Central Coast events
August – December 2026

Watsonville's two-day food and agricultural festival built around the strawberry harvest.

The 64th season of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, running two weeks at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium.

The Cabrillo Festival's free family orchestral concert at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium.

A one-day community festival at Skypark marking Scotts Valley's 60th anniversary.

The second annual jug band festival, a single day of music at Abbott Square Market.

Ten days of automotive and motorsports events spread across Monterey, Carmel, Pebble Beach, Seaside and Salinas.

A two-day arts street fair on Church Street, in front of the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium.

Two days of motorsports at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas, the weekend before the Reunion race meeting.

The closing concert of the 2026 Cabrillo Festival, at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium.

A three-day automotive collectibles expo, with an auction and forum, at the Embassy Suites Monterey Bay in Seaside.

Carmel-by-the-Sea's own six-day run of automotive and community events inside the wider Car Week fortnight.

A one-night automotive and aviation gala at the Monterey Jet Center on Sky Park Drive.

Four days of collector-car auction sessions, with public previews, at the Monterey Conference Center.

Four days of historic racing at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the motorsports centrepiece of Car Week.

The concours that closes Monterey Car Week, held at Pebble Beach on the Sunday.

A two-day arts, music and community festival in Sand City on the last full weekend of August.

A two-day Turkish arts and culture festival at Custom House Plaza in Monterey.

Monterey County's annual fair, running five days over Labor Day weekend at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center.

The NTT INDYCAR Series season finale, run over three days at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas.

The Castroville Artichoke Festival returns to Castroville on 5 September 2026, revived by the Castroville Coalition after the original festival closed in 2025.

A one-day food festival in Santa Cruz.

The 93rd edition of Monterey's Italian cultural festival, held over three days at Custom House Plaza.

The 43rd Capitola Art & Wine Festival, two days through Capitola Village.

Santa Cruz County's annual fair, five days at the fairgrounds in Watsonville under the theme “Apple Pies and Starry Skies”.

A three-day combined motorsports and music festival at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

A PGA TOUR Champions tournament played over three days at Pebble Beach.

The 34th annual outrigger canoe races, run for a day off the Santa Cruz Wharf.

A one-day art, wine and beer festival in Bonny Doon, in the hills above Santa Cruz.

The 63rd running of Carmel's one-day sandcastle-building contest, held on Carmel Beach.

The 69th Monterey Jazz Festival, three days of music at the Monterey County Fairgrounds.

The 45th California International Airshow, flown over two days at Salinas Municipal Airport.

A two-day community beach festival across Capitola Village and beach, themed “Toy Takeover” for 2026.

A Greek cultural and food festival at Custom House Plaza in Monterey. The 2026 date has not been announced.

A four-day film festival in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

A three-day Trans-Am SpeedTour race meeting at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

A two-and-a-half-week preview exhibition of Open Studios artists at the Santa Cruz Art League.

A one-evening community and heritage event at Point Pinos Lighthouse, on the same day as the Butterfly Parade.

A one-day seasonal community festival in downtown Santa Cruz.

Pacific Grove's annual butterfly parade and community bazaar, held on a single Saturday in early October.

A one-day community pet event held at The Crossroads and on Carmel Beach.

The 7th annual art and wine walk in Carmel-by-the-Sea, centred on Devendorf Park.

Five days of screenings across several Santa Cruz theaters.

A one-day Halloween mask-making event for families at the London Nelson Community Center.

A one-day comedy festival at 939 Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz.

Halloween day at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, a family event on October 31.

Halloween trick-or-treating at Santa Cruz Harbor, billed as Haunted Harbor.

A 21-and-over Halloween night event at the Chaminade Resort and Spa in Santa Cruz.

The 41st annual countywide artist studio tour, spanning Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Felton, Scotts Valley, Bonny Doon and Aptos. The 2026 dates have not been announced.

A one-day Día de Muertos cultural festival at Watsonville City Plaza.

A three-day food and wine festival held in Big Sur.

The 18th annual sea glass and ocean art festival, two days at The Grove in Santa Cruz.

A half marathon run on a single November Sunday through Monterey and Pacific Grove.

The Boardwalk's holiday season, running from Thanksgiving through the first days of January.

The Boardwalk's holiday season, running from Thanksgiving through the first days of January.

A one-night holiday performance at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium.

A one-day holiday market and ugly sweater contest in downtown Boulder Creek.

A one-evening parade of lit boats through Santa Cruz Harbor.

A one-day holiday market at Hallcrest Vineyards in Felton.

A one-evening holiday heritage event through Monterey's historic downtown adobes.

A one-day holiday market at the Hotel Paradox in Santa Cruz.

Monterey's New Year's Eve arts festival, held across downtown on December 31.

Santa Cruz's holiday parade along Pacific Avenue downtown. The 2026 date has not been announced.