The concept sounded promising... unfortunately, it was the biggest disappoint EVER. $20 for 7…read moretokens, which hardly gets you anything but CRAPPY FOOD. We got the clam chowder, which pretty much tasted like it came from a can, but worst than Progresso... The fried artichokes were decent but definitely not worth the 3 tokens (=$9).. gone in 60seconds. Although the festival was free, I still expected there to be more. MOre than 1 clam chowder booth, 1 fried artichoke booth.. 1 of anything kind of booth. HOw is it a festival if you only have one place to choose from. Going to Fisherman's Wharf was more fun getting to try the different chowders than the festival.

This used to be a fun event but sadly the last time I went was deeply disappointed…read more. They changed the entertainment and it was not fun anymore. The posters advertised certain entertainers but those on the poster were not even hired to appear. So sad

So much fun dancing the way the Greeks do And so much good…read morefood, especially the baklava. Lots of interesting music. Lots of fun people. Plenty of booths selling so many unique items. A great way to spend the day

This was the 28th Annual Monterey Bay Greek Festival. It runs for the 3 day Labor day weekend here…read morein Monterey at the Custom House Plaza. We came on Monday at about noon. They were just getting started so there weren't alot of people there. They specialize in all foods and drinks that are Greek. They also had jewelry, pottery, wooden bowls, clothes and hat booths. Another plus is they are dog friendly. They have live Greek music and dancing. Lots or tables to sit at and tons of paid parking by the wharf.

Plenty of vendors and things to see that may capture the imagination and attention of the attendees…read morethe food was a little lack luster for a carnival type of celebration. The music and vibe was rock music with splash of Tex Mexican band.the crowd was mellow and vendors seemed friendly and welcoming many wanted to answer questions and see if there was something they could help with from a venue of a good selling technique. There were 3 to 6 blocks in a rectangular walkway plaza that seem to be a backyard of a business industry park for the industrial business crowd.

We love the West End celebration with all the diverse artists and craftsmen. You can find all sorts…read moreof handmade items here. Great for early Christmas shopping. There were 3 bands playing some awesome music at 3 different locations. All at the same time so when your wondering around you'll walk into some funky music. I didn't see a lot of people in costumes this year which was a disappointment. But you can surely pick up items for that here. Lots of food and drink options too. Beer, wine and artisan root beer. Hand dipped ice cream, shaved ice. Things can be pretty pricey here but you can find some bargains. Found some nice t shirts for 5 bucks. Not alot of shade here, I'd bring an umbrella and a mister, it can get hot. And it's dog friendly, big plus! The only bad thing is parking. You either have to park on the street nearby if lucky enough to find a spot or far from the festival and hike in. They do offer a trolley shuttle from the Save Mart parking lot. This year I found a paid parking lot at 114 Ortiz Ave which is only a few feet from the festival. 10.00 a day and 5.00 for Seniors. I think it should be free for Seniors.

2023 was my first Cali Roots experience with wifey. Imo this is one of the greatest American…read morefestivals going. While i mainly listen to a lot of heavy music and attend fests where everything is beyond marked up, it's such a blessing to experience nonstop reggae and hip hop while sipping reasonably priced beers and consuming all sorts of food available. Ins and outs too which in the festival game is unheard of. The crowd averages and caps around 12K a day and I will be real, if you're seeing a headliner who draws 10-20K on their own this could make for a sardine squeeze event. Thankfully the day we went Stick Figure headlined. Between casual fest goers or those just burnt out from the expansion to 4 days we managed to get pretty close as people filtered out. We were there from 2pm to 11pm and it was a non stop vibe of PMA and community. I would absolutely return. Another blessing was the temps were strangely lower in 2023. As major American cities ascend to Babylon and overworked humans fall to generic rage Karens simplicity it's nice to have Cali Roots as a reminder to chill and spread goodwill. 5 out of 5 unwashed dreads with beeswax.

Goodvibez had their routine loyalty sale for tickets for the following year festival a few days…read moreafter the current festival. They said that the prices would be the lowest price ever which is usually how it has been. The price for two GA tickets was $456. For the last few weeks they've had an end of summer sale and the price for 2 GA tickets is $276. I have reached out three times for an adjustment since that is the right thing to do and I've been a loyal customer for 9 years. They refuse to respond or provide a resolution. Meanwhile there are many social media complaints that they are not paying artists for prior performances. Dishonest company!

Food, wine tasting, live music, chef demos, comedy shows, fresh produce, the usual assortment of…read morefarmers market/county fair vendors, and did I mention food??!?! You'll have fun, just go.

Not Kid friendly or family forward. Okay, that's out of the way…read more The 2023 version was a waste for my family. Compared to last year's event which was way better for the whole family. It had rides and a huge slide. Story book readings and Pete the Cat. The kids "zone " was on pavement with little to do for the littles... some coloring. Two of the vendors booths had adult themed hats and clothing and other items for sale in clear view of everyone's kids. If mother f--- and f--- , sh-- are kid friendly, there not. Why would some big named sponsors back this trash? Getting into this festival was intense. First the list of what isn't allowed, PRO sports, international air travel and concerts are easier to get into. The hyper security at the entry was overkill. Questions and a full body wand scan. A bit silly. They try to make this about the artichokes but it's about the money really... isn't it. From the parking, gate fees and food it's for those with disposable incomes. Please take this festival back to Castroville. Last words... music was fine.

Another great time at the Monterey Jazz Festival! Good line ups of various jazz artists, from up…read moreand coming to well established. Also enjoyed visiting the booths of local jewelry, art, and clothing vendors. Perfect weather this year!

Food? What food? It's been going downhill for a couplie of years…read more Don't get me started on the prices. $5 can of coke? At least 90% of the music was jazz. A couple of acts weren't even close. However, there was some great acts.

One of BEST Farmers Market's you will ever experience…read more This weekly event is HUGE! It seems to go on and on and etc... It must be three or four city blocks in all with many food vendors, artists and various other types of booths. It really is a good time and visited by many people each week. The fresh fruit and veggies avail from numerous local farmers is AWESOME! and prices are affordable. It does get cold as the Monterey Bay is 1/2 mile from this weekly event so be sure to pack a sweater or jacket

I've been to this farmers market no less than 20 times. Its good and the perfect size. A nice mix…read moreof fresh produce and good things to munch on. A solid selection of live plants and knickknacks A little bit sparse lately and some homeless noticeably about. Last words...get your steps in.

My bf and I spent our last night of the year at First Night Monterey, and it was the perfect way to…read morering in 2026. This annual event is a celebration of music and the arts, a full day of musical ensembles performing at several different venues in downtown Monterey. There was a bit of rain earlier in the afternoon, so several performances were cancelled, such as the twilight procession, fire show, and drum circle. However, by 6pm the rain had subsided, and the festival atmosphere turned out to be an amazing experience. There was so much live entertainment to choose from, with bands playing a wonderful variety of musical genres. We enjoyed indie folk-rock by Grumbling Ginger, sounds of jazz by the Stu Reynold Saxtet on the guitar, bass, sax, and oboe, a lively set filled with rock tunes by Bad Machine, great country songs by SouthBound 101, awesome celtic music by Black Irish (my fave of the evening), an exciting performance of party hits by Everyday People, and our finale band of choice, Wrockinfoose, playing mostly rock and original pieces as they entertained the crowd till just after midnight. FNM also featured karaoke, light-up merchandise (we purchased twinkling "happy new year" crown headbands), a small food court with vendors selling tacos, hot dogs, wood-fired pizza, and beignets, along with some venues selling snacks like peanut butter cookies and pastries. We were also able to take advantage of the free shuttle bus from Del Monte mall where our hotel was located. Overall, we had a good time and appreciated how well-organized this event was, allowing attendees to have a positive and memorable experience.

This was our first time to attend this event, so I have nothing to compare it to. It did rain most…read moreof the evening, which I'm sure impacted the event due to some cancellations of the parade and participating vendors. Pros.: great variety of music, plenty of parking, festive environment, family friendly, indoor venues if you purchased the button and medium size crowd of all ages.. cons: ran by volunteers who were not able to answer basic questions, felt a little disorganized, not very many food options and not very many of the downtown vendors participating. Overall, we had a great time and would attend again next year if we're in the area.

I caught three of the six musical acts and was pretty impressed with this aspect of the festival…read more I'm no music expert, but I know what I like. Our Hearts Alive played some solid music that I'd describe as alternative/grunge, but I most enjoyed the last two songs they did, which were more punk, a la The Ramones. Casey Frazier's band played next--some excellent, solid Americana and rock. Finally, I caught most of the set by Soft White Sixties. I enjoyed most of what I heard--at their best I'd liken their music to 1960s electronica/psychedelic music, but with a harder edge. But when the set switched to more of a lighter, pop sound, I lost interest. I'm sorry I was unable to stay for Fire in the Hamptons and Tommy Tutone (of 867-5309/Jenny fame). As for the chocolate and other food--the complimentary bag of Lula's chocolates given to the first 500 people to enter (I never saw more than about 100 people there) was nice, but on a warm day, chocolate melts. As for the booths--there were about six (6)--Lula's, a Chocolate Factory stand with various chocolate/chocolate-covered concoctions, a jerky stand, a place selling cheese steaks and fries, and a small hot dog stand (with some awesome veggie dogs, among other options). And a stand selling adult beverages. So for a festival touting chocolate, there wasn't exactly a huge selection of cacao-oriented products. A pretty good, if small, celebration of music and sweet treats.

What a great event this is. Always held in a very large venue over several days with plenty for…read moreeveryone. You will find caber tossing, dance competitions, Scottish bag pipers, massive marching bands, and plenty of food The facilities are always so clean and everything is so well planned out. You will find authentic clothing for sale with your families' particular plaid too.

Very sad and disappointing experience. We bough tickets online and paid for parking only to…read morediscover there was only one line to enter the event for both online ticket holders and those needing to purchase tickets at the Gate. There was only one team scanning for security. All this caused a very long line. Folks who walked to enter with online tickets had to turn around and walk back to the end of the line. Not good. I made this mistake once and paid for parking and tickets. I will not make this mistake again. Hope this review will help event planners improve next time for others.