Bingo Night
When was the last time you played bingo? The Junior League of Monterey County wants to remind you of the unique thrill of this game of chance by hosting a bingo night. Admission includes 10 rounds of the game. The outdoor event, held in the historic patio of the Old Whaling Station, will also include prizes and food and drink for purchase. All proceeds go to the nonprofit, which supports volunteerism and community action among women. [TCL]
6-8pm Thursday, Aug. 19. Old Whaling Station Adobe, 391 Decatur St., Monterey. $30. 375-5356, jlmontereycounty.org.
Elroy’s Birthday Party
A typical human first birthday party is more for the parents and community than the child, who will invariably remember nothing. This is the same spirit with which the grocery store Elroy’s Fine Foods will be celebrating its first year in business: with a party for patrons. There will be all-day happy hour; a gift basket raffle; music and dancing and a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Monterey Chamber of Commerce at 5:30pm. You could choose to party the day away from 8am to 8pm… but then you might not remember anything either. [TCL]
8am-8pm Friday, Aug. 20. 15 Soledad Drive, Monterey. 373-3737, elroysfinefoods.com.
Comedian Nikki Glaser
Golden State Theatre is back, and it’s starting its new season with a dose of wry, crass, pulls-no-punches humor from Nikki Glaser. She’s ruthless, a professional at roasting, and unafraid to make Hitler jokes. She’s also not afraid to offer advice about proper fingering technique or how to talk to your boyfriend about anal sex – in more detail than your best friend would ever dare – but she’s also got a fine-tuned take on feminism and gender roles and says what we are all thinking but too squeamish to say. (Yes, fearlessness is a theme here.) She’s also the host of FBoy Island, a dating show streaming on HBO Max, and recently launched a podcast. You can hear some combination of it all in Monterey, as long as you come prepared to laugh until your face hurts. [SR]
8pm Friday, Aug. 20. Golden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado St., Monterey. $29-$59. 649-1070, goldenstatetheatre.com.
Free Drive-in Movie Night
Drive (or walk – there’s stadium seating too) on over to the Monterey County Fairgrounds this weekend for a showing of the Pixar film Finding Dory, hosted by the Blue Zones Project Monterey County. The free showings are part of a series of events celebrating the expansion of Blue Zones to the Monterey Peninsula. The family-friendly film will be shown in English on Saturday and in Spanish on Sunday. Get there early to grab food and learn more about Blue Zones. And experience the glorious newest use of the fairgrounds as a drive-in film screening venue, a pandemic-era innovation that just might stick around. [TCL]
1pm and 6pm Saturday, Aug. 21 (English); 1pm Sunday, Aug. 22 (Spanish). Monterey County Fairgrounds, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey. Free. info.bluezonesproject.com/mc-kickoff-2021.
Salsa dancing
Babaloo Cuban Cafe is not just a restaurant/cafe. In fact, owner Gladys Parada isn’t sure if she wants to sell food at all during salsa on Saturdays – she wants to dance, not cook. (There will be beverages available: wine, beer, mimosas and mojitos. Maybe snacks.) The first hour is a class led by dancer and artist Willi Prudencio. “He has been teaching for many, many years,” Parada says. “Last time we had 11 couples, 25 people total. You don’t need a partner; he will couple you up. After the first hour, you dance on your own and he will help and tweak. He changes from salsa to bachata. The class is good for beginners; advanced dancers tend to come later.” Parada tries to have a salsa night once a month – this will be the fourth time Babaloo, which opened during the pandemic shutdown in 2020, gets dancing. [AP]
6:30-9:30pm Saturday, Aug. 21. Babaloo Cuban Cafe, 1123 Fremont Blvd., Seaside. $20. 901-3900, babaloocubancafe.com.
Ciclovía Open Streets
It began in 1974 when a group of cyclists closed down the streets of Bogotá, Colombia, and enjoyed the smooth asphalt without the bother (and danger) of passing cars. It’s the kind of thing people in power might have viewed as disruptive – but instead they saw the ability to create a culture of physical activity, community and a car-free gathering place. The tradition continues to this day in Bogotá, where roughly 2 million people gather weekly. And it’s spread across the globe, including to Soledad, which was set to host its first-ever Ciclovía just as pandemic shutdowns began. The great news is that it’s back, and everyone is welcome – meaning any mode (walkers, joggers, bikers, skaters) and any fitness level. Check in at six different activity booths, complete each activity, and earn a raffle ticket for a chance to win a bike. Or get some exercise in. Or, just show up and enjoy the community vibes and connection. [SR]
11am-3pm Sunday, Aug. 22. Downtown Soledad (beginning at Benito and Front streets). Free. 200-3753, cicloviasouthcounty@gmail.com, instagram.com/cicloviasouthcounty.
Electric Violinist Razzvio
Razzvio has the kind of commanding vocals that force listeners to stop their background chatter and focus on her music. Add into that the layers of electric violin, from melodic strokes of the bow to lighter fiddle style to plucky pizzicato, plus a beat and you have a whole party in one performer. She ranges from pop tunes to beloved classics and has a tendency to smile through it all – she’s clearly having fun on stage. She brings that spirit to two elegant venues this week, with shows at Tarpy’s Roadhouse (to accompany diners on Friday, Aug. 20 from 5-8pm) and Hahn Estate for a sunny Sunday afternoon performance in the picnic area, rounding out a summer of outdoor shows at the winery. Families are welcome, and it’s BYO food. [SR]
Noon-4pm Sunday, Aug. 22. Hahn Estate, 37700 Foothill Road, Soledad. No cover; must purchase a glass or bottle of wine. Call 678-4555 to reserve a table. hahnwines.com, razzvio.com.
singer Nicole Atkins
Nestled in the sunny heart of Carmel Valley, Folktale’s outdoor winery is itself a destination. It’s the host of an exclusive, acoustic outdoor performance by Nicole Atkins, a singer-songwriter sometimes compared to Roy Orbison, sometimes to Amy Winehouse. Atkins is known for her powerful lyrics and compelling, intimate storytelling. Her fourth studio album, Goodnight Rhonda Lee, was released in 2017. Born and raised in New Jersey, Atkins lives in Nashville when she’s not on the road. Her performance will be preceded by Santa Cruz-based singer Adrea Castiano as the opener. [AP]
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.