Send ideas to montereycountynow.com/events 28 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 30-MAY 6, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com you. Come and soak up the spirit of the community. [SR] 5-8pm Friday, May 1. ArtWorks@Salinas, 262 Main St., Salinas (and surrounding area). Free. (831) 622-9060, arts4mc.org. WAR STORIES What caused the American Civil War? That one’s easy—and no, it was not states’ rights, look up Mississippi’s articles of secession. But there is still a lot to learn. So for the third year, Woodbury Historical Tours is bringing 12 historians to Monterey for “Seldom Heard History of the Civil War Era.” The presentations range from the odyssey of a wealthy gentleman from Central Africa who ended up as a sergeant in the 55th Massachusetts Infantry, the challenges met during the pivotal summer of 1864, escaped POWs, Grant through Sherman’s eyes and more—an entire weekend of Civil War scholarship, including a book sale and signings, which starts with a 5:30pm reception on Friday. [DF] 6:30-8:30pm Friday, May 1; 9am-4:30pm Saturday, May 2; 9am-3:30pm Sunday, May 3. Stanton Center, 5 Custom House Plaza, Monterey. $295. whtours.org. Saturday, May 2 SALINAS TIME “Salinas” is Spanish for “salt marshes,” a nod to the wetlands that once covered the valley before it became America’s Salad Bowl. It’s John Steinbeck’s hometown, host of one of the country’s biggest pro rodeos since 1911, and now the star of the second annual Salinas Day to celebrate that diverse heritage (and also the present). Expect music, history, hands-on activities and community resources for the whole family. Come celebrate the city that feeds the nation—and that knows how to throw a party. [AP] 9am-2pm Saturday, May 2. 1 Station Place, Salinas. Free. (831) 758-7201, salinas.gov/ Events/Salinas-Day-2026. ON THE CIRCUIT Seaside is a city of parks—25 in fact—that range from small to large and are equally varied in the amenities they offer, from volleyball courts to playgrounds to barbecues. They all are hubs of native plants, trees and pollinators, and many are stewarded by the green-thumbed volunteers of Friends of Seaside Parks. It’s always a good time to go outside and explore these parks, especially during the Park Circuit Challenge. Stop by four parks—Beta, Capra, Durant and Farallones—and take part in family-friendly activities for a chance to win prizes. [EC] 11am-1pm Saturday, May 2. Durant Park, corner of Wanda Avenue between Vallejo and Darwin streets. Free. friendsofseasideparks.org. SIDE BY SIDE Supporting mental health does not have to be a chore—it can be a joyful community activity. NAMI Monterey County hosts its very first NAMIWalks event, a one-mile and 5K walk where neighbors, friends and families can come together to spread mental health awareness. There’s no pressure to fundraise, but those who raise $100 or more earn a well-deserved T-shirt. Every dollar raised helps NAMI continue offering free, confidential services right here in the community. NAMI—the National Alliance on Mental Illness—was born in 1979 out of a mother’s love and determination, and has grown into the largest grassroots mental health organization in the U.S. NAMI Monterey County has been a beacon of hope since 1984. [AP] 2pm Saturday, May 2. Toro Park, 501 Highway 68, Salinas. Free; registration required; donations optional. (831) 422-6264, namiwalks.org/montereycounty. TWANG TWINNING With Molly Tuttle and Ketch Secor— frontman of Old Crow Medicine Show— coming to town, there’s a twang in the HOT PICKS each other. Djokic and violinist Edwin Huizinga created a sold-out series of outdoor porch shows during the Covid-19 pandemic, birthing the Manzanita Music Collective. Huizinga is undergoing cancer treatment, and this evening is a benefit to help him while he cannot work. [SR] 7pm Thursday, April 30. The SandBox, 440 Ortiz Ave., Sand City. $40/suggested. sandboxsandcity.com. Thursday, April 30-Sunday, May 3 ONCE UPON The theater team at Monterey High School performs a remix of fairy tale tropes under the open sky with Once Upon a Mattress. In this unique spin on The Princess and the Pea, the princess Winnifred the Woebegone must pass the seemingly impossible tests of Queen Aggravin in an attempt to win the hand of Prince Dauntless, who must be married before anyone else in the kingdom can tie the knot, by decree of the queen. This whimsical play is sure to take on a magical air as the sun sets on the amphitheater. [AS] 7pm Thursdays-Saturdays; 4:30pm Sundays, April 30-May 10, Outdoor Forest Theater, Santa Rita and Mountain View, Carmel. $28; $13/students. (831) 622-0700, pacrep.org. Friday, May 1 READING SCORE Sports fans attend college football, basketball or other games, perhaps in the hope of seeing future stars in action. But what about those who appreciate literature? Where can they catch the next Suzanne Collins or Nicholas Sparks? Well, students of CSU Monterey Bay’s creative writing and social action courses host a public reading of original work that has been honed under the tutelage of author Ava Homa, a lecturer in the humanities and communication department. It’s an opportunity to get a glimpse of emerging literary talent. Many students will be reading their own work for the first time. [DF] Noon-2pm Friday, May 1. Room 118 Heron Hall (building 18), CSU Monterey Bay, 4th Avenue and Inter-Garrison Road, Seaside. Free. lschiro@csumb.edu. ART FOR ALL May 1 is May Day, which also happens to be Friday, which means it’s First Friday— and that means it’s time for makers and musicians and everyone creative to gather in Salinas and celebrate the arts. Among other offerings, Artists Ink is back with its Craft & Cultura Market, featuring a couple dozen local artists and crafters showing off their work. (Consider purchasing something to support the arts in a material way, although the act of simply showing up matters too.) Look for live art demonstrations, pop into galleries on Main Street to meet the makers, and listen to live music. This is about uplifting artists, but also creating community and that means Robinson Jeffers was inspired to write some of the most well-known works of poetry by his surroundings. Retrace his steps at Tor House during the annual garden party (p. 29). DANIEL DREIFUSS With more than 50 students involved in the production, Monterey High Theatre, in collaboration with MPC Theatre, will present the musical comedy Once Upon A Mattress at the Carmel Outdoor Forest Theatre, April 30-May 10. LOGAN MARCHESE
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