Winter in Monterey: What's Happening and Where

December 1-23
Cannery Row Santa House at the Steinbeck Plaza every Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m.- 4 p.m.

December 6 & 8
“Christmas in the Adobes” Monterey's historic adobes are open to the public during the evenings on Thursday, Dec. 6 and Saturday, Dec. 8.

December 7
Lighting of the Christmas Tree at City Hall

December 16
Monterey Community Band: “Holiday Celebrations” concert in the Music Hall at Monterey Peninsula College. 2pm. Admission is Free.

Lighted Boat Parade: Parade route will normally run from the Monterey Harbor area, up to the Lovers Point and end with a two-lap tour of the outer harbor. Complimentary hot soup, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate are provided to help warm you up. The parade begins at 5:30 PM starting from just outside the Harbor area.

December 22
“Santa arriving in Old Monterey on a horse drawn carriage” on Alvarado Street Saturday, Dec. 22, 12:00 pm. Santa will be on hand for horse-drawn carriage rides through Old Monterey. Free horse drawn carriage rides will be available to the public noon to 2:00 p.m.

December 24
Big Sur Harvest & Craft Fair, 10am-5pm. Big Sur Grange Hall, Highway 1, Big Sur.

December 31

New Year's Eve at the Aquarium: Monterey Bay Aquarium. Ring in 2007 with a dance party among the sea creatures sparkling and swimming in the Monterey Bay Aquarium's award-winning galleries.

First Night Monterey: Celebration of New Year's Eve through the arts: Music, dance, poetry, special installations and exhibits in historic Downtown Monterey. 2pm to midnight.

January 8
Garrison Keillor performs at Golden State Theatre
NPR's creator and host of "A Prairie Home Companion" makes his second live performance to a Monterey crowd. Tickets $45

Useful Links:

• City of Monterey Holiday Events Calendar
• Historic Monterey Events
• Monterey County Weekly