Send ideas to montereycountynow.com/events 32 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY DECEMBER 11-17, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Open Ground Studios for the community to come together to trade (or sell) unique items, goods or even skills with others. That old item you have in your closet? Bring it over and trade for something new. The fair boasts that baked goods, candles, jams, jewelry, soaps, plants, fresh produce, stationery and upcycled fashion are available for trading. And if your closet is really deep and full of things, they have indoor and outdoor spaces for you to offer up your wares. [SC] 1-3pm Saturday, Dec. 13. 1230 Fremont Blvd., Seaside. Free. (831) 204-8578, opengroundstudios.com. POP GOES THE HOLIDAYS It wouldn’t be the holidays without songs long beloved by all, including “Sleigh Ride,” “Joy to the World,” “Deck the Halls,” plus songs of Hanukkah and from favorite classics like How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The Pacific Grove Pops Orchestra offers such music as a gift to the community in a program called “Sounds of the Season,” led by Artistic Director Barbara Priest. The premier nonprofit intergenerational orchestra ranges from middle schoolers to octogenarians. Come experience the joy the musicians share in their music, as well as the joy of the season. [PM] 2pm Saturday, Dec. 13. Pacific Grove Performing Arts Center, 836 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. Free; donations accepted. pgpopsorchestra.com. GUESS WHO’S BACK Do you remember singer-songwriter Richard Marx? Perhaps you recall one of his biggest hits, a romantic ballad “Right Here Waiting” from 1989, which was a global hit. This Chicago native debuted in the late ’80s and sold over 30 million albums around the world. He won a 2004 Song of the Year Grammy for co-authoring, with Luther Vandross, “Dance with My Father.” In Monterey, he will be accompanied by lead singer and guitarist for Vertical Horizon, Matt Scannell. [AP] 7pm Saturday, Dec. 13. Golden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado St., Monterey. $53-$107. (831) 649-1070, goldenstatetheatre.com. Sunday, Dec. 14 BACK STAGE Before becoming a playwright and producer who staged more than 20 plays, musical and biographical dramas in the last two decades, Tom Parks had worked for 25 years as a dialogue coach in Hollywood. Some of the shows he has brought to the Carl Cherry Center for the Arts in Carmel are: A Life and a Few Songs, an Evening of Music and Musings; CHUMS; Something for the Boys; Marlene—From Berlin to Hollywood to Berlin, 1930-1945; The Wit and Wisdom of Dorothy Parker; and Interview–A Mystery. In 2015, Parks published a book titled Three Women, Three Voices, Three Plays that gathers some of his “biographical dramas.” Recently Parks wrote a memoir, A Life Backstage, and he will have his actor friends read from it at The Cherry. Just as a play, the event has three “acts,” the first and third including wine. Celebrate Parks’ life and career and purchase a copy of his book if you’d like to dive deeper. [AP] 2-4pm Sunday, Dec. 14. Carl Cherry Center for the Arts, 4th and Guadalupe, Carmel. Free. (831) 624-7491, carlcherrycenter.org. Monday, Dec. 15 OPERA ESSENTIALS You’ve heard of the Phantom of the Opera, but what about the Skeletons of the Opera? This has no spooky vibes, just the bare bones (get it?) of the elements that define Baroque opera. Harpsichordists Caitlyn Koester and Elliot Figg perform a harpsichord HOT PICKS ambiance to mingle with the community and a great opportunity to buy a unique art piece to enhance your home decor, or to gift someone with. Make Merry at Cherry, the Carl Cherry Center for the Arts’ annual art sale and open house, has become a fixture on the local holiday scene. The event showcases an array of media and styles, including oils, mixed media and photographs from various artists, such as Jan Wagstaff, Zach Weston and Judith Foosaner. Attendees have a chance of winning a wheelbarrow filled with an assortment of fine wine. [CJ] 5-7pm Friday, Dec. 12. Carl Cherry Center for the Arts, 4th and Guadalupe, Carmel. Free. (831) 624-7491, carlcherrycenter.org. LADY DAY If one were to describe Stella Heath’s voice, it could be explained as a warm blanket, draping your shoulders and hugging you with her smooth, soulful and smoky voice. Soothing might be the word—a quality she brings to her performances, most recently in a tribute to the music of Billie Holiday with her quintet in the Billie Holiday Project. Taking on Holiday’s repertoire, multi-faceted and known for her emotional depth and her ability to deliver songs with a level of sensitivity and personality that set her apart among the jazz greats of the ’30s and ’40s, is a steep challenge—but one Heath meets with flair. She’ll be performing alongside Neil Fontano on the piano, Robby Elfman on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Trevor Kinsel on bass and cornet and Spike Klein on the drums. [KR] 8pm Friday, Dec. 12. Golden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado St., Monterey. $25-$60. (Buy one ticket, get one free offer with toy donation.) (831) 649-1070, goldenstatetheatre. com. Friday, Dec. 12 -Saturday, Dec. 13 HOMES FOR THE HOLIDAYS Ah, nostalgia. The holiday season is the most nostalgic of them all, and nothing quite gets you all warm and fuzzy like a tour of Monterey’s historic adobes adorned with festive decor. Monterey State Historic Park Association and California State Parks team up to present the annual Christmas in the Adobes, where more than 20 historic buildings open their doors to the public. Knowledgeable docents are stationed at each location on this self-guided tour to give you a slice of life from the 1800s. The event is a fundraiser for State Parks’ educational programs, so you not only get to experience history, but keep it alive for future generations. [EC] 5-9pm Friday-Saturday, Dec. 12-13. Throughout Old Monterey; check in at Custom House or Pacific House, Custom House Plaza. $45/two-night pass; $30/one night; free/ children 17 and under. mshpa.org/christmasintheadobes. Saturday, Dec. 13 TRADE UP Gift-giving in this economy may seem daunting to some. If that’s you, then look no further than the Monterey Peninsula Barter Fair. Monterey Peninsula Barter is teaming up with Santa Claus is coming to town, or more specifically, the Salinas Sports Complex, on Thursday, Dec. 11 to pass out toys to 1,500 children. (Details on p. 30.) MAG ONE MEDIA Student musicians in Youth Orchestra Salinas (YOSAL) learn more than musical essentials—they also practice discipline, teamwork and individual responsibility to the group. They also have fun, and share the vibes with a holiday concert (Details on p. 30). MANNY ESPINOZA
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