Carmel-by-the-Sea is widely known as the charming coastal California town once led by actor and director Clint Eastwood, but it offers much more than that famous connection. This year the town celebrates its Centennial with the theme “A Century of Memories,” a yearlong slate of cultural, musical and community events that highlight Carmel’s unique character and arts-rich heritage.
One standout event is the Concours on the Avenue (Aug. 16), held on Ocean Avenue the day before the famed Concours d’Elegance in nearby Pebble Beach (Aug. 18). For a day, Ocean Avenue transforms into a public showroom filled with exquisite collector cars from the United States and around the world. Juried classes include Luxury Cars, Muscle Cars, Hot Rods and Sporting Cars, while this year’s special focus on Micro Cars will celebrate authenticity, originality and provenance.
The Centennial calendar also features a broad range of performances and festivals. The Monterey Symphony performs at the Sunset Center with guest violinist Anne Akiko Meyers (May 21–22). The Sunset Center also hosts the 39th Young Musicians Competition for Pianists (June 4), showcasing emerging classical talent. The Forest Theatre presents a staging of The Borrowers — The Musical with a preview on June 23, and the Carmel Heritage Society’s House & Garden Tour (June 25) offers a close look at several notable historic homes around town.
Carmel’s longstanding music traditions continue with the Bach Festival, running at various venues July 16–30, and the Cherry Center presents Bill Broader’s live performance of Abalone (Aug. 5–7). Literary and theatrical events include the Robinson Jeffers Tor House Fall Festival at Tor House (Sept. 30–Oct. 2) and Pacific Repertory Theatre’s Carmel Shakespeare Festival: Twelfth Night (outdoor performances at the Forest Theatre on Oct. 1–2, 6–9 and 13–16) and King Lear (Oct. 20–30 at the Circle Theatre).
The town’s vibrant film scene is represented by the Carmel International Film Festival at the Sunset Center (Oct. 19–22), while the Monterey Symphony returns for a performance of Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Nov. 19–20). Seasonal community traditions wrap up the year, including the tree lighting ceremony on Ocean Avenue and Devendorf Park to launch the holiday season (Dec. 2).
Across these events, Carmel-by-the-Sea blends small-town charm with a rich cultural calendar—music, theater, historic tours and car shows—making the Centennial year a particularly lively and memorable time to visit.