Family Activities

First Night Monterey 2024

 
12/31/23
 
 
Old Monterey District

A community celebration of the arts, First Night Monterey is an affordable, alcohol-free family celebration held on New Year’s Eve, 3pm-midnight, in the heart of Downtown Old Monterey. Join us as we dance, play, act, perform, create and sing our way into 2024! Featuring multiple performance venues. Purchase your admission button here.

Scoops Ice Cream Parlor Opens in Downtown Old Monterey

Monterey, CA

Scoops Ice Cream Parlor, a fun new dessert spot for all ages, has opened at 595 Munras Ave. An independent, family-owned business, they know how to do sweet treats right!

Exclusively serving Marianne's ice cream, they offer everything from simple scoops, milkshakes, and hot chocolate to wildly creative treats featuring clouds of freshly-spun cotton candy and more. It's a great indoor hangout for families, friends, and youth.

YAC Exhibit at Casa Gutierrez: Animated Antics

Monterey, CA

Artists from Youth Arts Collective take center stage in Animated Antics , an exhibit of their lively animated and illustrated work at Casa Gutierrez, 590 Calle Principal. The gallery is free and open to the public Saturdays and Sundays, 11am-4pm, through October 20.

Dive into worlds where anthropomorphic animals sport braces with style, H.G. Wells-inspired extraterrestrials crash land, love blossoms between a wolf and a deer, and more.

Old Flags of Monterey Exhibit at Colton Hall Museum

 
7/4/26
 
Free
 
Colton Hall

Colton Hall Museum presents Old Flags of Monterey, an exhibit featuring a variety of historic and replica flags. The Museum will be open on July 4, 10am-4pm. Free admission.

Included in this exhibit are several original flags, dating from the 19th century, that are seldom on public display.

Celebrate MY Museum's 29th Birthday!

 
7/19/26
 
 
MY Museum (Monterey County Youth Museum)

MY Museum is turning 29, and we want to party like a rock star on Sunday, July 19, 10am-12pm. It's Circle Time will be back to help us celebrate with a live concert; we'll also have face-painting, crafts, and much more. Tickets included with daily admission. RSVP here .

Christmas in July at Rosebuds

 
7/25/26
 
 
Rosebuds Kids Co.

It's only July and Rosebuds Kids Co. already has 8 bins of Christmas stuff in the back room. So we're celebrating Christmas in July on Saturday, July 25, 10am-4pm!

We'll have live music by Tatt's Musical Tales (10am-11am), photos with Santa (12pm-2pm), Christmas cookies by Tiffany's Sweet Life , special sales, and holiday cheer.

Miss Sarah Sunshine at MY Museum

 
7/17/26
 
 
MY Museum (Monterey County Youth Museum)

Fridays through July 31, Miss Sarah Sunshine of It's Circle Time will be at MY Museum, 10:15am-11am, with a fun and educational program for little ones including singing, dancing, stories, and more. Included with museum admission.

Japanese American Citizens League Hall Centennial Celebration!

 
5/2/26
 
Free
 
Japanese American Citizens League Hall

The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) of the Monterey Peninsula presents the JACL Hall Centennial Celebration on Saturday, May 2. This event is free and all are welcome!

Enjoy a day of Japanese cultural activities for all ages, 10am-3pm, followed by a swing dance with live music, 7pm-9pm. See the full schedule.

Skylight Talks: Paintings of the Cooper-Molera Adobe

 
7/18/26
 
Free
 
Cooper-Molera Adobe - A Historic Site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

Step back into the vibrant art scene of 1870s and 1880s San Francisco, when new wealth fueled an unprecedented appetite for local art.

Join us at Cooper-Molera Adobe Museum for a free, intimate guided tour led by Nicholas Sanchez which explores the lives and works of six remarkable artists whose paintings grace the walls of the historic adobe.

2026 4th of July Photos Now Online

Monterey, CA

Photos from the 2026 4th of July festivities in Downtown Old Monterey are now online! View moments captured at the parade , the Colton Hall lawn party , the pancake breakfast , Cooper-Molera Adobe , and Monterey State Historic Park .

The Old Monterey Business Association, which produces the 4th of July Parade, thanks everyone who marched, sponsored, volunteered, and attended! It was a beautiful celebration of our community on the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

The Hot Spot: Now Open 7 Days a Week!

Monterey, CA

The Hot Spot Studios is now open seven days a week. Our new hours are Sun-Thu, 11am-8pm, and Fri & Sat, 11am-9pm.

Come paint pottery, paint a blank canvas, create a mosaic, make a candle, design a fairy garden, or mix some slime at 458 Alvarado Street.

4th of July Parade in Downtown Monterey

 
7/4/26
 
Free
 
Downtown Monterey

Members of the New Monterey Business Association and their families, led by the On The Beach Surf Shop vehicle, are excited to march together in Downtown Monterey's 4th of July Parade - showing our civic pride, promoting our district, and having fun as we celebrate America's 250th anniversary.

We hope you'll join us at the parade on Saturday at 10am. Get details here.

Free Chamber Music Concert at Monterey Public Library

 
7/3/26
 
Free
 
Monterey Public Library

Monterey Public Library presents a free chamber music concert by performers associated with Carmel Bach Festival on Friday, July 3, 3pm-4pm, on the main floor of the library. All ages are welcome!

Limited seating is available on a first-come,...

Turkish Arts and Culture Festival 2026

 
8/29/26
 
free
 
Custom House Plaza

All are welcome to the Annual Turkish Arts and Culture Festival for a weekend of free family fun, August 29 and 30, 11am-7pm, at Custom House Plaza.

We'll have live music and folk dancing performances, Turkish food and drinks, and special activities for children. Learn more and see the entertainment schedule.

Old Flags of Monterey Exhibit at Colton Hall Museum, July 2026

Monterey, CA

Colton Hall Museum presents Old Flags of Monterey, an exhibit featuring a variety of historic and replica flags July 1-31 in celebration of America 250. The Museum, located at 570 Pacific Street, is open daily 10am-4pm, and will be open on July 4.

Included in the exhibit are several original flags, dating from the 19th century, that are seldom on public display, plus the watercolor painting of a bear by Charles Nahl, which is the basis for the current California Republic flag.

Tatt's Musical Tales at Rosebuds Kids Co.

 
6/20/26
 
Free
 
Rosebuds Kids Co.

Rosebuds Kids Co. presents Tatt's Musical Tales on Saturday, June 20, 10am-11am. Free. Great for kids age 0-8 and their grownups.

Enjoy original songs woven around your favorite children's books. Just a guitar, a voice, and a great story.

July 4th Living History Day 2026 - Monterey State Historic Park

 
7/4/26
 
free
 
Memory Garden at Pacific House

Monterey State Historic Park Association presents a free July 4th Living History Day for all ages in the Memory Garden behind Pacific House, 11am-4pm.

Bring the whole family for 19th century games, rope making, leather stamping, candle making, and guided history tours.

Stars, Stripes & Stories: A Fourth of July Celebration 2026

 
7/4/26
 
Free
 
Cooper-Molera Adobe - A Historic Site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

Stars, Stripes & Stories: A Fourth of July Celebration at Cooper-Molera Adobe is a free, family-friendly community event celebrating Independence Day through live performances, crafts, storytelling, and more, 12pm-4pm. View the schedule.

Make a Custom Hat for Dad at Rosebuds

 
6/21/26
 
 
Rosebuds Kids Co.

Join Rosebuds Kids Co. on Sunday, June 21, 11am-1pm as The Hattie Co. pops up with their hat bar! Choose your patches, build your design, and create a one-of-a-kind hat for your favorite dad. $25 per hat. No registration needed.

Extended Summer Hours at High Scores Arcade 2026

Monterey, CA

Extended summer hours have begun at High Scores Arcade! We're now open Mon-Thu, 12:30pm-10pm; Fri & Sat, 12:30pm-12am; and Sun, 12:30pm-11pm. Visit us at 459 Alvarado Street for the quintessential summer arcade experience.

Pricing is $10 per hour of unlimited gaming, or $22 per day of unlimited gaming with in-and-out privileges. We welcome all ages.

Race Car Show: Monterey Classic Car Week Kick-Off 2026

 
8/7/26
 
free
 
Old Monterey

Monterey Car Week is beginning with a remarkable display of historic race cars on Alvarado Street on Friday, August 7, 5pm-7pm! Come on down, see the cars up close, and meet the drivers. This is a family-friendly event.

Skylight Talks: Paintings of the Adobe

 
6/13/26
 
Free
 
Cooper-Molera Adobe - A Historic Site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

Step back into the vibrant art scene of 1870s and 1880s San Francisco, when new wealth fueled an unprecedented appetite for local art.

Join us at Cooper-Molera Adobe Museum for a free, intimate guided tour led by Nicholas Sanchez which explores the lives and works of six remarkable artists whose paintings grace the walls of the historic adobe.

Opening Reception for Exhibit on Local Shipwrecks at Casa Gutierrez

 
6/11/26
 
Free
 
Casa Gutierrez

Monterey State Historic Park is celebrating California State Parks Week , June 10-14!

Don't miss the opening reception for a new exhibit entitled Shipwrecks: Every Broken Piece Tells a Story, a t Casa Gutierrez. All are welcome to join us for sea shanties, light refreshments, and an exhibit preview. The exhibit will be open throughout the summer, Fri & Sat, 11am-4pm.

Garden Art Walk at Cooper-Molera Adobe

 
6/6/26
 
$8 suggested donation
 
Cooper-Molera Adobe - A Historic Site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

Join us in the Cooper-Molera Adobe gardens, 1pm-3pm, for our Garden Art Walk - an afternoon of creativity, community, and nature. Suggested donation is $8.

Stroll through our beautiful gardens and engage with hands-on art lessons for all ages by artist Kristen Burroughs, including color swatches of the garden, flower coloring pages, and drawing and painting of flowers.

Used Book Sale at Monterey Public Library

 
6/13/26
 
 
Monterey Public Library

Monterey Public Library Friends and Foundation is holding a Used Book Sale at the Library on Saturday, June 13, 10am-3pm. You'll find gently used books across all genres at great prices. Proceeds will benefit Monterey Public Library.