Thursday, June 25 REFLECTING PRIDE There are after-parties, but in this case it’s a pre-party to celebrate Pride weekend in Monterey County. Pacific Grove’s newest hotel, Kimpton Mirador, and Monterey Peninsula Pride are hosting “Prism: A PrePride Courtyard Soirée,” promising to blend community spirit with “a high-energy, sophisticated lounge vibe.” Held in the hotel’s beautiful courtyard, the party includes live, disco-inspired beats by DJ Atmos and access to a full bar. All are invited with a reservation. A VIP ticket includes appetizers, an exclusive seating area, a cocktail and swag to take home. [PM] 5-9pm Thursday, June 25. Kimpton Mirador Hotel, 150 Fountain Ave., Pacific Grove. Free entry; $56/VIP ticket. (831) 393-4210, peninsulapride.org. WALK THE WALK It can be easy to forget that two of the easiest ways to stay healthy at any age is to simply go for a stroll and socialize with friends, family or even complete strangers. With this in mind, the City of King City, inspired by the Blue Zones Project—a global organization that tries to make healthy living easier, and which was inspired by communities around the world where people live longer, healthier lives, or “Blue Zones”—is hosting a weekly walk this summer. The health-conscious amble starts at the downtown plaza in King City every Thursday. [AS] 6pm Thursdays, June 25-Aug. 13. Downtown Plaza, 326 Broadway St., King City. Free. (831) 386-5921, kingcity.com. Friday, June 26 BIRD BARRAGE Birds are all around us. They are so ubiquitous that they just blend into the environment. But if you actually try to look for them, you’ll be surprised to see just how many different species you’ll discover. And if you do so with experts by your side, the number of birds you’ll spot grows exponentially. The Monterey Audubon Society leads a birding trip through El Carmelo Cemetery. Expect to see hummingbirds combing the bushes and woodpeckers living up to their namesake on the trees. Maybe there will be some turkeys causing a ruckus. There definitely won’t be any ostriches—but if you do see them, send 28 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JUNE 25-JULY 1, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com DAVID LIGARE Early sand drawings by David Ligare will be briefly on display in Seaside—act quickly to see them by appointment until June 30. While living in Big Sur, Ligare began this series of works—so different from the realistic oil paintings he is now known for— based on the opposing principles of abstraction and representation. To make these, he visited the beach below his home and drew with his fingers and hands in the wet sand. Once the sand drawing was completed, he photographed it. The tide would eventually erase the transitory work but the camera made a clear record with the late afternoon light raking across the ridges of sand. It was from these photographs that the final works were then created. The title of this pop-up show is Sand Drawings 19731977. The gallery is at 615 Broadway Ave., Seaside. Contact (831) 402-2902 or delmesa98@gmail.com to schedule a time to see the exhibit. [AP] HOT PICKS To see more local events, and add your own, visit montereycountynow.com/events DAVID LIGARE JOSEPH ALLEMAN VISUALS JOSEPH ALLEMAN Gallery MAR is celebrating its new artists, Joseph Alleman and Clay Wagstaff with an exhibit titled Refined. Alleman is a Utah-based painter who certainly utilizes the landscapes that surround him, producing elegant, melancholic images in oil on canvas. He is a patient and loving observer who manages to discover beauty in a muddy dirt road, flat and cloudy horizon or a single structure of home that suggests a modest and solitary life. “There is a beauty within the everyday and ordinary that only painting can reveal,” Alleman wrote in an artist statement. Dolores between Ocean and 7th. On display until July 12. Hours are 10am-5pm Monday-Thursday, 10am-7pm Friday, 11am-5pm Saturday-Sunday. [AP] Since 1970, the Western swing band Asleep at the Wheel has released more than 20 albums, with a slew of singles making it onto the Billboard country charts. They perform on June 27 at Golden State Theatre (see details, p. 30). RYAN HULL Learn about the history of the thriving Jewish community of chicken ranchers in Petaluma in a film screening and discussion on Sunday, June 28 (see details on p. 32). JUNE 25– JULY01
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