Hot Picks 12.05.24

Thursday, Dec. 5

Get Thrifty

Goodwill Central Coast’s Alisal store is one of the most popular in the region, but it opened more than 60 years ago, and to say it was aging was an understatement. After three years of planning and construction, the newly remodeled store will host a celebration to reintroduce itself to customers and show off its shiny new space. Alan Martinson, vice president of retail and marketing for Goodwill Central Coast, says the work included redoing the entire sales floor, widening the aisles, as well as remodeling the bathrooms, adding air conditioning and more. The unveiling event includes live mariachi music, and the first 50 customers will receive a tote bag with goodies. [EC]

9am store opens; 12:30pm ribbon cutting; 4pm mariachi music, Thursday, Dec. 5. Goodwill Central Coast, 708 East Alisal St., Salinas. Free. (800) 894-8440, ccgoodwill.org.

Lighten Up

Rain or shine, the 21st annual Pacific Grove’s Holiday Parade of Lights will feature marching bands, holiday floats, dance teams, equestrian groups and Santa Claus. After the parade, stores will remain open for holiday shopping, photos with Santa and carolers. This year’s theme is A Sand & Sea Holiday, celebrating the essence of coastal California living and the rich diversity of Monterey Bay. The event is a great opportunity to get to know local groups, organizations and businesses. The parade begins at the corner of Grand and Lighthouse avenues. It will run down from Lighthouse to Park Street, make a U-turn and run back along Lighthouse to Forest Avenue. Dress warm; have fun. [AP]

6-8pm Thursday, Dec. 5. Downtown Pacific Grove. Free. 373-3304, pacificgrove.org.

Jazz Hot

There is jazz. Then there is the David Weiss Sextet, which occupies a space that few other performers in the genre knew existed. The New York-based group explores the musical stratosphere, without leaving its earthly bounds – which kind of makes them like the test pilots of the Chuck Yeager era. Even the experts have trouble defining this unfamiliar atmosphere. Per Jazz Times: “The sextet skirts the outer reaches of straight-ahead jazz.” Really, you have to experience it for yourselves. [DF]

7:30pm Thursday, Dec. 5. Wave Street Studios, 774 Wave St., Monterey. $49.87/in advance; $65.87/at the door; $17.85/patio seating. 655-2010, wavestreetstudios.com

Friday, Dec. 6 – Sunday, Dec. 8

Pier Party

One of the biggest – nay, the biggest – superstars is spending the weekend at Fisherman’s Wharf. And if you’re thinking Mick or Taylor (with Travis), they are miniscule by comparison. We’re talking about Santa. That’s right, it’s Christmas on the Wharf. Santa arrives on Friday at 5pm and returns both Saturday and Sunday at 11am. No autographs, please, but he will listen to your want list. But there’s more: live music, carolers, dancers and sea lions… which are not just here for Christmas. Plus there are all the shops. Maybe cookies, too. On Sunday, the Lighted Boat Parade sails at 5:15pm. And Santa has some pull, so the event continues every weekend through Dec. 22 (except for the boat parade, sorry). [DF]

5-9pm Friday, Dec. 6; 11am-9pm Saturdays-Sundays, Dec. 7-22. Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey. Free. montereywharf.com

Christmas Crooners

Holiday magic just isn’t complete without a chorus singing classical music. And the Camerata Singers are here to deliver their tunes to the heavens. They perform at two churches this year, one in Salinas and one in Monterey. Artistic Director Bill McMillan leads the singers in modern choral pieces as well as traditional carols. Lucy Faridany’s expertise with her piano joins the chorus to fully envelope the three evenings with beautiful music. [SC]

7:30pm Friday, Dec. 6 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Salinas; 7:30pm Saturday, Dec. 7 and 2:30pm Sunday, Dec. 8 at First Presbyterian Church, Monterey. $20/Friday; $25/Saturday-Sunday; free/students. 642-2701, camerata-singers.org.

Friday, Dec. 6-Saturday, Dec. 7

Christmas Classic

Perhaps one of the most famed holiday stories, and certainly one of the most popular works by Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol tells the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, a cold-hearted man who despises Christmas and avoids human connection. The story follows his transformative journey as three ghosts visit him, teaching valuable lessons about life and redemption. Bringing this timeless classic to life is ARIEL Theatrical, a nonprofit offering year-round theater arts programs for children and adolescents. Are you a member of the Boys & Girls Club or CASA of Monterey County? Contact them for free tickets generously provided by the nonprofit. [KR]

7pm Friday, Dec. 6; 2pm and 7pm Saturday, Dec. 7; 7pm Wednesday-Friday, Dec. 11-13; 2pm and 7pm Saturday, Dec. 14. $21.50; $19.50/seniors, students, military; $13.50/children. ARIEL Theatrical, 320 Main St., Salinas. 775-0976, arieltheatrical.org.

Friday, Dec. 6

Finale Friday

What better way to wrap up the year than with a First Friday art celebration? This one will feature plenty of local artists’ works on display, but the main event is David J. Gubernick’s exhibit, called “Macro to Grand Landscapes.” Gubernick is an award-winning photographer who has captured stunning views of Monterey County and somehow made them more amazing. All of the accoutrements will be there to make a great art reception, including a live pianist to add to the grandeur. Grab a scarf and a beret and head over to see where artists are making their art. [SC]

5-7pm Friday, Dec. 6. ArtWorks @Salinas, 262 Main St., Salinas. Free. 622-9060. info@arts4mc.org, arts4mc.org/artworks.

Winter Vibes

There are Christmas trees, and then there is Seaside’s holiday tree. This majestic tree, decked out with colorful lights in a branching fashion (looks like a truffula tree made famous by The Lorax, actually a cypress) just resonates joy. It’s with that joyful basis in mind that Seaside city officials invite everyone to get in on the spirit of the season with this annual tree lighting ceremony. The full “Winter Wonderland” experience includes a petting zoo, horse carriage rides, snow for a taste of actual winter, a bounce house and more. Santa may or may not be in attendance – depends whether you’ve been naughty or nice. [SR]

6-9pm Friday, Dec. 6. Seaside City Hall lawn, 440 Harcourt Ave., Seaside. Free. 899-6700, ci.seaside.ca.us.

Mass Music

The reality of the Christmas holiday for many of us is that it is disassociated from religious tradition, instead adopting many cultural and secular traditions (cookies, lights, Santa guiding kids through wish lists). There is something about the music of mass, performed in a church, that has the ability to transcend it all, resonating with meaning for religious and secular listeners alike. A collaborative performance of Joseph Haydn’s “Missa Sancti Nicolai” is one such opportunity. The Monterey Peninsula College Choir and MPC String Ensemble join forces with the Saint Angela Merici Choir to bring this centuries-old mass alive. [SR]

7pm Friday, Dec. 6. Saint Angela Merici, 362 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. 646-4200, mpc.edu.

Saturday, Dec. 7-Sunday, Dec. 8

WISH List

Monterey Peninsula Voices, an 85-member choir with singers from throughout Monterey County, presents its heart-warming winter season concert, A Winter Wish. Music is written by Michael John Trotta, Mark Leavitt and Andy Beck. A new major work, “Illuminare” by Elaine Hagenberg, will premiere, accompanied by a 17-piece chamber orchestra. This is an opportunity to hear dozens of your neighbors raise their voices in harmony. [AP]

3pm Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 7-8. Santa Catalina School, 500 Mark Thomas Drive, Monterey. $30; $25/seniors, military, students under 18; $20/children 12 and under. 275-0176, mpvoices.org.

Saturday, Dec. 7

Christmas craft

For Christmas and craft lovers who love making their own gifts or home decorations, the Carmel Valley Lodge is offering its first annual Christmas Tree Mosaic Class – hopefully the first of many to come. Didier Guedj, a local tile artisan, leads participants in making their own Christmas tree mosaic. Bring meaningful objects to incorporate into your tree if you wish; it can be a special object or something to add color and texture, such as stones, ceramic or glass pieces. All supplies are included, plus a light supper and beverages. [CJ]

4-7pm Saturday, Dec. 7. Carmel Valley Lodge, 8 Ford Road, Carmel Valley. $80. 659-2261, valleylodge.com

Dickens Holiday

The Monterey Peninsula Dickens Fellowship meets for its annual Victorian Christmas Party. It is mostly directed to members, but it is also open to friends and family. Guests play the Victorian parlor game “The Minister’s Cat.” Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding are served, as well as plum pudding and hard sauce. The group has already released a busy 2025 schedule, with regular meetings and Dickens reading sessions. It’s a perfect time to recall Charles Dickens and his iconic A Christmas Carol, and get in the mood for a year of Dickens appreciation. [AP]

6pm Saturday, Dec. 7. 514 Park St., Pacific Grove. Free. 372-7625, montereypeninsuladickensfellowship.org.

Everybody Loves Ralph

As a comic, you know you’ve hit the big time when you get a Netflix special, and that’s where Ralph Barbosa is right now. He may not be a household name – yet. Barbosa’s Comedy Central standup on YouTube has nearly 6 million views, and another video of his standup has more than 6 million. So yeah, he’s a big deal, and the winner of the 2021 New York Latino Film Festival Stand-Up competition, and in 2019, was voted Funniest Comic in Texas. The Dallas native swings into Monterey on his nationwide tour to spread laughter and joy. [DS]

6:45pm Saturday, Dec. 7. Golden State Theatre, 417 Alvarado St., Monterey. $54-$77. goldenstatetheatre.com

A Night of Jazz

Palenke Arts’ Latin Jazz Combo has only been in existence for less than a decade, but its repertoire is expansive beyond its years. It is steeped in Latin jazz traditions, featuring works by such legends as Chucho Valdes, Dizzy Gillespie, Chano Pozo and Poncho Sánchez. They are directed by another master of the craft, Paul Contos, who is the director of the SF Jazz Honor Ensemble and who worked previously as education director at Monterey Jazz Festival for over 30 years. The combo will be joined by Afro-Caribbean jazz vocalist Christelle Durandy, who has been featured on projects too numerous to list here. Come see the present and future of jazz. [EC]

7-8:30pm Saturday, Dec. 7. Palenke Arts (inside MLK School), 1713 Broadway Ave., Seaside. $20. palenkearts.com

Sunday, Dec. 8

Gingerbreaders Unite

Sometimes it feels like building a gingerbread house requires a degree in architecture. You need to cut your walls and flooring into precise measurements in order to make sure they’ll fit together and be structurally sound. But once the gingerbread hits the oven, all bets are off. Thankfully, MY Museum lets you skip the hassle and go straight to the fun part. The museum’s Gingerbread Extravaganza provides children with a blank house and plenty of candy to decorate it with – expect icing, candy canes, gumdrops and more. It’s a perfect way to spur little ones’ creativity, and maybe even encourage them to pursue a degree in architecture so they can build both gingerbread and full-sized houses as adults. [EC]

9-10:30am Sunday, Dec. 8. MY Museum, 425 Washington St., Monterey. $40 per child/museum members; $45 per child/ non-members; price includes one adult chaperone. 649-6444, mymuseum.org.

Boats Get Lit

In a former era, the boats in Monterey harbor weren’t almost exclusively for hobbyists – they, like their owners, went to work every day. That history forged the city’s identity, and the 33rd annual lighted boat parade – a holiday tradition – hearkens back to that bygone era while creating a visual spectacle aimed to dazzle. The parade coincides with the month-long eighth annual Christman on the Wharf celebration, a chance for locals to get down to the waterfront at a time it’s not overrun by tourists – so long as the weather cooperates. This event will be rescheduled to Dec. 15 if it doesn’t. [DS]

5:30pm-7:30pm Sunday, Dec. 8. Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey. Free. 238-0777, info@montereywharf.com

Tuesday, Dec. 10

All Inn

Pacific Grove’s leading industry is hospitality, which generally means serving visitors from out of town. But in the giving holiday spirit, proprietors of various hotels and inns open up their grounds to locals for this annual tradition, inviting people in for refreshments, music and other entertainment, plus an opportunity to mingle and see the interior of these visitor-serving buildings, decked out for the holidays. Holiday at the Inns is a self-guided walking tour with stops at Gosby House, Green Gables Inn, Phoebe Hearst Social Hall (at Asilomar Conference Grounds) and more. Check in for tickets and a lanyard with a map at the P.G. Chamber of Commerce to start off the festivities. [SR]

5-9pm Tuesday, Dec. 10. Start at Chamber of Commerce, 584 Central Ave., Pacific Grove. $30. 373-3304, pacificgrove.org.

Love for Language

Once a month, Friends of Hopkins – an organization dedicated to supporting the teaching and research programs at Hopkins Marine Station – hosts a free lecture series at the Izzie Abbott Boatworks Auditorium. This month, award-winning Chicana poet Rachelle Escamilla, a Central Coast native and Monterey County’s current Poet Laureate, shares her journey through language and how her family’s story sparked her love of poetry. Escamilla, the author of three poetry collections, will discuss family stories from the 1960s farmworker movement and how they inspired her activism. [KR]

7-8:15pm Tuesday, Dec. 10. Hopkins Marine Station, 120 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove. Free. 655-6200, hopkinsmarinestation.stanford.edu.

HOT PICKS by Sloan Campi, Erik Chalhoub, Dave Faries, Celia Jiménez, Pam Marino, Agata Popęda, Katie Rodriguez, Sara Rubin and David Schmalz.