It’s officially Car Week.

It’s officially Car Week—a bit of a misnomer since the event lasts ten days. I know some locals have nicknamed it “hell week;” others get giddy with excitement over the prospect of flashy cars and flashier events.

At a July 27 media roundtable hosted by the Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau which included a bunch of local events folks, there was hope that this year’s Car Week signals good things to come, whether we like the actual premise of the event or not. MCCVB officials estimate the 2021 Car Week is going to look as good as 2019 in terms of economic impact.

For context, the pandemic didn’t just bring a deadly virus. It wreaked havoc on the economy, especially with the cancellation of globally-renowned events—including Car Week. The city of Monterey saw a drastic decline in revenue caused by the lack of transient occupancy tax and sales tax from their brick-and-mortar businesses. The state even declared it among the top ten worst-hit cities economically. 

The year off has also resulted in some serious conversations about tourism’s negative impacts and how best to mitigate those when the local economy relies so heavily on it. I was heartened to see event organizers and MCCVB encouraging people to do small sustainable things, like bring their own water bottles, opt out of using plastic straws and practice energy efficiency.

It’s a balancing act to live with tourism. But there are reasons to be excited that regional powers that be are trying to bring out all the benefits of this industry, while also mitigating some of the challenges. In this week’s Hot Picks, we’ve got some suggestions on how to partake in Car Week should you want to, as well as other local happenings.