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Live events across Marin & Sonoma
This is a working, local-first guide to the live music, festivals, nightlife, and restaurant events around Petaluma and Novato and the two counties that connect them. It is built from real venues and real annual events, so you can plan a night out without guessing.
Updated September 8, 2026 · Sales Associate · 01702383 · California
Live music on the calendar
This fall's live music lineup
Real shows with real dates pulled straight from the venues' own calendars for the weeks ahead. From intimate Mill Valley rooms to Petaluma's historic stages, here is what is actually on before the holidays. Confirm the details on the venue page before you book.
San Miguel Fraser
Sweetwater Music Hall, Mill Valley · Sep 9
An intimate weeknight set at Mill Valley's legendary small room.
You Should Be Dancing (Bee Gees tribute)
Sweetwater Music Hall, Mill Valley · Sep 11
A crowd-pleasing Bee Gees tribute bringing the disco classics to the Mill Valley stage.
Fantasías
Mystic Theatre, Petaluma · Sep 12
A dance-floor evening at Petaluma's historic 1913 theater.
Black Uhuru
Sweetwater Music Hall, Mill Valley · Sep 13
The Grammy-winning reggae legends play the intimate Sweetwater room.
Vieux Farka Touré w/ Orchestra Gold
Mystic Theatre, Petaluma · Sep 18
The Malian guitarist dubbed the 'Hendrix of the Sahara' with the backing band Orchestra Gold.
Perfume Genius (Duo)
Mystic Theatre, Petaluma · Oct 1
Mike Hadreas brings his acclaimed solo project to the Mystic in an intimate duo format.
Wild Night: A Van Morrison Tribute
Mystic Theatre, Petaluma · Oct 2
A tribute to the Belfast legend's catalog, from 'Brown Eyed Girl' to 'Moondance.'
Mark Farina
Mystic Theatre, Petaluma · Oct 10
The veteran house and downtempo DJ brings a late-night dance party to downtown Petaluma.
Traveling Wilburys Revue
Mystic Theatre, Petaluma · Oct 16
A tribute to the supergroup of Dylan, Harrison, Petty, Lynne, and Orbison.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
Mystic Theatre, Petaluma · Oct 24
The band that backed Janis Joplin, still carrying the San Francisco psychedelic sound.
The Addams Family (musical)
142 Throckmorton Theatre, Mill Valley · Oct 30 - Nov 15
The kooky, spooky family musical runs through mid-November at the beloved Mill Valley stage.
Jonathan Richman
Phoenix Theatre, Petaluma · Dec 12
The cult singer-songwriter and Modern Lovers frontman at Petaluma's all-ages club.
Festivals & community events
Fall festivals across both counties
Harvest season is festival season in the North Bay. These are the confirmed dates for the coming weeks, from the redwood-shaded Mill Valley arts weekend to harvest fairs and film. Check each official page before you plan around it.
Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival
Mill Valley · Sep 19-20
The 69th edition at Old Mill Park under the redwoods, gathering more than a hundred juried fine artists, live music, and a children's grove.
Tam Valley Oktoberfest
Tam Valley Community Center, Mill Valley · Sep 19
A family-friendly neighborhood Oktoberfest with music, food, and games at the Tam Valley Community Center.
Nicasio Valley Pumpkin Patch Family Oktoberfest Weekend
Nicasio · Sep 26-27
A family Oktoberfest weekend on the farm, with the pumpkin patch open daily through October 31.
Sonoma County Farm Trails Fall Tour
Sonoma County · Sep 26-27
An open-house weekend of working farms, orchards, and ranches across Sonoma County welcoming visitors to taste the harvest.
Sausalito Art & Harbor Days
Sausalito · Sep 26, Oct 24, Nov 28
The monthly waterfront street fair returns on fourth Saturdays, with artisan vendors and live music by the bay.
Harvest Festival at Sonoma Garden Park
Sonoma · Oct 3
Sonoma Ecology Center's free community harvest festival at the public teaching garden.
Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF49)
Mill Valley & San Rafael · Oct 1-11
The celebrated ten-day celebration of independent and world cinema, screening at the Sequoia in Mill Valley and the Rafael Film Center in San Rafael.
Sonoma County Harvest Fair
Sonoma County Event Center, Santa Rosa · Oct 10
A day of wine tasting, food, and harvest fun at the Sonoma County Event Center fairgrounds.
Santa Rosa Harvest Festival
Santa Rosa · Nov 6-8
A fall festival on 4th Street in downtown Santa Rosa with vendors, rides, and seasonal eats.
SCA Open 2026
Sausalito Center for the Arts · Oct 30 - Dec 6
The Sausalito Center for the Arts' annual juried open exhibition, with an opening reception on November 1.
Wine & restaurant events
Dinners with a view, tastings with a soundtrack
Some of the best evenings this season are the ones with the table: wine-paired benefit dinners, harvest festivals, and Petaluma Gap winery gatherings with real dates set. These are the current confirmed dates for the coming weeks.
An Evening at Navio featuring the Wines of Vérité
Petaluma · Sep 18
A wine-paired evening featuring the celebrated Vérité wines from Sonoma County.
A Night in Tuscany (NBCC 37th Annual Benefit)
The Barn at Gambonini Family Ranch, Petaluma · Sep 19
North Bay Children's Center's annual Tuscan-themed benefit dinner, wine-paired, at a working Petaluma Gap ranch.
Petaluma Gap Wind to Wine Festival
Gambonini Family Ranch, Petaluma · Oct 17
More than 20 Petaluma Gap wineries pouring with artisan food and live music at a ranch in the heart of the appellation.
Wine & Art: A Sensory Celebration of Petaluma's Harvest
Petaluma · Oct 25
A Petaluma Gap tasting paired with the Petaluma Arts Center, an afternoon of wine and local artisan craft.
Live music & concerts
Where the music plays
From a century-old historic theater to a redwood-shaded music hall, Petaluma, Novato, and the towns around them pack a serious live music scene into a small area. Shows and dates change every week, so tap through to each venue's own calendar for what is on right now.
Mystic Theatre
Petaluma · Sonoma County
A historic 1913 vaudeville-era theater on the National Register, reborn as the area's go-to room for touring bands, tribute acts, and comedy. Its sister venue across the street, McNear's Saloon, books live music downstairs nearly every night.
Phoenix Theatre
Petaluma · Sonoma County
Petaluma's iconic all-ages club and bar. For decades the Phoenix has hosted nationally touring rock, punk, and indie acts in an intimate warehouse room on Washington Street.
Sweetwater Music Hall
Mill Valley · Marin County
A legendary intimate venue in a century-old building, reborn in 2012 with a restaurant upstairs. It still pulls serious names into a small, warm room just off the Mill Valley plaza.
142 Throckmorton Theatre
Mill Valley · Marin County
A beloved 1926 movie palace turned performing arts center, hosting music, comedy, film, and family shows in the heart of downtown Mill Valley.
HopMonk Tavern Novato
Novato · Marin County
A lively brewpub with its own stage, booking local and touring bands, plus trivia, comedy, and tasting events. The roomy patio makes it a neighborhood favorite.
Marin Veterans' Memorial Auditorium
San Rafael · Marin County
Marin Center's largest room, a 2,000-plus-seat county venue on the Civic Center campus that hosts big national touring concerts, orchestras, and Broadway-scale shows.
Petaluma Music Festival
Petaluma · Sonoma County
An all-ages summer festival at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds featuring multiple stages of live music, with proceeds supporting music education in Petaluma schools.
Festivals & community events
Mark these on the calendar
Both counties are defined by their town festivals: food, craft beer, artisan vendors, and live music spilling onto downtown streets. Dates shift a little each year, so confirm the current year's schedule on each event's official page before you plan around it.
Butter & Egg Days Parade & Festival
Petaluma · Sonoma County
Petaluma's signature spring celebration, held each April in historic downtown. A big parade of floats and marching bands, then four blocks of food, craft beer, live music, kids' activities, and the famous Cow Chip Throwing Contest.
Novato Festival of Art, Wine & Music
Novato · Marin County
The Novato Chamber's free summer weekend on Grant Avenue each June: more than 100 artisan vendors, wine tasting, gourmet food, and live music on two stages.
Marin County Fair
San Rafael · Marin County
The county's big summer fair at the Marin County Fairgrounds over the July 4 holiday: carnival rides, fireworks, live music, agriculture and competitive exhibits, and family activities with a fresh theme each year.
Sausalito Art & Harbor Days
Sausalito · Marin County
The long-running Sausalito Art Festival remains on hiatus, but the Sausalito Art & Harbor Days street fair keeps the waterfront tradition alive on fourth Saturdays, with artisan vendors, food, and live music by the bay.
Mill Valley Film Festival
Mill Valley & San Rafael · Marin County
A ten-day celebration of independent and world cinema every October, presented by the California Film Institute, with screenings in Mill Valley and at San Rafael's Rafael Film Center.
Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival
Mill Valley · Marin County
A long-running autumn weekend at Old Mill Park under the redwoods, gathering more than a hundred juried fine artists, live music, and a children's grove each September.
Entertainment & nightlife
After-hours in both counties
Beer gardens, cocktail lounges, taprooms, and wine bars within a short drive of one another. Each has its own personality, so pick the vibe that fits the night.
Brewsters Beer Garden
Petaluma · Sonoma County
A downtown Petaluma beer garden with a big patio on the Petaluma River, a rotating tap list, and a calendar of live music, comedy, and events.
The Big Easy
Petaluma · Sonoma County
A New Orleans-inspired spot tucked into American Alley with live music, a lively bar scene, and a menu to match, in one of downtown's most storied corners.
Lagunitas Brewing Company Taproom
Petaluma · Sonoma County
The flagship taproom of one of America's best-known craft brewers, pouring a deep lineup on site with a relaxed, music-friendly atmosphere.
La Dolce Vita Wine Lounge
Petaluma · Sonoma County
A cozy wine lounge on the south end of Petaluma Boulevard with a curated list, small plates, and live music, ideal for a relaxed evening out.
Finnegan's Marin Restaurant & Bar
Novato · Marin County
A long-running Novato mainstay on Grant Avenue with a full bar, comfort menu, and regular live music and entertainment.
HenHouse Brewing Record Room
Novato · Marin County
HenHouse's Novato taproom with a vinyl-record-and-beer room, local craft pours, and a warm, social atmosphere.
Peri's Tavern
Fairfax · Marin County
A long-beloved Fairfax dive with a great back patio and a steady calendar of live bands, a cornerstone of the town's famously musical scene.
Pub Republic
Petaluma · Sonoma County
A friendly gastropub and sports bar off Lakeville Highway with a big bar, a solid tap list, and trivia and entertainment nights.
Restaurant events & specials
Dinners with a show, tastings with a view
Some of the best evenings out are the ones with the table: live-music dinners, wine and beer tastings, and chef-driven specials. Here is where the two counties combine a good plate with a good time.
McNear's Saloon & Dining House
Petaluma · Sonoma County
Petaluma's landmark saloon and dining house pairs a full menu and whiskey bar with live music on its downstairs stage, one of the oldest continuously operating saloons in California.
Wild Goat Bistro
Petaluma · Sonoma County
A polished, New American bistro in downtown Petaluma known for seasonal small plates, craft cocktails, and regular live music and special-event evenings.
Speakeasy
Petaluma · Sonoma County
An elegant, hidden-feeling spot on Petaluma Boulevard North serving refined cocktails and a seasonal menu, with special tasting and event nights through the year.
Risibisi
Petaluma · Sonoma County
A Sonoma-Italian restaurant and bar downtown pairing wood-fired pizza and pastas with an extensive Italian wine list and a lively bar scene.
Adobe Road Winery Tasting Room
Petaluma · Sonoma County
A sleek downtown Petaluma tasting room on the riverfront pouring small-production Sonoma wines, a great base for an afternoon tasting walk through town.
Brooks Note Winery & Tasting Room
Petaluma · Sonoma County
An estate-focused Sonoma winery with a welcoming downtown Petaluma tasting room, pouring focused, terroir-driven reds and whites.
Black Knight Cellars Tasting Room
Petaluma · Sonoma County
A warm downtown tasting room pouring the winery's own Petaluma Gap fruit, with a calendar of tasting and small-batch-release events.
Golden Gate Bistro & Blazers Smokehouse
Novato · Marin County
Novato's smokehouse-and-beer-garden duo on Redwood Boulevard pairs barbecue with craft pours and a rotating lineup of live music and specials.
Dates move, so check before you go.
Specific show dates and festival schedules change from week to week and year to year, so every card above links straight to the venue's or event's own calendar for what is on right now. The recurring festivals listed here (Butter & Egg Days each April, the Novato Festival of Art in June, the Marin County Fair in July, and the fall art and film festivals) run annually, but confirm the current year's exact dates before you build a plan around them.
A town's nightlife tells you a lot about it.
When I show a buyer around, I always point out the live music, the festivals, and the places neighbors gather on a Friday night. If you are weighing Petaluma against Novato, or one side of town against the other, this is part of the equation.