Volunteer: Russian River Shoreline Sweep
Monday, Oct. 12, from 9 am to noon, meet at the parking lot at Steelhead Beach Regional Park, 9000 River Road, Forestville. Free.
Come join volunteers removing trash and invasive species to maintain a healthy shoreline and aquatic ecosystem for native species. Snacks and refreshments are provided by the Sonoma County Parks Foundation, and parking fees will be waived for volunteers. Dress in layers and wear closed-toe hiking shoes, and bring a hat and sunscreen. Children 13 and under need a parent or guardian present. Volunteers ages 14 through 17 may participate with a signed permission slip. Registration is required. Contact ParkPrograms@sonomacounty.gov for permission slips or accessibility needs. Register here.
Drop-in Chess Club
Mondays, Oct. 12, at 3 pm, at Taylor Lane Coffee, 6790 McKinley St., Sebastopol. Free.
The informal chess club, which met at the Sebastopol Library until mold forced its closure, now gathers weekly at Taylor Lane Coffee. All levels are welcome, and beginners may receive a free lesson. Bring a set if you have one, though extras are usually available.
Science Buzz Cafe
Monday, Oct. 12, at 6 pm, at HopMonk Tavern (in the Abbey), 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. $10 at the door.
Join cancer survivor and speaker Debra Giusti for a talk on integrative cancer prevention, treatment and recovery, as well as her own breast cancer journey. Arrive early to purchase food and drinks.
Documentary: Hanging By A Wire
Monday, Oct. 12, 6:30 pm, at Rialto Cinemas Sebastopol, 6868 McKinley St., Sebastopol. $16.
Hanging By A Wire is a documentary about a daring cable car rescue in Pakistan that captivated the world in 2023. Eight passengers — six of them schoolboys — board a makeshift cable car for what should be a routine commute to school. Midway across a deep ravine, two of the three supporting cables snap, leaving the car suspended more than 900 feet above the ground by a single damaged wire. Can an unlikely alliance of rescuers save them before disaster strikes live on television. Q&A with Director Mohammed Ali Naqvi. Get tickets.
Climate Action Committee Meeting
Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 3:30 pm to 5 pm, at Sebastopol City Hall Conference Room, 7120 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol. Free.
The Sebastopol Climate Action Committee will discuss the city’s “Boards, Commissions, and Committees Handbook” and discuss a “systems-level thinking” approach to shaping future meeting items. Members will also discuss the Sept. 19 Laguna clean-up and Oct. 11 Fall Compost Giveaway, as well as the Oct. 14 Zero Waste Food Education Event. Working groups and chair will give reports. More info.
Home Gardener Produce Exchange/Donation
Tuesday, Oct. 13, from 5 pm to 5:45 pm, at Sebastopol Grange Hall, 6000 Sebastopol Ave (Hwy. 12), Sebastopol. Free.
Bring your extra produce to the Grange to share and take home some of others’ surplus. Anything leftover will be donated. Master food preservers will be on hand to answer food preservation questions. Visit site.
Planning Commission Meeting
Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 6 pm, at Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris St., Sebastopol. Free.
This week, the Planning Commission, in its role as the Parks Commission, will review the Rotary Ives Park Project and make recommendations to the City Council. The meeting is open to the public, both in-person and online. See agenda and documentation.
Jewish Film Festival: The Last Twins
Tuesday, Oct. 13, 1 pm and 6:30 pm at Rialto Cinemas Sebastopol, 6868 McKinley St., Sebastopol. $16.
The Last Twins is the never-before-told story of an unsung hero of the Holocaust, Erno “Zvi” Spiegel, who risked everything to save dozens of young twins from almost certain death at Auschwitz. Under the shadow of Dr. Josef Mengele’s horrific experiments, Spiegel used his courage, compassion, and ingenuity to shield the most vulnerable—the sets of twins targeted for brutal medical experimentation. Get tickets.
Peacetown presents: New Copesetics
Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 6 pm to 8:30 pm, at HopMonk Sebastopol, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. Free.
The Peacetown concert series in the Abbey welcomes the band New Copesetics for a night of semi-acoustic, twang and Americana.
Sebastopol Carbon Conversations: Reducing Food Waste
Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 6 pm to 8:30 pm, at Sebastopol Grange Hall, 6000 Sebastopol Ave. (Hwy. 12), Sebastopol. Free.
The Sebastopol Climate Action Committee has partnered with Sebastopol Carbon Conversations to hold an education event about reducing food waste. The program reviews SB 1383, the state law that set a 75% organic waste reduction target for 2025, and covers local progress on a centralized composting facility, a community compost hub, on-site composting, food recovery, gleaning and farm-level waste reduction, plus tips for home. A meal and mingling begin at 6 pm, and the program starts at 6:15 pm. The event is funded by a CalRecycle grant. RSVP here.
National Theatre Live: The Misanthrope
Thursday, Oct. 15, at 12:30 pm and 6:30 pm, at Rialto Cinemas Sebastopol, 6868 McKinley St., Sebastopol. Price not listed.
Sandra Oh plays the title role in a reimagining of Molière’s dark comedy about a novelist who despises society’s polite lies. Get tickets.
An Evening With Gloria Armstrong: Poetry, Film and Conversation
Thursday, Oct. 15, from 6 pm to 7:30 pm, at Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa. Sliding scale. Free to $27.
Artist and poet Gloria Armstrong shares her poetry and short films about her life and work, followed by a Q&A led by her daughters, in conjunction with her exhibition “Spirit of My Homeland.” Filmmakers Tavi Carpenter and Lee Foster will take questions after the program. Get tickets.
Growing Our Future: Graton Community Club Fall Flower Show, Plant Sale
Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16-17, 9 am to 4 pm, at the Graton Community Club, 8996 Graton Road, Graton. Free.
The club’s fall show honors children everywhere with live music, plants, a luncheon, coffee and desserts, raffle prizes, white elephant gifts, quilts, garden art and handmade crafts. Organizers are collecting gently used or new art and craft supplies for art teachers at Oak Grove and Willowside schools. The venue is ADA accessible and child-friendly, and sales benefit local student scholarships. More info.
The Art of Botanical Syrups and Shrubs With Land + Local
Friday, Oct. 16, from 4 to 6 pm, at Gather Sebastopol, 122 N. Main St., Sebastopol. $150.
Join chef and herbalist behind Land + Local, Kim La Vere, for this hands-on workshop to explore the basics of herbalism while learning how to craft small-batch shrubs and mixers using local fruits, herbs, and medicinal plants. Reserve your spot.
Velvet’s Mini Burlesque Variety Show
Friday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 pm, at 104 N. Main St. Theatre, 104 N. Main St., Sebastopol. $25-$45.
Velvet Thorn, selected to perform at the Japan International Burlesque Festival in Kobe and Osaka in November, is hosting a fundraiser to help cover her trip. The night features burlesque variety acts, Velvet Thorn merchandise, a costume and closet sale, and a meet-and-greet after the show. Guest performers include Ophelia Coeur de Noir, Montana Skye, Mimic Velour, Penny Poundcake and ReynStorm. Get tickets.
Bronwyn
Friday, Oct. 16, at 8 pm, at HopMonk Sebastopol, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. Ticketed.
Join Grammy-winning and three-time International Bluegrass Music Association Fiddle Player of the Year, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, for a night of bluegrass at HopMonk Sebastopol. After several years as the fiddler for Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, she is striking out on her own - fronting a band for the first time and bringing her pure, rootsy singing voice to the forefront. Charlie Torch opens. Get tickets.
Laguna Stewards Day at Irwin Creek
Saturday, Oct. 17, from 9 am to noon, at Laguna Environmental Center, 900 Sanford Road. Free.
Join the community and help care for Irwin Creek by cutting back Himalayan blackberries and replacing old birdboxes. All ages are welcome, and no experience is needed; tools, gloves, water, coffee and snacks are provided. Wear long pants, closed-toe shoes and sun protection. RSVP.
Trashlantis
Saturday, Oct. 17, 11 am to 5:30 pm, behind Sebastopol Community Center’s Youth Annex parkring lot at 425 Morris St., Sebastopol. Free.
Trashlantis is an active-transport, zero-waste, leave-no-trace celebration of sustainability and community connection, featuring a bike rally through the streets and trails of Sebastopol, a Trashion Fashion show, live music, a vendor market featuring upcycled wares, and tabling by local organizations creating a future that works for everyone. Live music includes local favorites Sakoyana, The Pulse and the Poet, If Mars had Waves, and the Hubbub Club. Come in costume, ride your bike, and bring your own water bottle. After Trashlantis is over, you are invited to join in the community cleanup of the venue until 7 or 8 pm. More info. Claim your free ticket here.
Sonoma County Art Trails
Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 17-18, 10 am to 5 pm, at studios around Sonoma County.
This is the second (and last) weekend of Art Trails, when more than 160 artists open their studio doors to the public. Meet local creatives, experience their artistic process, and buy directly. Plan your open studios tour through the collector’s catalog or visit SebArts’ Art Trails Exhibition, featuring one piece by every artist on the tour. Learn more at sonomacountyarttrails.org.
Waku Waku: Japanese Culture Workshop for Children
Saturday, Oct. 17, from 10 am to 1 pm, at Enmanji Memorial Hall, 1200 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol. Free.
Children can explore Japanese folk stories, crafts, music, games, language and food at this workshop hosted by the Sonoma County chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League and Sebastopol World Friends. Suggested ages are 7 through 11, but all interested children are welcome. Space is limited to 24. Registration and adult accompaniment are required. Learn more and register.
Miso & Koji: A Japanese Fermentation Workshop
Saturday, Oct. 17, from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm, at Gather Sebastopol, 122 N. Main St., Sebastopol. $150.
Join chef and teacher Hiroko Kurosaki for a class on traditional Japanese fermentation in this hands-on workshop. Explore the art of miso and koji, two foundational elements of Japanese cuisine that bring depth, flavor, and nourishment to everyday meals. Tickets.
Zen & Heart Practices
Sunday, Oct. 18, from 9 to 10:30 am, at Youth Annex, Sebastopol Community Cultural Center, 425 Morris St., Sebastopol. By donation. $15 suggested.
The Occidental Laguna Sangha, a Zen Buddhist community, meets every Sunday for meditation and teachings that blend Zen with mindfulness practices from the Vipassana and Tibetan traditions. Guiding teacher Bruce Fortin, a Soto Zen priest ordained in 1976 in the lineage of Suzuki Roshi, leads the gathering. Practitioners of all levels are welcome, from complete beginners to the very experienced. More info.
Head West Marketplace
Sunday, Oct. 18, from 11 am to 5 pm, at The Barlow, 6770 McKinley St., Sebastopol. Free.
Head West returns to The Barlow for its monthly artisan vendor market, happening every third Sunday from March through December. This curated market features a rotating lineup of local makers, artists, and creative small businesses offering handmade goods, art, apparel, home decor, and more.
PEEK INTO NEXT WEEK
Sebastopol Rotary Lobster Bash. Tickets are going fast for the Rotary Club of Sebastopol’s big gala Lobster Bash, to be held Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Friedman Center in east Santa Rosa. The event includes live boiled lobster (one per person) and tables full of steamed shrimp, sausage, corn on the cob and potatoes. The live and silent auctions will feature collector wine lots, getaway trips, Wine Country experiences, guest chef affairs and more. There will be live music, an open bar, hors oeuvres hour and a raffle. Tickets are $176. This event is expected to sell-out, so now is the time to gather a table full of friends and help support all the great community projects of the Sebastopol Rotary by treating yourself to a great evening of food, fun and charity. 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 we 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 we will see it and consider it.
