Send ideas to montereycountynow.com/events 24 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MAY 28-JUNE 3, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com 7pm Saturday, May 30. Pacific Grove Art Center, 568 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. $40. (831) 375-2208, pgartcenter.org. Saturday, May 30- Sunday, May 31 FEATS OF STRENGTH For those dedicated everyday athletes and weekend warriors looking to test the limits of their physical and mental abilities, the Spartan obstacle race series is coming back to Toro Park. The obstacle course and race series, inspired by the legendary Spartan warriors of ancient Greece, consists of numerous competitions, from a 5K sprint to a super 10K obstacle course race and a Spartan trail marathon and half-marathon. Like the Spartan agoge of old, these races are not meant for the faint of heart, because in Spartan law, there is no retreat and no surrender. [AS] 6am Saturday-Sunday, May 30-31. Toro County Park, 501 Highway 68. Salinas. $32- $172/events; $22/spectators. spartanrace. zendesk.com. spartan.com. TACO TIME Tacos are one of the most popular foods in the U.S., rivaling hamburgers. They are adaptable—served on corn or flour tortillas, and people eat them folded, rolled, fried or steamed. Fillings cater to any palate, from meat-eaters to seafood lovers to vegans. Tacos can be eaten anytime, for breakfast, lunch or dinner. All of this comes together thanks to What’s Grubbin’ Salinas, which brings all the styles and all the flavors to one place with multiple taco trucks, retail vendors, live music, lucha libre, a classic car exhibition, a beer garden and more. [CJ] 1-4pm Saturday-Sunday, May 30-31. Salinas Sports Complex, 1034 N. Main St., Salinas $13 per day. bit.ly/4dCLOrI. Sunday, May 31 DANCE ON Young people spend all school year learning things, culminating around now. They might tell you about the books they read or the scientific concepts they learned, but that sounds a little bit like sitting through school again. How about what they learned in dance? Now that’s entertaining. Students in The Dance Center’s rigorous programs spent the year practicing and refining their skills in everything from ballet to hip-hop, jazz to acrobatics, and now is their time to shine in a recital. The day begins with kinder/ pre-K dancers from 11am-noon, followed by beginner-level/tween dancers at 1-2:30pm, and wraps up with advanced teens from 4-7pm. Celebrate local talent and take in the next generation of stars at this showcase. [SR] 11am-7pm Sunday, May 31. Sunset Center, San Carlos and 9th, Carmel. $23/kinder show; $34/beginner; $38/advanced. (831) 625-3262, dancecarmel.com. ARTISTS UNITE Calling all thespians, artists and musicians. This is your night to mix and mingle with other creatives in an analog record shop, no dating apps required. In a world dominated by AI and capitalism with questionable morals that gets cheaper by the day, New Canon Theatre Co. stands as a beacon of light and wants creatives to share with each other over drinks, music and love of the arts. The gathering is simple enough for anyone to join in: Just show up, order a drink if you’d like and enjoy the creative vibes put out by the other people there. Who knows, maybe you’ll meet someone who’s working on that script that’s perfect for the part you’re meant to play. New Canon loves to supHOT PICKS sidewalks and turn them into a living gallery, promoting inclusion in Pacific Grove. “It’s honestly one of the most colorful and joyful things you will see on the Monterey Peninsula,” says Ritika Kumar, the organization’s founder. [AP] 10am-2pm Saturday, May 30. Throughout downtown Pacific Grove. Free. (831) 9154611, artabilities.org. DOUBLE TAKE Monterey County soccer fans will be treated to a doubleheader on Saturday. In the afternoon, the Monterey Bay Sirens—the new women’s club—host Oakland in USL W League action. Come evening, the men take the pitch, with Monterey Bay FC battling Loudoun United. MBFC has been struggling, at 1-7-2 on the season, 12th in the USL Championship’s Western Conference. But goalkeeper Fernando Delgado, with 23 saves, has been a bright spot, along with defenders Kelsey Egwu and Zackery Farnsworth (scoring has been the issue). Loudoun currently sits 11th in the Eastern Conference, so there’s an opportunity. Meanwhile, the Sirens are second place in the Nor Cal Division’s young season at 1-0-1. But the club can vault first place Oakland with a win. [DF] 3pm Saturday, May 30 for Monterey Bay Sirens vs Oakland; 7pm Saturday, May 30 for Monterey Bay FC vs Loudoun United. Cardinale Stadium, 4111 2nd Ave., Seaside. $23-$86. (831) 324-2560, montereybayfc. com. SHE WRITES THE SONGS There are great female songwriters out there but did you know that 90 percent of songs in the public domain are written by men? That’s why an organization called She Writes Songs was created, to champion original music written by women. The group is presenting an evening of women artists, in partnership with the Just Jazz Foundation, at the Wendi Kirby music studio featuring Kirby herself plus several internationally acclaimed performers: Sarah Gillespie, described as “Dylan on amphetamines”; Joanna Finnis, a recording artist whose work spans piano, pop and musical theater; and HOLYSEA, an artist project by the singer/songwriter Rachael Chloe Williams. [PM] 7-8:30pm Saturday, May 30. Wendi Kirby Music, 550 Hartnell St., Suite F, Monterey. $56. wendikirbymusic.com. STRING THEORY Whether you’re a longtime classic guitar aficionado or just curious about the genre, internationally acclaimed guitarist Yuri Liberzon is sure to draw in audiences with his musical artistry and storytelling. Liberzon, born in Russia and now based in the United States, is a prolific musician with five albums under his belt, including early recordings with Grammy-award winning producer Nuhi Bronzini, and his latest, Music of Astor Piazzolla, released in 2024. In fact, Liberzon is such an accomplished performer that he was granted permanent residency in the U.S. under the Alien of Extraordinary Ability category. [AS] Is your idea of fun running—uphill both ways, schlepping heavy weights and navigating obstacles? Then the Spartan race at Toro Park is for you. If you (wisely) answered no to any of those questions, it can still be fun to watch others take it on, May 30-31. SP0ARTAN RACE Windows will play in Pacific Grove on Friday, May 29. This Los Angeles band borrows from two traditions—old California country and psychedelia. (Details p. 22.) BELLA PETRO
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