It’s that time again: the season for jack-o’-lanterns, leaf raking, feasts, gatherings and a bounty of entertainment throughout the North Bay. From Labor Day to Thanksgiving, there are huge music festivals, live theater productions, festive art fairs and so much more happening in Marin. You can’t do it all, but our annual Fall Arts Guide lays it all out.
Events
Sausalito Art Festival
This year marks the 66th festival and features fine art from hundreds of acclaimed artists, an Art Tech Pavilion showcasing augmented attractions, musical entertainment from the likes of Blues Traveler and the Sun Kings, gourmet food and beverages and more. Aug. 31-Sept. 2. Marinship Park, Sausalito. Saturday-Sunday, 10am-7pm; Monday, 10am-5pm. $25-$30 and up; children under 12, free. sausalitoartfestival.org.
Tomales Founders Day Parade & Celebration
The whole town turns out for this annual event, featuring a parade beginning at Tomales History Center and a theme celebrating sustainable farming in the tradition of early settlers in 1800s-era “Old California.” Sept. 1, in Tomales, Hwy 1. 11am-4pm. 707.879.8030.
Summer Stomp
Korty Productions and Parachute Days join forces for the second annual outdoor, all-ages affair featuring live music from California Honeydrops, SoulSka, Andre Thierry and others; with local food and drink vendors and reserved camping available at nearby Olema Ranch Campground. Sept. 7 at Love Field, 11191 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Point Reyes Station. 2pm-10pm. $15-$50. parachutedays.com.
Bolinas Museum Benefit Art Auction & Party
The museum’s massive fundraiser includes a silent and live auction, food and wine under the stars and dancing. Sept. 7 at Peace Barn, 70 Olema Bolinas Rd., Bolinas. 4pm-9pm. $125-$150. 415.868.8809.
Sausalito Floating Homes Tour
After a one-year hiatus, Sausalito’s floating homes community once again present an open-homes tour. At least a dozen homes will be open, and most of the homeowners will be on hand to answer questions about their waterfront lifestyle. Sept. 14, Gate Six Rd, Sausalito. 11am-4pm. $50. Floatinghomes.org.
Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival
The sculpture, painting, ceramics and photography of more than a hundred different local and international artists are on display at this 63rdrd annual festival, which also includes live music, a children’s grove of activities and more. All profits go to local schools and charities. Sept. 14-15. Old Mill Park, 320 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley. 10am-5pm. $8-$12; students and teachers with ID are free. mvfaf.org.
Sweetwater Late Summer Jam
Sweetwater Music Hall closes out summer with a dynamite lineup of popular rock, folk and alternative artists and bands like Jackie Greene and Blitzen Trapper and food and drink specials. Sept. 21, 19 Corte Madera Ave., Mill Valley. 6pm. $60-$95. 415.388.3850.
San Rafael Porchfest
The city’s historic Gerstle Park neighborhood is turned into one big block party featuring music by more than 60 bands and singer-songwriters on over two dozen porches. Sept. 22. Gerstle Park, San Rafael Ave., San Rafael. Noon to 5pm. Free. sanrafaelporchfest.com.
Mill Valley Film Festival
Presented by the California Film Institute, this 42nd annual event is always full of stars and features the best of independent and world cinema screening at several venues in Marin. Oct. 3-13. mvff.com.
The Best of San Francisco Solo Series
Known for his one-man shows, comedian, playwright and actor Brian Copeland hosts six of the Bay Area’s most beloved solo shows for an exclusive run starting Oct. 13. Marin Center Showcase Theater, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. All shows at 7pm. $25 and up. 415.473.6800.
National Bioneers Conference
Learn about groundbreaking ideas at the 30thth annual conference, featuring a program reflecting decades of transformative solutions and trail-blazing pathways that the growing bioneers community has developed. Oct. 18-20. Marin Center, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. conference.bioneers.org.
The Milley Awards
Dinner and ceremony honors and applauds artists and art educators who were born in Mill Valley or who call Mill Valley home today. Categories include performing and film arts, musical arts and more; and this year’s recipients include Academy Award-winning aerial director of photography Phil Pastuhov, veteran musician Lorin Rowan and others. Sunday, Oct. 20, at Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley. 5:30pm. RSVP required. milleyawards.org.
Marin Symphony
Marin Symphony’s 68th season is overflowing with musical treasures. The symphony’s MasterWorks series opens with “Gluzman Plays Beethoven,” featuring violinist Vadim Gluzman joining conductor Alasdair Neale and the orchestra on Oct. 26 and 27. Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. Concert times vary. $25-$85; youth are $20. 415.473.6800.
Warren Miller Film Tour
Warren Miller Entertainment’s 70th annual winter sports film, “Warren Miller’s Timeless,”, features footage of ski legends at stunning locales. Nov. 9. at Marin Center, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. 8pm. Warrenmiller.com.
Arts & Exhibitions
O’Hanlon Center for the Arts
“Wabi-Sabi,” 16th annual exhibit celebrates the beauty found in things that are imperfect, uncontrolled and incomplete. Reception, Sept. 3. 616 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley. 4pm. 415.388.3128.
Toby’s Gallery
“This Sacred Land,” Black Mountain Circle presents a photographic exhibition of black-and-white photos by Todd Pickering celebrating the West Marin landscape. Reception, Sept. 7. 11250 Hwy One, Point Reyes Station. 2pm. Blackmountaincircle.org.
Gallery Route One
“Box Show,” Over a hundred wooden works of art packs the annual exhibit, which ends with an art auction on Sept. 8. Next, Steven Hurwitz presents “All of the Above,” several artists display in the ecology-themed group show “Eco Echo: Unnatural Selection” and Mimi Abers shows “Being & Nothingness.” Reception, Sept. 14. 11101 Hwy One, Point Reyes Station. 415.663.1347.
MarinMOCA
“50 Faces,” a collection of mosaic artworks that use a variety of media to create portraits of cultural icons like Frida Kahlo, Robin Williams, Carlos Santana and Jimi Hendrix. Reception, Sept. 21. 500 Palm Dr, Novato. 5pm. 415.506.0137.
Venues
Sweetwater Music Hall
The Funkin’ Truth, featuring Leo Noncentelli of the Meters, performs Sept. 5-6. Singer-songwriter Peter Yorn plays Oct. 13. The Mother Hips play an acoustic show and their annual Halloween bash on Oct. 30-31. 19 Corte Madera Ave, Mill Valley. 415.388.3850.
Terrapin Crossroads
New Orleans Suspects Erica Falls of Galactic on Sept. 13. Melvin Seals and JGB play three nights with guests including John Kadleck and Lesh Sept. 26-28. Folk duo the Milk Carton Kids perform on Oct. 5. 100 Yacht Club Dr, San Rafael. 415.524.2773.
Rancho Nicasio
The Sons of Champlin carry on their musical legacy on Sept. 2. Pablo Cruise returns to the venue for a show on Sept. 8. Ron Artis II & the Truth join Danny Click & the Hell Yeahs on Sept. 15. 1 Old Rancheria Rd, Nicasio. 415.662.2219.
Theater
Novato Theater Company
The community theater group, whose local roots date back to 1919, opens their season with Pulitzer-finalist and Tony-winning play “The Humans,” Sept 5-29. 5420 Nave Dr, Novato. 855.682.8491.
Ross Valley Players
Operating in Marin continually since 1930, the players present a season of classic works, starting with Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” Sept. 13-Oct. 13. 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross. 415.456.9555.
Marin Theatre Company
MTC produces provocative and passionate works like season-opener, “Sovereignty,” about a young Cherokee lawyer fighting to restore her Nation’s jurisdiction Sept. 26-Oct. 20. 397 Miller Ave, Mill Valley. 415.388.5200.
