In Monterey this fall: The Pacific Grove Butterfly Parade

Something must be in the air in Monterey this fall, because there are so many anniversaries and celebrations it would be hard to pass up a trip to California’s coast to catch some art and culture with a little history mixed in.

This October 3 & 4, Pacific Grove will celebrate its heritage an annual butterfly parade on Saturday and historic homes tour on Sunday. On Saturday, the Butterfly Parade and accompanying Butterfly Bazaar celebrate the return of the Monarch Butterfly to Pacific Grove. The parade has been a near 75-year tradition. Butterflies make their annual winter stop, and local children dress in cute butterfly costumes while older elementary school kids dress up as Native Americans, pioneers, and clowns as they march down the town’s main street. The parade and bazaar begin at 10:30am.

On Sunday, visitors can get a sneak peek inside the classic Victorians of Pacific Grove during the Historic Home Tour. Some of the most interesting historic homes and public buildings in Pacific Grove will open their doors for self-guided tours between 10 am and 4 pm. Docents are on hand at each location to answer questions and give more information about the buildings and the people who lived and worked there when they were first built. Tickets can be purchased from the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce.

There are also free guided tours of Pacific Grove’s downtown, held at 11am, 1pm and 3pm on Lighthouse Avenue. Local artists will have their work for sale at Chautauqua Hall, while birdhouses inspired by Pacific Grove’s traditional homes will be auctioned off at “Heritage Houses For the Birds.”

Together, Pacific Grove’s Butterfly Parade and Historic Home Tour make for a good, old-fashioned, Americana weekend. Both visitors and locals come out to enjoy a weekend of fun and facts.