Out on the town this August? Here are some of the most fun and fabulous local galas, fundraisers, celebrations and other events to see and be seen at this month in Marin County and beyond!
Annual Fairs & Festivals | Music | Outdoor Fun
Get Involved: Community Happenings
Pacific Mambo Orchestra Summer Nights Concert at the Marin JCC, Art in the Gardens, Come Home to Yourself: Restore Your Vitality, Quiet Your Mind, and Reconnect with Yourself and 2026 Marin Community Clinics Golf Classic
Fundraisers & Galas
Hot Tickets, Media Partners & Premium Calendar Listings
Pacific Mambo Orchestra Summer Nights Concert at the Marin JCC
August 1
San Rafael
Osher Marin JCC – Swig Field
200 North San Pedro Road
Come join in the fun at this vibrant outdoor concert featuring Latin jazz, salsa and Afro-Cuban music with Grammy award-winning Pacific Mambo Orchestra. Come early and enjoy free salsa lessons, local food vendors, snacks and bar! Tickets are $30 and kids 12 and under are free. Free parking.
Art in the Gardens
August 1-2
Fort Bragg
Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
18220 N Highway 1
Live music, 50+ artists, aerial performances, food, wine, and family fun on the Mendocino Coast. Plan your perfect summer weekend and purchase tickets at gardenbythesea.org/aig.
Come Home to Yourself: Restore Your Vitality, Quiet Your Mind, and Reconnect with Yourself
August 8
San Rafael
Osher Marin JCC
200 N San Pedro Rd
Join Master Mingtong Gu for one immersive day of Embodied Awakening to restore vitality, quiet the mind, and reconnect with yourself.
2026 Marin Community Clinics Golf Classic
August 31
Novato
StoneTree Golf Club
9 StoneTree Lane
Join MCC’s 2026 Golf Classic at StoneTree Golf Club. Play, sponsor, and support access to quality healthcare for Marin County residents. Register today!
Annual Fairs & Festivals
Live On The Avenue
Every Friday & Saturday
San Anselmo
San Anselmo Avenue
Each Friday and Saturday evening, the main drag in San Anselmo closes off for a true street party, complete with live music, food vendors and lots of kids on scooters. There’s even a Star Wars Night on August 29th, sure to bring wonder to the whole family.
Nihonmachi Street Fair
August 1-2
San Francisco
Japantown
Celebrate the diversity of AAPI communities at this long-running, vibrant festival in S.F.’s Japantown, featuring dedicated activity areas for kids, dogs, shopping and more.
Napa Town and Country Fair
August 6-9
Napa
Napa Valley Expo
575 Third Street
707.253.4900
This fair puts the “country” in “Wine Country.” If you missed the county fairs of early summer, then head to Napa for a weekend of rides, livestock shows, wine and live music.
Gravenstein Apple Fair
August 8-9
Sebastopol
Ragle Ranch Park
500 Ragle Road
Sonoma’s heritage apple is at the heart of this community-based fair with local music on multiple stages, food (caramel apples – yes!), arts and crafts booths and specialty and local products from Sonoma’s farmers.
Pistahan Parade & Festival
August 8-9
San Francisco
Yerba Buena Gardens
750 Howard Street
Gather for a weekend of authentic Filipino food, dance and music at S.F.’s Yerba Buena Gardens, plus the largest Filipino parade on the West Coast.
West End Block Party
August 21 & 28
San Rafael
F-G Streets
This weekly block party on Friday evenings packs downtown San Rafael’s Fourth Street with music and community.
Music and Arts
Jazz and Blues by the Bay
Every Friday, June 5-September 25 (except July 3)
Sausalito
Gabrielson Park
The annual summer Friday evening favorite in Sausalito’s Gabrielson Park always brings in stellar musicians — and August includes four Fridays of acts, including Incendio Band, The Volker Strifler Band, Big Blu Soul Revue and The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra Featuring Willy Jordan. Don’t forget your blanket and picnic dinner.
Global Acoustic Music Under the Redwoods
August 1
Fairfax
Peri Park — Green Stage
Hosted by One World Music in collaboration with Fairfax Parks and Recreation Department, Global Acoustic Music Under the Redwoods embraces the natural beauty of Marin’s surroundings with an immersive musical and dance experience. This year marks the event’s fifth anniversary and will explore the question “What do Bach, bossa nova and The Beatles have in common?” with performances that include all types of instruments, musical styles, movement and more.
Marin Art and Garden Center’s Summer Concert Series
Every Thursday, July 9-August 27
Ross
Marin Art & Garden Center
30 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
This summer concert series hops over to the Redwood Amphitheater stage at Marin Art and Garden Center, and continue through the end of the month. Guests are encouraged to bring a picnic, blanket, or seat cushion, as the venue offers bench-style seating beneath the redwood trees.
SFMOMA Presents Matisse’s Femme au chapeau: A Modern Scandal
Through September 13th
San Francisco
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
151 3rd Street
SFMOMA presents Henri Matisse’s iconic Femme au chapeau, a painting whose controversial debut helped redefine modern art. Renowned for his bold use of color and expressive brushwork, Matisse would go on to become a leading figure of Fauvism, one of the first avant-garde art movements of the 20th century.
Outside Lands
August 7-9
San Francisco
Golden Gate Park
Headlined by superstars, this massive music festival draws thousands every year for stellar shows, great food and an exciting weekend in Golden Gate Park. Among this year’s biggest draws: Charli XCX, The Strokes and Rüfüs Du Sol.
Marin Theatre Presents The White Chip
August 27-September 20
Mill Valley
397 Miller Avenue
Success comes easily to Steven McAlister — at least on the surface. In The White Chip, playwright Sean Daniels tells the story of a theater professional whose career is thriving even as addiction threatens to unravel his life. Both humorous and candid, this autobiographical play follows Steven’s path toward sobriety, exploring the setbacks, revelations and resilience that come with recovery.
Outdoor Fun
World Dog Surfing Championships
August 1
Pacifica
Linda Mar Beach
Surf’s up, pups. Venture down to Pacifica’s Linda Mar Beach to see the best doggy surfers in all the land. This isn’t just for giggles, these are real competitors with formidable sea legs — four of them.
Marin Century Bike Ride
August 1
Novato/West Marin
Stafford Lake Park
The Marin Century Bike Ride returns this year, offering five different courses ranging from 37 to 127 miles. Not for amateur cyclists, the event’s most popular ride is the “Century,” named for the challenge it poses: a 100-mile route through the rolling hills of West Marin. Riders can roll across the finish line and into an after-party featuring live music, food vendors and craft beer.
Interested in getting your event posted? Click here for more info.
Give Back When You Go Out: Volunteer
Looking for more ways to give back to our community by volunteering your time? Here’s a list of Marin County nonprofits supporting a variety of causes — ranging from helping our most vulnerable residents to keeping our environment healthy — where your assistance can really make a difference.
