What's happening this week in Sebastopol?
Hanukkah and Solstice events, a holiday singalong, Sebastopol Ballet's Nutcracker, the Christmas Light Parade, and more
Today, Monday, Dec. 15, at 5 pm, is the deadline for the Sebastopol Times Personal Essay Contest
There is still time to submit your essay. Email it to the sebastopoltimes@gmail.com. Find all details here.
Community Food Drive
Tuesday, Dec. 16, 10 am to 6 pm, at the Sebastopol Grange, 6000 Sebastopol Road (Hwy. 12), Sebastopol. Free.
Join the Sebastopol Grange in a community-wide effort to help our hungry neighbors. The Sebastopol Grange has been hosting a food drive for Redwood Empire Food Bank for the last few weeks. This is the last one before the holidays. Redwood Empire Food Bank supplies food directly to residents and smaller food pantries. Please join with the Grange in donating food or money so that people in our community have food for their families this holiday.
Sebastopol City Council Meeting
Tuesday, Dec. 16, 6 pm, Sebastopol Teen Annex, 425 Morris St., Sebastopol.
The council will hear an informational update on the status of the City Council’s goals and priorities, as well as the annual Development Impact Fee Report. There will also be a discussion and review of the draft of the Emergency Operations Plan. See agenda and documentation here.
Light the menorah in the downtown plaza
Tuesday, Dec.16, 7 pm, in the gazebo in Sebastopol’s downtown plaza
Hanukkah started at sundown on Sunday, Dec. 14, and lasts through Dec. 22. Join the community this Tuesday, the third day of Hanukkah, for a brief community menorah lighting in Sebastopol’s downtown plaza. Feel free to bring your own menorah to light.
Common Threads Fiber Night
Wednesday, Dec. 17, 4 pm to 6 pm, at Gather, 122 N. Main St., Sebastopol. Free.
Every Wednesday at Gather, doors are open for an easygoing evening of fiber arts and community. Bring whatever you’re working on—knitting, crochet, embroidery, mending, or any project that feels good in your hands—and settle in with fellow makers for a few hours of quiet craft and good company. Common Threads is a space to unwind midweek, share skills, and be surrounded by people who love making things, slowly and with care. Whether you’re brand-new to fiber arts or have been stitching for years, you’re welcome here.
Mr. Music’s Holiday Sing Along
Wednesday, Dec. 17, 6 pm, at HopMonk (in The Abbey), 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. Free.
Join Jim Corbett, AKA Mr. Music, for this annual holiday sing along with the Love Choir. Sing favorite Christmas songs, Hanukkah tunes, and songs of the winter wonderland! Bring the kids to enjoy a visit with Santa and stick around until the end when we sing the Twelve Days of Christmas with audience participation. Fa la la la la la la la la.
Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce Holiday Mixer
Thursday, Dec. 18, 5:30 pm to 7 pm, at Balleto Vineyards and Winery, 5700 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa. Free.
The Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce Holiday Mixer and Balletto Vineyards & Winery are teaming up to celebrate the holiday season, and you’re invited!
Sebastopol Christmas Light Parade
Thursday, Dec. 18, 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm, on various streets throughout Sebastopol. Free.
The parade of lights consists of community members decorating their vehicles with lights and other decorations and following the parade route through Sebastopol neighborhoods, led by Santa himself. If you would like to join in the parade, please be decorated and lined up on Belle View Ave. in Sebastopol by 6:30 pm. Last year, some ingenious folks even had neighborhood parties on the sidewalk (with fire pits) along the route to watch the parade go by. Do it! See the parade route map and street guide here.
Death Medicine: An open mic exploration of death and grief
Thursday, Dec. 18, 7 pm to 10 pm, at Main Street Theater, 104 N. Main St., Sebastopol. $15.
The event will be an open mic format where people can sing, dance, recite poetry, or speak extemporaneously about their experiences of death and grief and be witnessed and heard by a radically present and loving audience in a well-held container. There are no rules other than a share cannot last longer than five minutes. You need not perform to attend. The witnessing is at least as important as the performing. Get tickets.
6th Night Hanukkah Kabbalat Shabbat
Friday, Dec.19, 6 pm to 9 pm, at the Salmon Creek School Assembly Hall, 1935 Bohemian Highway, Occidental. Free.
Please join Makom Shalom on Friday, Dec. 19, for Kabbalat Shabbat and a 6th night of Hanukkah celebration. We will welcome Shabbat in song with abbreviated Kabbalat Shabbat services and kindle the Hanukkah lights, celebrating Hanukkah in song. Potluck feast and latke bar will follow. Kids will have a special program exploring Hanukkah themes with story, dreidel and other Hanukkah fun. Kabbalat Shabbat this Hanukkah lands on the darkest night of the year, the new moon closest to the winter solstice. This accentuates Hanukkah’s core theme of rededication and ascending from darkness to light. Between Kabbalat Shabbat and kindling the Hanukkah lights, we will take an intentional walk into the dark to reflect on the year past and how to rededicate ourselves to this year as we invoke light for the coming year. We look forward to celebrating with you in song, silence, darkness and light! RSVP here.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 20-21, 11 am, at Rialto Cinemas Sebastopol, 6868 McKinley St., Sebastopol. Free.
In this live-action adaptation of the beloved children’s tale by Dr. Seuss, the reclusive green Grinch (Jim Carrey) decides to ruin Christmas for the cheery citizens of Whoville. Reluctantly joined by his hapless dog, Max, the Grinch comes down from his mountaintop home and sneaks into town to swipe everything holiday-related from the Whos. However, the bitter Grinch finds a hitch in his plans when he encounters the endearing Cindy Lou Who. Get tickets.
Festive Farm Tour and Seasonal Sips at Gold Ridge Farm
Saturday, Dec. 20, 11 am to 2 pm, at Gold Ridge Organic Farms, 3387 Canfield Road, Sebastopol. $10.
Get into the holiday spirit with a festive farm experience. Attend this 45-minute guided tour aboard our apple-themed trolley as you wind through the scenic beauty of Gold Ridge Organic Farms and discover the story behind their sustainable practices. After your tour, explore the farm shop where you’ll find holiday gifts for everyone on your list and taste just-pressed Olio Nuovo, the season’s freshest olive oil. Cozy up by the crackling fireplace and enjoy a wonderful experience perfect for families and anyone looking to savor the best of Sonoma County. Get tickets.
Laser Cutter: Laser Cutting 101
Saturday, Dec. 20, 10 am, at the Chimera Arts and Maker Space, 6791 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol. $134.24.
In this class, you’ll learn how to design and fabricate your own personalized crafts using laser cutters. The class will cover design software, material considerations, and laser cutter operation. You’ll also become familiar with the tips and tricks of effectively making small laser-cut works. Laser cutters have transformed the craft scene. Once you have a design, you can quickly and affordably produce unlimited quantities of your project. Customized ornaments, signs, puzzles, artworks, and mechanical gizmos—the list goes on and on. By the end of the class, you’ll design and cut out your own laser-cut project. Get tickets.
Tomáseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas
Saturday, Dec. 20, 2 pm, at Sebastopol Community Cultural Center, 390 Morris St., Sebastopol. $50.
For nearly three decades, Tomáseen Foley’s “A Celtic Christmas” has delighted audiences across the country with its vibrant celebration of Irish tradition. Featuring a world-class ensemble of musicians, singers, and dancers from both sides of the Atlantic, the show brings to life the Rambling House — the humble Irish cottage where neighbors gathered on Christmas Eve to share music, dance, stories, and cheer. $50 for adults, $25 for those under 17. Get tickets.
OutWest Holiday Dance
Saturday, Dec. 20, 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm, at Wishemann Hall, 779 Johnson St, Sebastopol. $10-$20 sliding scale.
Non-gendered partner dancing. LGBTQIA and everyone else welcome. Enjoy a mix of country two-step and waltz, East and West Coast swing, nightclub two-step, and line dancing. There is a country waltz lesson with Christa from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm, partner and line dancing from then 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm.
Bring Joy: A Very 80’s Holiday Show
Saturday, Dec. 20, 8 pm, at HopMonk Tavern, 230 Petaluma Ave, Sebastopol. $36.37.
Jason Beard is the founding member, lead guitarist, and co-songwriter for the bluegrass jam band Poor Man’s Whiskey. Bring Joy is a passion-driven project dedicated to showcasing Northern California’s top musical talent. With a fusion of bluegrass, Americana, blues, and jam, Bring Joy will be playing some originals and a bunch of 80s covers with a fun bluegrass twist! Get tickets.
The Winter Solstice happens Sunday, Dec. 21, at approximately 7:03 am.
To Know The Dark
To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.
To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,
and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,
and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.
—Wendell Berry
With thanks to Larry Robinson for sharing this poem this week.
Winter Solstice Sound Bath Experience
Sunday, Dec. 21, 7 pm to 8 pm, at the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center, 465 Morris St., Sebastopol. $40.
Come and drift upon the currents of sound with Blue Muse Sound Healing and The Celestial Voice, plus a special guest, for a light-filled Winter Solstice Sound Bath Experience. As the Earth prepares its silent, snowy slumber, let us enter the cocoon of winter—a sacred pause. Enjoy the healing frequencies of nine resonant gongs, the shimmering lullaby of a harp, the mystic whispers of a hand pan, the crystalline song of crystal bowls, pure angelic vocals, and a chorus of chimes galore. Get tickets.
Sebastopol Ballet presents “The Nutcracker”
Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 20-21, 11 am and 4 pm, at Analy High School Theater, 6950 Analy Ave., Sebastopol. $30-$35.
Experience the magic of the season with Sebastopol Ballet’s beloved production of The Nutcracker. These enchanting performances feature handmade, finely crafted costumes that shimmer under the stage lights, transforming dancers into mischievous mice, toy soldiers, and swirling snowflakes. Audiences will be delighted by the talent and heart of local children ages 5–18, who bring Tchaikovsky’s classic story to life with joy, dedication, and artistry. Enjoy this iconic, Sebastopol holiday event that showcases the creativity, warmth, and spirit of our community. (Shows include a complimentary Sugar Plum Party for children, with sweet treats and the opportunity to meet the cast in costume! The Sugar Plum Party begins 45 minutes before each show.) Get tickets.
Finding Our Way in the Darkness: Winter Solstice 2025
Sunday, Dec. 21, 5 pm to 6 pm, at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 500 Robinson Road, Sebastopol. By donation.
Benja Mertz will guide the program as dusk arrives on the Winter Solstice through song and chant. There is a power in gathering during these longest nights, nurturing the space within for healing, resilience, and renewal. Join a Taizé-style chanting hour to sing together and find our way from darkness into light.
Farther Afield
Winter Solstice Morning at Osmosis
Friday, Dec. 19, 9 am to 11 am, at Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, 209 Bohemian Hwy., Freestone. $25 – $45.
Celebrate the sacred stillness of Osmosis, guided by the luminous voices of Kiranjot Kaur and Joss Jaffe. This morning is an offering — a ceremonial concert where devotion, movement, and spiritual wisdom converge into a deeply healing experience. This intimate performance creates a space for stillness, reflection and awakening. The winter solstice marks a powerful turning point: the moment when darkness gives way to returning light. Get tickets.
Barbara Higbie and Friends Winter Solstice Concert
Saturday, Dec. 20, 7 pm to 9:30 pm, at the Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental.
Celebrate the season with the Annual Winter Solstice Concert by longtime Windham Hill recording artist Barbara Higbie. Joined by her brilliant musical friends: guitarist Vicki Randle, percussionist Michaelle Goerlitz, cellist Mia Pixley, bassist Kofy Brown and mandolin prodigy Jasper Manning. Barbara performs selections from the multi-platinum-selling Windham Hill Winter Solstice series and her new “Chillogy” series. It is a warm, joyful and inclusive holiday tradition made new each year. Get tickets.
Want us to feature your event in “What’s happening this week in Sebastopol?” Submit your events to the Sebastopol Community Calendar. This is one of the many resources I use to put this column together. Submitting your event to the community calendar doesn’t guarantee that your event will make it into “What’s Happening this Week,” but it means that I will see it and consider it.
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