Send ideas to montereycountynow.com/events 28 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JULY 9-15, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com thing into this fun day. Make that a double-dog dare. The event is a fundraiser for the Cachagua Community Center. [DF] Noon-6:30pm Saturday, July 11. Cachagua Community Park, 37210 Nason Road, Carmel Valley. Free. cachaguacommunitycenter@ gmail.com, facebook.com/cachaguacommunitycenter. ART WORKS Maybe you find trees to be friendly members of your neighborhood, or maybe you can’t stop eyeing that one branch hanging precariously over a roof, or maybe you let them fade into the background. Carmel photographer Jane Olin sees trees—really sees them, as shown in the exhibit fittingly titled Some Trees that is on display at the Monterey Museum of Art until Aug. 23. Her works “invite the viewer to interpret trees’ kinship with humankind, alongside the individuality, complexity, and imposing nature of trees as a poetic and meditative dialogue with the nature that defines our landscape,” according to the show notes. Learn about the selection of these works at a talk by guest curator Cydney Payton, who will be joined by the artist herself. Reserve in advance; admission includes access to the museum. [SR] 2-3:30pm Saturday, July 11. Monterey Museum of Art, 559 Pacific St., Monterey. $20; $5/MMA members, students, military, youth under 18, EBT card-holders. (831) 3725477, montereyart.org. ALL-STAR FOREST Jazz in the Forest comes back to Carmel for an outdoor feast for the ears—courtesy of the Monterey Jazz Regional All-Star Vocal Ensemble, Regional All-Star Band and Trading Fours Ensemble, a community-based group which unites local musicians—a testimony to the power of Monterey Jazz’s educational programs and its deep roots in the community. Hear a new iteration of local students perform before leaving for colleges and universities around the country and the world. Some of them will become professional musicians; others will remember the music programs as lessons in leadership and teamwork. Directed by veteran local jazz educators, they sound amazing together on this stage, whatever direction they take next. [AP] 4-6:30pm Saturday, July 11. Outdoor Forest Theater, Santa Rita and Mountain View, Carmel. $20-$25. (831) 373-3366, montereyjazz.org/calendar. NIGHT GAZERS July is one of the best times to look up at the early evening sky and see our neighboring rock. Venus shines bright this month, a glowing speck that represents the planet that is close in size to ours, yet has a crushing atmosphere with a temperature that’s even more so. Get a better look at this world beyond the naked eye at a star party hosted by the Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy Club. Venus may not be an actual star, but it will be a star of the show. What else can you spot in the sky? [EC] 8:45pm Saturday, July 11. Garland Ranch Regional Park Visitor Center, 700 West Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley. Free. (831) 372-3196; register at bit.ly/ StarPartyJuly11. Sunday, July 12 MAKING MEMORIES The first of a series of Obon festivals is upon us. Join the Monterey Peninsula Buddhist Temple to celebrate the ancestors and strengthen the community spirit. The celebration is a moment to show gratitude, commemorate those who came before you and create new memories with family and friends. The HOT PICKS sometimes, even the audience to create a hilarious throughline or story. Controlled Chaos is exactly that, hosting a fast-paced, unscripted improv show presented by the Comedy Variety Showcase. [KR] 7-9pm Friday, July 10. Carmel Valley Athletic Club’s Mind and Body Studio, 27300 Rancho San Carlos Road, Carmel. $29. (831) 6242737, shorturl.at/a6njo. Saturday, July 11 CONTROLLED BURN That’s “muster” not “mustard,” although a barbecue is involved so we can see how that might be confusing. Squirting mustard on a fire is inadvisable, but you’ll have the opportunity to douse a dog or two with your favorite condiments at Big Sur Fire’s Annual Muster and BBQ. It’s part duty and part celebration since it’s a way to support the firefighters protecting some of the most difficult terrain in the country. They’ve certainly earned a barbecue and you can help them out by purchasing a ticket and enjoying a hot dog or burger with them. If you’re feeling like taking on a challenge, they’ll also have some firefighter games for attendees to try, although you’ll probably want to leave the hose dousing to them. [SC] Noon-3pm Saturday, July 11. Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, 47225 Highway 1, Big Sur. $15; free/ages 12 and under. (831) 667-2113, bigsurfire.org. UNDER WATER Ocean life both big and small is mesmerizing, from the tiniest plankton to communities of octopuses. The team of scientists—and machinists and mechatronics technicians and pilots of remotely operated vehicles—at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute get to spend their day up close and personal with these creatures, discovering new species and exploring territory deep in the ocean. For one day of the year, they set up the most sophisticated science fair you’ve ever been to and invite the public over to meet the crew, check out their research vessels, and learn about the work they’re doing and how they do it. Meet the humans studying these animals, and get to know more about the animals too—and if you’re lucky, you might get a sticker of a flapjack octopus or something equally adorable at this family-friendly, interactive event. [SR] Noon-5pm Saturday, July 11. MBARI, 7700 Sandholdt Road, Moss Landing. Free. (831) 775-1700, mbari.org. ALL’S FAIR Can there be too much to do in a day? Well, the Cachagua Country Fair responds with an emphatic yes. Really, can one family enjoy live music, take part in a silent auction, check out vendors, try some barbecue, visit the bar, play games, send kids to the petting zoo or horseback riding…there’s more, but you get the point. Enough goes on at this gathering that you can easily overlook the fact that the park sits on the Carmel River—so there is a cool bit of outdoors, too. Did we mention the horseshoe tournament? Or the other games? We dare you to cram everyGo behind the scenes at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute’s annual open house on July 11, with a chance to see equipment and meet the technical geniuses behind it. TYSON RININGER The wonders of the night sky are limitless. Using equipment from the Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy Club, turn your eyes to the sky during a star party at Garland Ranch Regional Park on Saturday, July 11. DANIEL DREIFUSS
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