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Monterey Events in August 2024: Street Fairs, Festivals, Wine Tasting, and More
by Jill Loeffler •
Updated: April 5, 2024
Uncover the best Monterey events in August 2024. Discover the top festivals, family-friendly things to do, and wine tasting.
Top picks include the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Sand City West End Celebration and Watsonville Strawberry Festival. Find the best things to do in Monterey, Santa Cruz, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Salinas and more.
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
Date: Sunday, 8/18
Location: Pebble Beach Golf Course
Stop by Pebble Beach for this year's Concours d'Elegance. This premier celebration of the automobile is the highest ranking collector car competition in the world and this year will be the 73rd time the event is being held.
This annual event is part of the famed Pebble Beach Automotive Week.
Activities for the week officially kick off on Thursday with the Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance. Cars line up starting at 7am and begin their tour at 9 am. Friday is judging day where all entrance line up at the famed 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links with the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop.
Other events include an auction, an art show, and classic car forum.
>> Visit the official site for more details
Top Hotel Recommendations Around the Monterey Bay
Monterey: You will find the largest selection of hotels in and around Monterey. Higher end picks include the Spindrift Inn and Portola Hotel and Spa. You will also find some more budget friendly options if you move a few additional blocks away from the waterfront. Find my top picks for all budgets here.
Carmel-By-The-Sea: This seaside town is a bit smaller, but still offers plenty of accommodations. You will find some great luxury hotels as well as several quaint bed and breakfasts. Here are my top picks for Carmel-By-The-Sea.
Pacific Grove: This small community sits just to the north west of Monterey. They offer several great places to stay including a couple of great bed and breakfast and some budget-friendly options. Find my top 5 picks here.
Are you ready to book? Make sure to check out the great options below.
TripAdvisor: Compare prices, read recent guest reviews and find a wide selection of options.
VRBO: Another option is to rent an apartment, house, or a room around Monterey through VRBO.
Sand City West End Celebration
Dates: 8/24 - 8/25
Location: Sand City, CA
Head just a few minutes northeast of Monterey to Sand City for their annual art and music celebration. This year visit more than 150 artists, crafters and vendors throughout this two-day event. You can also stop by one of more than a half dozen stages to listen to one of the two dozen bands perform.
On Saturday (11 am to 5:30 pm) and Sunday (Noon to 5 pm), you can visit the studios, mingle with local artists and pick up some new artwork for your house.
>> Check out the Sand City Website
Additional Fun Ideas for the Monterey Bay Area
Food Walking Tour: Sample the best of the Monterey Bay on this fun, food walking tour. You will sample a number of items from local, neighborhood restaurants. You will also get the chance to sample local beers and wine. The tour runs for three hours most Thursdays - Sundays.
Monterey Bay Aquarium: No trip to Monterey is complete without a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. With thousands of animals and more than 500 species, a visit here offers you the chance to learn all about the wildlife in and around the Monterey Bay. It's open daily in August.
Watsonville Strawberry Festival
Dates: 8/2 - 8/4
Location: Historic Downtown Watsonville
The annual Watsonville Strawberry Festival is scheduled for early August. This colorful event features crafts, entertainment, and two days of family-fun.
Make sure to check out the pie eating contests throughout the weekend. Walk around historic downtown Watsonville as you sample strawberry treats, admire crafts from local artists and enjoy all of the entertainment on the main stage.
This is one of the top Monterey events in August.
>> Check out their official site
Winemakers' Celebration
Date: 8/24
Location: On the Streets in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea
Times: 2 pm to 4 pm
Price: $75 to $125
During this wonderful one-day event, you can enjoy wines and meet winemakers from Monterey County wineries. You will have the chance to taste more than 100 wines as you also sample small bites made from local ingredients and by local chefs and restaurants.
It's an event for anyone that loves great wine and great food!
The setting for this celebration is wonderful too. It's held in the quaint town of Carmel-by-the-Sea which feels like an old-world European village. This is definitely one of the Monterey events in August to attend if you want to taste the best of the best of the local wine and food.
Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
Dates: 8/15 - 8/17
Location: Weathertech Raceway in Laguna Seca
If you love cars, you are going to love the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. It's a lineup of 550 of the best cars in 14 different racing groups.
See everything from historic cars (as old as 1911!) up to more modern versions to 2016. All cars will race on this historic 2.238-mile road course at some point during the weekend and many will compete more than once.
You will also get a chance to see some of the cars close-up as you learn more about its history. In addition to racing, there will also be plenty of family-friendly events including pit tours, autograph sessions, book signings and more.
>> Visit their site for more details
Salinas Valley Food & Wine
Date: 8/3
Location: Oldtown Salinas
Head to downtown Salinas for this year's Salinas Valley Food & Wine Festival and experience the tastes, sights, and sounds of the unique valley food and wine culture.
Walk through the historic downtown area to sample local, California, and international wines.
You can also enjoy small bites from local restaurants and chefs. Stop by the artisan booths to admire some of their handcrafted creations. You can also sit back, relax and enjoy some live music throughout the event.
You will also get the chance to sample some great local craft brews. General admission to the festival is TBD. You will need to purchase beer and wine tickets for the samplings. The event runs from 11:30 am to 3:30 pm.
>> Visit their site to learn more
Additional Events Nearby
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
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