"Weekend's Top Events" - Blog Monterey

My picks from Blog Monterey's"Top Events" (with my commentary):

Friday
The Dixieland Monterey Festival is three days straight of great, traditional jazz and swing at the Monterey Conference Center and Portola Hotel & Spa in Monterey. Today’s live performances, on eight stages, run from 11:30am through 10:30pm and include the bands Titan Hot 7, Flambeau, B.E.D., Sweet Thursday Jazz Band, Vaché-Cocuzzi Quintet. Day badges are $40; all-weekend badges are $90. For the full listing, tickets and more information, see the official Dixieland Monterey website.
- THOUGHTS: This seems like a lot of fun, but is it seriously 11 hours long? For three days straight?

The Salinas First Fridays Art Walk has a number of new venues as well as the old standbys. In addition to the aforementioned art, there’s live performances as well as the occasional free food and drink. It’s family-friendly, fun, and free. 5-8pm, 100-300 blocks of Main Street and surrounding areas, Salinas.
- THOUGHTS: Free food, entertainment, and art? As long as it's not freeeezing, this would be a great, relaxing, Friday night activity.

Central Coast favorite rockers Mike Beck and the Bohemian Saints bring their Tom Petty-meets-The Byrds sound to the Turf Club at the Monterey County Fairgrounds for the March Hare at the Fair Dance Party. 21+. Includes a no-host bar and appetizers. 8pm, 2004 Fairground Road, Monterey. $10 at the door, $8 in advance and $5 for those with military ID.
- THOUGHTS: What does no-host bar mean?

Local (and, unusually for the genre, female-heavy) hard rockers Granted Earth hold a CD release party tonight at Jose’s Underground Lounge that is guaranteed to be loud, rowdy and fun. Joining in the decibel-heavy celebration are the headbang-worthy Pride Subject, industrial-metallers Spacehooker and San Francisco speed metal act We Be the Echo. 9pm, 638 Wave Street Monterey, $5.

Saturday

Take a 2-3 hour hike along Garzas Creek and back exploring the “Fabulous Ferns and Flowers” of Garland Ranch Regional Park in Carmel Valley. This free hike is 3.3 miles with an elevation gain of about 530 feet. It’s limited to 15 people; register online at the official MPRPD registration page under “Free Hikes.”
- THOUGHTS: I don't understand why one would need to register to hike? Is this trail particularly dangerous? Is there a trail guide? Will he give me a granola bar?

MORE Dixieland Monterey ... Royal Society Jazz Orchestra, Blue Street Jazz Band, Big Tiny Little Trio, The Midiri Brothers Sextet... 10am-11pm... Day badges $55.
- THOUGHTS: Day badge price increases from Friday to Saturday!

Traditional bluegrass/folk band Microtonic Harmonic performs at Fernwood Resort on Highway One in Big Sur. 9pm, no cover.
- THOUGHTS: This sounds absolutely amazing. Very "Little Bear" (Evergreen, CO)

Brisbane powerpop outfit Grand Atlantic (covering Beyonce’s Single Ladies above) have made a splash on Australia’s alternative radio network Triple J. Their diverse sound has been compared to everything from Swervedriver to Oasis to the Smashing Pumpkins. Tonight, they land at Jose’s Underground Lounge on their way to SXSW in Austin. This sounds like one of those bills where, five years from now, you’ll see them on the Grammys and say, “I saw them when they played at Jose’s.” 9pm, 638 Wave Street Monterey, $5.
- THOUGHTS: I effin love Beyonce.

Sunday

MORE Dixieland Monterey... Taking Stock with Jackson, Yve Evans, We3, Ivory & Gold, Big Mama Sue Quartet and more; 9am-4:30pm. Day badges are $40.

The Monterey Museum of Art and Reader’s Theater present two one-act plays by “Peter Pan” author J.M. Barrie. Reader’s Theater uses no sets, costumes or memorization and uses scripts openly during the performances. 1:30pm, 720 Via Mirada, Monterey, included in admission fee.
-THOUGHTS: Out of everything Blog Monterey has suggested, this one seems the most intriguing. There is always something awesome and free to do on weekends, you just have to know where to look :)