What's happening this week in Sebastopol?
A Celtic Christmas, Handel's Sing-along Messiah, Analy Winter Concert, Holiday Bingo and more
A High Energy Life! My path through Chemistry, Astrophysics and Rocket Science
Monday, Dec. 9, 6 pm to 7:30 pm, at HopMonk Tavern, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. $10 donation.
Hear SSU professor Lynn Cominsky talk about her path through Chemistry, Astrophysics and Rocket Science into STEM Education with help from NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, Swift missions and the LIGO Scientific Collaboration. Cominsky is an award-winning professor in the Physics and Astronomy Department at Sonoma State University, where she has been on the faculty for over 35 years. She received a Ph.D. in Physics from MIT in 1981 and a B.S. magna cum laude in Physics from Brandeis University in 1975.
Handel’s Messiah Practice Session
Monday, Dec. 9, 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm, at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 South High St., Sebastopol. Free.
Want to sing Handel’s Messiah this holiday? A practice session is scheduled with John Maass’s Harmonium Choir on Monday, Dec. 9, 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm, at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 South High St., in the Fireside Room, which is immediately to your left when you face the front doors. There is a path outside the building to access the room. This is just the practice session. The actual public performance of the Messiah is later this week on Dec. 14, 1 pm to 3:15 pm.
Sebastopol Fire Department Bucket Brigade
Tuesday, Dec. 10, noon to 5 pm, in the truck bay at 7425 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol.
Come donate blood at the Sebastopol Fire Department. The Bucket Brigade blood donation is a friendly competition between fire departments in Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino counties to raise the most blood during the holiday season. Make your appointment here.
Analy High School Winter Band/Orchestra Concert
Tuesday, Dec. 10, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, at Analy High School, 6950 Analy Ave., Sebastopol. $15 donation.
Analy’s Winter Band Concert will include the Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, Orchestra, and Symphonic Band. Open to the public. $15 admission donation, students are free with adult admission. No one turned away for lack of funds. All funds support the Analy Instrumental Program.
Documentary: Sweetheart Deal
Tuesday, Dec. 10, 7 pm, Rialto Cinemas, 6868 McKinley St., Sebastopol. $15.25.
When the dangers of the streets close in on a group of sex workers battling addiction, they find refuge in the roadside motorhome of a self-styled savior with a mysterious past. But just as they begin to rebuild their lives, a shocking betrayal comes to light that will change them all. Rather than fall victim to another cruel injustice, they discover the strength to stand up for themselves and for each other. Get tickets.
Sonoma Wine Shop Dinner for Jolene's Retreat
Tuesday, Dec. 12, 4 pm to 9 pm, at Sonoma Wine Shop, 2295 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol. $35.
Come and enjoy a wonderful meal and help a worthy local charity. Indulge in an amazing three-course vegan meal for only $35 per person, including a delicious starter, entrée, and dessert. Enjoy a free wine club membership for the night, featuring rare wines from Sonoma Wine Shop. There will also be a raffle and silent auction with incredible prizes. A portion of the proceeds will go to the charity, raffle tickets will be sold, and farm products available to purchase. Help Jolene’s Retreat complete their barn for 12 rescued pigs and other critters.
Understanding Donor-Advised Funds
Thursday, Dec. 12, 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm, at the Sebastopol Area Senior Center, 167 North High St., Sebastopol. Free for members. $5 non-members.
Are you looking for a strategic way to maximize your charitable giving while enjoying significant tax benefits? Come to the Senior Center for an enlightening talk on Donor-Advised Funds and discover how this powerful tool can enhance your philanthropic efforts. Register here
Unification Study Presentation
Thursday, Dec. 12, 5:30 pm, at the Forestville School Multipurpose Room, 6321 Highway 116, Forestville. Free.
Chrissy White Associates will present the community with a rough draft of the unification study, which explores ways to combine districts and schools throughout west county. Families interested in the possible re-opening of El Molino High School will be particularly interested in this study.
Holiday Bingo Night for Best Buddies
Friday, Dec. 13, 5:30 pm to 7 pm, at the Analy High School Cafeteria, 6950 Analy Ave., Sebastopol. $10.
This event is open to the community and aims to raise awareness about Best Buddies, a program that matches students who have intellectual and developmental disabilities with other students at Analy for support and friendship. They are raising funds for the Second Annual Best Buddies Prom. Your $10 ticket includes three bingo cards, Extra cards are 3 for $5 or $2 each.
David Luning at HopMonk
Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13-14, 8 pm, at HopMonk Tavern, 230 Petaluma Ave.,
Sebastopol. $25.
Inspired by the music of John Prine, Luning dropped out of music school and devoted himself to songwriting and performing. He worked his way up through open mics to large festival performances, piecing together a band to flesh out his songs along the way and hitting the road to tour with a fierce determination. His self-released debut album, 'Just Drop On By,' garnered acclaim from both critics and fellow musicians alike, with country megastar Keith Urban hailing Luning's “staunch originality.” Songs from the album landed numerous film and TV placements, most recently on NBC’s ‘Grimm,’ and Luning’s reputation for exhilarating live performances earned him dates with luminaries like Jackie Greene, Dave and Phil Alvin, and Elvin Bishop, along with a slew of festival performances up and down the West Coast. Get tickets.
Tomáseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas
Saturday, Dec. 14. Matinee at 3 pm, evening program at 7:30 pm, at Sebastopol Community Cultural Center, 390 Morris St., Sebastopol. $10-$50
For the past 29 years, with a world-class ensemble of musicians, dancers and singers from both sides of the Atlantic, Tomáseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas has played to packed concert halls and to critical acclaim nationwide, recreating on stage the now-famous Rambling House—that remote cottage in the west of Ireland, where the neighbors gather every year for a communal night before Christmas. There, the rafters ring with fiery traditional music, Irish Christmas carols, riveting traditional dance and, of course, stories of life in the remote parish of Teampall an Ghleanntáin, Tomáseen’s birthplace. The show invites its audience to come into that cottage, into that world, into that era, and be our neighbors for the night. Get tickets.
Parenting Teens: A Workshop for Empowered Connection
Friday, Dec. 13, 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm at the Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris St., Sebastopol. Free.
Parenting a teen can feel like navigating a maze, where every turn reveals new opportunities and challenges. This workshop is designed to provide clarity, confidence, and connection for parents seeking to better understand and support their teens. Come be part of an engaging, interactive experience with practical tools to enrich your parenting journey. Whether you’re feeling challenged by social media, struggling with effective communication, or curious about the science behind your teen’s behavior, this workshop offers support and understanding. RSVP to hold your spot.
Sing Along Messiah
Saturday, Dec. 14, 1 pm to 3:15 pm, at the United Methodist Church, 500 N. Main St., Sebastopol. $10-$20 donation.
Listeners and singers at all skill levels are welcome. Singers from Harmonia, the community choir at Sebastopol Center for the Arts, will bolster the choral sound. Because Messiah was specifically composed to need only a few rehearsals, it is ideal for non-professional choruses. In the 1820s, Handel Festivals across England began featuring performances by amateur choruses in what came to be called “Scratch Messiahs” or “the People’s Messiah.” Join Sebastopol’s own People’s Messiah this week. Dress warmly because doors will be open for ventilation.
Holiday Open House at the Laguna Environmental Center
Saturday, Dec. 14, 1 pm to 3 pm, at the Laguna Environmental Center, 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa. Free, but donations welcome.
Enjoy our current exhibit “Flora of the Laguna,” featuring botanical illustrations by Sonoma County artists focusing on the conservation and restoration of native plants of the Laguna. Artists will demonstrate their drawing techniques with colored pencil, ink and watercolor. Garden tours at 1:15 pm and 2:15 pm. Plus, there’s a gift shop inventory for your conservation-inspired shopping needs. No RSVP needed.
Alzheimer’s Association: Managing Money: A Caregiver’s Guide to Finances
Sunday, Dec. 15, 2 pm to 3:30 pm, Sebastopol Regional Library, 7140 Bodega Avenue, Sebastopol. Free.
If you or someone you know is facing Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or another chronic illness, it’s never too early to put financial plans in place. Join us to learn tips for managing someone else’s finances, how to prepare for future care costs and the benefits of early planning. Registration for this event will close on December 14, 2024 at 1 pm. Reserve your spot now.
The Old World Carolers: Angels & Minstrels
Sunday, Dec. 15, 3 pm, at Sebastopol United Methodist Church, 500 N. Main St., Sebastopol. $10 donation.
A special early music concert with acappella carols from 12th-16th century England, France, Germany, Catalonia, Spain, and Bulgaria. The second half includes early carols familiar to many in our country, and lyrics are provided for those who want to sing along. The concert benefits World Central Kitchen and Methodist charities, and donations are tax-deductible. With fun and surprises, all ages are welcome.
PEEK INTO NEXT WEEK: The Sebastopol Lights Parade. Sebastopol’s homemade holiday celebration, The Sebastopol Lights Parade, will be happening on Wednesday, Dec. 18, starting at 6:30 pm on Belle View Avenue, with Santa in the lead. Want to participate? Just decorate your vehicle with lights, come on over, and join the light parade as it winds through Sebastopol neighborhoods, leaving joy in its wake. Organizer Lori Jay hopes to see lots of smiling faces and waves along the way again this year. See the deets on Lori’s Facebook page.
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