Send ideas to calendar@montereycountynow.com 28 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com journey through various neighborhoods, meeting Chicago’s turn-of-thecentury residents along the way. The character’s creator, East Bay-based Osler, talks about Harriet’s story—and what he’s cooking up next. But don’t expect him to give away the answers to his next mystery. [SR] 5:30-6:30pm Saturday, Aug. 30. Pacific Grove Public Library, 550 Central Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. 648-5760, pacificgrovelibrary. org. JUNK WAGON Jason Vanderford made full use of his Eastern European heritage, passed down from his immigrant grandparents, to create an eclectic and danceable sound through his band Junk Parlor, hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area. They’re a modern indie band that weaves an Old World sensibility into punk and rock tunes, thanks to an accordion and violin, along with drums, bass and guitar. They’ve been described as a “gypsy crooner punk band.” The songs tell a story—one song, “Dance With Me, Bella Lugosi,” is based on the true story of Vanderford’s Hungarian grandmother dancing with the film star. [PM] 10pm-midnight Saturday, Aug. 30. Fernwood Resort, 47200 Highway 1, Big Sur. Free; ages 21+. 667-2422, fernwoodbigsur.com. Sunday, Aug. 31 WALK ON THE WILD SIDE Part of the joy of hiking is that you can choose your own ratio of fitness to nature enjoyment. Walk fast to get your heart rate up and cover some serious mileage, or slow down and let all five senses come alive as you listen for birds, smell the flora, watch the light and shadows play. Guided hikes through Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District’s Let’s Go Outdoors! program invite you to join a volunteer naturalist who can help you slow down as they point out plant and animal life, and help maximize appreciation of an excursion on the trails. Expect to hike about three to four miles, avoiding steep hills; wear comfortable walking shoes and wear layers. [SR] 9:30am-noon Sunday, Aug. 31. Palo Corona Regional Park visitor center, 4860 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley. Free. 372-3196, mprpd.org. BIG BIRDS Are California condors the most interesting birds in the world? They have a wingspan of nearly 10 feet—they look like flying dinosaurs—and they can travel hundreds of miles in search of food. They’ve also recovered from the brink of an extinction caused by exposure to the now-banned pesticide DDT, and are currently under threat from being poisoned by lead bullets. Come learn about these amazing birds at nonprofit Ventana Wildlife Society’s Discovery Center at Andrew Molera State Park, where an interpreter will lead a one-hour walk along one of the park’s trails. Don’t forget to look up. [DS] 10am Sunday, Aug. 31. Andrew Molera State Park, 45500 Highway 1, Big Sur. Free. 6672315, ventanaws.org. ON BASE “Top Secret” usually means “Keep Out.” But the Point Sur Naval Facility is doing something different: It’s a secret base with an open house. Now that’s an oxymoron. The Cold War relic was once a facility that worked to detect Soviet submarines off the coast of Big Sur, under the guise that it was just doing oceanographic research. It was one of only 27 sites of its kind worldwide, but now it is only one of a very few still standing. With a guidebook in hand, visitors will get to tour the base HOT PICKS ing out “Sweet Caroline,” “I am…I Said,” “Crackin’ Rosie” and “Coming to America” to enthusiastic audiences. Wright makes the point that he’s not impersonating the powerhouse singer-songwriter, he’s honoring him. Wright’s show takes the audience on a trip through five decades of Diamond’s greatest hits, paired with captivating storytelling and a multimedia show. We dare you to not sing along. [PM] 7pm Friday-Saturday, Aug. 29-30. Lighthouse Cinema and Event Center, 525 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove, $59. 641-0747, lighthousecinema4events.com. Friday, Aug. 29 A HONKY-TONKIN’ TIME Paige and the Overtones love everything about outlaw country: the gritty sound, the storytelling lyrics and just the overall creative freedom the subgenre promises. So it was like a dream come true when vocalist Paige Overton and lead guitarist Jake Shepard once opened for Willie Nelson. The Las Vegas-based band brings the yeehaw spirit and the sound of a golden age of country. Overton is often referred to as “The Angry Songbird,” whose voice has been compared to such stars as Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton, while Shepard is a master of the B-bender style of guitar picking. [EC] 7pm Friday, Aug. 29. Pop & Hiss, 215 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. $3. popandhiss.net. Saturday, Aug. 30 FIRST, SECOND TIME California’s First Theater returns with the Second Annual First Theater Fest and that means free entertainment, food trucks and local vendors. This year’s festival includes performances on the historic stage by the Monterey Peninsula Theatre Company and music by Katherine Lavin that can be enjoyed with free popcorn and cream soda. A maker’s market in the garden hosts vendors North Coast Tintypes, the Casey Starks Studio, Meninas Clothing, Jilly MP Nature Illustrations and illustrator Maria Schoettler. Across the street, Casa del Oro Garden host several State Parks activities and food trucks as well. [AP] 11am-4pm Saturday, Aug. 30. California’s First Theater, corner of Scott and Pacific streets, Monterey. Free. 649-2907, ohp.parks. ca.gov/ListedResources/Detail/136. MYSTERY SOLVED It’s not easy being Harriet Morrow who, in 1898, is hired on a trial basis as the first woman in a Chicago detective agency. She wears men’s shoes and a bowler hat, and investigates by…bicycle. She’s also the fictional lead character in a historical mystery novel, The Case of the Missing Maid, by Rob Osler. Morrow’s first task is to locate a maid who’s disappeared from an opulent estate, and she embarks on a fast-paced Ventana Wildlife Society’s Discovery Center is the place to learn about the California condor, the biggest bird of Northern America. Ventana estimates the population at 565. TIM HUNTINGTON Monterey Pops! treats Seaside to a free Labor Day concert, joined by the Monterey Peninsula Gospel Choir directed by John Nash (above). Among the songs to be played are “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and hits from The Wizard of Oz. (See p. 29.) COURTESY OF MONTEREY PENINSULA GOSPEL COMMUNITY CHOIR
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