Friday, July 17
Sounds of Summer
Is there anything better than sitting in a plaza on a Friday evening listening to live music? OK, yeah – winning the lottery is better. Being called up from the minor leagues, also better. So let’s rephrase: Is there anything that brings a community together in a more fun and relaxing way? Hardly. That’s where Carmel’s Summer Live Music Series comes in – three Fridays of music and enjoyment, starting with The Money
Band. And it’s Carmel, so there is good food, wine and mocktails. Bonus: Purchase food and beverages and you benefit local nonprofits – Animal Friends Rescue Project and Peace of Mind Dog Rescue. [DF]
5-7pm Friday, July 17. Carmel Plaza, Ocean and Mission, Carmel. Free; $25/food and drink package. (831) 624-0138, carmelplaza.com.
Listen and Learn
Throughout the week, teachers have been touring sites along the Monterey Peninsula, learning about Asian American communities and their contributions to this area that they will bring back to their students. We can all be students when the teachers report back on what they’ve learned during a celebration at the conclusion of the week-long activity organized by the Quock Mui Foundation. The public is invited to listen to stories of Asian American history while enjoying food and listening to jazz saxophonist Francis Wong. The gathering takes place in the home of Quock Mui, the first documented Chinese American woman born on the Monterey Peninsula, whose family was involved in the thriving fishing community. [EC]
5:30-7:30pm Friday, July 17. Wave Street Studios, 774 Wave St., Monterey. Free. (831) 655-2010, RSVP at quockmuifoundation.org.
Her Story
Rachel Sumner and Traveling Light bring insightful lyrics to the stage on Friday, July 17 at the SandBox in Sand City. The genre they invented has been dubbed “Femericana.”
Singer songwriter Rachel Sumner and her band Traveling Light created a whole new genre of music they call Femericana, described as sharp-edged Americana with a splash of feminist rage. Her song “Radium Girls (Curie Eleison)” won the 2021 John Lennon Award in the folk category, a haunting yet beautiful song about the devastating impact of radium on the women who painted glow-in-the-dark clock faces during World War I. It’s become something of a cult classic as the success of the band has grown. Sumner weaves history and myth in her lyrics then pairs them with harmonies created by the band, featuring Kat Wallace on fiddle and vocals and Mike Siegel on upright bass and vocals. No doubt their intimate SandBox show will be a memorable one. [PM]
7pm Friday, July 17. SandBox, 440 Ortiz Ave., Sand City. $25-$40. sandboxsandcity@gmail.com, sandboxsandcity.com.
Friday, July 17- Saturday, July 18
You Oughta See It
There is a pantheon of albums that epitomized the angsty sound of the ’90s. Nevermind by Nirvana and Dirt by Alice in Chains come to mind. But here to remind you of the messy but oh-so-iconic decade is Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill, an irony-filled alt-rock album that helped define a generation. Paper Wing Theatre brings Morissette’s angst to the stage with a musical based on her hit 1995 album. It follows the Healy family, a typical family that puts a happy face on in public to mask their struggles from within. Expect to hear renditions of Morissette’s hits such as “Ironic” and “Hand in My Pocket” sprinkled throughout. See the show – it’s advice that you should take. [EC]
7:30pm Fridays-Saturdays, July 17-Aug. 8; 3pm Sundays, July 26-Aug. 9. Paper Wing Theatre and Supper Club, 711 Cannery Row (second floor), Monterey. $38. (831) 905-5648, paperwing.com.
Friday, July 17- Sunday, July 19
Art of Design
A few of Carmel’s most iconic structures were designed by women, back in the time when men dominated the craft. The 32nd Annual Carmel House Tour focuses on these fearless and creative designers, dubbed appropriately “Designing Women,” by co-sponsors Carmel Heritage Society and the American Institute of Architects Monterey Bay Chapter. The eight houses on this year’s tour include the 1940 Pope House designed by Julia Morgan and the Nash & Bassett House and Studio designed and built in the 1920s by Anne Nash and Dorothy Bassett. It kicks off with a lecture by Alissandra Dramov, author of Historic Homes and Inns of Carmel-by-the-Sea (and a member of Carmel City Council). On Sunday, catch a documentary about Morgan. [PM]
Lecture: 6pm Friday, July 17 at Carmel Foundation, 8th and Lincoln, Carmel, $15. Tour: Noon-4pm Saturday, July 18 at First Murphy House, Lincoln and 6th, Carmel, $50. Documentary: 2:30pm Sunday, July 19 at Carmel Foundation, $15. (831) 624-4447, carmelheritage.org.
Saturday, July 18
American Legend
Betty Reid Soskin is what one might call a legend. She’s famously known as the oldest-serving National Park Service ranger in U.S. history, at the age of 100, working at the Rosie the Riveter/WWII Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, California. But it’s her contributions to American history and her efforts to uplift the stories of women and people of color while challenging discrimination that have made her a celebrated voice and trailblazer. The documentary No Time to Waste chronicles Soskin’s inspiring life, from a young Black woman navigating segregation in a WWII union hall to becoming a talented singer, activist, mother and legislative representative. This film tells the story of her life. [KR]
2-3pm Saturday, July 18. Grace Dodge Chapel, Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove. Free. (831) 372-8016, shorturl.at/DYL6u.
Art 4 Whales
Enjoy a live painting event that benefits the whales. P.G. Artist Kristy Chettle will paint with her hands in her hometown on Saturday, July 18.
Abstract artist Kristy Chettle paints with her hands. She also leads the family workshop/fundraiser event, Ocean Art FUNdraiser, to benefit Save The Whales, an almost 50-year-old nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the ocean and its inhabitants. “My goal through art is to inspire others to prioritize caring for our planet while creating a love of art – no matter your age, skill or experience,” said Chettle, who has been supporting Save the Whales for over 20 years. “By reusing objects, and recycling them into something new such as cork creature crafts, assemblages and watercolor art, we can reduce our impact on the planet and spark creativity.” The workshop is followed by an art sale. Proceeds support popular hands-on marine science programs that reach schools throughout Monterey County. [AP]
2-8pm Saturday, July 18. Studio 5, 227 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. $20; $15/additional family member. (831) 899-9957, savethewhales.org.
Western Brush
A few vaqueros on horseback - that’s your typical Jack Swanson painting. The palette is subdued, dark and earthy. Visit the Carmel Valley History Center in Carmel Valley, where Swanson was raised, on July 18 to learn more about the artist.
Carmel Valley History Center hosts an image-rich lecture on the lives and work of two Carmel-associated painters who shared interest in the American West and its culture, painters Donald Teague (1897-1991) and Jack Swanson (1927-2014). The artists met in Carmel and became friends who artistically influenced each other. Swanson, an expert horseman, improved the accuracy of Teague’s illustrations. Teague’s artistic input bettered Swanson’s oil paintings. Teague will be introduced to the audience by Scott Gale, the artist’s grandson and board member with the Monterey History and Art Association. Jack Swanson’s daughter, sculptor Kris Swanson, will talk about lesser-known paintings created by her father. [AP]
3:30pm Saturday, July 18. Carmel Valley History Center Museum, 77 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley. Free. (831) 659-5715, carmelvalleyhistoricalsociety.org.
Funny Man
Comedian and actor George Lopez brings his acclaimed stand-up act to Golden State Theatre on Saturday, July 18. Expect riffs on Latino and American culture – and a lot of laughter.
George Lopez needs no introduction, really. Stand-up comedy charged with cultural and political commentary with a little familial nostalgia – he’s got this. A little taste: “They say Rome wasn’t built in a day. As a Chicano, I say, ‘Hey, they fucking hired the wrong people.’” On Trump’s promised wall that never materialized (big surprise): “Maybe they’re waiting for permits. Me and about five vatos, we could’ve already built that fucking wall. We’d be done. We won’t build it so heavy that it crushes the tunnels that we have under.” Or on his uncle with liver problems when told by a doctor to quit drinking. “Let’s go. He sees me one time, he thinks he knows me.” You get the idea. [DF]
8pm Saturday, July 18. Golden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado St., Monterey. $77-$136. (831) 649-1070, goldenstatetheatre.com.
To The Flame
The white-lined sphinx, called the hummingbird moth, is among many moth species to be discussed at the Moth Party at Palo Corona in celebration of National Moth Week.
When it comes to colorful winged insects on the Central Coast, monarch butterflies may get all the attention, with their own festivals and cities like Pacific Grove calling attention to their yearly visits. But what is even more fascinating than migratory monarchs are their dark cousins, the moths – like the white-lined sphinx, often called the hummingbird moth because of its size – and the polyphemus moth with its eye-spotted wings. What do we know about these mysterious fuzzy fliers? What do they eat? How long do they live and what actually draws them to the flame? To learn more about the nocturnal pollinators, join the folks at the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District for a night of moth-filled fun. [AS]
8-10pm Saturday, July 18. Palo Corona Regional Park, 4860 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel. Free; registration required. (831) 372-3196, mprpd.org.
Saturday, July 18- Sunday, July 19
Go for Goal
The final days of the FIFA World Cup are approaching, which means it is your last chance to join this community tailgate experience where people have been watching U.S. and Mexico games on a 20-foot screen. Wear your jersey, wave your flag and bring a folding chair. While Mexico’s and Team USA’s journeys were cut short when they were eliminated in the round of 16, soccer fever goes on. That is true of the event host, the Salinas Regional Soccer Complex, which reached 1.5 million views on social media during the World Cup. “This isn’t just about views,” the organizers shared on social media. “It’s about building a place where our community comes together to celebrate the beautiful game.” [CJ]
Third Place: 2pm Saturday, July 18. Final: Noon Sunday, July 19, Salinas Regional Soccer Complex, 1440 Constitution Blvd., Salinas. Free; $5/parking. (831) 905-4811, salinassoccer.org.
Saturday, July 18 and Wednesday, July 22
Wind Power
Excellent musicianship takes a lot of practice. A lot of that happens in solitude, playing scales or repeating the hard part over and over again. A lot of it happens together, and every summer since 2021, wind instrument players have come together for an intensive two-week seminar called the Festival of Winds in Carmel Valley. These developing artists practice, then practice some more, guided by professionals in their instrument. The two final chamber concerts this year open the doors to audience members to hear the fruits of that labor. [SR]
7:30pm Saturday, July 18 and Wednesday, July 22. Hidden Valley Music Seminars, 104 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley. Free. (831) 659-3115, festivalofwinds.org.
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