Marin is heating up with outdoor festivals and events. If you’re feeling nautical, why not drive up the coast for a Fisherman’s Festival? Or you can set out on foot to see Marin’s art galleries open their doors for Marin Open Studios. Film festivals and captivating museum exhibits are also happening this month. Whatever you do, you can’t lose. You’ll be seeing us at Mill Valley Music Festival.
May 2–5 DocLands Documentary Film Festival
San Rafael is rolling out the red carpet for Marin’s own nonfiction film festival. Whether you want to watch or make a documentary, DocLands has an exciting slate of events spearheaded by the California Film Institute.
May 3 “Aren’t You…?”
Humor and history unite in this one-man show by actor Fred Pitts as he visits every California Mission. Along the way, he encounters person after person who swears he looks just like … Barry Bonds. Will Smith. Obama?! You get the idea. Catch it in San Rafael for one night only.
May 3–4 May the Fourth Marathon
Trivia, games and 21+ hours of Star Wars films play back-to-back at San Francisco’s Alamo Drafthouse. This year’s May 4 “holiday” marks 25 years since the release of Star Wars: Episode I. Stay caffeinated with unlimited coffee, and maybe you too will love pod racing!
May 3–June 30 Jane Cook, New Paintings
Mineral pigments create colorful, abstract landscapes in Jane Cook’s new works, on display at Robert Green Fine Arts. Influenced by the works of Rothko and de Kooning, Cook paints natural forms in a world devoid of humans — all through the subtle mixture of pigment and water.
May 4 Artisan Spring Pop Up
Marin is fortunate to have a robust community of artists and craftspeople. Pick up some earrings or artworks from Downtown Fairfax’s Pavilion building during this popup art market.
May 4–5 Bodega Bay Fisherman’s Fest
Experience the best of Sonoma Coast’s seafood, wine and music during this annual event celebrating Bodega Bay’s fishing culture. Feeling crafty? Set sail (or swim) during the wooden boat building contest.
May 4–5 & 11–12 31st Annual Marin Open Studios
Guide yourself through two weekends of art, when 250 artists across Marin open their studio doors for public viewing.
May 5 The Viano Quartet
Marin Chamber hosts this dynamic group that’s energizing the European classical genre. Praised for their unified and expressive sound, the string quartet fills the night’s program with their interpretations of Haydn, Smetana and Beethoven.
May 9–19 CAAMFest
This annual film festival presents stories that reflect the diverse experiences of Asian and Asian American communities. Organized by the Center for Asian American Media, these eleven days of movies include documentaries, shorts and feature-length narratives, screened in theaters across San Francisco and the East Bay.
May 9 to June 2 Torch Song
Arnold Beckoff, a Jewish drag queen and torch song singer, traverses New York City in the ’70s and ’80s while searching for love and family. This rendition of the seminal Harvey Fierstein play finishes off Marin Theatre Company’s production season.
May 11 May Madness Car Show
Walk back in time with a show of hot rods, muscle cars and antique automobiles of all kinds. This long-held San Rafael event includes an afternoon fair among the cars and a parade in the evening.
May 11–12 Mill Valley Music Fest
Both a community gathering and high-profile music festival, this new tradition brings national acts to the adorably named Friends Field. Hear from bands like Fleet Foxes and Thee Sacred Souls.
May 18 Doran Beach Castles & Kites
Mold a turret in the sand or watch 100 kites take to the sky at Doran Beach for this cute family event.
May 18 Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Festival
It’s an afternoon of lion dancers, kung fu, hula and Chinese dim sum at Tiburon’s Zelinsky Park. Celebrate diversity and AAPI Heritage Month at this free event, which features live DJs, cultural activities and emcee Felicia Lowe, an award-winning film director.
May 19 Woofstock
If you missed Woodstock in 1969 — or can’t remember it through the haze — then here’s your chance to do it again. Bring Fido to Marin Humane Society for a pet-friendly benefit concert on the grass.
May 19 Bay to Breakers
It’s back! Bay to Breakers is San Francisco’s yearly half-marathon for half-naked runners. Just kidding (kinda). This event draws its share of serious athletes, but the pseudo-parade of costumed runners and walkers makes it famous.
May 19 4th Annual Walk for Moms
San Rafael’s Postpartum Support Center (PPSC) invites you to join the movement to support mothers at the annual Walk for Moms event. At the Civic Center’s Lagoon Park, attendees can stride along a scenic path while enjoying prizes, refreshments and a healthy dose of family fun. The event is free, and donations are encouraged to help support PPSC’s mission of connecting new parents to services for perinatal mental health.
May 24–26 BottleRock Napa
BottleRock is popping off this year. The ultimate Napa Valley music festival mixes old-guard stars with some of the biggest acts of today. Case in point: Stevie Nicks co-headlines the first night with Megan Thee Stallion.
May 24–26 Marin Greek Festival
Traditional dancing, gyros and a bustling indoor marketplace comprise the yearly Greek festival poised on a hill in Southern Novato. Friday’s event promises an evening glendi (“party”), while Saturday and Sunday include two full days of fun.
May 26 Muir Beach Volunteer Firemen’s BBQ
Memorial Day weekend means barbecues, and all are invited to this Muir Beach tradition that’s been serving up the BBQ for 50 years running. Proceeds support the Muir Beach Volunteer Fire Department and their efforts to build a new firehouse.
May 26–27 40th Annual Carnaval SF
With seven music stages and enough feathers to stuff a hundred mattresses, this multicultural Carnaval celebration brings a bit of Rio de Janeiro to a 17-block party in the Mission.
May 27 Summer Cookout Series: Say She She
It must be summer because HopMonk Novato’s beer garden concerts are back. Sit in the grass or get a table to listen to the laid-back, disco-flavored tunes from this NYC-based trio.
May 27 Marin County Memorial Day Services
Marin County honors veterans at this yearly service at the Marin Center. Flag displays, music and ceremonies are all part of this program to honor those who have served.
Through May 25 Michael Brennan: 48 Squared
Intertextual, absurd, playful — Michael Brennan’s style incorporates well-known pieces and icons of modern art, while showing his wit and skill as a painter.
Saturdays through May 25 Morning Movie Club
Your ticket includes breakfast at Cinelounge Tiburon’s movie club for early-bird film buffs. This weekly series highlights films by women filmmakers, and post-screening discussions feature guest speakers like film critics, actors and producers.
Through May 26 Funny Girl
One of musical theater’s heroines for the ages, Fanny Brice is sweeping through a national tour with a month-long stop at the Orpheum.
Through May 27 San Francisco Decorator Showcase
Over two dozen interior and landscape design firms flex their style at this public showcase, with each firm decorating one space within a 11,155-square-foot Dutch Colonial. When else can you wander through a Pac Heights mansion and scrutinize its design?
Through June 2 Ken Botto: Barbies
The year of Barbie holds strong at the Bolinas Museum. Bolinas-based artist Ken Botto finds inspiration from old dolls in his clever still-life photographs. Viewers can see vintage memorabilia and clever tableaux of classic Barbies — a fitting muse for a Ken.
Through June 22 The Journey Before Me: Etel Adnan, Michelle Blade, Kristy Luck
Striking colors and palpable emotion unite the works of three California-based painters at MarinMOCA. The curation also includes writings by Etel Adnan, who dabbles in being an award-winning poet.
Through Aug 18 Japanese Prints in Transition
Witness the development of Japanese woodblock print from the Edo period to the Meiji era, as images like The Great Wave give way to Western influence and modern technology. The exhibit is hosted by the Legion of Honor (which offers free admission for Bay Area residents every Saturday).
