The shortest month of the year is full of events, with Lunar New Year happenings, Black History Month events, craft beer festivals and more. Whether you could use a laugh from a standup show, are looking to immerse yourself in film or are up for a taste of Bay Area theater, art and culture, here are some activities to occupy your time and imagination.
Partner Events
On the Scene: Community Events
Feb 1 Raise Our Voices
The Throckmorton Theatre in Mill Valley is hosting a fundraising event to support its accessible youth theater programs that include shows, afterschool programs, scholarships and workshops. The evening is a mix of student performances, a silent auction, raffle prizes and a dessert spread.
Feb 6 Hearts in SF Gala for the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation
For more than 20 years, San Franciscans come together to raise critical funds for the city’s only public hospital, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. The evening, held this year at The Conservatory at One Sansome, is tied to the Hearts in SF public art sculpture series, which was first introduced in 2004.
Feb 8 Marin Valentine’s Ball
The county’s hottest annual Valentine’s celebration, the Marin Valentine’s Ball, returns to the Marin Civic Center. This heart-studded event raises support for three Marin charities — North Bay Children’s Center, Godmothers of Catholic Charities St. Vincent’s School for Boys and Side by Side — all of which provide critical safety-net services to help ensure Marin children and youth have the chance to thrive, regardless of their circumstances in life. Photos: Chris Constantine
Feb 8 SF Symphony’s Lunar New Year Show
Each February, the San Francisco Symphony celebrates Lunar New Year with a concert and a banquet, drawing upon vibrant Asian traditions, past and present. It’s a tradition that has continued for 25 years and is one of the Symphony’s signature events. Proceeds from the Lunar New Year celebration support the Symphony’s artistic, education, and community programs, benefiting tens of thousands of people each year.
Events
All Month MCFL Black History Celebration
The Marin County Free Library hosts its annual Black History Celebration with myriad free and open-to-the-public events all month long, starting with a February 1 screening of Malcolm X and ending with a special talk on herbal healing remedies with clinical herbalist Camille-Lillian. One highlight: a presentation on West African music and instruments by local musician Keenan Webster.
All Month 3rd Annual San Rafael Feb-BREW-ary
Downtown San Rafael celebrates local craft beer throughout February. Participating local breweries and restaurants are hosting deals, events and special menus to promote local business and showcase the best of Marin’s beer scene.
Feb 1 and 15 Guide Dogs for the Blind Graduation Events
Twice a month, the Guide Dogs for the Blind holds graduation ceremonies at its national headquarters campus in San Rafael. These ceremonies are open to the public, but be forewarned: they are touching events that often bring tears of joy to the eyes of the toughest audience members as the graduating guide dog teams proudly take the stage. Luckily, Kleenex is provided. The nonprofit also offers public tours of the campus on graduation days, which includes the chance to say hello to the next crop of guide dogs in-training.
Feb 4 Without Borders
East Coast meets West Coast as acclaimed New York City dancers and celebrated San Francisco musicians come together for an extraordinary evening at the Sausalito Center for the Arts. Evan Kahn, principal cellist of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, teams with dynamic dancers Max Barker and Paloma Livellara from the ABT Studio Company in New York to offer a captivating performance blending dance, music and film designed to inspire and delight.
Feb 6-13 Mostly British Film Festival
Curated by Ruthe Stein, who covered movies for 50 years for the San Francisco Chronicle, the Mostly British Film Festival offers 26 films for Anglophiles during its eight-day run at the vintage Vogue Theater in San Francisco. Opening night’s heartwarming film, The Penguin Lessons, (based on a true story) stars Steve Coogan as an English teacher in Buenos Aires who relies on a penguin to attract his students’ attention.
Feb 6-16 San Francisco Independent Film Festival
Sundance who? For the experimenters and film fanatics among us, SF Indie presents the cutting edge of independent cinema at its annual festival in the Mission District’s Roxie Theater.
Feb 6-March 2 Waste
Marin Theatre Company’s production of this politically charged drama, originally written in 1906 (and immediately banned due to its provocative material about a politician’s illicit affair) offers surprising relevance to today’s headlines. It’s a thriller that leaves audiences on the edge of their seats.
Feb 8 Sausalito’s Soup-er Bowl
Sausalito is heating up for the Super Bowl with Marin’s soup event par excellence. A ticket to this walking tour/cook-off gets you access to a dozen Sausalito eateries and their specialty soups. After you’ve tasted them all, vote on your favorite.
Feb 12-March 9 Back to the Future: The Musical
Here’s one for the Gen Xers: an award-winning musical based on the wildly popular 80s film of the same name. Take a ride with Marty McFly in a time-altered DeLorean as he travels back to 1955 and unwittingly changes the course of history and his own family, only to speed against the clock to travel back a second time and make things right again.
Feb 13 The Spouse Whisperer
Mark Cordes, aka the Spouse Whisperer, takes audiences on a comedic journey at the Marin Center Showcase Theatre that starts with ‘love at first sight’ to ’til death do us part’ and all of the funny stuff happening in between during the course of matrimony. Whether you are newly hitched, been married for decades or somewhere in the middle, the Spouse Whisperer’s hilarious insight will keep you in stitches.
Feb 13 to 15 Cool Brittania
Explore British dance with the San Francisco Ballet through three provocative new voices: Chroma by Sir Wayne McGregor, merging cutting-edge choreography with a rock-inspired score; Within the Golden Hour by Christopher Wheeldon, a visually atmospheric ballet blending choreography with a luminous score; and Dust by Akram Khan, an one-act ballet offering a dramatic exploration of the human experience amidst a haunting backdrop of post-World War I.
Feb 14 Penguin Valentines
On February 14, waddle over to the California Academy of Sciences and watch as the playful African penguin colony receives heart-shaped valentines to feather their nests during the 10:30 am and 3:00 pm feedings. It’s a beloved tradition that’s sure to make your heart flutter.
Feb 14 Valentine’s Day Pillow Fight
Not up for the traditional flowers and chocolates? February’s pinkest holiday comes with a twist and a cloud of feathers in San Francisco with a massive public pillow fight happening on Valentine’s Day. This event is not formally organized, but word on the street says to show up at the Embarcadero Plaza at 5:50 p.m.
Feb 14 Second Friday Art Walk in Downtown San Rafael
This free-to-the-public event lets you enjoy galleries, open studios, art exhibits, and more on the second Friday of each month in downtown San Rafael. Anchored by the Art Works Downtown galleries and studio tour, the 2nd Friday Art Walk connects art venues for an evening of inspiration and community.
Feb 15 Chinese New Year Parade
The biggest Lunar New Year parade outside of Asia, San Francisco’s world-famous Chinese New Year Parade lights up the city with lion dancers, firecrackers and thousands of attendees. The weekend’s Year of the Snake festivities also include a community street fair Feb 14 and 15; plus in the weeks leading up to and after the parade, there’s a flower market fair, a basketball jamboree, a Miss Chinatown USA pageant, and more.
Feb 15 Festival of Olives
Celebrate the gem of the Mediterranean at The Festival of Olives, previously known as An Olive Odyssey, at the Jacuzzi Family Vineyards in Sonoma. Sample an array of olive oils, ponder olive-related art and enjoy the fruit of the hour, the olive!
Feb 20 B.A.B.E February Sausalito, Brazilian Carnival
Step into the vibrant world of Brazilian Carnival at the Sausalito Center for the Arts. Experience Rio come alive in an immersive cocktail-style celebration. The lively energy and decor promise to transport guests straight to the heart of Carnival. Authentic Brazilian Dinner and Wine, Live Samba Band with Dancing, Glamorous Feathered Dancers and Dynamic Acrobatics Performers
Feb 20 – March 5 Noise Pop Festival
Hear the best in indie music at SF’s Noise Pop Festival, now in its 32nd year. This multi-day, multi-venue festival spans 10 days, 25 venues and offers access to more than 160 different bands and performers with a single pass. Get to know emerging artists that you never knew before (but wish you did) while exploring the frontiers of contemporary music.
Feb 21-March 2 SF Beer Week
Lagers, ales and all things hoppy and frothy are coming to San Francisco’s Pier 35. The craft beer community returns with SF Beer Week, where attendees can enjoy brewery booths, tasting experiences, food pairings and more. Entrance is free, though tickets are available for the kickoff Opening Gala.
Feb 22-23 Marin Symphony Plays the Music of John Williams
Composer John Williams brought movies like Star Wars, E.T., Harry Potter, Schindler’s List, and Jaws to life with his remarkable ability to give films a musical voice. Celebrate the music of this Academy Award winner under the baton of principal pops conductor Stuart Chafetz, and don’t miss this extravaganza featuring the spectacular sounds of the Marin Symphony.
Feb 23 Black Joy Parade
Celebrate Black History Month with a parade of joy and community at the 8th Annual Black Joy Parade in Downtown Oakland. A festival with live music will follow the parade, and attendees can support Black businesses and artists by checking out crafts, food and more from hundreds of local vendors.
Through Feb 23 Nicky Nodjoumi: The Personal is Political and Nahid Hagigat: Etched in Time
The HBO documentary, A Revolution on Canvas, which centered on the international controversy of 120 missing artworks in Iran served as the inspiration for this Iranian husband and wife duo exhibition on display at The Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Nicky Nojoumi’s The Personal is Political is a collection of surreal paintings that critique political power, while Nahid Hagigat’s Etched in Time evocative etchings examines women’s struggle for freedom.
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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.
