Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1047605
Big Sur Food & Wine Festival Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 1-4 Various locations in Big Sur T he community of Big Sur has experienced a number of cataclysmic events in the past a number of cataclysmic events in the past few years, but despite it all, has managed to not only survive, but to thrive. It's often called the "spirit of Big Sur," an indefatigable sense of community and resilience. While the Big Sur Food & Wine Festival has had to readjust because of the challenges of the past few years (it took 2015 off and was seriously impacted in 2016), festival favorites such as the opening night gala, "Wine & Swine," "Pinot Walkabout," and "Hiking with Stemware" are back, with the festival closing on a quieter note on Sunday afternoon with The Walkabout Marketplace in afternoon with The Walkabout Marketplace in the beautiful Loma Vista Gardens featuring the beautiful Loma Vista Gardens featuring music, local ar tisans, and food and wine. And music, local ar tisans, and food and wine. And lest we forget, the festival is a nonprofit charita- lest we forget, the festival is a nonprofit charita- lest we forget, the festival is a nonprofit charita- ble organization created to suppor t the Big Sur ble organization created to suppor t the Big Sur community and nonprofits. community and nonprofits. community and nonprofits. www.bigsurfoodandwine.org. www.bigsurfoodandwine.org. www.bigsurfoodandwine.org. 20th Annual Monterey Cowboy Festival Saturday, Nov. 3, 11am-10:30pm Monterey County Fair & Event Center, Monterey Y es, organizers have dropped "Poetry" and "Music" from its name for its 20th year, but make no mistake, the Monterey Cowboy Festival does indeed have poetry and quite a bit of music. And the festival still celebrates Monterey County's contribution to our coun- try's Western heritage, bringing folks together to celebrate and learn more about Western histo- ry and culture. The musical lineup includes "throwback" country artist Jon Pardi, Texas neo- traditionalist country trio Midland, country traditionalist country trio Midland, country singer Corb Lund, artists with ties to the area singer Corb Lund, artists with ties to the area such as Cow Bop, Mike Beck and The Carolyn such as Cow Bop, Mike Beck and The Carolyn Sills Combo, as well as cowboy poets Waddie Sills Combo, as well as cowboy poets Waddie Mitchell, Zarzyski and Tom Swearingen. There's Mitchell, Zarzyski and Tom Swearingen. There's Mitchell, Zarzyski and Tom Swearingen. There's also a marketplace featuring Western art and also a marketplace featuring Western art and gear vendors, from customs saddles, fine leather gear vendors, from customs saddles, fine leather gear vendors, from customs saddles, fine leather boots and paintings, to handmade jewelry. boots and paintings, to handmade jewelry. www.montereycowboy.org. www.montereycowboy.org. An Unpredictable Evening with Todd Rundgren Friday, Nov. 16, 8pm Golden State Theatre, Monterey T odd Rundgren has been described as unorthodox, iconoclastic, innovative, and yes, unpredictable. So it's no surprise he's calling his shows on his current tour : "An Unpredictable Evening with Todd Rundgren." He's been unpredictable from the get-go, from his psychedelic pop days with the Nazz, his prog-rock band Utopia, and the pop group Runt, producing artists as diverse as Meatloaf, The Band, XTC, New York Dolls, Cheap Trick and Patti Smith. He became an innovator of interactive and experimental media and influ- enced generations of musical artists with albums such as 1973's "A Wizard, a True Star." And that doesn't even take into account his hit songs: "We Gotta Get You a Woman," "Hello It's Me," "I Saw the Light," "Bang the Drum All Day," "Couldn't I Just Tell You," and "Can We Still Be Friends." In fact, Rudgren's body of work is stag- gering in its deepness, diversity and influence on other artists and music in general. This is a rare opportunity to see—and I don't use this word often—a true genius at work in the flesh. Miss it at your peril. www.goldenstatetheatre.com. EVERYONE LOVES A LIST, RIGHT? HERE ARE MY PICKS FOR FUN HERE ARE MY PICKS FOR FUN EVENTS WORTH CHECKING EVENTS WORTH CHECKING OUT IN MONTEREY COUNTY! OUT IN MONTEREY COUNTY! ADMIT ONE ADMIT ONE W I T H M A C M C D O N A L D W I T H M A C M C D O N A L D The 20th Annual Monterey Cowboy Festival is taking place on Saturday, Nov. 3, 11am-10:30pm at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center in Monterey. 80 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 8