Arts Festival
The Healdsburg Arts Festival is back! Wander the inimitably charming Healdsburg Plaza and prepare to be immersed in some of the finest in wine country creativity. The festival is dedicated to three categories of art: visual, performance and culinary. Attendees can enjoy art demos, public art on display, interactive art making, booths for nonprofits, music, entertainment, dance performance, and ample food and wine selections. Over 55 booths represent the creative skill and passion of the Healdsburg community. The festival is presented by the Healdsburg Center for the Arts in partnership with the City of Healdsburg’s Community Services Department. The Healdsburg Arts Festival is Friday, Aug. 26 at the Healdsburg Plaza, Matheson St. and Healdsburg Ave. 4-7pm. Admission is free. www.ci.healdsburg.ca.us
Petaluma
Summer Salsa
What’s the next best thing to salsa dancing in Barcelona? It’s salsa dancing at Grand Central Petaluma to the spicy, rhythmic tones of Charlie Barreda and the All Star Trio. A downtown Ecuadorian-owned coffee shop, Grand Central showcases the South American country’s artisanal talent and exceptional coffee farms while supporting fair and eco-conscious trade practices. Barreda hails from Peru, where his musical career began at the age of 12, before he came to the states to study at the now-closed Music and Arts Institute of San Francisco. His musical expertise ranges from keyboard to vibraphone to composition and percussion. Barreda can do it all, with impeccable rhythm! Charlie Barreda and the All Star Trio play Sunday, Aug. 28 at Grand Central Petaluma, 226 Weller St. 3-6pm. Tickets $10. @grandcentralpetaluma on Instagram.
San Rafael
Heritage Festival
Celebrate the Heritage Day Festival at the historic China Camp Village this weekend, and appreciate the vibrant and diverse community of Northern California. Lion dancers in brightly-colored costumes, traditional guzheng music, mahjong lessons, Chinese brush-painting lessons, tai chi and more are all part of this event. Bring the entire family—kids have the opportunity to build their own boat and to learn about the local wildlife, ecology and history through hands-on activities provided by the National Estuarine Research Reserve, the San Francisco Maritime Museum and Wildcare. The Heritage Day Festival is Saturday, Aug. 27 at 101 Peacock Gap Trail, San Rafael. 11am-3pm. $5 parking fee for non-members. www.friendsofchinacamp.org
Fairfax
Coffee Roasting
Ever wondered how that gorgeous, dark brown liquid we call coffee got into its mug? Find out this weekend in a Home-Roasting Workshop with Punto Fino Coffee in Fairfax. While sipping from the specialty drinks menu, examine several popular at-home roasting methods, and ask questions about the world of coffee and roasting. Then watch as green beans are placed in an open roaster and observe the transformation to roasted bean, noting the different smells and sounds as the process occurs. Partake in a guided, handheld roasting lesson and take a bag of freshly roasted beans home. The beginning of a new hobby, perhaps? The Home-Roasting Workshop is Sunday, Aug. 28 at Punto Fino, 85 Bosque Ave., Fairfax. 11am-12:30pm. www.puntofinocoffee.com
—Jane Vick
