The Coastal Roots Hospitality Group - including Montrio restaurant at 414 Calle Principal in Downtown Monterey - has designated Monterey County Film Commission as the nonprofit recipient of its Pick It Up - Pay It Forward Program for May and June 2026.

What does this mean? When you order takeout food from Montrio, 10% of your order will automatically be donated to this nonprofit organization which promotes our county's locations, crew and businesses to the film industry. (Please note: this offer does not apply to delivery orders.)

On a film set they say "Take Two!" But the Monterey County Film Commission says "Take Out!"

In May and June 2026, if you order takeout food from any of Coastal Roots Hospitality's restaurants - Montrio, Rio Grill, or Tarpy's - 10 percent of the cost will be donated to Monterey County Film Commission as part of the Pick It Up - Pay It Forward Program.

About Monterey County Film Commission

Monterey County Film Commission, a nonprofit organization founded by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors in 1987, promotes Monterey County locations, crew, and businesses to the film industry. Its office is located in Monterey's Lighthouse District.

April is Autism Awareness Month and Scoops Ice Cream Parlor is selling limited edition Scoops t-shirts for $30 each. 100% of the proceeds will go directly to support the special needs program at Ord Terrace Elementary School in Seaside. Visit Scoops at 595 Munras Avenue, Suite 103 in Downtown Monterey to get your shirt! (We're located across the street from Trader Joe's.)

We're offering both black shirts ("Scoops Autism Awareness") and white shirts ("Peace - Love - Scoops"). Scoops thanks Visual Impressions for donating the printing. Every shirt offers real support for real kids in our community.

This cause - autism awareness - means everything to our family because one of our loved ones lives with autism. We know the programs at Old Terrace make a real difference, providing the support, care, and resources that help children thrive.

Let’s show up strong for kids with autism! Even after April ends, we'll be selling these shirts until we run out.

Grit + Tonic Pilates Studio, located at 476 Tyler Street in Downtown Monterey, is now offering a beginner-friendly class to introduce you to the fundamentals of the Pilates reformer every Saturday at 11:15am. Learn more and register on our website.

About Tonic Foundations Class

The Tonic Foundations Class is targeted toward the first-timer who wants to get their bearings with the Pilates reformer and understand the basics. Expect a slower pace, clear instruction, and guidance on setup, springs, transitions, and basic movement patterns.

About the Instructor

Tonic Foundations is taught by Hannah Redfearn-Loss, a certified Pilates instructor. With over 1300 hours of teaching experience under her belt, she is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology through Arizona State University to deepen her understanding of how the human body moves.

Hannah was brought to the Pacific Coast in 2026 thanks to her husband’s service in the Marine Corps.

MY Museum's 2026 Online Auction is now live and ready for your bids! We can't wait for you to see the incredible items. Whether you are looking for trips, spa services, gift cards to local restaurants, wine, new experiences, or family fun adventures, we've got you covered.

The online auction closes on Wednesday, May 6, at 8pm. Every penny raised from the auction goes directly to making this non-profit children's museum in Downtown Monterey a better, safer place for the kids of Monterey County and beyond.

Thank you so much to all of our auction donors - this would not be possible without you!

We are happy to announce that Alvarado Street Brewery's Howzit Punch has won Gold in the Fruited American-Style Sour Ale category at the 2026 World Beer Cup...for the second year in a row!

Alvarado Street Brewery's team didn't do anything special for the competition - this POG sour loaded with passion fruit, orange, and guava was just doing its thing. It went straight off the canning line and into the show. It's the same beer you’ve been drinking!

Congratulations to the Alvarado Street Brewery production team! Visit Alvarado Street Brewery and Grill at 426 Alvarado Street in Downtown Monterey to try Howzit Punch and many more amazing beers.

Venture Gallery presents the work of Gordon Mayfield, our featured local artist for May. His exhibit of watercolors, entitled Alive, depicts places of peace and beauty.

About the Exhibit

Certain places become meaningful to each of us - dramatic and enduring, peaceful and beautiful. We experience these precious landscapes and feel alive. In this series of watercolor paintings, Gordon Mayfield invites us to see in a new way.

About Venture Gallery

Venture Gallery is open 10am-6pm daily. Gordon Mayfield's artwork will be featured through May 2026. Venture Gallery is located at 260 Alvarado Street in Downtown Old Monterey. Visit our website to shop online for work by our local artists.

The New Monterey Business Association (NMBA) is excited to announce that Lighthouse District street banners have been installed by the City of Monterey along Lighthouse Avenue in New Monterey!

We want to thank all our volunteer NMBA board members past and present, Monterey City planners and City Council members, the City Manager’s office, the NMBA's current administrator Sabrina Hiltunen, and past administrators Peter Cofresi and Rick Johnson for working hard for years to fulfill this project. The banner was designed by Melissa Thoeny, a local graphic designer who is a former NMBA board member.

The bright and cheerful blue banners you see along the street have taken a small village to bring to life, and they're a testament to everyone’s dedication to our community and their commitment to raising awareness of New Monterey's Lighthouse District. Here's to neighborhood pride!

On The Beach Surf Shop is celebrating their 40th anniversary on April 24, 2026. It's not every small, locally-owned retail business that can boast that kind of longevity.

Congratulations to owner Kelly Sorensen and his family for bringing 40 years of good vibes to surfers, skateboarders, snowboarders and skiers, and beach enthusiasts of all ages.

Stop by On The Beach at 693 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey to check out their wealth of new and retro OTB logo merchandise and celebrate with them.

The Monterey County Film Commission, located in the Lighthouse District, is pleased to announce that Julian Sumano has been selected as winner of the $2000 Monterey County Film Commission's Director Emeritus Richard Tyler Film Student Scholarship Awards. In addition, Hanna Smith has been selected as the recipient of a $1000 runner-up award.

Both Julian and Hanna are students in the Cinematic Arts and Technology Department at California State University, Monterey Bay. Congratulations to each of them! For more information on the scholarship fund, please phone MCFC at 831-646-0910.

Bad news: When it's dog vs. frames, the dog always wins.

Good news: InSight Eyewear repairs glasses frames! The frames pictured survived with just a few scratches and a new string. The next time you have an eyeglasses emergency, stop by the shop at 490 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey and we'll try to help you.

Does Oystertown serve dessert? Heck, yeah! Stop by and enjoy decadent chocolate pudding, banana custard with candied oyster crackers, and mermaid pavlova (not pictured).

Visit us at 281 Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey. Beginning May 1 we'll be open 6 days a week: Mon-Sat, 4:30pm-9pm.

Grit + Tonic Pilates is now offering a special for new clients to the studio located at 476 Tyler Street in Downtown Monterey.

Purchase a 3-class pack, and pay only $99 for a private session with one of our certified instructors. Want to save even more? You can instead purchase a private session with one of our resident instructors (teachers in training) for only $75.

Visit our website for more information and to place your order.

About Grit + Tonic

Grit + Tonic Pilates Studio was created to offer mindful, effective Reformer Pilates workouts that meet you exactly where you are. With small class sizes and intentional programming, we focus on quality over quantity so you can focus on moving well and feeling good. We also offer private sessions.