Hot Picks 08.28.25

 Thursday, Aug. 28- Monday, Sept. 1

Fair Game

There’s no guarantee that you’ll lose your heart at the fairgrounds. We’re not even sure there are bumper cars – or a tunnel of love, if you want a reference to a more recent (sort of) song. But you will definitely have a lot of fun, be wildly entertained, learn something new, eat something on a stick and perhaps even win a prize at the Monterey County Fair. Tickets are needed for the rodeo on Sunday only. A wristband is needed for the carnival rides every day. Want to know a little more before you go? Check out the story on p. 33. [DF]

Noon-11pm Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 28-31; noon-10pm Monday, Sept. 1. Monterey County Fair & Event Center, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey. $16; $13/seniors; $9/children 6-12; free/children 5-under. 372-5863, montereycountyfair.com.

 Thursday, Aug. 28

High Energy

Folktale Winery events offer many seating options at various prices, but it seems that sitting will be the last thing on your mind this evening. For the Live in the Vines series, Folktale and KRML 94.7 FM combine forces to bring great live music to Carmel Valley. This time it’s The Brothers Comatose, an Americana band from San Francisco, famous for their high-energy performances. The members are brothers Ben (guitar) and Alex (banjo) Morrison, Steve Height (bass), Philip Brezina (violin) and Addie Levy (mandolin). This modern take on folk and bluegrass is known to move the audience from their seats. [AP]

5pm (doors), 6pm show Thursday, Aug. 28. Folktale Winery, 8940 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel. $60/lawn; $50/garden; $40/greenhouse; $30/standing room. 293-7500, folktalewinery.com.

 Friday, Aug. 29-Saturday, Aug. 30

Solitary Man

Singer Jack Wright sounds a lot like Neil Diamond, so much so he’s made a career taking his “Neil Diamond Superstar” tour around the country, belting out “Sweet Caroline,” “I am… I Said,” “Crackin’ Rosie” and “Coming to America” to enthusiastic audiences. Wright makes the point that he’s not impersonating the powerhouse singer-songwriter, he’s honoring him. Wright’s show takes the audience on a trip through five decades of Diamond’s greatest hits, paired with captivating storytelling and a multimedia show. We dare you to not sing along. [PM]

7pm Friday-Saturday, Aug. 29-30. Lighthouse Cinema and Event Center, 525 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove, $59. 641-0747, lighthousecinema4events.com.

 Friday, Aug. 29

A Honky-Tonkin’ Time

Paige and the Overtones love everything about outlaw country: the gritty sound, the storytelling lyrics and just the overall creative freedom the subgenre promises. So it was like a dream come true when vocalist Paige Overton and lead guitarist Jake Shepard once opened for Willie Nelson. The Las Vegas-based band brings the yeehaw spirit and the sound of a golden age of country. Overton is often referred to as “The Angry Songbird,” whose voice has been compared to such stars as Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton, while Shepard is a master of the B-bender style of guitar picking. [EC]

7pm Friday, Aug. 29. Pop & Hiss, 215 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. $3. popandhiss.net.

 Saturday, Aug. 30

First, Second Time

California’s First Theater returns with the Second Annual First Theater Fest and that means free entertainment, food trucks and local vendors. This year’s festival includes performances on the historic stage by the Monterey Peninsula Theatre Company and music by Katherine Lavin that can be enjoyed with free popcorn and cream soda. A maker’s market in the garden hosts vendors North Coast Tintypes, the Casey Starks Studio, Meninas Clothing, Jilly MP Nature Illustrations and illustrator Maria Schoettler. Across the street, Casa del Oro Garden host several State Parks activities and food trucks as well. [AP]

11am-4pm Saturday, Aug. 30. California’s First Theater, corner of Scott and Pacific streets, Monterey. Free. 649-2907, ohp.parks.ca.gov/ListedResources/Detail/136.

Mystery Solved

It’s not easy being Harriet Morrow who, in 1898, is hired on a trial basis as the first woman in a Chicago detective agency. She wears men’s shoes and a bowler hat, and investigates by… bicycle. She’s also the fictional lead character in a historical mystery novel, The Case of the Missing Maid, by Rob Osler. Morrow’s first task is to locate a maid who’s disappeared from an opulent estate, and she embarks on a fast-paced journey through various neighborhoods, meeting Chicago’s turn-of-the-century residents along the way. The character’s creator, East Bay-based Osler, talks about Harriet’s story – and what he’s cooking up next. But don’t expect him to give away the answers to his next mystery. [SR]

5:30-6:30pm Saturday, Aug. 30. Pacific Grove Public Library, 550 Central Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. 648-5760, pacificgrovelibrary.org.

Junk Wagon

Jason Vanderford made full use of his Eastern European heritage, passed down from his immigrant grandparents, to create an eclectic and danceable sound through his band Junk Parlor, hailing from the San Francisco Bay Area. They’re a modern indie band that weaves an Old World sensibility into punk and rock tunes, thanks to an accordion and violin, along with drums, bass and guitar. They’ve been described as a “gypsy crooner punk band.” The songs tell a story – one song, “Dance With Me, Bella Lugosi,” is based on the true story of Vanderford’s Hungarian grandmother dancing with the film star. [PM]

10pm-midnight Saturday, Aug. 30. Fernwood Resort, 47200 Highway 1, Big Sur. Free; ages 21+. 667-2422, fernwoodbigsur.com.

 Sunday, Aug. 31

Walk on the Wild Side

Part of the joy of hiking is that you can choose your own ratio of fitness to nature enjoyment. Walk fast to get your heart rate up and cover some serious mileage, or slow down and let all five senses come alive as you listen for birds, smell the flora, watch the light and shadows play. Guided hikes through Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District’s Let’s Go Outdoors! program invite you to join a volunteer naturalist who can help you slow down as they point out plant and animal life, and help maximize appreciation of an excursion on the trails. Expect to hike about three to four miles, avoiding steep hills; wear comfortable walking shoes and wear layers. Capacity is limited and registration is required at tinyurl.com/5n849frb. [SR]

9:30am-noon Sunday, Aug. 31. Palo Corona Regional Park visitor center, 4860 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley. Free. 372-3196, mprpd.org.

Big Birds

Are California condors the most interesting birds in the world? They have a wingspan of nearly 10 feet – they look like flying dinosaurs – and they can travel hundreds of miles in search of food. They’ve also recovered from the brink of an extinction caused by exposure to the now-banned pesticide DDT, and are currently under threat from being poisoned by lead bullets. Come learn about these amazing birds at nonprofit Ventana Wildlife Society’s Discovery Center at Andrew Molera State Park, where an interpreter will lead a one-hour walk along one of the park’s trails. Don’t forget to look up. [DS]

10am Sunday, Aug. 31. Andrew Molera State Park, 45500 Highway 1, Big Sur. Free. 667-2315, ventanaws.org.

On Base

“Top Secret” usually means “Keep Out.” But the Point Sur Naval Facility is doing something different: It’s a secret base with an open house. Now that’s an oxymoron. The Cold War relic was once a facility that worked to detect Soviet submarines off the coast of Big Sur, under the guise that it was just doing oceanographic research. It was one of only 27 sites of its kind worldwide, but now it is only one of a very few still standing. With a guidebook in hand, visitors will get to tour the base on their own, with helpful docents along the way. If you’ve ever wanted to fulfill your dream of being a spy, here’s your chance. [EC]

Noon-2pm Sunday, Aug. 31. Point Sur Naval Facility, 19 miles south of Rio Road in Carmel. $15/adults, $5/children ages 6-17, free/children ages 5 and under. 625-4419, pointsur.org.

Bright notes

There are different ways to get a glimpse of the past. One of them is through music. Madregalia, a forum for singing early music on the Monterey Peninsula, brings an opportunity to listen to Renaissance and early Baroque music, a concert where local instrumentalists play rich and melodious notes using viols, recorders, violins and percussion instruments from the era. This year, Madregalia celebrates 20 years of sharing a love of polyphony. The program includes music from various composers including Giovanni Gabrieli, John Dowland, Joseph Bodin de Boismortier and more. [CJ]

2:30pm Sunday, Aug. 31. All Saints Episcopal Church, Dolores and 9th, Carmel. Suggested donation $25. 624-3883, pastymemusic.com.

Ready for Reggae

Big names in reggae are coming to Salinas, and all under one roof. The Reggaefest 2025 lineup includes Mykal Rose, the Jamaican singer and songwriter who was the lead singer of Black Uhuru from the late 1970s into the ’80s. Since going solo, Rose has performed throughout the U.S. and Europe, bringing his Jamaican roots to global audiences. Reggaefest also features roots singer Johnny Clarke, Prezident Brown, Kava Jah and Lujan. Expect food, drinks and vendors to round out this 21+ experience. [EC]

5pm Sunday, Aug. 31. Fox Theater, 241 Main St., Salinas. $54-$113. tickets831.com.

 Monday, Sept. 1

Working Songs

By the time Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894, the labor movement was already a force to be reckoned with, bringing dignity and rights to workers. On this Labor Day, 131 years later, we can celebrate by not working – and by listening to community members raise their voices in song. Pull up a chair or blanket on the Seaside City Hall lawn to hear performances by the Monterey Peninsula Gospel Community Choir (at 1pm) and the Monterey County Pops! orchestra (at 2pm). The labor-themed program features vocalists Symphonic Sidhu with the labor marching song “Bread and Roses” from 1912, Elise Rotchford with Dolly Parton’s “Nine to Five,” and Eliodoro Vellecillo with “De Colores.” Expect uplifting classics like “This Land is Your Land” and of course some John Philip Sousa to round out the day. [SR]

1-3pm Monday, Sept. 1. City Hall lawn, 440 Harcourt Ave., Seaside. Free. 484-5511, montereycountypops.org.

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