What's happening this week in Sebastopol?
Get outside this week with Sebastopol Walks, Hallberg Open Gardens day, birding and pups in Ragle Park. Also, Peacetown, Science Buzz, book talks, film Q&As, music and more...
Science Buzz Café: California Earthquakes — Seismo-Tectonics of the Pacific Coast Cascade Subduction Zone
Monday, June 22, at 6 pm, at HopMonk Tavern (the Abbey), 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. $10,
California is earthquake country, Straddling the western boundary of the North American plate, the state has experienced about twice as many damaging earthquakes as all the other lower 48 states combined. Geologist Richard Ely discusses California’s earthquake history, how studying these quakes helped develop the theory of plate tectonics, and whether the region is due for a magnitude 9 event.
Film: Holding Liat
Monday, June 22, at 1 pm and 6:30 pm, at Rialto Cinemas Sebastopol, 6868 McKinley St., Sebastopol. $16.
On the morning of October 7, 2023, Israeli-American Liat Atzili and her husband, Aviv, were at home when Hamas attacked their kibbutz. By nightfall, Liat and Aviv are captives in Gaza along with 250 other people—12 of whom, like Liat, are American citizens. Caught between international diplomacy and a rapidly escalating war, their family must face their own uncertainty and conflicting political perspectives in the pursuit of Liat and Aviv’s release. Q&A with producer Lance Kramer (moderated by Doron Hovav) follows the 6:30 pm screening. Get tickets.
Sebastopol Grange Produce Exchange
Tuesday, June 23, from 5 pm to 5:45 pm, at Sebastopol Grange Hall, 6000 Sebastopol Ave. (Hwy 12), Sebastopol. Free.
Bring extra homegrown produce to trade for what others have grown; leftovers are donated. Master Food Preservers will be on hand to answer food-preservation questions. Held on the second and fourth Tuesdays.
Summer Irrigation Solutions Workshop
Tuesday, June 23, from 4 to 6 pm, at Gather Sebastopol, 122 N. Main St., Sebastopol. $90.
A hands-on workshop on designing and installing a simple drip irrigation system — covering tubing, emitters, filters, and regulators for water-wise summer watering. Leave with a clear plan and supply list to install a system at home. Good for beginning and experienced gardeners. Get tickets.
Planning Commission Meeting
Tuesday, June 23, at 6 pm, at Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris St., Sebastopol. Free.
The agenda includes three public hearings: a continued request for a non-hosted vacation rental use permit at 775 Litchfield Ave; a three-year extension of a tentative map and use permit for a project at 7621 Healdsburg Ave.; and an amendment requested by the Sebastopol Farmers’ Market for its use permit for live amplified music exceeding current noise-ordinance levels on Sundays from 9 am–1:30 pm, plus use of the city’s power source at the stage area. Public comment is allowed on each item. View the full agenda.
Winging It Wednesday
Wednesday, June 24, from 8:30 am to 10:30 am, at Ragle Ranch Regional Park (at the Gazebo), 500 Ragle Road, Sebastopol. Free.
Enjoy guided bird-watching walks suitable for all experience levels. Although these leisurely walks don’t cover much distance, you’ll see and learn something new each time. Bring your binoculars or borrow a pair from us. Registration is recommended but not required. Parking fees apply but are waived with a Regional Parks membership pass. Register here.
Peacetown: Volker Strifler Band + Soul Section
Wednesday, June 24, starting at 5 pm, at Ives Park, Sebastopol. Free.
Jim Corbett, Mr. Music, sends along this description of this week’s Peacetown: “Peacetown will feature two top-notch acts this Wednesday at Ives Park. Opening the show at 5 pm will be the Volker Strifler Band. Volker Strifler is a German-born blues guitarist and songwriter who has built a solid following in the North Bay. Soul Section will follow at 6:30 pm, led by the irrepressible Kevin Mulligan on vocals, a horn section of three females and a rhythm section that burns up the groove for your dancing pleasure. Artists of the week: Carol Mills & Gail Mardfin. If you’re looking for Peace, Love, Joy and Unconditional Fun, you will find it in Peacetown at Ives Park every Wednesday. See you there!”
Peacetown at Hopmonk: Dream Farmers
Wednesday, June 24, show at 6 pm, at HopMonk Sebastopol, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. Free.
Part of the Peacetown summer concert series, this free show features The Dream Farmers, a Sebastopol-based band whose sound draws on blues, soul, R&B, jazz, funk, British Invasion rock, and music from around the world.
Author Talk: Roy Remer, Zen Caregiving
Wednesday, June 24, at 7 pm, at Copperfield’s Books, 138 N. Main St., Sebastopol. Free.
End-of-life caregiver and educator Roy Remer discusses his new book, Zen Caregiving: How to Care for Yourself While Caring for Others, a guidebook on caregiving, blending practical and contemplative approaches. Learn more.
Game Night at Sonoma Chocolatiers
Thursday, June 25, from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm, at Sonoma Chocolatiers, 6988 McKinley Ave., Sebastopol. Free.
Disconnect from technology and reconnect with the simple pleasure of spending time together. Bring your friends, indulge in a sweet treat, sip organic iced or hot tea, and enjoy an evening of board games. Held on the last Thursday of each month, this is a chance to gather around the table for conversation, laughter, and a little friendly competition. Bring your favorite game or play one of theirs.
Pups in Parks: Hiking with Hounds
Thursday, June 25, from 5:30 pm to 7 pm, at Ragle Ranch Regional Park (Gazebo Group Picnic Area), 500 Ragle Road, Sebastopol. Free.
Learn how to train the best four-legged hiking partner you could ever have on this interactive 2- to 3-mile hike. Bring your hiking shoes, lots of treats, and your dog — training techniques and trail etiquette covered along the way. All ages of dogs are welcome (up to two dogs per person). Registration required. Register here.
Sakoyana | Raphaella Hero | Vanessa May | Curtis James
Thursday, June 25, 7:30 pm, at HopMonk Sebastopol (the Abbey), 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. $22.28.
Enjoy a night of genre-spanning live music: Sakoyana, a Sonoma County jazz-funk band blending improvisation with influences from blues, hip hop, Indian classical music, and more; Raphaella Hero and the Last of the Romantics, led by a Berklee-trained composer and multi-instrumentalist known for emotionally clear songs about love, loss, and self-discovery; Vanessa May of the band Rainbow Girls; and Curtis James of Muunjuun, whose music ranges from psychedelic jazz-pop to funky progrock. Get tickets here.
Temple of Expression: Talent Show
Friday, June 26, from 5 pm to 9 pm, at Miss Daisy’s Magical Wonderland, 790 Hurlbut Ave., Sebastopol. $20 (adults); free for children 12 and under.
A family-friendly community talent showcase, where people of all ages share dance, music, spoken word, singing, theater, and more. June’s theme is “Move, Sound, Speak.” Solo or collaborative acts are welcome, including parent/child performances. Miss Daisy’s Cafe opens at 5 pm for a homecooked meal at additional cost. Performers pay an extra $10 fee (free for kids 12 and under); space is limited, and submissions go through Grove Circle Healing’s website. Note: parking is limited at the residence, but overflow parking is at the nearby Lucky’s lot, about a 5-minute walk. Apply to perform or learn more here. Get tickets here.
Author Talk: Dr. Michael Valdovinos, Moral Injuries: When Good Conscience Suffers in a World of Hurt
Friday, June 26, at 7 pm, at Copperfield’s Books, 138 N. Main St., Sebastopol. Free.
Sonoma County native and board-certified clinical psychologist Dr. Michael Valdovinos discusses his new book, Moral Injuries: When Good Conscience Suffers in a World of Hurt. Moral injury arises in high-stakes moments when we are compelled—or sometimes choose—to participate in, witness, or remain silent as our deepest principles are violated. This ailment fractures our sense of self, erodes our trust in others, and leaves us questioning not only what has happened to us but also who we’ve become. Dr. Michael Valdovinos, a psychologist, veteran, and trauma expert who has spent over a decade exploring this acute form of ethical and emotional pain, investigates how moral injury manifests, why it matters now more than ever, and what it reveals about our social contract. Learn more.
Sebastopol Walks: A Local Harvest Walk
Saturday, June 27, from 9 am to 12 pm. Meet at the downtown plaza, 140 Weeks Way, Sebastopol. Free.
The next Sebastopol Walk is “A Local Harvest Walk,” led by ecologist Joan Schwan and librarian Geoffrey Skinner. Sebastopol has a long history of agriculture and gardening — from commercial food production to backyard vegetable plots. On this walk, we’ll observe edible landscaping, learn about the area’s agricultural history from pre-European times through the recent past, and tour the Ceres Community Project’s Sebastopol Garden. We’ll hear firsthand from Sara McCamant, Ceres’ Garden and Youth Program Manager, about how the garden supports Ceres’ work — supplying healthy, organic food to people who are too sick to shop or cook for themselves, and teaching teen and adult volunteers about Ceres’ soil-to-community model, which values how food is grown and how soil is cared for as part of creating a healing meal. Register here.
The Art of Broom Making
Saturday, June 27, 10 am to 1 pm, at Gather Sebastopol, 122 N. Main St., Sebastopol. $150.
Join us for a hands-on workshop where tradition meets artistry. Alissa Kaplan, maker and founder of Zizland Atelier, will guide you through the craft of broom making as you create your own Wrapped Turkey Wing Whisk—a beautiful and functional hand broom with deep roots in American folk tradition. Reserve your spot.
Art Vinyl
Saturday, June 27, from 6 pm to 9 pm, at Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 S. High St., Sebastopol. $75 to $350.
Art Vinyl is a one-night-only exhibition and art sale where music and visual art collide. Original works—each created on a vinyl record—transform the familiar into the unexpected, with pieces by both established and emerging artists. Spend the evening immersed in sound and atmosphere as Bay Area legend DJ Page Hodel keeps the dance floor alive, while you sip signature cocktails from Sonoma County’s own Griffo Distillery, and enjoy curated bites. Get tickets.
Main St. + Little Door
Saturday, June 27, 8 pm, at HopMonk Sebastopol (the Abbey), 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. $22.28 (general admission, all ages).
Homegrown music from Main St., Sebastopol’s own premier classic rock tribute band, headlining a night of live music, and Little Door, an acoustic psych-folk and cosmic-groove performer whose unhurried sets explore themes of awakening, motherhood, love, and the quieter corners of the psyche. Get tickets.
Hallberg Butterfly Gardens’ 27th Annual Open Gardens Day
Sunday, June 28, 10 am to 4 pm, Hallberg Butterfly Gardens, 8687 Oak Grove Ave, Graton. Free.
Come to Hallberg Butterfly Gardens this Sunday for a special day exploring the gardens, learning about pollinators, and celebrating community-based habitat stewardship. This annual fundraiser features self-guided garden tours, butterfly and pollinator education stations, California native plant sale, educational displays and guest organizations, kid’s activities, beautiful summer blooms and more. Hallberg Butterfly Gardens is a small nonprofit native plant and wildlife sanctuary in Sebastopol focused on habitat restoration, environmental education, and supporting pollinators through land stewardship and native plants.
Flower Dyeing on Silk: A Hands-On Botanical Dyeing Workshop
Sunday, June 28, from 10 am to 11:30 am, at West County Community Farm, Sebastopol. $40.
Spend a slow, creative morning beneath the oak trees of West County Community Farm, surrounded by flowers and the beauty of the growing season. Participants wander the flower fields learning which blooms make the most vibrant natural dyes, then gather flowers to arrange on a 21” x 21” silk scarf. After bundling and steaming the scarves for 10–15 minutes, each person unveils their own one-of-a-kind wearable artwork. The workshop also covers the basics of mordanting — the traditional process that helps natural colors bond to fabric and last over time. No experience necessary; great for all ages. Limited to 16 participants. Full address with registration. Register here.
Blacksmithing at the Grange
Sunday, June 28, from 10 am to 6 pm, at Sebastopol Grange Hall, 6000 Sebastopol Ave. (Hwy 12), Sebastopol. Free to attend.
The Sonoma County Blacksmith Guild’s soft launch — live forging demonstrations all day with a chance to try hands-on forging, plus a craft fair, raffle, silent auction, food, and music.
Pillars of Persistence: Community Voices in Fabric
Sunday, June 28, from 11 am to 2 pm, at Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 South High Street, Sebastopol. Free;, donations encouraged.
Join renowned fiber artist Deb Cashatt for this free, hands-on community workshop where art becomes a collective act of expression. Participants are invited to contribute their voice, story, and creativity to a collaborative textile artwork that will be featured in the Resist and Persist exhibition. Through fabric, texture, and shared making, this project celebrates the strength of community, the power of persistence, and the importance of being seen and heard. No experience needed — just bring your voice and your willingness to create together. RSVP required. RSVP here.
Film: Ask E. Jean
Sunday, June 28, at 3 pm, at Rialto Cinemas Sebastopol, 6868 McKinley Street, Sebastopol.
A documentary telling the story of E. Jean Carroll’s life, from her early days as Miss Cheerleader USA to her rise as a trailblazing journalist, author, and beloved advice columnist. Carroll broke barriers as the first female editor at Esquire, Playboy, and Outside, helping redefine women’s roles in media with her sharp wit and fearless voice. In recent years, she reignited public discourse by standing up to power — becoming the only woman to beat Donald Trump twice in court — and sparked a national conversation about truth, accountability, and resilience. The film portrays an indomitable woman who proved it’s never too late to reclaim your voice, rewrite your story, and change the world. Q&A with director Ivy Meeropol to follow the film. Get tickets.
PEEK INTO NEXT WEEK
3rd of July Fireworks and Music Extravaganza, 390 Morris St. Morris Street will be closed off again this year for a July 3rd street party with music, food trucks, a beer and wine garden, fireworks, and fun. Bands include School of Rock and Contigo and more. Gates open at 4 pm, fireworks at 9:30 pm. Tickets, $17 to $60. https://www.sebastopolkiwanisclub.org/
