Send ideas to calendar@montereycountynow.com 28 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 22-28 2025 www.montereycountynow.com WATER WAYS For thousands of years, Polynesian people navigated in handmade canoes across thousands of miles of ocean, traveling between islands. Hi’ilani ‘O Ke Kai is a local club celebrating these ancestors, and their influence on Hawaiian culture and history, with a focus on hula and outrigger canoeing. This event includes a paddling competition, hula performance, tributes to military service members and more. The Hoe Wa’a canoe race begins at 8am with hundreds of paddlers ages 12 to 70 competing in two-mile, four-mile and eight-mile routes. [SR] 8am-2pm Saturday, May 24. Del Monte Beach, across Del Monte Boulevard from Lake El Estero, Monterey. Free. info@kekai. org, paddle.kekai.org. MINDFUL SATURDAY How about a free mindfulness tour? Treat yourself to a two-hour walk through the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve that takes place every fourth Sunday of the month. Explore the slough’s diverse habitats and cycles on a walk with reserve docent Renate Funke, who has enjoyed this area for three decades. Engage your senses on this easy-to-moderate two-mile trail, home to numerous species, and perhaps discover a new connection to nature. No reservations are needed; check in at the reserve visitor center five to 10 minutes before the tour. [AP] 2-4pm every fourth Saturday of the month. Elkhorn Slough Reserve, 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville. Free. 728-5939, elkhornslough. org. Saturday, May 24- Sunday, May 25 FEMALE POWER Founded in 2012, Aria Women’s Choir is an auditioned group of female vocalists who live on the Central Coast. They sing recent and historic choral works. The group has been hailed as one of the best women’s choirs in California; in 2016, they made their solo ensemble debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Typically, Aria has three main concerts per year. In the upcoming concert, Aria sings what is new and relevant in the world of choral music, and this concert, titled “She Sings!,” features a diverse selection of new and relevant choral works. In June, Aria will bring out popular, jazz and musical theater works. The ideals of the group are to celebrate women and their voices. “We want to give women an artistic voice to bring loud and proud,” is the group’s mission. [AP] 3pm Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25. Pacific Grove United Methodist Church, 915 Sunset Ave., Pacific Grove. $29; $24/seniors, military; $13/students. ariamonterey.org. Sunday, May 25 JIG’S UP Did you know there are different types of accordion? That’s like knowing there are different types of bagpipe—it puts you in the rare company that understands the captivating quality of the instruments in traditional music. Johnny B. Connolly plays the button accordion. The Dublin (that is the one in Ireland) master is teamed with Carmel’s John Weed on fiddle and Cary Novotny out of Portland on guitar and together—as Tradmill—they perform jigs, reels and old-time favorites with a zest that stands the test of time. Even doubters will leave saying, “I want more accordion in my life.” [DF] 3pm Sunday, May 25. St. Mary’s by the Sea, 146 12th St., Pacific Grove. $30/advance; $35/door. 224-3819, celticsociety.org. HOT PICKS raiser that aims to make Luce’s wildest dreams come even more true, complete with performances by DJ Cactus Man and Rosalia Webster of Big Surcus. Sex Western is based on the third volume of Luce’s poetry chapbooks. If you haven’t seen the play, consider checking out the poetry that’s available at Henry Miller Memorial. Either way, prepare for a titillating experience. [EC] 4-9pm Saturday, May 24. Henry Miller Memorial Library, 48603 Highway 1, Big Sur. $25. 667-2574, henrymiller.org. DANCE IT Since 1926, Chautauqua Hall Dance Club has been hosting dancing every Saturday night, from bachata (a social dance from the Dominican Republic), samba, foxtrot and salsa to cha-chacha, tango and rumba. This Saturday, on the 3,500-square-foot dance floor, one can practice ballroom, Latin and swing dancing. Chautauqua offers classes and has experienced instructors. Sergei Panchenko is a professional ballroom dancer and is the owner of Top Peninsula Dance in Pacific Grove. Natasha Zakrevskaia is a professional ballroom dancer born in Russia; Rene and Jennifer Filzen own The West Coast Swing Dance Company. Letitia Capili brings over 20 years of expertise in salsa. There are many other instructors to help you. [AP] 6pm lessons, 7-9pm dance Saturday, May 24. Chautauqua Hall Dance Club, 16th Street and Central Avenue, Pacific Grove. $10 (cash only). pgdance.org. GOAL ORIENTED Monterey Bay FC is locked in a battle with San Antonio for the top spot of the USL Championship’s Western Conference, so every point is important. Saturday night, the Union hosts Louisville, which is also challenging for the lead of the Eastern Conference. Fortunately, MBFC has Nico Campuzano, the entire league’s leading goalkeeper with 39 saves heading into the weekend. Fans get an extra treat next week, as the squad hosts Spokane in a USL Jägermeister Cup match on Wednesday, May 28 at 7pm. [DF] 7pm Saturday, May 24. Cardinale Stadium, 4111 2nd Ave., Seaside. $20-$61. 324-2560, montereybayfc.com. GET READY The Motown sound has been the soundtrack of our lives for over 60 years. From “Please Mr. Postman” and “Shop Around,” the record label’s first top hits, to “Tears of a Clown,” “I Want You Back,” “What’s Going on” and “Superstition”—the classic tunes we loved that changed the face of American music are too numerous to list. They take us back to our childhoods and special moments throughout our lives. Journey through some of the most beloved hits during “The Magic of Motown,” featuring tributes to The Temptations, The Jackson 5, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson and more. What’s going on? Nothing but pure magic. [PM] 7:30pm Saturday, May 24. Fox Theater, 241 Main St., Salinas. $19-$74. 758-8459, foxtheatersalinas.com. Sex Western is one of the best local productions of the year. After a single performance at Henry Miller Memorial Library, the show is raising funds to go conquer the world. KODIAK GREENWOOD Outrigger canoe races, with routes ranging from two to eight miles, are part of the celebration of Hawaiian culture hosted by the Hi’ilani ‘O Ke Kai club at Del Monte Beach. MANUEL DELGADO
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