Mill Valley Film Festival
For the first time in its 45 year history, a film festival from the heart of Marin will screen movies at the Roxie in San Francisco in addition to screenings in Mill Valley, San Rafael, Larkspur, Berkeley and online while continuing the tradition of celebrating the best in American independent and world cinema, through October 16.
Green Film Festival
A mix of 40+ independent feature and short length films from around the world, including “For the Bees” from Oakland’s Chloë Fitzmaurice, focus on green and environmental issues in revealing ways, to view in-person at San Francisco’s Roxie Theater and online, through October 23.
October Dates TBD Outlaw Music Festival
Featuring The Avett Brothers, Black Pumas and Larkin Poe, headliner Willie Nelson is joined on stage at Shoreline Amphitheatre by his guitar playing sons, Lukas and Micah, while he tours in support of his 72nd studio album, “A Beautiful Time,” released in April.
October Dates TBD Sandcastle Classic
San Francisco’s Ocean Beach is once again taken over by architecture, design, technology, engineering and construction companies in partnership with students from local schools to build what they can while raising funds for arts and architecture education for more than 8,500 Bay Area public school students.
October Dates TBD Anderson Valley Wine Harvest Celebration
A new event honoring the season includes a weekend’s worth of events at 27 wineries, a pig roast in the tradition of a French “boucherie” festival with renowned chef Scott Baird, and an evening of Cinema in the Vineyard hosted by Mendocino Film Festival.
Champagne Week
Not content to limit the thrill of France’s bubbly export to its anointed Day (Oct 28), Auberge du Soleil is celebrating all week with a six-course prix fixe paired tasting menu from Executive Chef Robert Curry, courtyard wine tastings from iconic Champagne producers, Champagne cocktails and more bubbly throughout the resort, through October 30.
Dance Film Festival
The opening night festivities celebrate dance film shorts and many of the artists featured in the films, a night of Bay Area Shorts is back and more than 52 films in eight programs are offered at theaters around the bay and online, through November 7.
October 29 Unhinged
A terrifying house tour with multiple “scare routes” is just part of the fun at Winchester Mystery House’s immersive haunted house, presaged by Madam Nightshade’s Spirit Carnival, with midway games, axe throwing, Fortuna’s Tent of Mystery, the Spookeasy Bar, and more, through October 31.
October 30 The Haunt
Even though the tours run year-round, what better night than All Hallows Evet to experience San Francisco’s Gold Rush neighborhoods and their famed spirits and scandalous departures from the earthly realm?
October 31 Nicasio Pumpkin Patch
If trick-or-treating is not your thing, how about spending some time amidst the pumpkins and hay bales at Marin’s most famous seasonal delight? Wander the patch’s 12 acres or spend some time amidst the hay mazes and farm animals.
Christina Mueller is a long-time Bay Area food writer. She hails from the East Coast and has spent way too much time in South America and Europe. She discovered her talent as a wordsmith in college and her love of all things epicurean in grad school. She has written for Condé Nast Contract Publishing, Sunset, and the Marin Independent Journal, among others. She volunteers with California State Parks and at her child’s school, and supports the Marin Audubon Society, PEN America, and Planned Parenthood. When she is not drinking wine by a fire, she is known to spend time with her extended family.
