Thursday, Oct. 8- Saturday, Oct. 10 DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE Step into Alice’s world in Wonderland! at ARIEL Theatrical, where a magical adventure awaits. Follow the journey down the rabbit hole and discover a world where nothing is quite what it seems. Whether you’re a lifelong fan of this beloved story or experiencing Wonderland for the first time, there’s a lesson to be learned about patience, persistence and accountability. Let the real life chess game begin. [RH] 7pm Thursday-Friday, Oct. 8-9, 2pm and 7pm Saturday, Oct. 10. ARIEL Theatrical, 320 Main St., Salinas. $13-17. (831) 775-0976, arieltheatrical.org. Friday, Oct. 9-Saturday, Oct. 10 WILD RIDE Do drinking and driving ever mix? Of course—when you are doing the drinking and someone else is behind the handlebars. Biers & Gears is a two-day festival celebrating Oktoberfest with cold brews and flat track motorcycle racing. There is also live music, when you can hear it (which won’t be Friday during moto practice or Saturday, when racing happens from 2-5pm), and food vendors. If that’s not enough, the grounds also host a vintage motorcycle show. Just one word of advice: if you pick a spot in the corner to catch the race, cover your stein when the bikes skid by. A shower of dirt can ruin a good beer. [DF] 3-10pm Friday, Oct. 9; 10am-10pm Saturday, Oct. 10. Monterey County Fair & Event Center, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey. $27-$53; free/children 10 and under. (831) 3725863, montereycountyfair.com. HORRIFYING COMEDY They say that the only way to experience The Rocky Horror Show is at a live showing of the 1975 film (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) or an actual performance, compared to just watching the movie at home, which some describe as being like judging a roller coaster by watching videos of people riding it on YouTube. For those looking for a local rendition of the classic horror comedy musical, look no further than Paper Wing Theatre, where a cast of local characters play the classic roles of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, made famous by the late Tim Curry, and others, with evening and 30 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY OCTOBER 8-14, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com WILLIAM EATMON Pebble Beach artist William Eatmon explores the mystery, the infinity and the elasticity of the universe through 10 abstract paintings now on display at Venture Gallery, 260 Alvarado St. in Monterey. Eatmon is October’s featured artist at the gallery, and his exhibit, Space Exploration, balances the different worlds of abstraction and photo-realism to envision what life may be like beyond our world and our galaxy. The piece above, titled “Bubble Universe,” is a 5-foot-wide by 4-foot-wide gallery-wrapped canvas with all sides painted. Eatmon has had his work shown around the world, and since retiring from an engineering and science career, he has spent his time painting oil and acrylic. Venture Gallery is open daily from 10am to 6pm. [EC] 8-14 OCTOBER HOT PICKS To see more local events, and add your own, visit montereycountynow.com/events WILLIAM EATMON COURTESY OF OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA ART. GIFT OF THE FAMILY OF DUGAN AGUILAR VISUALS DUGAN AGUILAR For 36 years, up until his death in 2018, Indigenous photographer Dugan Aguilar interacted with Indigenous communities throughout California, capturing contemporary life of tribes. In 2021, Aguilar’s family gifted his personal archive to the Oakland Museum of California Art, and a collection of those works are now on display at the Monterey Museum of Art, 559 Pacific St., Monterey. Born of the Bear Dance: Dugan Aguilar’s Photographs of Native California combines video, audio and quotes from the artist to provide context to his photographs. Aguilar’s photographs highlight ceremonies, war veterans, elders, artists and others. The portrait above is titled “Jennifer Bates (Northern Sierra Mewuk), Oakland Big Time, 1996.” The exhibit is on view now through Dec. 20. [EC] Elizabeth Joy Roe and Greg Anderson perform in Carmel on Sunday, Oct. 11 (see p. 33). This piano duo is brought by Carmel Music Society, now presenting its 100th season at Sunset Center. LISA-MARIE MAZZUCCO Katie Holten is an Irish artist and author whose main concern is humans’ impact on the natural environment. She speaks in Big Sur on Friday, Oct. 9 (see p. 32). DILLON COHEN
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