Hero: Students from Willow Creek Academy, an award-winning K-8 charter school in Sausalito, made waves at the annual Kids Ocean Day Adopt-A-Beach Clean-Up last week. They joined 700 San Francisco elementary school children, teachers and volunteers at Ocean Beach to remove trash to prevent it from entering the ocean. The clean-up was especially meaningful, as the young students learned earlier this year how they are personally connected to their watershed and the ocean. “They are experiencing what it means to care for a habitat and why their role in protecting it is so vital,” said Tiff Murzi-Moyce of the Marine Science Institute, which organized the event. Kudos to the Willow Creek Academy students for cleaning up the beach and making a positive impact on our environment. Zero: The Tiburon deerslayer, who won our Zero of the Year award in 2017, has finally been charged with seven misdemeanor counts. Although we’re loath to remember the details of Mark Dickinson’s crimes, here’s a brief synopsis: Dickinson, 54, shot a doe and her fawn last September in front of his home. After a protracted period of suffering, the two deer succumbed to their wounds and died on the scene. Tiburon police reported that he said he was sick of the deer eating his expensive landscaping. Hopefully, this hunter pays dearly for his alleged crimes, which include two counts of animal cruelty and five Fish and Game Code violations, but still we wonder why the Marin County District Attorney didn’t file any felony charges.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): The Aries poet Anna Kamieńska described the process of writing as akin to “the backbreaking work of hacking a footpath, as in a coal mine; in total darkness, beneath the earth.” Whether or not you’re a writer, I’m guessing that your life might have felt like that recently. Your progress has been slow, the mood has been dense and the light has been dim. That’s the tough news. The good news is that I suspect that you will soon be blessed with flashes of illumination and a semi-divine intervention or two. After that, your work will proceed with more ease. The mood will be softer and brighter.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Do you know what you are worth? Have you compiled a realistic assessment of your talents, powers and capacities? Not what your friends and enemies think you’re worth, nor the authority figures you deal with, nor the bad listeners who act like they’ve figured out the game of life. When I ask you if you have an objective understanding of your real value, Taurus, I’m not referring to what your illusions, fears or wishes might tell you. I’m talking about an honest, accurate appraisal of the gifts you have to offer the world. If you do indeed possess this insight, hallelujah and congratulations! If you don’t, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to work on getting it.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Now is a favorable time to worship at the shrine of your own intuition. It’s a ripe moment to boost your faith in your intuition’s wild and holy powers. To an extraordinary degree, you can harness this alternate mode of intelligence to gather insights that are beyond the power of your rational mind to access by itself. So be bold about calling on your gut wisdom, Gemini. Use it to track down the tricky, elusive truths that have previously been unavailable to you.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): “A poem is never finished; it is only abandoned,” wrote poet W. H. Auden, paraphrasing poet Paul Valéry. I think the same can be said about many other kinds of work. We may wish that we could continue tinkering and refining forever so as to bring a beloved project to a state of absolute perfection. But what’s more likely is that it will always fall at least a bit short of that ideal. It will never be totally polished and complete to our satisfaction. And we’ve got to accept that. I suggest that you meditate on these ideas in the coming weeks, Cancerian. Paradoxically, they may help you be content with how you finish up the current phase of your beloved project.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I highly recommend that you spend the next three weeks hanging out on a beach every day, dividing your time between playing games with friends, sipping cool drinks, reading books you’ve always wanted to read and floating dreamily in warm water. To indulge in this relaxing extravaganza would be in maximum alignment with the current cosmic rhythms. If you can’t manage such a luxurious break from routine, please at least give yourself the gift of some other form of recreation that will renew and refresh you all the way down to the core of your destiny.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Contemporaries of the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras told colorful stories about the man. Some believed that he was the son of a god and that one of his thighs was made of gold. When he crossed the river Casas, numerous witnesses testified that the river called out his name and welcomed him. Once a snake bit him, but he suffered no injury, and killed the snake by biting it in return. On another occasion, Pythagoras supposedly coaxed a dangerous bear to stop committing violent acts. These are the kinds of legends that I expect you to spread about yourself in the coming days, Virgo. It’s time to boost your reputation to a higher level.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): My counsel may seem extreme, but I really think that you should avoid mildness, meekness and modesty. For the immediate future, you have a mandate to roar, cavort and exult. It’s your sacred duty to be daring, experimental and exploratory. The cosmos and I want to enjoy the show as you act like you have the right to express your soul’s code with brazen confidence and unabashed freedom. The cosmos and I want to squeal with joy as you reveal raw truths in the most emotionally intelligent ways possible.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): French novelist Honoré de Balzac periodically endured intense outbreaks of creativity. “Sometimes it seems that my brain is on fire,” he testified after a 26-day spell when he never left his writing room. I’m not predicting anything quite as manic as that for you, Scorpio. But I do suspect that you will soon be blessed (and maybe a tiny bit cursed) by a prolonged bout of fervent inspiration. To ensure that you make the best use of this challenging gift, get clear about how you want it to work for you. Don’t let it boss you. Be its boss.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Ancient civilizations waged war constantly. From Mesopotamia, to China to Africa, groups of people rarely went very long without fighting other groups of people. There was one exception: The Harappan culture that thrived for about 2,000 years in the Indus River Valley, which in the present day stretches through Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Archaeologists have found little evidence of warfare there. Signs of mass destruction and heavy armaments are non-existent. Art from that era and area does not depict military conflict. One conclusion we might be tempted to draw from this data is that human beings are not inherently combative and violent. In any case, I want to use the Harappan civilization’s extended time of peace as a metaphor for your life in the next eight weeks. I believe (and hope!) that you’re entering into a phase of very low conflict.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Every human being I’ve ever known, me included, has to wage a continuous struggle between these pairs of opposites: 1. Bad habits that waste their vitality and good habits that harness their vitality; 2. Demoralizing addictions that keep them enslaved to the past and invigorating addictions that inspire them to create their best possible future. How’s your own struggle going? I suspect that you’re in the midst of a turning point. Here’s a tip that could prove useful: Feeding the good habits and invigorating addictions may cause the bad habits and demoralizing addictions to lose some of their power over you.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “Some books seem like a key to unfamiliar rooms in one’s own castle,” said author Franz Kafka. I suspect that this idea will be especially relevant to you in the coming weeks, Aquarius. And more than that: In addition to books, other influences may also serve as keys to unfamiliar rooms in your inner castle. Certain people, for instance, may do and say things that give you access to secrets you’ve been keeping from yourself. A new song or natural wonderland may open doors to understandings that will transform your relationship with yourself. To prep you for these epiphanies, I’ll ask you to imagine having a dream at night in which you’re wandering through a house you know very well. But this time, you discover that there’s a whole new wing of the place that you never knew existed.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Just for now, let’s say that it’s fine to fuel yourself with comfort food and sweet diversions. Let’s proceed on the hypothesis that the guardians of your future want you to treat yourself like a beloved animal who needs extra love and attention. So go right ahead and spend a whole day (or two) in bed reading and ruminating and listening to soul-beguiling music. Take a tour through your favorite memories. Move extra slowly. Do whatever makes you feel most stable and secure. Imagine that you’re like a battery in the process of getting recharged.
Homework: Send news of your favorite mystery—an enigma that is both maddening and delightful—to Freewillastrology.com.
‘Homeopathic farming,’ ‘nutrition 3.0’ and ‘acupuncture for the land’ were all catchphrases overheard at the inaugural International Biodynamic Wine Conference, held at the Golden Gate Club in San Francisco on May 6 and 7.
Keynote speaker Jean-Charles Boisset, French vintner and owner of more than 20 wineries, spoke of the importance of the “invisible architecture” of vineyards, the “theater of nature” and how biodynamic farming brings us one step closer to tapping into a telluric and cosmic world.
Where did the term ‘biodynamic’ originate, and what does it mean? Austrian philosopher and architect Rudolf Steiner, who many know as the founder of Waldorf education, is also credited with inventing this method of agriculture. And while biodynamic farming is slowly catching on in America, more than 5,000 wineries in Europe are biodynamic-certified.
Demeter Association, Inc., a firm based in Oregon (also the sponsor and organizer of the event) that offers certification to food producers and wineries that comply with their standards, describes biodynamics as a holistic, ecological and ethical approach to farming, gardening, food and nutrition. In order for a winery or food product to become certified as biodynamic, Demeter requires that they comply with a comprehensive list of procedures, like the inclusion of animals in the farming process, and integrating seven specific plants into the soil to aid in creating a healthy ecosystem. Recycling all of the animal manure and compost—and putting it back into the land—is also cited as an objective of biodynamic farming.
Though only a small number of wineries in the Napa and Sonoma valleys have embraced biodynamic farming, multiple wineries in Oregon, Washington and on the Central Coast of California are adopting the practice. From the taste of the wines, it’s been a great success.
Learn more about biodynamic farming at biodynamics.com.
‘Homeopathic farming,’ ‘nutrition 3.0’ and ‘acupuncture for the land’ were all catchphrases overheard at the inaugural International Biodynamic Wine Conference, held at the Golden Gate Club in San Francisco on May 6 and 7. Keynote speaker Jean-Charles Boisset, French vintner and owner of more than 20 wineries, spoke of the importance of the “invisible architecture” of vineyards, the “theater of nature” and how biodynamic farming brings us one step closer to tapping into a telluric and cosmic world. Where did the term ‘biodynamic’ originate, and what does it mean? Austrian philosopher and architect Rudolf Steiner, who many know as the founder of Waldorf education, is also credited with inventing this method of agriculture. And while biodynamic farming is slowly catching on in America, more than 5,000 wineries in Europe are biodynamic-certified. Demeter Association, Inc., a firm based in Oregon (also the sponsor and organizer of the event) that offers certification to food producers and wineries that comply with their standards, describes biodynamics as a holistic, ecological and ethical approach to farming, gardening, food and nutrition. In order for a winery or food product to become certified as biodynamic, Demeter requires that they comply with a comprehensive list of procedures, like the inclusion of animals in the farming process, and integrating seven specific plants into the soil to aid in creating a healthy ecosystem. Recycling all of the animal manure and compost—and putting it back into the land—is also cited as an objective of biodynamic farming. Though only a small number of wineries in the Napa and Sonoma valleys have embraced biodynamic farming, multiple wineries in Oregon, Washington and on the Central Coast of California are adopting the practice. From the taste of the wines, it’s been a great success. Learn more about biodynamic farming at biodynamics.com.
This week in the Pacific Sun, our annual Hot Summer Guide is your ticket to fun in the North Bay. From our listings that preview concerts, festivals, art, music, food & drink events and more, you’ll be able to start marking up your calendar for the best that Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties have to offer from now until September. On top of that, we’ve got a story about a San Rafael-based oil-industry law firm that appears to be targeting an anti-fracking assembly candidate, a profile on Nate Currier (aka Hamlet this summer), son of Marin Shakespeare Company’s Robert and Leslie Currier and a review of Mountain Play’s ‘Mamma Mia!’ atop Mt. Tam. All that and more on stands and online today!
To get right down to the nitty-gritty, here’s a prediction: In a few weeks, when the last rumble of cheers and applause dies down and Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre falls silent, Mamma Mia! will go down as one of the most popular productions in the history of Marin’s annual Mountain Play.
That forecast surprises me, but only because, going in, I wasn’t familiar with the show, or with Abba, the Swedish group that became such an international success during the 1970s and early ’80s with their happy sound of soft rock. Two-and-a-half hours later, I understood why it had attracted such a following.
Let’s be clear. Mamma Mia! doesn’t deserve to be ranked among the greats of American musical theater. It belongs to the category of what the music industry calls—somewhat condescendingly—“jukebox musicals” that showcase a group of songs by a well-known composer or performer by linking them with a wispy, often almost non-existent narrative thread (a long list is included in Mountain Play’s program). Most fail, because musical theater is more than a collection of songs that don’t go anywhere dramatically, and the actors/singers are rarely able to re-create the excitement generated by the original performers.
The London creative circle that assembled Mamma Mia! in the late 1990s—led by producer Judy Cramer and librettist Catherine Johnson—must have been aware of the pitfalls, because they managed to take a simple but compelling story and embed 22 songs by Abba’s Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson that cover a multitude of timeless personal subjects. The songs continue to resonate with audiences, while also providing wonderful opportunities for group choreography.
All of these virtues are fully realized in Mountain Play’s current production, directed with a rare combination of emotional sensitivity and sense of spectacle by Jay Manley. The setting is a fictional Greek island called Kalokairi, which scenic designer Andrea Bechert renders as three whitewashed structures on turntables (converting exterior to interior), surrounded by the crystal waters of the Aegean Sea. Twenty-year-old Sophie (Carrie Lyn Brandon) is preparing to marry her longtime sweetheart Sky (Jake Gale) the following day, but she has never known who her father is and wishes that he could be present to walk her down the aisle. By accident, she has discovered her mother Donna’s journal, in which she relates that around the time of Sophie’s conception, she had sexual relations with three different men: Sam (Tyler McKenna); an American architect who designed the taverna owned and operated by Donna; Harry, a wealthy British banker (Sean O’Brien); and Bill (David Schiller), an Australian writer and adventurer. Thinking that she can identify her father if they meet in person, she secretly invites all three to the wedding, and they accept, arriving from the mainland together on a small boat that—in a striking coup de theatre—glides in and out with no visible power source.
This sets up a chain of reactions, both comic and serious, that make up the bulk of the musical. Other characters, too numerous to mention individually, join in a colorful, free-for-all of song and dance (choreography by Nicole Helfer and Zoe Swenson-Graham), ably supported by an eight-piece band under Music Director Jon Gallo. Suffice it to say that the entire 30-member ensemble is of a caliber seldom encountered in productions that combine a few Actors’ Equity performers (two in this case) with talented community actors.
What became clear to me at show’s end was that Abba’s tunes and lyrics touch on universal themes not normally found in pop music, and they do it with a simple honesty that connects emotionally with their audience. In a program note, Manley relates how good he felt while driving home after evening rehearsals. I felt that way too, after visiting the mountain. The Germans have a word for it: “Gemutlichkeit.” If ever it was needed, it’s now.
NOW PLAYING: Mamma Mia! runs Sundays through June 17 in the Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre, Mt. Tamalpais State Park; 415/383-1100; mountainplay.org.
Actor Nate Currier of San Rafael has played many Shakespearean characters over the course of his 26 years of life—Romeo, Laertes, Prospero, Lord Capulet, Benedick—and almost all of those roles in what he calls “very grungy” productions.
“I’ve been working with a friend in Oakland,” Currier says, “doing these low-budget to no-budget shows in basements and backyards and whatnot. It’s a blast.”
Currier, who grew up in Marin County, attended Sarah Lawrence College in New York. While on the East Coast, he found a place with the Shakespeare Academy @ Stratford, in Connecticut. For two years, he performed in Hamlet and Cymbeline, and toured for a while, in a four-actor production of Romeo and Juliet.
“I learned a lot about working as part of an ensemble,” he says of that experience.
Currier’s interest in Shakespeare is no surprise, given that his parents, Robert and Lesley Currier, are the artistic director and managing director, respectively, of Marin Shakespeare Company (MSC). The award-winning company annually produces shows at the Forest Meadows Amphitheatre on the San Rafael campus of Dominican University. Surprisingly, few of those shows have ever featured Nate Currier.
“Well, I once threw rose petals off a balcony in Romeo and Juliet, when I was five years old,” he says.
Except for that early performance—and a later appearance as a monkey on a typewriter when he was 10—Currier has mostly resisted his parents’ regular invitations to perform on the Forest Meadows stage.
“They ask me just about every summer, but I always say no,” he admits, explaining, “I love my parents and everything. They’re awesome. I love coming down to the theater. But working with your parents can be very strange, and I basically have just always liked doing shows in other places.”
Well, nothing lasts forever, it seems. This weekend, Currier will make his MSC debut in a major role, playing Hamlet in Shakespeare’s great tragedy. The show, which kicks off the company’s 2018 season, is directed by Robert Currier. But it was Barry Kraft, a longtime Bay Area actor and frequent performer with Marin Shakespeare, who talked the young Currier into taking on the role.
“This guy is obsessed with Hamlet,” Currier says of Kraft. “He’s a total nerd, and Hamlet is his favorite thing in the universe. He came to me last summer, and he said, ‘I want you to play Hamlet.’ At first I thought he meant we wanted me to play Hamlet at some other theater company he’s associated with. But when he said he wanted to perform in Hamlet with the Marin Shakespeare Company, and that he wanted me to play Hamlet, I basically said no. But I thought about it, and eventually changed my mind.”
The reason for his turnaround, he says, was twofold. One, he relished the idea of sharing the stage with a Hamlet expert. And two, he wanted to play Hamlet while he was still in the right age range to do it.
“When I asked Barry why in the world he wanted me for this, when there are so many first-rate professionals working with this company, he said, ‘I am so tired of seeing Hamlets over 30,’” Currier says with a laugh. As written, Hamlet is a college student. “One of the reasons we’re all doing this show,” he says, “is that we wanted to give people a Hamletthat is closer to what Shakespeare had in mind.”
Now that he’s on the verge of opening the show, Currier says that he’s more than glad he reversed his position of never performing with his parents’ company.
“You know what? It’s been great,” he says, laughing. “It’s been so much smoother and more fun than I ever imagined. My dad and I share ideas, we trade thoughts back-and-forth. It’s kind of not boring, actually, how good and easy it’s been.”
As for the show—using a mix of traditional and modern costumes and concepts—Currier thinks that audiences are going to appreciate this take on Hamlet, no matter how many times they’ve seen the show before.
“Shakespeare has a way of gripping modern audiences,” he notes, “and Hamlet, especially. It’s a very contemporary story, the story of a millennial, basically, who doesn’t know what he wants from life, who finds himself in over his head with family problems. I think we bring a lot of our own selves to Hamlet, when we see it as an audience member. I’m certainly bringing a lot of myself to it as an actor.”
‘Hamlet’ opens on May 25, and runs through July 8 at Forest Meadows Amphitheatre, 890 Belle Ave., San Rafael; 415/499-4488; marinshakespeare.org.
There’s nothing like a North Bay summer, when hundreds of community events, festivals, concerts, plays, parties and more—covering the region from Memorial Day to Labor Day—are offered. This year’s summer schedule includes lots of changes, debuts and special guests, so keep this guide close and get ready to enjoy all of the fun that the season has to offer.
MAY
Point Reyes Open Studios Spend Memorial Day weekend immersed in art that includes sculpture, paintings, photography, pottery and more, while meeting local artists—including renowned printmaker Tom Killion—in their studios throughout West Marin, during Point Reyes Open Studios, Memorial Day weekend, May 26-28, 11 to 5. pointreyesart.com.
Marin Shakespeare Now in its 29th season, this popular company opens the season with its own take on the murderous and ghostly Hamlet, starring Nate Currier in his first leading role with Marin Shakes, Sundays, May 25-July 8. Shakespeare’s Will by Vern Thiessen, follows, and shares the inner life of Shakespeare’s wife, Anne Hathaway, June 14-July 8 (previews in June). The season ends with Pericles, July 14-Aug. 5, telling the adventurous story of the Prince of Tyre, complete with romance, passion and comedy. Forest Meadows Amphitheatre, 890 Belle Ave., San Rafael. marinshakespeare.org.
Mill Valley Memorial Day Parade Join the parade or just enjoy the show. This popular local event, which includes a historic Wells Fargo Stagecoach, happens on Monday, May 28. Veterans Ceremony is at 9:45am in Lytton Square, and the parade starts at 10:30am. mviloveaparade.com.
Ross Valley Players The players wrap up their exciting 88th season with two productions. The Tin Woman, a stirring drama that is based on a true story, is playing through June 10. Then, Savannah Sipping Society runs from July 12–August 5. Barn Theatre, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross. General admission on weekends is $27 for adults, $15 for youths under 25. On Thursdays, it’s $22 general admission and $12 for youth. 415.456.9555.
Marin Country Mart Get the weekends started with Friday Night Jazz concerts each week at the mart, featuring performers like Lisa Lindsley and Mads Tolling. Then, go acoustic on Sunday afternoons when the weekly Folkish Festival books local artists like Jesse Kincaid and Blithedale Canyon. 2257 Larkspur Landing Circle, Larkspur, Fridays, 6-9pm. Sundays, 12:30-2:30 pm. 415.461.5700.
Marin Greek Festival Spend the weekend steeped in traditional Greek cultural staples like cuisine, music, dance and fellowship. Highlights include performances by the Hohlax Band, on tour from Greece and playing throughout the weekend, and multiple appearances by the award-winning Minoan Greek Dancers on Saturday and Sunday, May 25-27. Nativity of Christ Greek Orthodox Church, 1110 Highland Dr., Novato. $5 for adults and $4 for seniors over 65 on Saturday and Sunday. Children under 12 get in free. Free admission Friday. 11am-10pm. nativityofchrist.org/festival.
Concerts at Montgomery Village Santa Rosa’s Montgomery Village Shopping Center offers several music lineups throughout the season. Look for rocking weekend afternoons and Thursday concerts under the stars with bands and performers like Pride & Joy, Super Diamond, Wonder Bread 5 and others. May 24 through September. 707.545.3844. Full lineup at mvshops.com.
6th Street Playhouse Railroad Square’s resident theater company offers several special events and productions this summer in the playhouse’s GK Hardt Theatre. A line up of stand-up comedy, improvised sketches, magic, music and more come together for The Gentlemen Basterds Big-Ass Comedy Variety Show on May 25. The classic musical film, The Sound of Music, gets a sing-along screening, with subtitles, so the whole audience can sing “Do-Re-Mi” on June 2–3. Illyria, the modern musical version of Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night, completes the playhouse’s theatrical season with hilarity and heart, June 15– July 8. 52 W. Sixth St., Santa Rosa. 707.523.4185.
Novato Theater Company The longtime Marin theater company’s next performance is Five Tellers Dancing in the Rain, so act quickly to see the family drama, running May 24–June 10. Young actors can enjoy a “Summer Stars” theater camp and put together a production of Aladdin Jr., June 18–22 and 25–29. Then, July 13–14, Steven King Music presents the Cash and King band, celebrating the legacies of Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. In September, the company starts its 2019 season with A Chorus Line. 5420 Nave Dr., Novato. novatotheatercompany.org.
Friday Nights on Main Tiburon’s beloved block party tradition closes roads to traffic so that local restaurants can set up shop outside and visitors can stroll down the streets enjoying live music, wine tastings and more. Last Friday of the month, May 25 through Sept 28. Main St., Tiburon. 6pm to 9pm. Free. 415.435.5633.
BottleRock Napa Valley The biggest concert festival to hit Napa has been long sold-out, so hopefully you already have your tickets to see headliners Muse, The Killers and Bruno Mars, and experience the best of Napa Valley food and wine. May 25–27 at the Napa Valley Expo Center. 575 Third St., Napa. bottlerocknapavalley.com.
Oysterpalooza Celebrate the bivalve by eating everything oyster, with a heavy bent on the cuisine of New Orleans. There will also be plenty of drinks and live music from three bands. More information will be available soon, once the press release is out. May 27 at Rocker Oysterfeller’s. 14415 Hwy. 1, Valley Ford. Noon. $25. 707.876.1983.
Muir Beach Volunteer Firemen’s Barbecue Festive fundraiser for the whole family boasts delicious food, activities for the kids and music from André Pessis & his Allstars and Soul Ska. May 27 at Santos Meadows, Muir Woods Rd., Muir Beach. Noon-5pm. Free attendance/$20 parking. 415.381.8793.
Rancho Nicasio’s BBQ on the Lawn Whether it’s Memorial Day weekend, Father’s Day, the Fourth of July or Labor Day, Rancho Nicasio has you covered with top-tier musicians, like Pablo Cruise, Paul Thorn, Ruthie Foster and Willie K, performing alongside some of the tastiest barbeque this side of the Mississippi River. Every Sunday starting May 27, 1 Old Rancheria Rd., Nicasio. Gates at 3pm, music at 4pm. $20-$40. 415.662.2219.
Live at Lagunitas Everyone’s favorite Sonoma County brewery has lots of music on tap this summer in its Petaluma amphitheaterette. The Saint Paul and the Broken Bones show is already sold out for the opening series on May 28. Black Roots musician Fantastic Negrito performs June 12. Indie-pop artists Wild Child play on July 31. Songwriter King Tuff sings Aug 28. Free tickets are limited, and go on sale three weeks before each show on the bands’ websites, so set your calendars accordingly. 1280 N McDowell Blvd., Petaluma. For the full lineup, visit lagunitas.com/live.
JUNE
Marin Art & Garden Center Summer Concert Series
The center’s picturesque setting makes for a fabulous atmosphere to enjoy a picnic dinner, with beer and wine available, as you listen to a wide variety of live music from the likes of the Rowan Brothers, leading off the series on June 28, Highway Poets on July 12, Happnstance on July 19, B and the Hive on July 26, Matt Jaffe on August 2 and Zydeco Flames on August 9. 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross; 5-7pm; magc.org.
Season of Wine & Lavender What began as a daylong celebration is now a two-month season—June 1 through July 31—of tastings, food pairings and tours of lavender-filled fields. Special events include open-air painting sessions and photography safaris, and winemaker seminars elevate the palate at Matanzas Creek Winery. 6097 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa. matanzascreek.com.
Funky Fridays The sixth annual weekly summer series brings popular North Bay bands like Levi Lloyd & Friends (June 1), Funky Dozen (July 6) and Volker Strifler (Aug 17) to the gorgeous lawn in front of the historic Hood Mansion, while raising money for Sonoma Valley parks every Friday through Aug. 31, Casa Manana Rd., Santa Rosa. Doors at 5:30pm. Show starts at 7pm. $10. Kids under 18 are free. Funkyfridays.info.
Jazz & Blues by the Bay Sausalito’s summertime series is becoming the stuff of legends, with headlining acts like the US NAVY 32nd Street Brass Band, Mz Honey & the Honey Bees, Mitch Woods & His Rocket 88s and others performing on the waterfront with breathtaking views of the Bay. Fridays, June 1–Aug 24. Gabrielson Park, Sausalito. 6:30pm. Free admission. jazzandbluesbythebay.com.
Sonoma County Pride Celebration After nine years in Guerneville, Sonoma County Pride returns to the heart of the county with a parade and festival in downtown Santa Rosa’s Old Courthouse Square anchoring a weekend of festivities. This year’s theme, “Together We Rise,” focuses on supporting people who feel threatened by the actions of the current administration and help those affected by the October fires. The festivities also include a kick-off show at Laugh Cellar featuring actor and stand-up comedian Alec Mapa, a curated merchant and pub tour, OUTwatch LGBTQI film festival and more, all happening June 1–3 in or around downtown Santa Rosa. sonomacountypride.org.
Healdsburg Jazz Festival Sound the trumpets and walk that bass right on up to Healdsburg for the 20th annual Healdsburg Jazz Festival. There are more than a dozen concerts scheduled, and this year features Bill Frisell and Julian Lage Duo, Myron Cohen Quartet, Adam Theis, Lorca Hart Trio and the John Santos Sextet, among many others. Concerts take place June 1-10 at various locations in and around Healdsburg. Prices vary. 707.433.4633. healdsburgjazzfestival.org.
SOMO Concerts Rohnert Park’s grand outdoor venue, the SOMO Village Event Center, once again packs a powerhouse lineup of performers for its seasonal series. Legendary punk rock band Social Distortion gets things off to a loud start on June 2. The inaugural Rock & Wine Fest mixes heavy hitters Y&T and Dokken with plenty of vino on June 23. California Roots presents the first of its Rebel Music Series concerts with Reggae stalwarts Toots and the Maytals on July 13, and two primo punk bands, the Psychedelic Furs and X, co-headline a show on July 25. 1100 Valley House Dr., Rohnert Park. Somoconcerts.com.
Art at the Source More than 112 artists in dozens of studios throughout western Sonoma County open their spaces to the public for an interactive art experience the first two weekends of June. New this year, the final weekend also offers Art & Wine Studio Tours, a half-day guided tour of selected studios that includes wine tasting. Saturdays and Sundays, June 2–3 and June 9–10. Maps can be found at artatthesource.org or at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, the home of the event’s preview exhibit, 282 S High St., Sebastopol. Free. 707.829.4797.
Cotati Cabaret Summer Series The historic building that now houses Congregation Ner Shalom will house performances throughout the season. Grammy Award-nominee Barbara Higbie spends an evening with Sonoma County musicians Nancy Vogl and Suzanne Shanbaum on June 2. New York City-based klezmer sextet Isle of Klezbos plays on July 8, and West Sonoma-based THUGZ headline the 51st Summer of Love Anniversary Dance Party on Aug 18. 85 La Plaza, Cotati. Single show and series tickets available at shalomevents.ticketleap.com.
Goose & Gander Music Series Napa Valley’s wine country public house is the perfect setting to see locals play on the lush patio. The summer series opens in June and continues each Sunday afternoon through September. 1245 Spring St., St. Helena. goosegander.com.
Uptown Theatre Downtown Napa’s art deco concert venue welcomes an array of performers to its landmark stage. Veteran rocker Brian Setzer performs Brian Setzer’s Rockabilly Riot! on June 6. Gifted musician and activist Ziggy Marley plays the spirit of revolution in his “Rebellion Rises 2018 Tour” on June 8. Country music star Mary Chapin Carpenter sings from her acclaimed catalog on June 30. Blues pioneer Ry Cooder plays two nights, July 21 and 22, and soul singer Amos Lee appears on Aug 11. The summer lineup is also packed with laughs with shows featuring standup stars Brian Regan (June 9), Paula Poundstone (July 14) and Tig Notaro (July 28). 1350 Third St., Napa. 707.259.0123.
Town Center Corte Madera Summer Music Series The town center’s courtyard sets the mood for music as bands and performers play in the family-friendly, outdoor atmosphere. Sundays, June through Aug., 100 Corte Madera Town Center, Corte Madera. 2-4pm. Free. shoptowncenter.com.
Mill Valley Wine & Gourmet Food Tasting Festival Annual fundraiser is looking more exciting and delicious than ever and features wine from more than 65 premium wineries, fine craft beers from 11 breweries and food from nearly 30 food purveyors and 12 local restaurants and chefs. Proceeds benefit local nonprofits. June 3 at Depot Plaza. 85 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley. 1–4pm. $55 and up. Age 21 and over. 415.388.9700.
Napa Valley Jazz Getaway Musician and producer Brian Culbertson’s seventh annual event features an incredible lineup of jazz and R&B artists, including iconic group the Commodores, guitarist Norman Brown and singer Bobby Caldwell in a show dubbed “Love & Soul,” R&B royalty Faith Evans, veteran comedian Sinbad and more. Wine receptions, dinner concerts and after-parties mix up the fun, June 6–10, at various locations throughout Napa Valley. jazzgetaway.com.
Marin Theatre Company The ambitious and innovative company hosts a special summer show this year with Straight White Men, about a man and his three sons who struggle with identity and privilege. June 14–July 8. Then, in September, the company’s 2018/2019 season opens with Oslo, a darkly comic play based on the true story of a Norwegian couple whose scheming helped pass the 1993 Oslo Accords. 397 Miller Ave., Mill Valley. 415.388.5200.
Rockstar University’s House of Rock Santa Rosa’s recording space and live music venue celebrates two years under its belt this summer with a stellar lineup of new and returning favorites. The band Empty Spaces performs a tribute to Pink Floyd on June 16. British heavy metal band Union Jack & the Rippers rocks the house on June 30. Grunge makes a comeback at the inaugural Rosapalooza, featuring bands like Corduroy and Plush, on July 7. Platinum-selling band LA Guns returns for another round of rock on Aug 11. 3410 Industrial Dr., Santa Rosa. rockstaruniversity.com.
Huichica Music Festival A refreshingly intimate and impressively curated take on the music festival format, Huichica (pronounced wah-CHEE-ka) features a music lineup that includes veteran stars like Jonathan Richman (the Modern Lovers) and Steve Gunn, as well as today’s hottest indie-rock auteurs including Copenhagen-based post-rock band Iceage and a bevy of Bay Area favorites like Wooden Shjips, Vetiver and the Fresh & Onlys. Amazing views, delectable culinary options and plenty of beer and wine round out the weekend. June 8–9 at Gundlach Bundschu Winery. 2000 Denmark St., Sonoma. $46-$121. Kids 12 and under are free. 707.938.5277.
Enchanted Forest Gathering Eighth annual outing once again enchants audiences with three days of music, performance and visual art, workshops and other fairytale fun for the whole family. This year’s lineup boasts headlining acts like Beats Antique, Ozomatli and Dumpstaphunk, and the immersive natural environment includes a spa, crystal dome, art gallery and other wondrous experiences. June 8–10. Black Oak Ranch, Laytonville. enchantedforestmendo.com.
Napa City Nights Hailed as the event “where Napa makes music,” this family-friendly concert series offers a perfect view for local crowds to see and dance to their favorite North Bay bands, and artists like Cripple Creek Band, Stax City, the Deadlies, the Hots and Tommy Odetto. Every Friday, June 8–Aug. 24. Veterans Memorial Park Amphitheater, Third and Main streets, Napa. 6:30pm. Free admission. napacitynights.com.
Sweetwater Music Hall Dance the summer away with a lineup of music that hits the sweet spot. Former Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson’s latest country band, Green Leaf Rustlers, rocks out June 11–13. Chicago blues-rock pioneers The Electric Flag gets a 50th anniversary celebration with members including Nick Gravenites and Barry Goldberg on June 28. Even former San Francisco Giants pitcher Barry Zito gets in on the fun, performing Aug. 8. 19 Corte Madera Ave., Mill Valley. 415.388.3850.
Fairfax Festival & EcoFest Marin’s premier community party turns 41 this year, and offers something for everyone. The kick-off Family Film Night sets the weekend’s tone, mixing social responsibility and sustainability while having fun. Then, Saturday’s parade leads the crowds to three stages of live music, flea market vendors, wholesome food, kids area and more. On top of that, the EcoFest, part of the festival since 2004, showcases the best local environmental movements and figures working towards a cleaner tomorrow. June 9–10, 142 Bolinas Rd., Fairfax. fairfaxfestival.com.
Novato Festival of Art, Wine & Music Thirty-fifth annual music fest features art and crafts vendors, good things to eat and drink, a wine garden and live music on two stages. Musical acts include Birds of Chicago and Jeffrey Halford & the Healers on Saturday; and Con Brio and Diego’s Umbrella on Sunday. There’s also a kids’ area with art projects, petting zoo, train rides and more. June 9–10 at Old Town Novato, Grant between Redwood Ave. and Seventh St. Free admission. 415.472.1553.
Russian River Festivals This summer marks the centennial of the Russian River’s Johnson’s Beach in West Sonoma County, best known for its annual Jazz & Blues Festival. This year, the beach marks the occasion and expands on the entertainment with three massive music festivals, beginning in June with the back-to-back Johnson’s Beach Feel-Good Beach Party and Russian River Blues Festival, June 9–10. Saturday’s party features headliners Goo Goo Dolls and Shaggy, alongside the California Honeydrops, Royal Jelly Jive, David Luning and Kingsborough. Sunday’s festival features Robert Cray, Eric Burdon & the Animals, Taj Mahal Trio, the Elvin Bishop Big Fun Trio and others. In September, the Russian River Jazz Festival fills out a full weekend, Sept. 8–9. russianriverfestivals.com.
Beerfest: The Good One All beerfests are good, but this one gets the title for its combination of good brews and a good cause. Whether you prefer hoppy IPAs, sour beers and even ciders, you’ll find old favorites and new loves at this massive tasting event featuring nearly 50 pouring stops and awesome food vendors. The day also benefits local nonprofit Face to Face, whose mission is ending HIV in Sonoma County and supporting the health and well-being of people living with HIV/AIDS. June 9. 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa. 1pm. $50-$60. beerfestthegoodone.com.
Peggy Sue’s All-American Cruise Hundreds of classic, stock and custom All-American Cars roar into Santa Rosa for the annual cruise, and will be on display with live music, pin-up contest and awards at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds throughout the day. Then those classic cars roam downtown Santa Rosa in the evening to show off for families and car lovers. June 9. cruiseforpeggysue.com.
The Mountain Play Marin’s magical outdoor theater experience is currently performing the musical smash “Mamma Mia!” under a canopy of trees on Mount Tamalpais through June 17 and is offering a special sing-along performance Jun 9. Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre, 801 Panoramic Hwy., Mill Valley. $20-$45. 415.383.1100.
di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art The innovative arts center debuts a powerful new lineup of artists for the second installment of its socially-conscious exhibit, “Be Not Still: Living in Uncertain Times.” See new experimental projects and bold art installations that address topics like immigration and healthcare when the exhibit opens with a reception on June 30. 5200 Sonoma Hwy., Napa. 707.226.5991.
The Dipsea Race The oldest trail race in America turns 108 years old this summer and participants once again face a grueling course that takes them from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach in a challenging and beautiful day of running on June 10. dipsea.org.
Summer Sunday Concerts at Piccolo Pavilion Lawn chairs and blankets will once again dot Corte Madera Square, as the intimate pavilion hosts music from popular North Bay acts like Todos Santos, Levi Lloyd, Taylor Rae and Bubba’s Taxi. Old Corte Madera Square, Redwood Ave., Corte Madera. Sundays, June 10–Aug 26. 5pm. Free. cortemaderacommunityfoundation.org.
Railroad Square Music Festival North Bay Hootenanny hosts this fourth annual day of local music and community in the heart of Santa Rosa. Frankie Boots, Sol Horizon, the Highway Poets, Trebuchet and many others take several stages, with a shop party of local vendors, food, beer and wine, art and fun for all. June 10 at Railroad Square, Fourth and Wilson streets, Santa Rosa. Noon. Free admission. railroadsquaremusicfestival.com.
Luther Burbank Center for the Arts The performing arts center brings some of the biggest events and names in music and comedy to the stage this summer. Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox transforms today’s biggest hits into a 1920s swing and jazz soiree on June 22. Bianca Del Rio, alter ego of comic Roy Haylock and former winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” offers a scathing night of laughs on June 30. The original Jersey Boys, Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons sing their greatest hits on Aug. 5. Everyman standup star Jim Gaffigan appears for two shows on Aug. 9. 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa. 707.546.3600.
Calistoga Concerts in the Park Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, picnic dinners and friends and family to enjoy these weekly concerts in a gorgeous natural setting. Each week’s show offers something different, from rock and rollers Kingsborough on June 14, to Latin dance band Maya on July 19 to funk and soul songwriter Ricky Montijo on Aug. 2. Concerts in the park take place every Thursday, June 14–Aug. 16, Pioneer Park, 1308 Cedar St., Calistoga. 6:30pm. Free admission. Visitcalistoga.com.
Creekside Friday Night Concert Series The Tam Valley venue, the Tennessee Valley Cabin, give these concerts a rustic, throwback vibe, and local bands like Marble Party, Soul Ska and Lumanation keep it intimate while they rock the house for the 13th season. Fridays, June 15–Aug. 10. 60 Tennessee Valley Rd. (park at Tam Valley Community Center, 203 Marin Dr.), Mill Valley. 6:30pm. Free. tcsd.us.
Country Summer The biggest country music event in the North Bay also features Western-themed attractions, country-inspired culinary delights and an array of libations. Headliners this year include Florida Georgia Line, Little Big Town, Toby Keith and many more. June 15–17, at Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa. $89 and up. 707.543.0100. countrysummer.com.
Sierra Nevada World Music Fest (SNWMF) The world is a big place, so a world-music festival, by default, must also be big. This year’s 25th annual SNWMF continues the festival’s legacy of offering dozens of musical acts from around the world. Artists at this
June 23-24, more than 100 artists brighten up Fifth and A streets in San Rafael with street paintings at the annual Italian Street Painting Marin event.
year’s festival include Jamaican crooner Beres Hammond, British reggae legends Steel Pulse, Ethiopian pop star Teddy Afro and others. June 22–24 at the Mendocino County Fairgrounds, Boonville. $70 and up. snwmf.com.
Broadway Under the Stars Presented each year by Transcendence Theatre Company, some of the brightest stars in Hollywood and on Broadway come to perform in the Sonoma County night air. This summer’s schedule starts with “Stairway to Paradise,” featuring songs from Broadway and beyond, June 15–July 1. The popular Fantastical Family Night dances to the beat of Broadway and Disney hits on July 13–14. “Shall We Dance,” showcasing an invigorating blend of movement and song, runs Aug. 3–19. The Gala Celebration caps the season with appropriate flair, Sept. 7–9. Jack London State Park. 2400 London Ranch Rd., Glen Ellen. Pre-show picnics at 5pm; concerts begin at 7:30pm. 877.424.1414.
Novato Concerts on the Green Dynamic songwriter Jesse Brewster kicks off this year’s concert series, which takes over downtown Novato’s Civic Green every first and third Saturday of June, July and August. The high-powered Pamela Parker’s Fantastic Machine, the acclaimed Element Brass Band and others are on the schedule. In addition, Novato’s Hamilton Amphitheater hosts two “Hot Amphitheater Nights” with Midtown Social on June 30 and the Big Fit (formerly known as Frobeck) on Aug. 25. 5pm. Free admission. novato.org.
Cotati Music Festival After 37 years of the Cotati Jazz Festival, the small and spirited town of Cotati’s chamber of commerce is expanding on the musical offerings in this inaugural summer concert event. The Cotati Music Festival lineup includes local favorites like the John Courage Trio, Derek Irving & His Combo and Danny Sorentino, with food, beer and wine on hand. June 16. Noon. Free admission. cotati.org.
Mystic Theatre & Music Hall The beloved downtown Petaluma venue has a packed schedule this summer with an eclectic array of events and concerts. Wavy Gravy hosts Seva Foundation’s 40th anniversary, featuring Dark Star Orchestra on Jun 27. Indie-rock veteran and former Pavement frontman Stephen Malkmus leads his longtime band the Jicks on July 17. Soul music icon Booker T Jones performs on July 27, and original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley plays a solo show on Aug. 5. Mystic Theatre, 23 Petaluma Blvd. N, Petaluma. 707.765.2121.
Belvedere Concerts in the Park The series celebrates its 21st year of live music in the gazebo of the small community park with a Father’s Day concert featuring Top Shelf on June 17, swing stars Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers on July 17, bluegrass favorites Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands on Aug. 12 and dance party-starters Neon Velvet on Sept. 2. Bring a picnic and be ready to dance the day away at Belvedere Park, San Rafael Ave. and Community Rd., Belvedere. 3:30pm. belvedereconcerts.org.
Sonoma-Marin Fair This year’s Sonoma-Marin Fair blasts off with a “Beyond the Milky Way” theme that is sure to delight all ages. Headlining concerts, the world’s ugliest dog contest, destruction derby, carnival rides, fair food and a galaxy of fun await June 20–24, at Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, 175 Fairgrounds Dr., Petaluma. Gates open at noon each day, $10-$15 general admission. sonoma-marinfair.org.
MarinScapes Don’t miss the 30th anniversary of this annual fine art exhibit and sale that benefits Marin recovery agency Buckelew Programs. This year’s featured artist is former smokejumper and landscape painter Davis Perkins, and the schedule includes a Pearl Jubilee opening night gala, pop-up shops and other special events happening June 21–24, at Escalle Winery, 771 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur. buckelew.org.
Kate Wolf Music Festival This festival always draws excellent musical acts to honor the work of the late singer-songwriter it’s named for, and this 23rd annual year’s lineup is one of the best yet. Confirmed performers include Los Lobos, Indigo Girls, Keb’ Mo’ and many others, with North Bay artists like Rainbow Girls and Wendy DeWitt representing the North Bay. Camping is the best way to experience this festival. June 28–July 1 at Black Oak Ranch, Laytonville. $75 and up. katewolfmusicfestival.com.
Marinwood’s Music in the Park Live music, barbeque from Marinwood Market, a bar for the adults and fun for the whole family makes for a perfect summer evening. Shows start up on June 29 and continue July 13, Aug. 10 and Aug. 24. Marinwood Park, 775 Miller Creek Rd., San Rafael. 6pm. Free admission. marinwood.org.
Italian Street Painting Marin: Wonders of Space & Time More than 100 street painters converge on downtown San Rafael to explore concepts of cosmic mystery in the annual artistic spectacular. Local bands, food and vendors are also on hand, and kids can make their own street painting masterpieces. June 23–24, Fifth and A streets, San Rafael. Sat., 10am to 8pm; Sun, 10am to 6pm. $10-$15, kids under 12 are free. italianstreetpaintingmarin.org.
Marin County Fair This year’s popular Marin summer mainstay celebrates diversity and inclusivity with a theme of “All for One & Fun for All!” Fair exhibits include decorated flags and banners, baked goods and culinary contests from around the world, global photography and classics like carnival rides, midway attractions, concerts from headliners like Michael Franti and LeAnn Rimes and more. Every night is fireworks night when the fair runs June 30–July 4 at the Marin County Fairgrounds, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. $13–$15; under four, free. marinfair.org.
Mondavi Winery Summer Concerts After nearly five decades, this popular concert series is bigger than ever, with a lineup featuring Gavin DeGraw (June 30), Citizen Cope (July 7), Brandi Carlile (July 14), X Ambassadors (July 21) and Fitz & the Tantrums (July 28). These shows are already selling out, so don’t wait to grab tickets. Robert Mondavi Winery. 7801 St. Helena Hwy., Oakville. Dinner available. $70-$225. 888.769.766.6328. robertmondaviwinery.com.
JULY
Green Music Center Summer at the Green 2018 Sonoma State University’s superb Weill Hall hosts a season of concert events that spill out on the lawn and span classical, jazz, country, Latin and spoken word. The season’s Fourth of July concert features Transcendence Theatre Company and the Santa Rosa Symphony, followed by fireworks. The annual Bluegrass & Craft Beer Festival returns on July 15 with headliners Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder and Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands. Free movie screenings on the lawn happen all season, and other performers include Los Tucanes de Tijuana (July 21), Hunter Hayes (Aug. 10), Boyz II Men (Aug. 16) and Punch Brothers (Aug. 23). 1801 East Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. 866.955.6040.
Napa County Fair & Fireworks Farm fun, rides, clowns and food, this fair’s got it all, in one svelte day of blistering excitement. Culminating in a fireworks spectacular in the evening, the fun starts with a parade at noon through downtown Calistoga. July 4 at the Napa County Fair. 1435 North Oak St., Calistoga. napacountyfair.org.
Summer Nights Outdoor Music Festival Osher Marin JCC’s most popular event series sets the music under the stars and boasts a diverse lineup of the hottest acts of today. The series opens with the Afro-Cuban sounds of Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca on July 7. Hawaiian music master Henry Kapono performs on July 14, eclectic ensemble Royal Jelly Jive grooves on July 21, Seattle folk-pop outfit Kuinka plays on July 28 and Latin big band Pacific Mambo Orchestra wraps the series on Aug. 4. Families will love that kids 17 and under are free, and a kids’ zone keeps the little ones happy, while pop-up restaurants and beer and wine fuel the fun. 200 N. San Pedro Rd., San Rafael. Doors at 6pm, music at 7pm. $25-$32 and up. marinjcc.org.
Wine Country Big Q Eighth annual barbeque competition features grill masters from around the area competing in big beef and bold bean challenges. World class wines, award-winning brews, craft cider and spirits pair with the meats, and live music makes for a party atmosphere on July 7, Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, 175 Fairgrounds Dr., Petaluma. 1pm. $20-$75. winecountrybigq.com.
Napa Craft Beer, Spirits & Oyster Festival In this case, the name really does say it all. Choose from an afternoon or evening session, or stay all day and indulge in unlimited tastings from 35 craft brewers, pouring more than 75 beers. Resident mixologist Mcson Salicetti will be whipping up creative cocktails, and the sommelier of oysters Kevin Joseph (Empire Oyster, the OysterHood, Oysters Unlimited) curates an oyster bar on Saturday, July 7, at Napa Valley Opera House, 1030 Main St., Napa. 1pm. $44-$199. Napacraftbeerfestival.com.
Rodney Strong Concert Series The wine-tastic annual live music series in the sunny grasslands behind the Rodney Strong vineyards always features adult contemporary favorites and music legends. This year’s lineup includes Michael McDonald on July 8, Melissa Etheridge on July 22, a double-bill of the Temptations and the Four Tops on Aug. 26 and Boz Scaggs on Sept. 9. Rodney Strong Vineyards, 11455 Old Redwood Hwy., Healdsburg. 5pm. $89-$129. 800.514.3849.
Petaluma Art & Garden Festival Presented by the Petaluma Downtown Association, the fest brings local eats, beer, wine and plenty of music to town for a 17th year. The vendor booths offer unique and charming items for the home and garden, plus animal mobiles and fun fairy clothing for the wee ones. The event also includes the annual chalk art competition. July 8. Kentucky and Fourth streets, Petaluma. 11am. petalumadowntown.com.
Shakespeare in the Cannery Santa Rosa’s unique outdoor theater experience—set in the brick ruins of a former canning warehouse—returns for its fifth and reported final season. Led by director David Lear, the company is planning to go out in style, presenting the comedic and heartwarming Shakespeare in Love at sunset on select dates, July 12–Aug. 3. 3 West Third St., Santa Rosa. Gates at 5pm, shows at 7pm. 707.528.3009.
Flynn Creek Circus The boundary-pushing ensemble of performers flies, tumbles and juggles its way into the North Bay with a new show, “Adrift,” that promises the company’s biggest acrobatic stunts yet. Set on the high seas, this magical odyssey mixes classic circus hijinks and hilarious comedy when it runs in Calistoga July 12–15 and in Sausalito July 19–22. Get details about locations and times at flynncreekcircus.com.
Out & About Under the Oak at Northgate Four local and loved bands take to the grass on the west side of the San Rafael shopping center for the ninth annual concert series, with Petty Theft kicking off the annual series on July 13. Every other Friday through Aug. 24, 5800 Northgate Mall, San Rafael. Music starts at 6pm. shopatnorthgate.com.
The Breastfest Beer Festival Eighteenth annual beer tasting party raises money to help low-income women with cancer. Sample the latest brews from Marin Brewing Company, Moylan and others while noshing on BBQ and listening to music from many local players. Cheers are in order on July 14, at the Marin Center, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. 1pm. $65. thebreastfest.org.
Rivertown Revival The Friends of the Petaluma River once again present the “Greatest Slough on Earth,” and this year’s outing aims to support the region’s regrowth after last year’s natural disasters. The event features local artists and bands like the King Street Giants, the Crux, T-Luke & the Tight Suits and Big Kitty performing, interactive art installations, kids activities, local food vendors and more. The eco-friendly event even boasts a Nautical Mass commute by boat, led by a historic schooner. Revive your summer on July 14 at the McNear Peninsula at D and Copeland streets, Petaluma. Rivertownrevival.com.
Wine Country Comedy Fest Local grape-stomping and funny-bone smashing company Crushers of Comedy hosts its third annual summer stand-up extravaganza with a diverse lineup of comedians, including Steve Ausburne, Jenny Yang, Josh Argyle and many more. A slew of craft beers, winetasting, live music and more come together July 19–22 at the Laugh Cellar, 5755 Mountain Hawk Way, Santa Rosa. crushersofcomedy.com.
Northern Nights Music Festival Cook’s Valley Campground, set in a redwood forest on the Humboldt/Mendocino County line, comes alive for the 6th annual dance and DJ-centric festival. Camp out for the weekend and immerse in a weekend of headlining music, specialty bars, hammock lounges, silent discos and community bonding. July 20–22. 83950 Road 442E, Piercy. northernnights.org.
Larkspur Wine Stroll Take it easy at this 7th annual stroll that boasts local vino paired with window-shopping and socializing. July 21, Magnolia Ave., Larkspur. 5pm. $20, includes commemorative wine glass. 21 and over only. larkspurchamber.org/wine-stroll.
Festival Napa Valley Formerly called the Festival del Sole, this annual event offers more than 60 events over 10 days, ranging from concerts and dance performances to vintner-led luncheons and free community events. Highlights include opening night’s Opera Under the Stars at Meadowwood with soprano Nadine Sierra, the Arts for All Gala in St. Helena with actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth, the worldpremiere of Joshua Bell performing the Academy Award-winning music from the film The Red Violin and a Leonard Bernstein centennial celebration. July 20–29, at various venues in the Napa Valley. festivalnapavalley.org.
San Rafael Sunset Criterium Downtown San Rafael is transformed into a bike racetrack as pros, amateurs and kids take over the main downtown streets for a day of racing. No waiting for hours to see cyclists pass in seconds, this looping course brings the action back around right away, while a DJ pumps the beats and your beer disappears faster than you thought it would. Watch several races, stroll the expo and hang out in the outdoor beer garden on July 28. Fourth and C streets, San Rafael. sanrafaelsunset.com.
AUGUST
Mill Valley Concerts on the Plaza Bring your lawn chairs and get in the summer groove at free concerts on Mill Valley’s Downtown Plaza, Sundays starting at 3pm or 4pm. millvalleyrecreation.org.
Sonoma County Fair This year’s signature summer fair presents a “Salute to Heroes” and honors first responders and those who saved lives and helped others throughout last October’s wildfires. The annual affair once again offers rodeos, destruction derbies, carnival rides, local art and agriculture, and all of your favorite fair cuisine. Separate admission is required for some events. Sonoma County Fair runs Aug. 2-12. Horse racing happens Aug. 2–5 and Aug. 9–12. Sonoma County Fairgrounds. 1350 Bennett Valley Rd., Santa Rosa. 11am to 9pm; $7–$12; kids six and under are free. sonomacountyfair.com.
Music in the Vineyards Now in its 24th season, this nationally acclaimed chamber-music festival welcomes renowned musicians from around the world to perform at the most picturesque locations in the Napa Valley. This year, the Escher, Pacifica and Miró quartets and the Trio Machiavelli perform as the festival’s ensembles-in-residence and the all-star lineup includes big band leader Maria Schneider, guitarist David Leisner, violist Nokuthula Ngwenyama and pianist Michael Brown. Aug. 3–26, at winery venues in the Napa Valley. $55 and up. musicinthevineyards.org.
Nostalgia Days Downtown Novato closes down one day a year for this massive event that features seven blocks of classic cars on display and cruising the avenues, with classic rock ’n’ roll live onstage, food and drinks flowing and thousands of visitors on hand. The car show happens Aug. 4, on Grant Ave., between Redwood Blvd and 7th St., Novato. 10am, cruise at 6pm. Free admission. 415.599.6880.
Petaluma Music Festival The 11th annual festival benefiting music programs in Petaluma schools features another massive lineup of North Bay favorites like headliners Railroad Earth, the Brothers Comatose, Melvin Seals & JGB, Royal Jelly Jive and many others. Aug. 4 at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, 175 Fairgrounds Dr., Petaluma. Noon. $55-$65 and up, students age 13-17 can get limited $20 tickets at the door, kids 12 and under are free with adult admission. petalumamusicfestival.org.
Gravenstein Apple Fair Billed as the “sweetest little fair in Sonoma County,” the 45th annual event, presented by Sonoma County Farm Trails, celebrates the locally found Gravenstein apples in all of their delicious glory, with several food vendors, live music and local arts and crafts. Look for the artisan tasting lounge, the farm life arena, kids’ activities and games and contests throughout. Aug. 11-12 at Ragle Ranch Park, 500 Ragle Rd., Sebastopol. 10am to 6pm. $8-$15, kids 5 and under are free. gravensteinapplefair.com.
Cotati Accordion Festival Bay Area accordion veteran Paul Rogers of Those Darn Accordions and the Christmas Jug Band is saluted as the honorary director and an international cavalcade of stars takes the stage at this 28th annual squeezebox party, which this year offers two days of peace and music in a Woodstock-themed affair. International stars like Finland’s Netta Skog and Germany’s Matthias Matzke perform, as well as local favorites like Zydeco Flames, Culann’s Hounds, Oddjob Ensemble and the Mad Maggies. Aug. 18–19 in La Plaza Park. Old Redwood Highway, Cotati. 9:30am–8pm. cotatifest.com.
Blues, Brews & BBQ Mixing together live music, microbrews and enough barbecue to fill a pickup truck, this summertime party is not to be missed. There’s a rib-eating contest, kids’ area and, of course, blues artists all along the streets. Aug. 25 at First and Main streets, Napa. Noon–6pm. Free admission. Beer-tasting tickets available for purchase. donapa.com.
Bodega Seafood Art & Wine Festival Dozens of culinary companies come together to offer delicious seafood specialties at the 24th annual event. Aside from the art and the eats, there are four stages of entertainment. The Main Stage features blues, jazz, swing, bluegrass and more from the likes of Highway Poets, Kevin Russell, Sang Matiz, Swing Fever, French Oak and others. Entertainers include jugglers, magicians and other non-musical acts. And local art, food, wine and beer overflows Aug. 25-26 at Watts Ranch, 16855 Bodega Hwy. Saturday, 10am–6pm; Sunday, 10am–5pm. $15-$20, kids under 12 are free. bodegaseafoodfestival.com.
SEPTEMBER
Sausalito Art Festival One of the most prestigious art events in the country returns to the Sausalito waterfront for a 66th year, attracting collectors, aficionados and enthusiasts alike. Fine art in every medium from some 260 artists pairs well with gourmet food, sumptuous wines, children’s entertainment and more. Sept. 1–3, Marinship Park, Sausalito. 415.332.3555.
Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival Now in its 62nd year, this fest features music, sculpture and plenty of children’s activities in the serene setting of the redwoods. Sept. 15-16, Old Mill Park, 320 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley; 10am–5pm; $12/general, $8/students and seniors, kids under 12 are free; mvfaf.org.
Taste of Sonoma Labor Day weekend belongs to wine at this signature event from the Sonoma County Vintners group. This year’s event makes the most of its home at Sonoma State University’s Green Music Center, gathering wineries from across the region to pour hundreds of wines that can be paired by bites from dozens of local chefs. The event also hosts seminars and demonstrations that cover a wide range of wine topics to tickle the intellect and stir the imagination. You can also upgrade the experience with an optional Club Reserve package that gets you in early and intimate with local winemakers. Sept. 1, 1801 E Cotati Ave, Rohnert Park. Noon to 4pm. $180-$255. tasteofsonoma.com.
Sound Summit Mount Tamalpais State Park is the home and the beneficiary of this blowout concert hosted by Roots & Branches Conservancy. Last year’s summit raised $75,000 for the park, and this year’s event looks to be even bigger. Sept. 8. Mountain Theatre, Panoramic Hwy., Mill Valley. soundsummit.net.
Music Festival for Brain Health The most successful mental health event in the country, in terms of raising both money and awareness, returns for a 24th year of science symposiums and chart-topping songwriters. There’s also a wine tasting reception featuring several top North Bay wineries and VIP dinner and a special guest chef. Sept. 15, Staglin Family Vineyard, 1570 Bella Oaks Ln., Rutherford. Music-festival.org.
The firm, Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni (Nielsen Merksamer), represents the state’s leading energy concerns and counts BP, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Phillips and Valero Energy Corporation among its clients.
The law firm created a front group and has poured about $320,000 into an assembly race in San Benito County featuring a county supervisor, Robert Rivas, who was at the forefront of San Benito’s Measure J, which banned fracking in the rural county in 2014. Measure J passed despite a $2 million push by Big Oil to defeat it. The controversial oil-extraction process would have been undertaken near Pinnacles National Park.
Thanks to Rivas’ advocacy and a motivated local anti-fracking community, San Benito was the first county in the state to enact a fracking ban; a similar effort failed in Santa Barbara, thanks to efforts undertaken by the San Rafael law firm.
Monterey and Santa Clara counties both passed anti-fracking initiatives of their own in the wake of the San Benito success. This year, there’s a push in San Luis Obispo County to enact a similar ban.
Rivas is a Hollister resident who has been on the board of supervisors since 2010. He’s running for the 30th District Assembly seat currently occupied by Anna Caballero, who is running for state Senate this year.
Lobbying disclosure documents on file with the California Secretary of State indicate that Steven S. Lucas is the lobbyist for oil and gas interests at the firm. Having lost its fight against Measure J, according to public records, the firm has now funneled $320,000 into the anti-Rivas front group for campaign advertising, which the Rivas campaign decries as misleading, negative and personal. Among other things, the ads criticize Rivas on public safety. The full name of the front group is the Coalition to Restore California’s Middle Class (CRCMC), opposing Robert Rivas for Assembly 2018.
Rivas is running against a fellow Democrat, and lawyer, Peter Leroe-Muñoz for the seat. The primary is on June 5.
Rivas’ opponent is on the same page when it comes to the contentious extraction process. “I do not support fracking,” he says.
The petroleum industry’s pivot toward targeting candidates for higher office may have future implications for lawmakers across the North Bay who have taken a stand against fracking or against the energy industry. The organization is a subsidiary of CRCMC, including energy companies who produce gas, oil, jobs and pay taxes.
The political action committee has been busy this year accruing contributions from the industry, and its latest filings show that it accepted $2.5 million in contributions between Jan. 1 and April 21. At the end of the reporting cycle, it had nearly $4.5 million on hand after making expenditures of more than $1 million. The organization will likely have several million dollars on hand beyond the June 5 primary this year—but so far, the anti-Rivas front group is the only one associated with Nielsen Merksamer that appears to be targeting a candidate critical of the oil industry.
In paperwork on file with California’s Secretary of State, the law firm’s phone number is listed as the point of contact for the coalition. The firm is located in an office building at 2350 Kerner Boulevard in San Rafael. Besides being the point-of-contact for its oil and gas clients, Steven S. Lucas is identified on the firm’s website as an attorney “who also represents numerous wealthy donors who are politically active in federal, state and local levels throughout the United States.”
Lucas did not respond to phone calls and an email seeking comment.
The Nielsen Merksamer website boasts numerous victories on behalf of its energy-industry clients. It has been the legal counsel for litigants involved in nearly 400 ballot measures and statewide referenda, and was instrumental in helping defeat Santa Barbara’s Measure P, which sought to ban fracking in that county in 2014. The firm opposed the 2006 California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32), a landmark bill that aimed to reduce the state’s greenhouse-gas contributions to the climate-change crisis.
“We advise our ballot measure clients on all aspects of campaigning,” the firm’s website reads, “from initiative drafting and filing, contesting ballot language and other pre-election litigation, observing and potentially contesting the final vote, and post-election substantive challenges.”
Rivas was on the campaign trail over the weekend and says he’s not surprised at the petroleum industry’s moves against him.
“That is unfortunately politics in 2018,” he says. “Being in this process for the first time, this Assembly seat is a regional office and it’s certainly been a unique experience, and it’s unfortunate that the oil companies have chosen to play dirty politics by attacking me personally with misleading attack ads and attempts to deceive voters. The fact that I took on the oil industry to protect the community against fracking—that’s why I am the subject of these attacks.”
Rivas believes that the attacks on him will only serve to create bad blood in Sacramento in a political arena that’s already fraught with divisiveness. “The civility question—it plays to a larger concern as to why people have very little faith, have very little confidence, in elected officials and government in general,” he says, noting that the energy lobby never met with him during the Measure J push. “They viewed my position against fracking as against their interests.”
According to campaign materials, numerous officials, organizations and citizens have leapt to Rivas’ defense, including State Sen. Bill Monning, the Sierra Club and civil rights icon Dolores Huerta.
Their support was echoed this week by North Bay Assemblyman Marc Levine, who represents San Rafael in Sacramento and pushed for a failed statewide fracking moratorium in 2012. “I will continue to fight to protect our water quality and coast,” says Levine, “and prevent unnecessary and destructive fracking.
“Robert Rivas took a bold stand against fracking in San Benito County,” adds Levine, “and oil companies want him to pay a price. Fortunately, voters will have the last say.”
Rivas’ opponent also addressed the petroleum industry campaign against Rivas in an interview this week. “Obviously it’s an independent expenditure, so we have no coordination with them,” says Leroe-Muñoz, who is also a council member in the city of Gilroy and a former deputy district attorney. Citing his law enforcement background, he says, “I can’t speak to what their thoughts or motivations are, but I think that what is important is that they are raising an issue around public safety. That’s an issue that many residents have raised with me in the district.”
The petro front group paid for a recent mailer which “addressed that issue in particular around Robert and public safety and cuts that he made while he was on the board of supervisors,” says Leroe Muñoz.
Deputy Donya Halawa carries a fawn to safety. Photo courtesy of Marin County Sheriff’s Department.
Hero: The Marin County Sheriff’s Department lit up social media with an adorable video of a spotted fawn that jumped into their patrol car. The baby deer stopped traffic in Tam Valley until deputies arrived to reunite it with its mom in the nearby bushes. Watch the baby’s antics here: Facebook.com/MarinCountySheriff/videos/2034481973474467/.
Zero: Imagine enduring a violent sexual assault, followed by a lengthy invasive exam to collect DNA, just to have that evidence gather dust in a police locker for years. It’s shameful that in our wealthy county, rape kits dated before 2011 sit on shelves untested in some Marin police departments. (As unbelievable as it sounds, lack of funds is one of the reasons cited.) A Marin County Civil Grand Jury recently released a report stating that all of the untested kits should be processed, “regardless of statute of limitations or prosecutorial value.” Hell yes. Even if the clock has run out, we want that DNA in a database. A serial rapist, or worse, could be identified. Did we really need a report to point that out?
Hero: Students from Willow Creek Academy, an award-winning K-8 charter school in Sausalito, made waves at the annual Kids Ocean Day Adopt-A-Beach Clean-Up last week. They joined 700 San Francisco elementary school children, teachers and volunteers at Ocean Beach to remove trash to prevent it from entering the ocean. The clean-up was especially meaningful, as the young students learned...
ARIES (March 21-April 19): The Aries poet Anna Kamieńska described the process of writing as akin to “the backbreaking work of hacking a footpath, as in a coal mine; in total darkness, beneath the earth.” Whether or not you’re a writer, I’m guessing that your life might have felt like that recently. Your progress has been slow, the mood...
‘Homeopathic farming,’ ‘nutrition 3.0’ and ‘acupuncture for the land’ were all catchphrases overheard at the inaugural International Biodynamic Wine Conference, held at the Golden Gate Club in San Francisco on May 6 and 7.
Keynote speaker Jean-Charles Boisset, French vintner and owner of more than 20 wineries, spoke of the importance of the “invisible architecture” of vineyards, the “theater of...
‘Homeopathic farming,’ ‘nutrition 3.0’ and ‘acupuncture for the land’ were all catchphrases overheard at the inaugural International Biodynamic Wine Conference, held at the Golden Gate Club in San Francisco on May 6 and 7.
Keynote speaker Jean-Charles Boisset, French vintner and owner of more than 20 wineries, spoke of the importance of the “invisible architecture” of vineyards, the “theater of...
This week in the Pacific Sun, our annual Hot Summer Guide is your ticket to fun in the North Bay. From our listings that preview concerts, festivals, art, music, food & drink events and more, you'll be able to start marking up your calendar for the best that Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties have to offer from now until...
To get right down to the nitty-gritty, here’s a prediction: In a few weeks, when the last rumble of cheers and applause dies down and Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre falls silent, Mamma Mia! will go down as one of the most popular productions in the history of Marin’s annual Mountain Play.
That forecast surprises me, but only because, going in, I...
Actor Nate Currier of San Rafael has played many Shakespearean characters over the course of his 26 years of life—Romeo, Laertes, Prospero, Lord Capulet, Benedick—and almost all of those roles in what he calls “very grungy” productions.
“I’ve been working with a friend in Oakland,” Currier says, “doing these low-budget to no-budget shows in basements and backyards and whatnot. It’s...
There’s nothing like a North Bay summer, when hundreds of community events, festivals, concerts, plays, parties and more—covering the region from Memorial Day to Labor Day—are offered. This year’s summer schedule includes lots of changes, debuts and special guests, so keep this guide close and get ready to enjoy all of the fun that the season has to offer.
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The firm, Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni (Nielsen Merksamer), represents the state’s leading energy concerns and counts BP, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Phillips and Valero Energy Corporation among its clients.
The law firm created a front group and has poured about $320,000 into an assembly race in San Benito County featuring a county supervisor, Robert Rivas, who was at the...
Hero: The Marin County Sheriff’s Department lit up social media with an adorable video of a spotted fawn that jumped into their patrol car. The baby deer stopped traffic in Tam Valley until deputies arrived to reunite it with its mom in the nearby bushes. Watch the baby’s antics here: Facebook.com/MarinCountySheriff/videos/2034481973474467/.
Zero: Imagine enduring a violent sexual assault, followed by...
