Spring Into Parks Food Truck Vendor
Submission does not guarantee a spot — you will be contacted to confirm your participation.
City of Monterey Town Halls: budget measures & flood protection
The City of Monterey is hosting three community town halls to share information about two upcoming ballot measures and answer residents’ questions. Each session runs from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. and includes a brief presentation followed by open Q&A. Residents are encouraged to attend any of the three sessions.
Dates and locations
- Wednesday, April 22, 2026 Hilltop Park Center — 871 Jessie Street, Monterey
- Monday, April 27, 2026 Casanova Oak Knoll Park Center — 735 Ramona Avenue, Monterey
- Monday, May 4, 2026 Few Memorial Hall — City Council Chamber — 580 Pacific Street, Monterey This session will be recorded and posted to the City’s YouTube channel.
Topics covered
Measure D (June 2 ballot) — a proposed 0.375-cent sales tax to help address the City’s structural budget deficit. Learn more at monterey.gov/measureD.
Stormwater fee measure — a proposed fee to fund flood protection and clean stormwater initiatives, to be mailed to property owners in mid-May. Learn more at monterey.gov/stormwaterfee.
City staff will provide a 10–15 minute presentation at each event. On April 29, Finance Director Rafaela King will present a budget primer at the Monterey City Council Special Meeting, covering the latest budget forecast and options for closing the deficit.
Reimagining High School Through Art & Community in Monterey
Play Full Ground, a community-based art studio in Monterey’s Lighthouse District since 2017, is evolving into an innovative micro high school. This student-led initiative fosters creativity, independence, and personalized learning experiences for teens who thrive outside conventional educational settings.
About the Founder
Play Full Ground was founded by Mai Ryuno, a socially engaged artist and educator. Mai earned her MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute with a focus in printmaking, where she also served as an administrator and instructor for youth programs.
After returning to Japan, Mai worked with a nonprofit organization on educational programs centered on community building and recovery following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Back in California, she taught art and design at Monterey Peninsula College and Hartnell College and participated in UC Berkeley’s award-winning Y-PLAN (Youth – Plan, Learn, Act Now) initiative.
Mai also created Speak Not So Easy, a project that combined art, education, and community engagement. This program became the foundation for Play Full Ground’s micro school model.
A New Kind of High School
Play Full Ground’s micro high school serves grades 9–12 and operates as a full-time hybrid homeschool and learning center. Classes are held Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m., with a maximum of ten students enrolled.
The interdisciplinary curriculum integrates academics with hands-on, project-based learning. Students gain not only academic knowledge but also social and life skills while exploring innovative, community-based projects.
Mai’s teaching philosophy centers on the process: Think, Do, Share
- Think: Students brainstorm, research, and gather both academic and community resources.
- Do: Students build their projects while tying their work back to academic subjects such as communication, writing, or science.
- Share: Students present their projects to peers, parents, and community members, gaining feedback and confidence.
This model emphasizes student voice, independence, and agency—encouraging young people to see themselves as active contributors to their communities.
Building Confidence & Vision
Beyond academics, Play Full Ground prioritizes social-emotional growth. Mai helps students recognize their passions and dreams while developing the skills to pursue them.
“I want students from my school to not only express themselves for their education and confidence but also to understand their role as part of their communities and society,” Mai shares.
By engaging in meaningful, student-driven projects, teens learn to express themselves, gain confidence, and begin to define creative pathways for college, careers, and adult life.
Enrollment Details
Play Full Ground is based at Mai Ryuno’s art studio at:
550 Lighthouse Avenue, Suite E, Monterey, CA 93940
- Enrollment is now open
- Space is limited to 10 students
- Tuition: $12,000 per year
For more information:
Visit playfullground.com
Back to School Bash Vendor Information
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Vendor Guidelines – Back to School Bash
Saturday, August 9, 2025
Del Monte Center, Monterey
Event Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Check-in Location: Monterey Bay Parent booth (in front of Macy’s)
1. Set-Up Time
- Set-up is from 7:45 AM to 9:15 AM.
- All vendors must be fully set up by 9:30 AM.
- At 9:45 AM, any unoccupied booths will be moved to side aisles. If you arrive after that, you will be assigned one of those relocated booths. We want to avoid empty spaces as attendees begin arriving.
- Unclaimed tables will be removed at 10:15 AM.
- If you are running late, please call 831-582-1373 to let us know.
2. Premium Booths
- Premium booths will be pre-assigned and have awnings in place upon arrival.
- If you signed up for a premium booth and are bringing your own awning, you will still receive a premium location—please inform us in advance.
- All premium booth vendors must check in at the Monterey Bay Parent booth to receive their location.
3. Regular Booths
- Regular booths are first-come, first-served.
- You must check in with MBP staff before selecting a table.
- You may bring a small canopy or covering, but it must not exceed 6 feet wide.
- Oversized coverings may be moved to a side aisle or will need to be removed to avoid blocking access to mall stores. This is a courtesy to retailers and other vendors.
4. Additional Items
- You may bring small display items such as:
- An activity table
- An easel
- Additional chairs
- Each booth includes:
- One 6-foot table
- Two chairs
5. Table Coverings
- All tables will have a black floor-length cover provided.
- Do not remove the provided table cover.
- You may place your own branded or decorative topper over it.
- Protect the cover when doing crafts or messy activities. If a cover is damaged, you will be charged a $35 replacement fee.
6. Event Duration
- Do not pack up or leave before 3:00 PM.
- The event remains busy throughout the day—last year’s peak was after 2:00 PM.
- Many families arrive later in the afternoon due to earlier commitments or nap schedules.
- Leaving early creates visible gaps and disappoints attendees. Please stay until 3:00 PM.
7. What to Offer Families at Your Booth
This is a family event with hundreds of children expected, so we encourage vendors to bring something fun and engaging for kids and parents. Booths that provide an interactive or hands-on experience are often the most popular and memorable.
Popular Giveaway Ideas
- Stickers, temporary tattoos, or stamps
- Pencils, crayons, or mini notepads
- Balloons (air-filled only, no helium)
- Branded bookmarks or coloring pages
- Healthy snacks (e.g., fruit snacks, granola bars)
Inexpensive Activity Ideas
- Mini ring toss or bean bag games
- Spin-the-wheel for a small prize
- Bubble station (bring your own solution and wands)
- Coloring station with crayons and printouts
- Sensory bins (water beads, rice, sand with scoops)
- Craft corner: decorate a paper crown, make a friendship bracelet, etc.
- Photo booth with props
We encourage creativity but also simplicity—activities don’t need to be elaborate to be fun! Keep in mind you’ll be sharing space with other vendors, so please be mindful of noise levels and space usage.