What's happening this week in Sebastopol?
Science Buzz Cafe on China, Mardi Gras dance parties, Queer Family Social and more
Science Buzz Cafe: Travels in China
Monday, Feb. 24, 6 pm to 7:30 pm, at Hopmonk Tavern, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. $10.
Observations on China with Warren Wiscombe, PhD. Will they leave us in the dust? Here’s Wiscombe’s description of his talk: “China has become an exotic travel destination for Westerners. I was invited to give two lectures in China in June 2024, so my wife and I took this opportunity to travel around China afterwards with tour guide Jerry. What we encountered was mind-blowing, radically changed from our trip there in 2005, and largely unknown to Americans. In this lecture, I will describe the strange and amazing things we saw, from smaller things like cosplay, robots in our hotels and being constantly gawked at as if we were aliens to large things like constant surveillance, endless rows of 30-story apartment buildings and bullet trains traveling over 200 mph. And I will share some observations on the ways China seems to be pulling ahead of us.”
First Produce Exchange of the year
Tuesday, Feb. 25, 5 pm to 5:45 pm, at Sebastopol Grange Hall, 6000 Sebastopol Ave. (Hwy 12), Sebastopol. Free.
Bring citrus, greens, winter squash, seeds and more. Bring your extra produce to the Grange to share and exchange. Anything leftover will be donated.
Sebastopol Grange Meeting and Potluck
Tuesday, Feb. 25, 5:30 pm to 8 pm, at Sebastopol Grange Hall, 6000 Sebastopol Ave. (Hwy 12). $10.
Everyone is invited to join Grangers and friends at their monthly general meeting! Come for social time starting at 5:30 pm, followed by a potluck dinner and music. The Grange will provide tamales. Please bring side dishes or desserts (lovingly labeled) and your own dishes and utensils. Guest speaker is Myriah Volk, executive director of the Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce, who will talk about the Farmer’s Market, businesses that are part of the local food economy, Chamber information and the upcoming Apple Blossom Festival.
Documentary: Sugarcane
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 1 pm and 7 pm, and Friday, Feb. 28, 12 pm, at Rialto Cinemas, 6868 McKinley St., Sebastopol. $15.25.
In 2021, evidence of unmarked graves was discovered on the grounds of an Indian residential school run by the Catholic Church in Canada. After years of silence, the forced separation, assimilation and abuse many children experienced at these segregated boarding schools was brought to light, sparking a national outcry against a system designed to destroy Indigenous communities. Set amidst a groundbreaking investigation, Sugarcane illuminates the beauty of a community breaking cycles of intergenerational trauma and finding the strength to persevere. Co-sponsored by the Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival. Get tickets.
Oak Restoration Work Day
Thursday, Feb. 27, 9 am to 12 pm, at Ragle Ranch Regional Park in the parking lot near the playground. Free.
Help the partk’s Natural Resources staff care for oak woodland habitat at Ragle Ranch Regional Park by spreading mulch and weeding native plant restoration areas. Regional Parks will provide all the necessary tools, supplies and gloves, along with snacks and drinks. Volunteers should wear sturdy yet comfortable shoes, long pants, and long sleeves. A hat and sunscreen are also recommended. Registration is required. Register here.
Academy of Innovative Arts Preview Night
Thursday, Feb. 27, from 5 pm to 6:30 pm, in the library at the El Molino campus, 7050 Covey Road, Forestville. Free.
Find out about the Academy of Innovative Arts, a new small public high school in Forestville, which will be a part of the West Sonoma County Union High School District. Come to the preview night on Thursday, Feb. 27, from 5 pm to 6:30 pm in the library at the El Molino campus and get all your questions answered. (See Dale’s article about the program here.)
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Thursday, Feb. 27, 7 pm to 9 pm, at Sebastopol Community Cultural Center, 390 Morris St., Sebastopol. $40 general admission, $70 VIP.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo returns to SCCC! Their delightful, high-energy show sold out in 2023 and 2024. According to Paul Simon, “It isn’t merely the grace and power of their dancing or the beauty of their singing that rivets the attention, but the sheer joy and love that emanates from their being.” Get tickets.
Mardi Gras Dance Party with Tom Rigney and Flambeau
Friday, Feb. 28, 6 pm to 10 pm, Sebastopol Community Cultural Center, 390 Morris St., Sebastopol. $23.18.
Peacetown invites you to a huge Mardi Gras Costume and Dance Party at the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center, featuring the perfect band for the event, the Cajun/Zydeco music of Tom Rigney and Flambeau. Wear your fun Mardi Gras outfit, enjoy delicious Cajun Gumbo and lots of two-stepping. Opening the show will be the Peacetown All-Stars. Laissez les bon temps roule! Get tickets.
Basketmaking: Fine Twining with Three-Square Workshop
Saturday, March 1, 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, at Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa. $126.99.
Enjoy this hands-on workshop where you’ll learn the art of crafting delicate, twined baskets using a charming, diminutive relative of tule. Not only is this natural material beautifully fragrant, but its strength and softness make it perfect for a variety of weaving techniques. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced, this workshop invites you to explore the soothing rhythms of weaving while creating a unique, functional piece of art. Come immerse yourself in the process, and leave with your very own handmade basket! Teacher: Charlie Kennard. Participants must bring a water bowl, a pair of scissors and lunch. Reserve your spot.
Queer Family Social
Saturday, March 1, 11 am to 2 pm, at Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 S. High St., Sebastopol. Free.
Bring a lunch and come meet other Sonoma County LGBTQIA+ families and allies for a fun day at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts! Arts and crafts, games, music, light refreshments. Free for all ages.
The Black Brothers Band
Saturday, March 1, 7 pm to 9 pm, Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental. $25-$30.
Shay and Michael Black are singing siblings from Ireland's foremost family of song, The Black Family. Hailed in the Irish Echo as “one of the most impressive groups of Irish singers to be found anywhere; exquisite, exhilarating and nothing short of thrilling,” they raise their sibling rivalry to revelry. The Blacks adroitly accompany themselves on banjo, cittern and guitar. The musical lineup also features button accordion virtuoso, Félim Egan and keyboardist, Eamonn Flynn. At their concerts, one can expect to hear Irish traditional ballads, Dublin street songs, music hall ditties, contemporary folk compositions, rollicking reels and joyful jigs, all interspersed with comic stories, jokes and humorous childhood anecdotes that invariably have audiences smiling broadly and joining in on the choruses. Get tickets.
Black Sheep Brass Band: Mardi Gras Masquerade
Saturday, March 1, 7:30 pm to 10 pm, Soft Medicine Sanctuary, 186 North Main St., Sebastopol. $23-$30.
Enjoy the non-alcoholic libations, artisan elixirs and quality, local cuisine of Soft Medicine Sanctuary while you get down to the brass-fed funky sounds of this live music dance party. The show will be upstairs in the Soft Medicine Loft—doors 7 pm, show 7:30 pm with DJ Bank$hot in support. Get tickets.
Dirty Cello at Hopmonk Sebastopol
Saturday, March 1, 8 pm to 10 pm, at Hopmonk Tavern, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. $25.
From Iceland to Italy, and all over the U.S., San Francisco-based band Dirty Cello brings the world a high energy and unique spin on blues, rock and Americana. Led by vivacious cross-over cellist, Rebecca Roudman, Dirty Cello is cello like you’ve never heard before. From down-home blues and rock with a wailing cello to virtuosic stompin’ Americana, Dirty Cello is a band that gets your heart thumping and your toes tapping. Get tickets.
Poetry Challenge: Abstraction through Form
Sunday, March 2, 1 pm to 3pm, at Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 South High St., Sebastopol. $20-$25.
And you think Wordle is a word challenge! In this class, experiment with a short-form of the sestina called the questina, devised by Sonoma County Poet Laureate Dave Seter. The questina is patterned after the sestina, but with four end-words instead of six. The four words must appear in each stanza, ordered in a specific pattern. Reserve your spot.
Art Reception at the Library
Sunday, March 2, 3 pm to 5 pm, at Sebastopol Regional Library, 7140 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol. Free.
Celebrate the works of Marilyn Sommer (paintings) and Amie Hill (collage) at a reception for their work at the Sebastopol Library.
2025 Slow Food Russian River Members and Friends Meeting
Sunday, March 2, 2 pm to 5 pm, Sebastopol Grange, 6000 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol. Free.
Whether you are an active Slow Food member, an Apple Press patron or simply someone who is Slow Food-curious, come to learn more about Slow Food and the challenges of agriculture in Sonoma County. Share wonderful food and meet other members of this welcoming community. While this event is free, please bring a favorite appetizer or dessert to share, plus drink of your choice. Registration required. Reserve your spot. Almost full.
A LOOK AHEAD: 7th Annual Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival, March 27-30. See what’s in store for you this year at this popular annual event. Get tickets.
See What’s Happening Sonoma County for more music listings.
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