Celebrate Monterey's 250th Birthday at These Can't-Miss Events!
2020 is shaping up to be a year of change and growth for everybody. As we all celebrate another year of life, this year calls for a special celebration for those in the Monterey community: Our 250th birthday.
The last 250 years of Monterey’s history has seen literary success, television success, marine success, and is one of the top vacation spots for many corporate retreats, family outings, and personal reflections. Monterey is certainly a community that loves and appreciates what we have around us every day, so it wouldn’t be right if we didn’t celebrate life together throughout the entire year. Keep reading to see some of the top events of the year, and check out the full list over here.
House of Four Winds Luau
Who’s up for a Polynesian luau? We’re not ones to shy away from parties with a food focus, and we are all set and ready for the party at the House of Four Winds, a historical landmark in Monterey. On April 25, for $45, enjoy live Polynesian music, a catered buffet, and a silent auction. A trip down the buffet line will have you mowing down on teriyaki chicken, Hawaiian rolls, and pineapple upside-down cake — on the first trip. The silent auction sees gift packages from local restaurants and merchants. You might even recognize a name or two from us or our partners. For reservations, send a check with the names of everybody attending, your address, and phone number/e-mail to the Monterey Civic Club, PO Box 1408 Monterey, CA 93942.
Public Art Unveiling
On June 2, 2020, the day before Monterey’s official birthday, prepare yourself for a public unveiling of a 15-foot abalone sculpture. The piece was designed by Cara Byrd, John Mason, and Lance Boen, and it already looks awesome! The piece was funded in part by Cannery Row, which is where this sure-to-be-iconic art piece will find its home. The abalone was chosen for a very specific purpose in regard to their history with the Monterey Bay. The meat inside of the shells used to feed the Native American tribes that came before us, and they were the first abalone divers. In fact, they invented the word “abalone,” and they used the colorful shells as an item to trade. The abalone steak was also invented at the Café Ernest in 1908. Visitors and locals can also head over to Wharf II and check out their sustainable abalone farm.
The Official 250th Celebration
Everyone mark your calendars — June 3, 2020 officially marks the 250th birthday of Monterey! Of all of the events you don’t want to miss this year, this one should be the first on your list! This all-day party has plenty of events for you to enjoy. For one, you can join in on the mosaic community celebration from 1-4 p.m. This 1980s mural depicts 150 scenes of Monterey’s history through the 663 ceramic tiles. It was in storage for a long time, but after the Conference Center renovation, made its way back for public viewing. This is a great opportunity to come together and reflect on what has brought us together over the years. There are outdoor programs throughout the day that help with this reflection, but don’t forget the night’s big event: Birthday Party on the Colton Hall lawn from 5-8! We know we’re excited to see the cake they bring for this birthday!
Independence Day Parade
We don’t have too many details about this one just yet, but we sure know we’re excited for any parades, especially ones that celebrate our independence! And, on the year when we get to celebrate such a milestone for our own city, it’s only fitting we throw a birthday bash for our country, too. The most we know is that there’s a “big little backyard barbecue” involved, so we’re already here for whatever’s going to happen. Plus, we love the subtle Big Little Lies reference.
Alvarado Block Party
While we’ll most likely report back on the official dates and ticket information for this party in our newsletter as soon as the dates are announced, we just thought it pertinent to put out a pre-warning to prepare for an Alvarado Street Block Party. That’s right, we’re shutting down the street like a Farmer’s Market and all ages are coming together for a night of music, food, and, for those of age, rumor has it you might be able to grab a pint of Alvarado Street Brewery’s lager, Monterey Beer, a revitalization of the brand of beer made on the peninsula in the 1930s! All we know for now is it’s happening sometime in the fall, which means you’ll have the spring party with the luau, the summer with the official birthday, and another to close out the year. (The winter party already happened with the golf tournament, and we had so much fun being a part of that!)
Monthly Wharf Walks
Monterey is chalk-full of history a lot of people don’t even think of. We know we’ve learned so much about the origins of this city and how it’s changed over the years through our Old Monterey Food Tour and our Local Seafood Tour, but we always love learning new information. Throughout the year, on the first Saturday of every month, join historian Tim Thomas as he unveils the 250 years worth of history on the bay. You’ll learn about the evolvement of the wharfs and the fisheries over the years, and would be especially fun to experience if you did it close to another event you planned on joining. Either way, your views of Monterey and its history will never be the same after a few hours with Tim, so make sure you mark out at least one of the first Saturdays in the month, and don’t forget to book ahead! Give Tim a call at (831) 521-3304, or send him an e-mail at timsardine@yahoo.com
