The holidays are just around the corner, and now is the time to fill your calendar with music that celebrates the season! Our Carriage House Performing Arts Series features four events that will bring joy and warmth to you and your family during the winter months:

On Wednesday, December 8 at 7:30pm, celebrated gospel musician Damien Sneed presents "Joy to the World: A Musical Christmas Journey." Sneed’s original arrangements of gospel, jazz, and classical favorites features a cast of 10 singers and musicians performing well-known holiday classics.

Nochebuena: Christmas Eve in Mexico on Thursday, December 16 at 7:30pm brings together an all-star cast of music and dance—the esteemed Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles and Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar—presenting traditions and customs that people in Mexico celebrate during the Christmas season.

Get your tickets early for David Benoit's Christmas Tribute to Charlie Brown with special guest Courtney Fortune on Friday, December 17 at 7:30pm. This popular show sells out every year, and tickets are already limited!

On Saturday, December 18, choose from two performances (3pm and 7:30pm) of Windham Hill's Winter Solstice featuring Barbara Higbie, David Boston, and Mia Pixley. This joyous acoustic concert of original and traditional music is "full of life and brilliant!" (San Francisco Chronicle)

All of these indoor events follow COVID-19 safety guidelines, so we hope you'll make your plans to safely celebrate the season with us at Montalvo!

It's time to plan for your early holiday shopping at Montalvo's annual Yuletide Marketplace! Join us Friday, November 19 and Saturday, November 20, 2021 from 9am-3:30pm for and shop handcrafted gifts in the historic Villa. Then, on Sunday, November 21, from 1-3pm, don't miss the clearance sale for all remaining items (with free parking)!

Local vendors will display holiday art and decorations, collectibles, photography, clothing, crafts, and specialty gourmet food items for purchase. In addition, handmade items from Montalvo Service Group members will include a Sewing Boutique and a Vintage Treasures Shop. Refreshments will be available for purchase with seating outside on the side veranda to enjoy your snacks.

Parking is $5 per car Friday & Saturday, but otherwise the marketplace is free to visit. Vaccine verification is required for guests ages 12 and up (with proof of negative COVID-19 test required for children under 12), and masks must be worn while indoors.

We hope to see you for your early holiday shopping in support of local artisans!

In observance of Día de los Muertos and in collaboration with Creando Espacio by artist Hector Dionicio Mendoza, Montalvo will be hosting an ofrenda, or altar, that serves as a space to reflect on and honor memories of loved ones. The altar will be installed on the pavilion near the Project Space and Box Office and will be on view from Tuesday, October 26 through Tuesday, November 3.

You are invited to participate by sending photographs of loved ones passed, to be placed by the artist respectfully as part of the ofrenda. You can also visit while the altar is installed and add photos or mementos yourself that represent loved ones lost.

The Listening Hour is a new series at Montalvo that invites local performing artists to present musical work, from classical to contemporary, in a casual afternoon of performance and conversation. These intimate showcases take place outdoors in the Spanish Courtyard or inside the historic Villa and will include a moderated dialogue with the performers as they discuss their practice, musical influences, inspirations, and more.

On Sunday, November 14 from 2–4pm, cellists Robin Snyder and Megan Koch of Bay Area Cello Collective will perform in our first installment of the program. This local duo came together during the coronavirus pandemic looking for a musical outlet, started playing at parks, and were soon joined by more cellists. Today, the Bay Area Cello Collective strives to bring cellists together and bring cello music into the community, performing a wide range of music at various events and venues throughout the Bay Area.