What's happening this week in Sebastopol?
Rare Earth elements, an AI class for creatives, seed saving, Oktoberfest and more
Parent Education Night: Eating Disorders in Youth
Monday, Sept. 22, 6 pm to 7:30 pm, at Analy High School Library, 6950 Analy Dr., Sebastopol. Free.
This information session on preventing and addressing disordered eating behaviors in adolescents features panel discussion and a Q&A with teen representatives and mental health professionals.
Science Buzz Café: The Rare Earth Elements
Monday, Sept. 22, 6 pm to 7:30 pm, at HopMonk, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. $10.
Seventeen indispensable elements are found in that mysterious, detached lower section of the periodic table. Their properties and the properties they confer upon other materials—fluorescence, conductivity, magnetism — are unusual and fascinating. While not technically rare, the chemistry of these elements makes them occur in impure and difficult-to-extract forms, yet they are ubiquitous in modern conveniences like smartphones, LED lights, electric and hybrid cars. Rare earth elements are in demand worldwide with China dominating global production and the rare earth metals market. Dr. Karen Frindell Teuscher will describe the situation of these geopolitical stars of modern chemistry.
Produce Exchange at the Grange
Tuesday, Sept. 23, 5 pm to 5:45 pm, at the Sebastopol Grange, 6000 Sebastopol Ave. (Hwy. 12), Sebastopol. Free.
Bring your extra produce to the Grange to share or donate. Master Food Preservers will be on hand to answer questions.
Sebastopol Planning Commission Meeting
Tuesday, Sept. 23, 6 pm, at the Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris St., Sebastopol. Free.
Two new planning commission members will take their seats in this single-issue meeting. The only item on the agenda is a public hearing for an application from Jonathan Pinkston, on behalf of Sebastopol Bloom Fest. The festival is proposed to begin on Friday, Oct. 24, and end on Sunday, Oct. 26. There will be amplified music and vendors between 10 am and 7 pm. Participants will be encouraged to park in the overflow Barlow lot at 385 Morris St. A shuttle service will be used to drop off participants at each of the different locations around the city, roughly every 20 minutes. The event is expected to attract roughly 2,000 people over the three-day event.
Artificial Intelligence for Creatives
Thursday, Sept. 25, 6 pm, at Chimera Arts and Maker Space, 6791 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol. $103.22
Using tools like ChatGPT for text generation and ideation, and MidJourney for AI-powered image creation, students will learn how to collaborate with AI to enhance their creative process in this three-hour class. No technical background is required, just curiosity and a desire to experiment. The course also covers best practices, prompt engineering, and ethical considerations when working with generative AI. Learn more and reserve your spot.
Comedy: Frances Dilorinzo at Balletto
Friday, Sept. 26, 7 pm, at Balletto Vineyards, 5700 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa. $42-$48.
Southern California-based headliner comedian Frances Dilorinzo is known for delivering intelligent, relatable comedy stylings paired with physical punchlines. Frances has performed on all major networks and she tours across the country and headlines at prestigious top-tier comedy clubs. Her Dry Bar comedy specials have garnered millions of views. Get tickets.
Processing Seeds After Harvest
Saturday, Sept. 27, 10:30 am to 11:30 am, at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 500 Robinson Road, Sebastopol. Free.
Saving your own seeds is a deeply satisfying task that connects us to our ancestors, who saved seeds from foraged and grown crops. It is also a way to save lots of money when you learn how to grow and process your own localized seeds. In this hands-on class, you will learn a variety of seed processing techniques. There will be demonstrations of dry and wet seed processing. Learn how to winnow dry seeds and how to make and use seed screens. Get messy with fermented tomato seeds. Learn how to process broccoli, beans and tomato seeds. Learn more.
Climate Change Solutions Tours at Two Acre Wood
Saturday, Sept. 27, 1 pm to 7 pm, at Two Acre Wood on Robinson Road.
Climate Change Solutions open house and guided tours by appointment at 1pm, 2:30 pm and 4 pm. Reservations required. Two Acre Wood Cohousing is a 14-unit townhouse community located a handful of blocks from downtown Sebastopol. The 45-minute tours will include visiting homes and other locations on the property. The tour will include five models of electric cars, an integrated charging tracking system for electric vehicles, eight solar systems, four heat pump water heaters, mini-split heating and cooling, induction stoves and a series of beautiful gardens. Park at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 500 Robinson Road, and follow the signs south one and a half short blocks to Two Acre Wood. Come up the path to the Common House. Tours will be followed by Q&A sessions, and you are welcome to join the community for a potluck after the 4 pm tour. RSVP here.
Oktoberfest at Crooked Goat Brewing
Saturday, Sept. 27, 3 pm to 11 pm, at Crooked Goat Brewing, 120 Morris St., Sebastopol.
Oktoberfest is almost here, and we’re bringing the party to Crooked Goat Brewing! Break out the lederhosen, grab a stein, and join Crooked Goat for a day full of fresh beer releases and live music featuring The Alpen Band, playing some original Oktoberfest tunes from 5-7pm. The Wurst food truck will provide some of the best sausages and burgers. Let’s raise a glass together and celebrate the season.
Redwood Arts presents guitarist Paul Galbraith
Saturday, Sept. 27, 4 pm to 6 pm, at the Community Church of Sebastopol, 1000 Gravenstein Hwy. N., Sebastopol. $35.
The masterful Scottish guitarist and musical icon Paul Galbraith’s matchless artistry and acclaimed eight-string Brahms guitar promise a performance you won’t want to miss. His return is a testament to the powerful connection he’s forged with Sebastopol audiences over 27 years. Adults: $35; Students 18-25: $10 with valid student ID. Children 6-17: Free when accompanied by an adult. (Not recommended for children under six). Get tickets.
Western Monarch Butterflies: Screening & Community
Saturday, Sept. 27, 6 pm to 8 pm, at Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa. $11.50
Enjoy this special screening of “Western Monarch Butterflies: Protecting our Pollinators,” a film by Ian Nelson. You’re invited to a captivating documentary screening that follows the awe-inspiring migration of the iconic Western monarch butterflies. This beautiful film takes viewers through the key sites these delicate creatures visit each year and highlights the critical habitats that monarchs and other native pollinators depend on to survive. Get tickets.
Body Tales: Dance Theatre Performance
Saturday, Sept. 27, 2 pm to 3:30 pm or 6 pm to 7:30 pm, at Graton Community Club, 8996 Graton Road, Graton. $5 – $15.
The Graton Community Club is thrilled to present an extraordinary afternoon of dance theatre featuring four of the Bay Area’s premier dance choreographers and performers. Eric Kupers’ Wandering Ensemble: Angela Demmel, Virginia Matthews and Frances Sedayao will perform dazzling and thought-provoking works. There are two performances and seating is limited, so buy your tickets soon! Get tickets.
Chili Cookoff
Sunday, Sept. 28, 12 pm to 4 pm, at SebArts, 282 S. High St., Sebastopol. $15.
Join the Gravenstein Lions Club for a family-friendly afternoon of chili tasting, a chance to win raffle prizes and live-streamed 49er Football.
Suzuki Cady and Jimmy Murphy at Horse & Plow Winery
Sunday, Sept. 28, 2 pm to 4 pm, at Horse & Plow, 1272 Gravenstein Hwy. N., Sebastopol. $10.
Jimmy Murphy and Suzuki Cady play at Horse & Plow for the first time. This “Hardly-Strictly Irish” duo features a dynamic mix of acoustic American and Irish music on fiddle, mandolin, guitar, bodhrán, and vocals. Get tickets.
Tap Dancing at the Bluebird & The Lifelong Benefits of Dance
Sunday, Sept. 28, 4 pm to 6 pm, at Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental. Free.
An uplifting book talk with author Christine Walker paired with a dance sampler—soft shoe, swing, salsa—and dancing. Come to this lively event with author Christine Walker, dance teacher Starr Hergenrather and exercise physiologist Suze Cohan in conversation about why dancing is good for the brain and the transformative power of dance for health, cognition, and feeling joyful. Get tickets.
Heads up for next week
Academic Talent Search Sonoma
Tuesday, Sept. 30, 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm, at the Sebastopol Regional Library, 7140 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol. Free.
Academic Talent Search, a free college-prep program, assists income-eligible, first-generation college-bound students to succeed in college. Access fee waivers for college applications, the SAT/ACT, and AP testing. Learn more about the program, and how to apply!
See What’s Happening Sonoma County for more Sebastopol music listings.
Want us to feature your event in “What’s happening this week in Sebastopol?” Submit your events to the Sebastopol Community Calendar. This is one of the many resources I use to put this column together.
I wanted to pop in to add there is a Burlesque show this Friday at the theater on the corner of N Main St and Bodega Ave.
It’s called Bump In The Night - tickets are 25$ and the show starts at 7:30pm. You can follow Main Street Theater on their socials for more info. Have a fun week Sebastopol!