The Monte Rio Holler: The beat of Monte Rio

We continue our Saturday Towns column with a piece from our new Monte Rio columnist Megan Gatlin.

For the past six years, Monte Rio has been home for me. I moved here from San Francisco in 2020, right as the pandemic was reshaping how we all lived and connected. Like many newcomers during that time, meeting people and finding community wasn’t easy at first. But it didn’t take long to discover that life along the lower Russian River thrives on participation, and that getting involved is the fastest way to feel at home.

Columnist Megan Gatlin with her husband David and dogs Dixie & Mazzy.

My professional background has been in international business operations, including digital advertising, cannabis, and SaaS. But since settling in Monte Rio, my focus has shifted toward local community work. I serve on the board of Friends of Monte Rio, coordinate RioFest (now in its sixth year), support local nonprofits through fundraising and volunteer efforts, and previously wrote as a columnist for the Sonoma County Gazette.

With the Gazette no longer in publication, I’m grateful to the Sebastopol Times for giving Monte Rio a place to keep telling its stories. This column, The Monte Rio Holler, is meant to do exactly that: celebrate the people, music, art, and community spirit that make this little river town so special.

And lately, much of that spirit can be heard through live music echoing from the historic Monte Rio Theater.

Monte Rio’s Open Mic: Every Wednesday Night

If you want to experience Monte Rio’s creative pulse firsthand, show up on a Wednesday night.

Every week from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., the theater hosts a free open mic night. It is truly for the community, by the community. Musicians of every level take the stage, whether they are performing their first song or returning as seasoned local favorites.

The theater recently upgraded its audio system, performance slots are filling up quickly, and the quality of talent seems to improve every week. On many nights the room is packed. Some people come to play, others simply to listen, but everyone leaves feeling like they were part of something shared.

Standout performers have already emerged. One to watch is 13-year-old Jackson Hagele of Healdsburg, who will take the stage at RioFest on June 20, 2026. Another is Kjbluesman, whose performances regularly bring the room to life with covers by Tom Petty, the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, and more.

For the volunteers who help run the event, the philosophy is simple. As longtime volunteer Sean Warner puts it, “The Rio Theater Open Mic is property of the community. It takes a community to make it happen, and no individual has possession or control over it.”

Music at the Monte Rio Theater

Keeping Movies Alive in Monte Rio

While music has taken center stage lately, the Monte Rio Theater remains, at its heart, a movie theater. It also carries decades of local history.

Owner David Lockhart sees the theater as both a cultural hub and a bridge between generations.

“This movie theater and the Russian River was a magical place to me as a kid,” Lockhart says. “We want something for our kids, and all the kids who live here or visit, to have those same kinds of memories for future generations.”

In an era when many small-town cinemas have closed, maintaining a local theater takes dedication and volunteers.

“We are fortunate to have an amazing team of volunteers who are music and film lovers,” Lockhart says. “They help provide top-notch sound, lights, and an experience for locals and visitors alike.”

The theater’s setting helps make that experience even more special. Nestled along the banks of the Russian River and surrounded by towering redwoods, it is a reminder that gathering spaces still matter.

“Movie theaters are a place for people to gather and have a shared experience,” Lockhart says.

During the summer months, that shared experience extends outdoors with movies under the stars, where audiences watch films beneath the night sky.

A Community That Welcomes Everyone

From Wednesday night open mics to summer festivals and outdoor films, what is happening at the Monte Rio Theater reflects something bigger than entertainment. It reflects a community that opens its doors to everyone, whether you come to play music, volunteer, watch a movie, or simply be part of the moment.

For those of us who arrived here not knowing many people, those shared experiences have a way of turning strangers into neighbors and neighbors into friends.

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