop Top We haven’t seen the program yet, so this is just a wild guess. But when Monterey County Pops! performs a holiday concert, it is going to be one festive, joyous, inspiring, nostalgic song after another. So when they give two, is it twice as festive, joyous, etc.? Well, we’re about to find out, as Pops! takes the stage twice, once at the Western Stage, followed by Carmel High School. The orchestra is joined by the Hartnell College Choir, and will feature Gilberto Oros on flute and harpist Alexandra Perdew as soloists. Is there a better One of the many whimsical touches that imbues Christmas in Closter Park with smiles: real snow. It’s the only time and place you can touch this stuff in Salinas. Juan Avila Monterey Touring Vehicles’ upcoming event, a cruise and scavenger hunt, combines love of cars and of playing detective. It is also a holiday celebration, as the above photo indicates.
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