At a glance
The most concentrated visitor periods are February for Pebble Beach golf, July and August for the Bach Festival and Car Week, and September for INDYCAR, golf and jazz. A 30+ night stay changes the strategy: arrive before the event, avoid peak check-in traffic and keep Carmel as a walkable home base between major weekends.
Upcoming Carmel and Monterey events
Monterey Car Week
Ten days of concours events, auctions, historic racing and marque gatherings across Carmel, Monterey and Pebble Beach.
Read the Car Week guide →INDYCAR Grand Prix of Monterey
The 2026 season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Read the INDYCAR guide →PURE Insurance Championship
PGA TOUR Champions professionals, First Tee juniors and amateurs at Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill.
Read the golf guide →Monterey Jazz Festival
Three days of performances at the Monterey County Fair & Event Center.
Read the jazz guide →Carmel International Film Festival
Film screenings and related programming in and around Carmel.
Check official Carmel listings →Carmel Holiday Celebration
The City’s annual village holiday gathering.
Read the Christmas guide →2026 month-by-month calendar
January
Quiet winter month. January has less event pressure than the rest of the year, making it useful for a slower residential stay, restaurant access and coastal walks between storms.
February
February 12–15 — AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. A PGA TOUR Signature Event at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill.
March
Spring shoulder season. March generally offers a break between the winter golf calendar and the larger April and May event weekends.
April
April 16–19 — Sea Otter Classic. Cycling events at Laguna Seca.
April 18 — Carmel Earth & Arbor Day Celebration. Community programming in Devendorf Park.
April 26 — Big Sur International Marathon. The Highway 1 course finishes in Carmel.
May
May 15–17 — Carmel Art Festival. Plein-air painting, sales, demonstrations and live programming centered on Devendorf Park.
May 25 — Memorial Day Ceremony. The City’s annual ceremony in Devendorf Park.
June
June 19–21 — Ferrari Challenge. A race weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
July
July 4 — Independence Day Concert. Monterey County Pops! in Carmel.
July 10–12 — MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest. Laguna Seca race weekend.
July 11–25 — Carmel Bach Festival. Two weeks of concerts, recitals, lectures and open rehearsals across the Peninsula.
August
August 7–16 — Monterey Peninsula Car Week. Carmel marque events, auctions and concours activity.
August 8–9 — Pre-Reunion and Corkscrew Hillclimb.
August 12–15 — Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
August 16 — Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
September
September 4–6 — INDYCAR Grand Prix of Monterey.
September 18–20 — PURE Insurance Championship.
September 19 — Great Carmel Sandcastle Contest.
September 25–27 — Monterey Jazz Festival.
October
October 1–4 — Carmel International Film Festival.
October 10 — Meet the Makers.
October 24 — Pumpkin Roll.
October 30 — Halloween Parade.
October 31 — Carmel’s 110th Birthday Celebration.
November
November 11 — Veterans Day Ceremony.
November 17–22 — TaylorMade Pebble Beach Invitational.
November 21 — Homecrafters’ Marketplace.
December
December 4 — Annual Holiday Celebration. Carmel’s central seasonal gathering.
Best months for an event-centered Carmel stay
February: golf
The Pro-Am creates concentrated Pebble Beach demand but leaves room to experience Carmel’s quieter winter rhythm before and after tournament days.
July and August: music and Car Week
The Bach Festival and Car Week reward longer planning. Arriving early avoids turning the entire stay into a traffic and reservation exercise.
September: three major weekends
INDYCAR, the PURE Championship and Monterey Jazz create a rare month in which a single longer stay can cover several distinct events.
October through December: village traditions
Film, art, Halloween, Carmel’s birthday and the holiday celebration shift the focus back toward the village itself.
Practical planning
- Reserve major-event tickets and special dinners early, but keep ordinary weeknights flexible.
- Expect longer drive times around Car Week and Laguna Seca weekends.
- Avoid scheduling tight dinner reservations after distant race or golf days.
- Use Carmel’s walkability for mornings and evenings when event traffic is highest.
- Confirm dates, ticket rules, parking and operating details directly with each organizer.
Official sources
- City of Carmel-by-the-Sea events
- PGA TOUR — AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
- Big Sur International Marathon
- Carmel Art Festival
- Carmel Bach Festival
- WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca season calendar
- Pebble Beach events
- Monterey Jazz Festival schedule
- Official Carmel visitor calendar
Last reviewed July 28, 2026. Organizers may revise dates, venues, ticketing or access rules.
Build a month around the events that matter
Use Carmel as a home base, not another hotel stop.
Twin Briar offers a two-bedroom main cottage, detached guest cottage, private garden and dedicated office/flex room for 30+ night stays. Sanctuary Vacation Rentals manages availability, policies and guest support.
Check monthly dates