What's happening this week in Sebastopol?
Spring equinox celebrations, important city meetings, queer film, Jerry Garcia tribute, gardening exchange, plus music, art, poetry, woodworking and more
Girl Scouts Celebrate Pi Day!
Monday, March 16, 5 pm to 6 pm, at the Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris St., Sebastopol.
Families around Sebastopol are invited to join local Girl Scouts for Pi Day! Youth are invited to participate in a Pi/number‑themed STEM activity and sing a Girl Scout song or two. This event is free for families of all ages who are interested in learning more about local Girl Scouts and the opportunities available. Please RSVP to attend.
Sebastopol Planning Commission
Tuesday, March 17, 3 pm, at Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris Street, Sebastopol. Free.
The developer of Valentine Avenue Homes will give a presentation to this special joint Planning Commission and Design Review/Tree Board meeting, which is open to the public. It is intended to be an informal workshop where the planning commission can provide the applicant with preliminary feedback on the plan. See the developer’s initial development documentation package here.
Sebastopol City Council
Tuesday, March 17, 6 pm, at Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris Street, Sebastopol. Free.
The council will discuss an emergency change to its Animal Control Services provider; change the fiscal agent for the Sebastopol Downtown Association Business Improvement District (BID) and finalize the street repair list. It will also consider approving the Emergency Operations Plan; an emergency Sewer Main replacement for High Street; and an extension of Mary Gourley’s role as interim city manager. See the agenda and documentation here.
Tempest – St. Patrick’s Day Celebration
Tuesday, March 17, 7 pm, at HopMonk Tavern, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. $24.35.
Celebrating 37 years of Celtic Rock, Tempest delivers high-energy folk rock, fusing Irish reels, Scottish ballads, Norwegian influences and other world music elements. Get tickets.
Indivisible Sonoma County Film Series: Suffragette
Wednesday, March 18, 1 pm and 7 pm, at Rialto Cinemas, 6868 McKinley St., Sebastopol. $11.50.
In 1912 London, a young working mother is galvanized into radical political activism supporting the right for women to vote and is willing to meet violence with violence to achieve this end. Panel discussion to follow the 7 pm screening. Get tickets.
Peacetown presents The Flying Salvias
Wednesday, March 18, 6 pm to 8:30 pm, at HopMonk Tavern, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. Free.
The Petaluma-based Flying Slavias call their music “Ameri-kinda.” Thoughtful chaos is fostered, genre boundaries are ignored, humor is embraced, and talent abounds.
Culinary Herbalism Through the Lens of Spring
Wednesday, March 18, 6 pm to 8 pm, at Permaculture Artisans, 2185 Hwy. 116, Sebastopol. $15-$40.
Spring is a time of renewal, and in this class, you’ll learn about common springtime herbs and foods, the body systems and organs connected with spring, and easy ways to incorporate seasonal support into daily life. You’ll leave with a handful of practical recipes, and there will be a live demo of one or two so you can see how simple and approachable they are. Teacher: Brittnie Hall. Reserve your spot.
Calm the Alarm: How to Regulate Your Nervous System and Reduce Your Pain
Thursday, March 19, 4 pm to 6 pm, at Sonoma Wine Shop / La Bodega Kitchen, 2295 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol. Free.
Join Dr. Laura Polak, D.C., for an insightful and empowering evening at La Bodega, where we’ll explore the profound connection between your nervous system and your experience of pain. Understand how chronic stress rewires your nervous system, keeping it stuck in a state of alarm. Learn about your vagus nerve, the master key to calming your body’s alarm system. Discover simple, evidence-based techniques you can use today to activate your vagal brake, reduce stress, and begin to dial down your pain. Reserve your spot.
RISE Spring Equinox Dance Celebration
Friday, March 20, 6 pm to 11 pm, at Laguna Lab, 117 Morris St., Sebastopol. $20. Pay at door. No advance ticket sales.
An opening ceremony at 6 pm by Anistara Ma Ka kicks off this women-led electronic music gathering celebrating the Spring Equinox and the return of the light. As the sun crosses the threshold into spring, come together in sisterhood, movement and music to welcome the season of renewal. This special evening features a powerful lineup of female DJs who will guide you through a dance journey of deep, melodic, and uplifting electronic sound. Expect electronica, breaks, bass & progressive and deep house. Music by Jill McDonald (Deep House Yoga); Fluid Girl; White Light (Waking Hour); and Resurrectress.
Dracula: A Phantom Payers Production
Fridays thru Sundays, March 20-22 and March 27-29, 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm, at Main Street Theater, 104 N. Main Street, Sebastopol. $16.75.
Based off the 1897 Gothic horror novel by Bram Stoker, this play traces Count Dracula’s attempts to move from Transylvania to England, while Dr. Van Helsing and his group try to stop him. This is Phantom Players’ third show since establishing the company in 2024. You’ll love how the cast brings to life this beautiful, detailed story full of darkness and love. There are also matinees from 2 pm to 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Get tickets.
The Coffis Brothers band
Friday, March 20, 8 pm, at HopMonk Tavern, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. $22.28.
With two songwriters, six albums, and more than a thousand shows under their belt, The Coffis Brothers have earned their reputation as modern-day torchbearers of all-American rock & roll. Their sound is caught halfway between amplified Americana, acoustic folk, roadhouse R&B, and electrifying roots music, crafted by a pair of California-born siblings who’ve been sharing the stage since childhood. Their five piece band filled out by Kyle Poppen (guitar), Aidan Collins (bass), and Cory Graves (drums). Get tickets.
Sebastopol Walks: What Makes a Place Walkable?
Saturday, March 21, from 9 am to 12 pm. Meet at the gazebo in Sebastopol’s Town Square on Weeks Way. Free.
At less than two square miles, Sebastopol should be a very walkable community, but not all of our walking infrastructure is consistent. Join this walk around town where Architect and planning commission member Paul Fritz will explore what makes a good walking street and why we often unconsciously avoid walking down certain ones. We’ll consider why the walking environment matters, especially if we want to encourage people to leave their cars at home. Walking is good for our health and the environment, and walkable places are good for local businesses. You’ll learn about walk audits and how to advocate for better walkability. Learn more.
Coiled Rush Basket Workshop
Saturday, March 21, 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, at the Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation, 900 Sanford Road, Santa Rosa. $127.
Come to this hands-on workshop with Charlie Kennard and learn the art of crafting coiled rush baskets. This is a relaxed, beginner-friendly workshop with plenty of guidance, time to practice, and space to enjoy working with natural materials together. Participants should bring a water bowl (a 9” round cake pan is ideal), a pair of scissors, a pocket or craft knife, and lunch. Get tickets.
Woodshop: Woodworking 101
Saturday, March 21, 10 am to 1 pm, at Chimera Arts and Maker Space 6791 Sebastopol Avenue, Sebastopol. $134.24.
This class is a great introduction to the tools and techniques you’ll need to make awesome projects out of wood. In this class, you’ll learn to use the most common woodworking power tools, how to choose the right wood for your project, assembly techniques and finishes. At the end of class, you’ll walk away with a nice birdhouse to hang in the yard. In addition to the cost of the workshop, there is a materials fee of $10. This can be paid in cash or Venmo at the beginning of the class. Reserve your spot.
Community Gardeners Exchange
Saturday, March 21, 10 am to 4 pm, at Botanica Nursery and Gardens Sebastopol 3970 Azalea Avenue, Sebastopol. Free.
Botanica, formerly Sonoma Horticultural Nursery, is hosting a Community Gardeners Exchange — a day to bring and swap gardening supplies to start of the spring season. This event was inspired by a desire to repurpose materials that Botanica has in abundance and provide an opportunity for other community members to do the same. Examples of items to exchange are gloves, seeds, cuttings, recent harvests, plants, rakes, etc. Learn more.
Atascadero / Green Valley Watershed Gathering + presentation on Native Bees
Saturday, March 21, 10 am to 12 pm, at Burbank Heights and Orchards Social Hall, 7777 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol.
The spring quarterly gathering for the Atascadero / Green Valley Watershed Council will host a presentation on Native Bees by Carol Ellis & Kelli Cox of the Sonoma County Beekeepers Association. Learn about the native bees of Sonoma County, how they live in our environment, and how we can help them thrive. Q&A and group discussion. This event is a potluck so please bring some food to share.
Documenting Current Events through Poetry: A Workshop
Saturday, March 21, 2 pm to 3:30 pm, at Sebastopol Regional Library, 7140 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol.
Learn about writing impactful documentary poems. Examples will be shared that combine personal observations and information collected from news outlets and other sources. Beginners welcome. This workshop will be led by Sonoma County Poet Laureate Dave Seter and Sonoma County Librarian Terra Emerson. Registration not required. Learn more.
Transforming Our Food System
Saturday, March 21, 2 pm to 4 pm, at Green Valley Farm + Mill, 13024 Green Valley Road, Sebastopol. $15-$50.
Welcome spring by joining the folks at Green Valley Farm for an in-person event celebrating Nancy Matsumoto’s latest book, Reaping What She Sows, about women transforming the food system. Matsumoto will be in conversation with James Beard Award-winning farmer Mai Nguyen and diversified farmer-rancher Aubrie Maze regarding how they are changing our broken industrial food system into a regenerative, local, and ethical one. Reserve your spot.
Mouths Of Babes + Misner & Smith
Saturday, March 21, 8 pm, at HopMonk Tavern, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. $27.09
Mouths of Babes is an award-winning folk-Americana duo known for emotionally nuanced songwriting, tight vocal harmonies, and a rare, intimate connection with their audience. Their band motto, “All the feelings, all the time” is no joke; at shows, fans snort with laughter, cry into their date’s shoulder, and make confessions at the merch table. The ever-popular Misner & Smith will open for them. Get tickets.
MaMuse: A Celebration of the Spring Equinox
Saturday, March 21, 8 pm, at the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center, 390 Morris St., Sebastopol. $15-$65.
Welcome the return of the light with MaMuse. Born from a moment of creative alchemy in Northern California, MaMuse’s music is rooted in the elements—soil and rivers, ash and fire—and carried by songs that invite connection, reflection, and renewal. Enjoy a soulful evening of song and community as we gather to mark the Spring Equinox. Get tickets.
Lesbian & Queer Visibility: Three Short Films
Sunday, March 22, 1 pm to 2:30 pm, at Rialto Cinemas, 6868 McKinley St., Sebastopol. $19.50.
This inspiring and fun afternoon features three short documentaries that honor lesbian and queer culture, history and visibility. Films include “Lesbians in Boystown,” “Chained!” and “Why We March.” This event is the kick-off for the first-ever Sonoma County Dyke March & Lez-a-Palooza Street Fair, coming to Santa Rosa on June 21. Q&A and discussion with Sonoma County Dyke March organizers to follow films. Get tickets.
Free Self-Massage Class
Sunday, March 22, 3 pm to 4:30 pm, at Sonoma Wine Shop / La Bodega Kitchen, 2295 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol. Free.
If your neck or shoulders have been tight, this event is for you. Join acclaimed Thai massage teacher Shai Plonski for a free community class where he’ll teach simple self-massage techniques that can help relieve neck and shoulder tension, jaw/TMJ tightness, stress headaches and sore arms and hands. We’ll begin with appetizers, graciously provided by La Bodega Kitchen, then move into a practical self-massage session using a massage stick that protects your hands while delivering deep relief. RSVP to shaithai@gmail.com.
Remembering Jerry: A Tribute Concert
Sunday, March 22, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm, at Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 S. High St., Sebastopol, $25.
On March 22 in 1978, the Sebastopol Veterans Hall hosted a Grateful Dead performance that became part of our region’s musical story. This year, come and gather to honor that legacy and celebrate the improvisational spirit that continues to shape Sonoma County’s jam band community. “Remembering Jerry” brings together a group of well-respected local musicians for an early-evening tribute to the era that helped define our local scene. Featuring: ; Pete Sawyer of the Left Hand Monkeywrench Gang; Scott Guberman of Phil Lesh and Friends; Stephanie Salva of Stu Allen’s Mars Hotel; Matt Petruska and Sam Betty of Flowstone; Rhyne Erde of Electric Tumbleweed. Expect thoughtful musicianship, inspired improvisation, and songs that helped shape a generation of live music. 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.