Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/410603
Mummenschanz 40th Anniversary Tour, 8pm Saturday, Nov. 1, Sunset Center, Carmel W hy not start the night after Halloween with a show featuring some wildly imaginative masks, costumes and colorfully abstract shapes and forms? Mummenschanz, the acclaimed Swiss mask theater troupe, is still on its 40th anniversary tour (founded in 1972), and returns to Carmel's Sunset Center after a long absence that included a three-year run on Broadway. www.sunsetcenter.org Big Sur Food & Wine Festival, Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 6-9, various locations in Big Sur, opening night in Carmel Highlands T hink of it as the hipper, laid-back, more down-to-earth brother (or sister) to the glitzy Pebble Beach Food & Wine. But just because it's in Big Sur doesn't mean foodies and wine lovers won't get the best chefs and wine- makers out there. They will, just in a more rus- tic, intimate setting, with events such as "Hiking With Stemware" and "Wine & Swine" telling you this is an "only-in-Big Sur" kind of experi- ence that you won't want to miss. www.bigsur- foodandwine.org December People, 8pm Saturday, Nov. 8, CSU Monterey Bay's World Theater. C reated by Robert Berry, bass player for the Greg Kihn Band, December People is part tribute, part classic rock concert and part holiday music. Band members have played with a variety of rock bands, including Boston, Sammy Hagar Band, Ambrosia and The Tubes, and they perform holiday songs in the style of classic rockers such as The Who, Santana, ZZ Top and Led Zeppelin. This show has become a holiday tradition at CSUMB and is combined with a canned food drive. worldtheater.csumb.edu Dana Carvey, 8pm Friday, Nov. 14, Golden State Theatre, Monterey E mmy Award-winning comedian Dana Car vey is making a comeback, thanks to recent appearances on late-night talk shows and a revival of the popular SNL "Hans & Franz" characters on the State Farm "Discount Double-Check" ads. But the "Church Lady" and Gar th from "Wayne's World" from his seven-year stint at "Saturday Night Live" never really did go away did they? Car vey, well known for his spot-on impressions of celebri- ties and politicians, is just getting bet- ter. Well, isn't that special?! www.gold- enstatetheatre.com Monterey Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival, Friday-Sunday, Nov. 21-23, Monterey Conference Center and Portola Hotel & Spa M onterey may seem like an odd location for a cowboy poetry and music festival, but Monterey County has a rich and colorful tradi- tion of cowboying, ranching and horsemanship. In its 16th year, the fes- tival features not only ar tists such as Texas troubadour Tom Russell, Old West Trio, Juni Fisher and Dave Stamey, but a Cowboy Church, a mariachi Vaquero Breakfast, jam ses- sions, workshops, a Saturday night dance par ty and a Cowboy Ar t & Western Marketplace. www.montereycowboy.org Dance Kids Presents "The Nutcracker," 7pm Friday-Saturday Dec. 12-13 and 2pm Sunday, Dec.14, Sunset Center, Carmel T he Dance Kids' production of the ballet classic has become the area's premier presentation of the magical tale of young Clara and her dream-like journey through the Land of Snow. This year, 120 local dancers of all ages will be joined by guest ar tist and former Dance Kids dancer, Isaiah Bindel, currently a member of the prestigious Dawson Dance SF, and Gary Franco, former Boston Ballet and Broadway lead dancer in "Contact." After 21 years, Dance Kids has put a sparkling sheen on this elegant and enter taining ballet. www.dancekids.org and www.sunsetcenter.org Grammy Award-winning singer Mavis Staples brings her soul/gospel sound to the Sunset Center in Carmel on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 18. 44 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 4 EVERYONE LOVES A LIST, RIGHT? HERE ARE MY PICKS FOR 10 FUN, ENTERTAINING EVENTS WORTH CHECKING OUT. ADMIT ONE W I T H M A C M C D O N A L D