August Events

Summer vacation may be ending, but August excites with live theater, museum exhibits and outdoor events to soak up the warm weather. Marin isn’t slacking with the events this August.

Outdoor Shows & Events | Comedy | Film | Art, Theater & Lectures | Music | Events | More Outdoor Fun | Museums

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 around Marin County—including our own party of the year, Best of the County!

Partner Events

Mayacamas Volunteer Fire Department Starlight Dinner and Auction, Marin Magazine’s Best of the County

Mayacamas volunteer fire foundation
Mayacamas Volunteer Fire Foundation Startlight Dinner and Auction Aug 24th
Marin Mag Best of the County Party August 9
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On the Scene: Community Events

2025 Date TBD Marin Magazine’s Best of the County Party

Woman with gift bag at best of the county party
Marin Mag Best of the County 2024
Jamie Grenough
Lesley Miles, Lore Bande, Jordan Assadi, Afsan Bakhshpour
Angelo Caro, Karen Gee and Mikalia Wood
Marin Mag Best of the County 2024
Marin Mag Best of the County 2024
Marin Mag Best of the County 2024
Marin Mag Best of the County 2024
Marin Mag Best of the County 2024
Marin Mag Best of the County 2024
Marin Mag Best of the County 2024
Marin Mag Best of the County 2024
Marin Mag Best of the County 2024
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It’s time to celebrate the best of the best at the event of the summer! Marin Magazine staff, along with hundreds of winners from the annual Best of the County issue, gather to recognize all the awesomeness found throughout our county. Expect waterfront views, great food, great drinks (open bar!), dancing under the stars and rubbing elbows with the best of the county. Even better, a portion of the proceeds from all ticket sales benefit the San Francisco/Marin Food Bank. Photos by Matt Spinetta | Prismic Photography.

2025 Date TBD V Foundation’s Wine Celebration

The V Foundation, a nonproft dedicated to cancer research founded by J renowned basketball coach Jim Valvano, holds its annual fundraising event in Napa with three full days of vintner experiences, luncheons and dinners, a music festival, a gala plus live auction event and a cancer research symposium. Last year’s multi-day event raised $21 million for therapeutic research.

2025 Date TBD Home Plate Dinnerware Exchange Benefitting Families in Need

Looking for a new home for your old dish ware? From August 8 to 18, Heath Ceramics, along with Urban Angel SF, is collecting gently used plates and bowls to pass on to families transitioning to housing and living below the poverty level. Simply drop off the dishes at Heath Ceramics in Sausalito or at its location in San Francisco, and receive a 20% off coupon towards a new set. Donated dishes (again, plates and bowls only) need to be gently used and free of cracks and chips.

2025 Date TBD Wednesday’s Gift Annual Comedy and Wellness Show

Wednesday’s Gift, an 100% volunteer run nonprofit with a mission to provide the basic necessities of life to Marin County residents on a one-time basis, will hold its 12th annual outdoor comedy fest at the St Vincent’s School for Boys in San Rafael. Tickets include light appetizers, desserts plus beer and wine, and a host of comedian acts.

2025 Date TBD Rotary Club of Marin Wine Tasting and Tour Fundraiser at Heidrun Meadery

Join the Rotary Club of Marin for a fun-filled day at Heidrun Meaderybenefitting West Marin Senior Services. Take a guided tour of the facilities and learn about the art of mead-making. Afterward, indulge in a tasting session to sample a variety of delicious meads and enjoy a boxed lunch. The beneficiary, West Marin Senior Services, ensures that seniors and people with disabilities have successful lives by staying in their homes in West Marin and are supported by the community.


Outdoor Shows & Events

2025 Date TBD Nihonmachi Street Fair 

Two lion dancers at Nihonmachi Street Fair
Photo courtesy of Nihonmachi Street Fair, Inc.

Celebrate the diversity of AAPI communities at this vibrant festival in S.F.’s Japantown, featuring dedicated activity areas for kids, dogs, shopping and more.

2025 Date TBD Outside Lands 

Red lights on stage at Outside Lands
Photo by Alive Coverage/Sipa USA.

Headlined by superstars, this massive music festival draws thousands every year for stellar shows, great food and an exciting weekend in Golden Gate Park. 

2025 Date TBD A Midsummer Night’s Dream 

One of the Bard’s most popular plays, this comedy is a mythical mess of fairies, love entanglements and plays within plays. Catch the fun — for free — at Mill Valley’s Old Mill Park. 

2025 Date TBD West End Block Party 

This weekly block party packs downtown San Rafael’s Fourth Street with music and community beginning Aug 16, but a special “Dancing Under the Lights” event kicks off Aug 9. 

2025 Date TBD Sand Sculpture Contest 

A complex sand castle at Drake's Beach
Photo courtesy of NPS/Anela Kopshever.

A sandy art gallery springs up at Drakes Beach for a morning of competition with categories for kids, families and adults. Carpools are recommended, as parking is limited.

Comedy

2025 Date TBD Patton Oswalt 

Actor, stand-up and the rat from Ratatouille, Patton Oswalt has probably graced your screen for at least one gut-busting (or gut-wrenching) performance. His new special, titled “Effervescent,” plays three nights at Cobb’s Comedy. 

2025 Date TBD Michelle Wolf 

Host of 2018’s spicy White House Correspondents’ Dinner and a former contributor to The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Michelle Wolf’s comedy is irreverent and incisive. 

2025 Date TBD Kumail Nanjiani 

Well, “Kumail Nanjiani Is Doing This Again.” That’s the name of Nanjiani’s new hour of stand-up, coming after a long and very successful detour into acting, screenwriting and being a Marvel superhero. 

Film

2025 Date TBD CatVideoFest 

Cat with sunglasses on
Photo courtesy of CatVideoFest.

Cats: lovable, silly, strange. Now you can see their antics on the big screen with CatVideoFest, a yearly compilation of kitty clips running about 75 minutes. Great for families and cat-lovers, the special is on view at Rafael Film Center and the Sequoia Theater. 

2025 Date TBD Invisible Nation 

Follow the election and tenure of Tsai Ing-wen, the first female president of Taiwan, in this intimate documentary about a country struggling for autonomy. A discussion with producer-director Vanessa Hope follows the film’s screening at the Smith Rafael Film Center. 

2025 Date TBD Planetwalker Screening + Conversation

Film still from Planetwalker showing John Francis walking with banjo on train tracks
Photo courtesy of Planetwalker.

Watch the short film Planetwalker, based on John Francis’ autobiography about his life as an environmentalist and his decision to walk across the continental United States. And then walk across South America. And then Africa. The filmmakers and Francis will hold discussions after each screening. 

2025 Date TBD Studio Ghibli at Lark Theater 

Every weekend in August, the Lark Theater plays a different film from the lauded Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli, including Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro, among others. 

Art, Theater & Lectures

2025 Date TBD An Afternoon with Joan Baez 

Joan Baez smiling with hand on face
Photo by Dana Tynan.

Folk musician Joan Baez sits down with journalist Paul Liberatore to discuss her new book of poetry, which reflects on her childhood, family and contemporaries.

2025 Date TBD SF Fringe Festival 

One of the oldest fringe festivals in the country, the 33rd annual SF Fringe pushes the envelope while elevating local independent theater.

2025 Date TBD Free Play Festival 

Actor on stage at Free Play Fest San Francisco
Photo courtesy of Playground SF.

Another fringe-style theater festival in S.F. this month, Free Play Fest features 11 new works in the Potrero Hill neighborhood. Dive into stories that grapple with themes of identity, memory and society — all for the low price of free. 

2025 Date TBD The Untime 

Marin Shakespeare Company premieres The Untime, a new work based on Macbeth and the company’s first indoor summer production. If you’re still yearning for an outdoor laugh in Dominican University’s amphitheater, you can also catch A Comedy of Errors from Aug 17 – Sep 15.

2025 Date TBD Evita 

Actor portraying Eva Peron poses with arms up
Photo by Jessica Palopoli.

S.F. Playhouse performs the celebrated musical about the life of Eva Perón, the Argentine political leader and champion of women’s suffrage who left her mark on the country.

Music 

2025 Date TBD Concerts at Marin Art and Garden Center 

Couple dancing in cowboy hats at Marin Art and Garden Center concert
Photo courtesy of Marin Art and Garden Center.

There’s one show left for their concerts on the lawn series (Aug 1 featuring Wreckless Strangers), but Thursdays at MAGC are still packed with music al fresco. Shows continue at the Redwood Amphitheater through the end of the month. 

2025 Date TBD Summer Stage at Filoli 

Trek down to the Peninsula for vibrant concerts set against a gorgeous backdrop of the Filoli Estate and Gardens. The schedule promises performances from a range of genres. 

2025 Date TBD Sunday Daydream, Vol. 4 

San Rafael McNears Beach Park filled with people for Sunday Daydream concert in July
Photo by Jay Blakesberg.

Deadheads, unite. Bassist and founding member of the Grateful Dead, Phil Lesh, and his ensemble perform for an afternoon of music, food and kids activities at McNears Beach Park.

2025 Date TBD Black Radio Experience 

Labor Day weekend just leveled up. Introducing a new music festival from Blue Note Jazz Festival: It’s the Black Radio Experience. Wine, food and music from musicians like Nile Rodgers & Chic, Andra Day, André 3000 and more.

2025 Date TBD Jazz and Blues by the Bay

The annual summer Friday evening favorite in Sausalito’s Gabrielson Park always brings in stellar musicians — this month’s lineup includes Walking Mirrors, Highwater Blues, Margie Turner and the Outback Blues Band, among others. Don’t forget your blanket and picnic dinner.

Events

2025 Date TBD Travel Writers & Photographers Conference 

World-class writers and photographers with world-spanning CVs gather at Book Passage for this annual trade conference. Workshops, panels and activities stretch across four days. 

2025 Date TBD Home Plate Dinnerware Drive

Heath Ceramics, in partnership with Urban Angels SF, is planning its annual trade-in donation event to help families in need. Bring your gently used plates and bowls to a showroom and receive 20% off corresponding dinnerware from Heath. Last year, the drive collected over 4000 pieces of dinnerware at the SF and LA showrooms.

2025 Date TBD After Hours at Orin Swift Cellars 

Clock out and walk in for entertainment, games and wine by the glass or bottle at this St. Helena tasting room, now open 5–7 p.m. on select dates through summer. 

2025 Date TBD Best of the County Party

Party on outdoor patio for Best of the County
Photo by Steven Gregory.

Please excuse us as we promote our own event… We asked, and you answered: Marin Magazine readers voted for the county’s best businesses, including everything from Mexican restaurants to tile showrooms. Now that the votes are in, we’re hosting a Sausalito shindig to gather winners, community members and friendly faces. You can buy your tickets and see the winners at our Best of the County page here.

2025 Date TBD Pistahan Parade & Festival 

Young women in traditional Filipino dress for Pistahan Festival
Photo courtesy of Pistahan Festival.

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. 

2025 Date TBD Happy Hour with Bar Car

Next time you’re strolling through downtown San Francisco, stop by the cutest mobile bar car in the city for a special happy hour. On Aug 14, you’ll find them parked at Salesforce Plaza (conveniently located under Salesforce Park, an urban oasis that’s worth checking out), and on Aug 21, they’ll be at Embarcadero Center. Speaking of, did you know that Embarcadero Center is offering a special parking promotion? Arrive before 9:30 a.m. for $19 parking on Monday and Friday, or $23 Tuesday through Thursday.

2025 Date TBD Mill Valley Family Fun Fest 

Get your summer zoomies out before school begins, with an afternoon of interactive activities, swim level evaluations and an array of fire trucks and construction vehicles. 

2025 Date TBD MVFF Starlight Dinner and Auction 2024

Join us for the 28th annual Starlight Dinner and Auction, supporting the Mayacamas Volunteer Fire Foundation. Enjoy a gourmet meal by Cuvee under the stars at Gordenker Ranch, followed by an exciting auction and live music from The King Street Giants. Your presence helps equip our firefighters and keep our community safe. Don’t miss out on this memorable evening!

More Outdoor Fun

2025 Date TBD Marin Century Bike Race 

Not for amateur pedalers, this race is called “Century” for the challenge it poses to cyclists: 100-mile routes up and down the hills of West Marin (with one 63-mile “compact” course). The races begin at Novato’s Stafford Lake, with three route options to choose from. 

2025 Date TBD World Dog Surfing Championships 

Three dogs on one surf board at World Dog Surfing Championships
Photo by Jojet Ortega Photography.

Surfs 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. 

2025 Date TBD Napa Town and Country Fair 

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. 

2025 Date TBD Gravenstein Apple Fair 

Crowd listening to music at Gravenstein Apple Fair
Photo by Kelsey Joy, courtesy of Sonoma County Farm Trails.

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. 

2025 Date TBD Free Fishing Day 

Time to break out your unregistered hot rod… your fishing rod, that is. For one day only, the California Fish and Wildlife Department permits fishing without a fishing license, encouraging newbies to give the sport a try. Regulations on gear, fishing hours, size limits, etc., still apply. 

Museums

2025 Date TBD Breaking Through

Artwork by Zina Walker on display at the Breaking Through exhibit at O'Hanlon Center for the Arts
“Expression of Unexpressed Thoughts” by Zina Walker.

Break Through is the first collaboration between the O’Hanlon Center for the Arts and Cedars, a local program that supports individuals with developmental disabilities and empowers their self-expression. This exhibit features the work of 21 Cedars artists, destigmatizing differences and giving a glimpse into diverse minds. Admission to the event is free, and works are available for purchase.

2025 Date TBD About Place: Bay Area Artists from the Svane Gift 

Triptych painting of women and burning sun
“New Normal” by Rupy C. Tut, courtesy of Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

The de Young presents the second exhibition in a series highlighting contemporary Bay Area artists, made possible by a donation from Svane Family Foundation. About Place focuses on just that: place. Climate change, borders and belonging all figure in works by dozens of artists.

2025 Date TBD Art of Noise 

There are just three weeks in August before this SFMOMA exhibit closes. Behold a century of sound technology and installations that invite exploration among hundreds of psychedelic rock posters.

2025 Date TBD Unruly Navigations 

Another last-chance exhibition, this show at the Museum of the African Diaspora unites multimedia works from ten international artists, charting migrations with materials and forms that craft a multisensory, embodied experience. 

2025 Date TBD Lauren Jade Szabo: As Above, So Below 

Painting of billboard in water
“Willingness vs Willfulness” by Lauren Jade Szabo.

MarinMOCA member artist Lauren Jade Szabo juxtaposes images of the man-made and the elemental in realist paintings of decaying billboards, living seascapes and motifs from popular culture. 

Through Oct 20 California Jewish Open 

Museum attendees looking at art installation.
Photo by Genevieve Shiffrar.

An open-call exhibit featuring works by 47 Jewish-identifying artists from all over California, this exhibit prods ideas of connection — with each other, the Earth, the divine — through diverse media and installations.

Interested in getting your event posted? Click here for more info.

Ellyse Holland contributed to this article.


Give Back When You Go Out: Volunteer

National Charity League Marin
Marin Extra Food 

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.