Monterey lights three public Christmas trees in two weeks this year, each in a different part of the city. Del Monte Center goes first on November 21. Cannery Row follows on November 27, and Colton Hall Lawn lights on December 4. A fourth tree, a 23-foot one, stands on Old Fisherman's Wharf through December.
November is spread across the city's shopping districts. In December almost everything moves into Old Monterey and the waterfront. By mid-month, the ice rink, the Wharf weekends, the boat parade, Christmas in the Adobes, Navidad at Cooper-Molera and First Night are all within that one part of downtown. If you plan by district instead of by date, the month gets much easier to manage.
November Is Spread Across Town
The season opens behind a hotel. Ice Skating by the Bay opens at Custom House Plaza, behind Portola Hotel & Spa, on November 20 and runs daily through January 3. Admission is $15 for adults and $13 for children 12 and under, and skate rental is $5. The rink stays open for the whole six weeks, right in the part of Old Monterey where December's events gather.
The rest of November happens in other parts of town:
- Del Monte Center, Saturday, November 21, 5 to 7 p.m. The tree lighting comes with cocoa, cookies, balloon twisting, and Santa and Mrs. Claus.
- Cannery Row, Friday, November 27. The 32nd annual lighting is free. Entertainment starts at 2 p.m., the tree at Steinbeck Plaza lights around 6 p.m., and Santa visits afterward.
- Downtown Old Monterey, Saturday, November 28. The city lists Small Business Saturday on its holiday calendar. It's the first time the season moves toward the blocks where December takes place.
Both November lightings come just before or right after Thanksgiving, when most city offices close on November 26 and 27. The Monterey Fire Department's food drive starts two days later. From November 29 through December 18, collection bins are at every Monterey, Pacific Grove and Carmel station except the airport location, and the donations go to the Monterey County Food Bank.
December 4 Is When Downtown Takes Over
Two events start on the evening of Friday, December 4. The free Traditional Tree Lighting on Colton Hall Lawn runs from 5 to 6 p.m. with caroling, live music, cookies and cider. The same night, the 10th annual Christmas on the Wharf begins its first of three Friday-through-Sunday weekends, which run through December 20. Wharf decorations stay up every day from December 1 to January 3, 2027, at Old Fisherman's Wharf, 201 Washington Street.
On Wharf weekends, Dock Side Fish Market near the front and Kafe Toribashi at the end sell hot cocoa, seasonal coffee drinks and cookies. Old Fisherman's Grotto sells cocoa and cookies to benefit The Salvation Army. Carousel Candies, Candy World and Wharf Chocolate Factory have holiday treats all month. Santa's House and live holiday entertainment are part of the weekends too.
The rest of that first weekend:
- Saturday, December 5, 1 to 4 p.m. The Monterey Police and Fire departments hold a Holiday Safety Afternoon at the front of the Wharf, with safety tips, giveaways and a fire engine on display.
- Sunday, December 6, 5:15 to 7:30 p.m. The 34th annual Brighten the Harbor Holiday Lighted Boat Parade loops through Monterey Harbor and along the waterfront. It's free to watch from public viewing areas. If sea conditions are poor, it moves to Sunday, December 13.
Boats pass Old Fisherman's Wharf at about 5:30 p.m. and again on the way back. Many of them keep their lights on for the rest of the holiday season. That means the harbor stays decorated well after parade night, which helps if December 6 doesn't work for you. The Wharf Association recommends arriving early and says many of the Wharf's restaurants look out on the parade. Parking is in the Waterfront lot, and you can prepay through the ParkMobile app or at the pay stations there.
The Second Weekend Belongs to the Adobes
The 42nd annual Christmas in the Adobes runs Friday and Saturday, December 11 and 12, from 5 to 9 p.m. The Monterey State Historic Park Association decorates the historic adobes with luminarias, holiday décor, music and refreshments for the two evenings. The Wharf is a featured stop both nights, so the Wharf and Old Monterey events overlap on that weekend.
| Christmas in the Adobes | Details |
|---|---|
| Adult, one night | $30 |
| Adult, two-night Gold Pass | $45 |
| Youth, 17 and under | Free |
| Military and MSHPA member discounts | In person only, at the Custom House Store |
| Wristband and map pickup | Stanton Center, Casa Gutierrez at 590 Calle Principal, or Stevenson House at 530 Houston Street, opening at 4 p.m. each night |
| Holiday reception | Friday, December 11, 4 to 7 p.m., Memory Garden, $65, sold separately |
The two discounts are the easiest details to miss, since they aren't available on the MSHPA ticket page and have to be bought at the Custom House Store. The Memory Garden reception includes seasonal bites and wine from Joyce Winery.
The same Saturday, December 12, the Monterey Museum of Art holds its Winter Art Market, which the city lists on its calendar. If you buy the $45 Gold Pass, you could spend Friday at the reception and the adobes and leave Saturday for the art market before going back out after dark.
The New Year's Eve Deadline Falls in Mid-December
First Night Monterey on December 31 is the season's biggest event. For anyone buying buttons, though, the date that matters is December 14. The 34th annual celebration, themed "Color the Night," runs from 3 p.m. to midnight with 15-plus venues, 50-plus performances, hands-on art stations, the Twilight Procession and a countdown finale. Early-bird pricing ends December 14:
- Adults, 16 and up: $30 early-bird, $35 regular
- Youth, 6 to 15: $15 early-bird, $20 regular
- Family pack, two adults and two youth: $85 early-bird, $110 regular
- Children 5 and under: free
At early-bird prices, a family of four saves $25 compared with the regular pack price. Buttons aren't refundable, and the event goes on rain or shine. Online sales end December 28, and online orders aren't mailed. You pick them up at Will Call in the Monterey Conference Center lobby on December 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or December 31 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Starting in December, every Monterey County Safeway, Andronico's and the Grove Market in Pacific Grove also sell buttons in store. All the details are on the First Night Monterey button page.
The night after the early-bird deadline, Tuesday, December 15, the season's last small event takes place at Cooper-Molera Adobe, 506 Munras Avenue. Old Town Monterey Navidad runs from 4 to 7 p.m., and admission is free. From then until New Year's Eve, the calendar is mostly the rink, the last Wharf weekend ending December 20, and the boats that keep their lights on in the harbor.
What Changed on the Map This Fall
On Lighthouse Avenue, Farm Fresh Produce Est. 1964 opened at 899 Lighthouse Ave. at the beginning of August. Randy Moreno and Debbie Weberg run the corner market, which sells local produce, as Monterey County NOW reported.
On the Wharf, Mike Yaley took over Paluca Trattoria at 6 Fisherman's Wharf on September 1 and planned to rename the seafood-and-pasta restaurant The Gig, according to Monterey County NOW.
Along the Recreation Trail, the city's October 28 project status update reported the new crossing at Del Monte Avenue and Casa Verde Way substantially complete as of October 27, with only punch-list work left. The same update listed the Via Paraiso Park basketball court as built, with landscaping still to be installed.
The full city list, including links to each organizer, is on the City of Monterey holiday events page.
Old Monterey in December is where the city's history and its daily life meet, and its adobes and plazas are part of why people choose to own here. If you'd like a longtime local's view of how Monterey's historic blocks fit into the rest of the Peninsula, Cheryl Heyermann would be glad to talk it over. Let's Connect.
