october
4 Taste of Carmel Through Oct. 7. Carmel restaurants and wineries show off their wares. Also live and silent auctions, entertainment. Carmel. 624-2522.
5 Robinson Jeffers Festival Reenactments, readings, theater and music pay tribute to the early 20th-century Big Sur poet. Tor House and Hawk Tower, Carmel. 624-1813.
5 16th Annual Jade Festival Through Oct. 7. Vendors of jade and gems showcase throughout three days of music and food. Big Sur. 805-927-5574.
6 Butterfly Parade Pacific Grove schoolchildren honor the annual return of the Monarch butterflies. Pacific Grove. 646-6540.
19 Monterey Sports Car Championship Through Oct. 21. Fast cars. Challenging track. Good times. Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Hwy 68 between Monterey and Salinas. 1-800-327-SECA.
27 Big Sur River Run Both the 10K foot race and the 5K walk wind through Big Sur redwoods and along the famous river. Big Sur. 624-4112.
27 Harvest Festival Pumpkin-rolling contests, needle-in-the-haystack searches and hay rides with beautiful Belgian horses mark a magical time of year. Earthbound Farm, Carmel Valley, 625-6219.
30 Pebble Beach Equestrian Championships Through Nov. 4. Pebble Beach Equestrian Center, Pebble Beach. 624-2756.
november
9 Great Wine Escape Weekend Through Nov. 11. Local winemakers celebrate with a weekend of open houses, dinners and more at many locations throughout the county. 375-9400.
11 Big Sur Half Marathon and Run Forrest Run Thirteen-mile run and 5k walk wind along the picturesque Monterey Bay coastline. 625-6226.
december
7 Cowboy Poetry and Music Festival Through Dec. 9. Showcasing western artists and gear makers. Monterey. 800-722-9652.
14 Christmas in the Adobes Continues on Dec. 15. Period decorations bring the historic buildings of downtown Monterey to life. 649-7118.
16 Brighten the Harbor Lighted boats parade from the harbor to Lovers Point and back. 372-9686.
31 First Night Monterey Gala celebration features dozens of entertainers on the streets and in many venues throughout downtown Monterey. 373-4778.
