Spend this Labor Day (September 3 to 5) weekend at the 64th annual Sausalito Arts Festival.
Photo by Mike Finnegan
Published: September, 2016
Sausalito Arts Festival
Spend this Labor Day (September 3 to 5) weekend at the 64th annual Sausalito Arts Festival. One of the most talked about festivals every year, this annual event features work from some of the best local and national artists. You also get the chance to listen to live music, sample some of the best local wines and enjoy a variety of gourmet foods. This year’s headliners include the Zombies, Todd Rundgren and Edgar Winter on Labor Day and a day of popular tribute bands on Sunday. For more information, visit sausalitoartfestival.org.
Blues Cruise
Cruise the Bay on Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Presidential Yacht USS Potomac while listening to fabulous blues music by the Delta Rockets on Sunday, Sept 4 from 3 to 5 p.m. The cost is $55; beer, wine and nibbles will be available for purchase. The Potomac is located at 540 Water Street in Jack London Square. For reservations or information, visit www.ticketweb.com or call the Potomac office at (510) 627-1215.
Indy Car Thunder Returns to Sonoma
Open-wheel cars. All-star drivers. Twelve turns and 85 laps to make it to the front of the pack. The excitement of IndyCar racing returns to the serpentine Sonoma circuit from September 16 to 18 for the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma. The 12th annual Verizon Indy Car Series event at Sonoma Raceway will serve as the season finale for the 2016 schedule. Be there to enjoy a full weekend of racing, including the Pirelli World Challenge GTP and Formula Car Challenge races. You’ll also be treated to an expansive vendor midway and an entertaining pre-event show on Sunday, highlighted by the Patriots Jet Team 25-minute air show. For more information and tickets, visit www.racesonoma.com.
Wilderness Festival in Vallejo
The third annual Visions of the Wild festival, with its newest theme, “Wild in the City,” will take place September 15 to 18. The festival is a celebration of the plants and animals that live in our urban and suburban settings. Events will include film screenings, field trips, art exhibits, guest speakers and cruises, all taking place in Vallejo and American Canyon. The festival connects nature, culture and community, and is designed to bring together artists, conservationists, students and teachers. All events, with the exception of the river cruises, are free to the public. It is a fun and interactive long weekend with activities for all ages. There will also be five art exhibits open to the public throughout the festival—four within downtown Vallejo and one in American Canyon. Each exhibit corresponds with the festival theme and features original pieces from local artists, ranging from paintings to sculptures. For more information on the festival or details about the events, visit visionsofthewild.org.
Picnic in the Point
The seventh annual Picnic in the Point will be on Saturday, September 24 from noon to 5 p.m. This free, family-friendly event is fun for all ages. The event takes place at Judge G. Carroll Park on W Cutting Blvd. and S. Garrard Blvd. in Point Richmond. There will be food, drinks, live music, games, prizes and much more. Every year, this Point Richmond festival attracts hundreds of families and individuals from around the Bay Area. This year’s festival will include live music from Felsen, an indie pop-rock band from Oakland, as well as Michael Van and the Movers, an alternative country band originally from Georgia. There will be kid-friendly carnival games, face painting, jumpy houses, bubble soccer and much more. There will also be a wide variety of food and drinks from local vendors, including alcoholic beverages. Advance food and drink tickets can be purchased at Up & Under Pub at 2 West Richmond Ave., Point Richmond and Smith Office Solutions at 210 Washington Ave., Point Richmond. Advance tickets are $20 per book, which includes one entry to the gift basket raffle. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the event.
Build a Boat!
The Spaulding Wooden Boat Center is offering 13-week spring and fall programs for adults in wooden boat building and woodworking. Students will be offered a choice of either Tuesday or Thursday evenings for classes, from 6 to 8 p.m. Our course objective will be to have fun while we learn and develop an understanding of the basic skills required in working with wood and the particulars of wooden boat building. No prior experience in boat building or woodworking is necessary; just bring your willingness to discover the wonders of working with wood and learning. The course will include the building of a wooden vessel chosen in part by the class, as well as individual elective projects consisting of an item that can be taken home—e.g., a toolbox, hand plane, or the like. The fee for the course will be $450 for a 13-week semester, and will include the materials required to build the class boat and the use of all required tools. Go to spauldingcenter.org/adult-programs to register.
Boat Repairing and Restoring
The Spalding Marine Center in Sausalito is pleased to present boat builder and composite expert Gordie Nash, who will discuss the repair and modification of fiberglass boats and structures, on Saturday, September 10 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The workshop will cover the various types of cloth, core materials and resins used in the marine industry. Nash will focus on the practical application of composites, giving the boat owner or shipwright a better understanding of choice materials and how to use them successfully. There will be a hands-on workshop in the afternoon. A $50 donation requested, and lunch is included. Then, on September 21 at 7 p.m., the center will host an enlightening talk on the restoration of Freda, the center’s beautiful and historic 1885 sloop. The talk will be given by renowned traditional boat builder Bob Darr of the Arques School. Darr has been building, restoring and designing traditional wooden boats for 40 years. His painstaking approach includes milling his own local wood and casting his own bronze fittings using traditional methods. Donations suggested. To register for either event, e-mail info@spauldingcenter.org.
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