What's happening this week in Sebastopol?
Poetic medicine, circle singing, Jewish and Outwatch film festivals, plus the 70th Annual Chicken Teriyaki & Bazaar at Enmanji Buddhist Temple
There are still a few openings in amazing summer camps for kids at Sebastopol Center for the Arts and the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center.
Savvy Saving Seniors Workshop
Monday, July 7, 4 pm to 5 pm, at Sebastopol Area Senior Center, 167 N. High St., Sebastopol. $10 members, $20 non-members.
Join us for a free, four-week workshop designed to help older adults build confidence and security in managing their finances. Each session focuses on practical, easy-to-understand topics: Week 1: Budgeting Basics & Financial Goal Setting. Week 2: Banking Tools & Accessing Benefits. Week 3: Spotting Scams & Fraud Awareness. Week 4: Protecting Yourself from Financial Exploitation. Learn valuable skills, stay informed, and feel empowered to take control of your financial future. All are welcome. Attend all four classes and receive a $20 gift card to Safeway. Registration required. Space is limited. Call us: 707-829-2440.
Poetic Medicine: July Session
Tuesday, July 8, 4 pm to 5:30 pm, at Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 S. High St., Sebastopol. $10-$20.
The practice of poem-making offers a means to express the metaphors and meaning of the joys and suffering we experience in ourselves and bear witness to in others. Poetry can be a salve for the heart and soul. It is a way of speaking what is true in our hearts and is often difficult to access without a creative spark. You do not have to be a "poet" or even a "writer" to allow words and feelings to pour through your pen. Sliding scale: $10/$15/$20 (limited tickets at each scale). Reserve your spot.
Home Gardener Produce Exchange/Donation
Tuesday, July 8, 5 pm to 5:45 pm, at the Sebastopol Grange, 6000 Sebastopol Road (Hwy. 12), Sebastopol. Free.
Trade surplus items from your garden for something you don’t have. In addition to produce, plant starts will also be shared and traded. Master Food Preservers will be on hand to answer questions. Leftover produce will be donated to the food pantry.
Sebastopol Planning Commission
Tuesday, July 8, 6 pm, at Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris St., Sebastopol. Free.
The main topic of the evening will be the Downtown Sustainable Transportation Grant.
Jewish Film Festival: UnBroken
Tuesday, July 8, 1 pm and 7 pm, Rialto Cinemas, 6868 McKinley St., Sebastopol. $15.25.
UnBroken chronicles the seven Weber siblings, who evaded certain capture and death, and ultimately escaped Nazi Germany following their mother’s incarceration and murder at Auschwitz. After being hidden in a laundry hut by a benevolent farmer, the children spent two years on their own in war-torn Germany. Q & A with director Beth Lane will follow the 7 pm show. Get tickets.
Peacetown Summer Concert Series
Wednesday, July 9, 5 pm to 8 pm, at Ives Park, Sebastopol. Free
Come party in the park with Peacetown. David Luning/Ellie James Band perform at Peacetown this week. Beer, wine, food trucks, and fun.
Summer Concert Series at The Barlow
Wednesday, July 9, 4 pm to 8 pm, at The Barlow, 6770 McKinley St., Sebastopol. Free.
Join the Barlow each Wednesday for live music, a street market, food, beer, wine, and fun. The concert on July 2 features Petty Theft.
Silent Vigil for Peace in the Middle East
Wednesday, July 9, at 6 pm to 6:30 pm at the Living Peace Wall between the Rialto and the plaza. Free.
Gather in silence every Wednesday evening for a brief peace vigil. Stand together in the memory of all those who have died in the conflict, and all those who are suffering with hunger and fear, in the hope of a true and lasting ceasefire. No flags, no signs, no speeches.
Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body
Thursday, July 10, 2:30 pm to 4 pm, at Sebastopol Area Senior Center, 167 N. High St., Sebastopol. $5.
For centuries, we’ve known that the health of the brain and the body are connected. But now, science is able to provide insights into how lifestyle choices may help you keep your brain and body healthy as you age. Registration required. Call the Senior Center: 707-829-2440.
Fiber Artist Panel
Thursday, July 10, 5 pm to 6 pm, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 S. High St., Sebastopol. Sliding scale: $10/$15/$20.
Come to this engaging panel discussion featuring local fiber artists—Mirka Knaster, Ileana Soto, and George-Ann Bowers—held in conjunction with our International Fiber Arts Exhibition. This conversation will explore the evolving role of fiber in modern art, cultural storytelling, sustainability, and innovative techniques. Q&A to follow. Reserve your spot.
Outwatch Film Festival: Four Mothers
Thursday, July 10, 1 pm and 7 pm, at Rialto Cinemas, 6868 McKinley St., Sebastopol. $15.25.
Edward (James McArdle), a talented novelist on the cusp of literary success, is juggling his work with the responsibility of caring for his elderly mother, Alma. As the excitement of a U.S. book tour builds, he is suddenly faced with an unexpected twist as his three friends decide to take an impromptu Pride getaway to Spain, leaving their mothers in his care. This is part of the OutWatch Film Festival. Get tickets.
Bachan’s Day 2025
Friday, July 11, 4 pm to 8 pm, at Crooked Goat, 120 Morris St., Sebastopol. Free.
Bachan’s Day is an annual celebration of the beginning of Bachan’s Sauce, a locally born business offering sauces with bold, fresh umami flavor. Never tried it? This is your chance!
Live Music Fridays at Pax Wines
Friday, July 11, 5 pm to 7 pm, at Pax Wines, 6780 McKinley St., Sebastopol. Free.
Spend a casual Friday evening enjoying live music and local wines at a small, family-owned and operated winery in The Barlow in downtown Sebastopol. Tonight’s act will be the duo, Half-Mile High, which plays soulful, melodic rock with vivid lyrics and rich, atmospheric instrumentation. They’ll be playing acoustic renditions of songs from their upcoming self-titled debut LP, as well as some classics from their days in former bands Mercuryville, Juan Boulder, and Animal Farm.
Atascadero/Green Valley Watershed Council Quarterly Gathering
Saturday, July 12, 10:30 am to 12 pm, at Lions Grove Picnic Area in Ragle Ranch Regional Park, 500 Ragle Road, Sebastopol.
California Assemblyman Damon Connolly will be at the quarterly gathering of the Atascadero/Green Valley Watershed Council to speak about the Beaver Habitat Restoration Program, created by legislation that he introduced to our state legislature.
CircleSing Sebastopol
Saturday, July 12, 10:30 am to 2 pm, at Ives Park, 7400 Willow St., Sebastopol. $20-$50.
Join CircleSing under the trees at Ives Park for a day of song-making. Master facilitator David Worm returns to Sebastopol for a two-part offering to deepen the art of making improvised music with the support of the community. There will be lots of singing together, interspersed with individualized “workshopping” with David, as the moment calls. 10:30 to noon is a skill-building workshop. 12:30 to 2 pm is an afternoon circle. $20-$30 for either morning or afternoon or $40-$50 for both sessions. Learn more.
Artisan Pizza & Pinot Party
Saturday, July 12, 11:30 am to 3:30 pm, at Emeritus Vineyards, 2500 Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol. $30-$60.
The fireworks will be over, but we’re keeping the celebration going on Saturday with a Pinot and pizza pairing! Happy Cat Pizza will be crafting artisan pizzas in their oven to pair with our Pinots. Come hungry and enjoy the holiday weekend while overlooking the vines of Hallberg Ranch. $60 general, $30 for club members. Get tickets.
70th Annual Chicken Teriyaki & Bazaar
Sunday, 13 July, 11 am to 4 pm, Enmanji Buddhist Temple, 1200 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol. $20.
Come to the 70th Annual Chicken Teriyaki & Bazaar, a long-standing community celebration filled with food, tradition, and cultural activities. The event features the popular Teriyaki Chicken Dinner Plate for $20, which includes a generous half chicken, potato salad, rice, and your choice of tea or coffee. Additional attractions include Ikebana floral arrangements for sale, Imagawayaki (Japanese sweets), handcrafted items, bake sale raffle prizes, beer booth. For more information, call 707-823-2252 or enmanjitemple.com.
See What’s Happening Sonoma County for more Sebastopol music listings.
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