What's happening this week in Sebastopol?
May 6-12: Dog training, fungi lecture, repair cafe, an opening reception for Art at the Source and some Mother's Day suggestions
Sebastopol City Council Meeting
Tuesday, May 7, 6 pm at the Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris St., Sebastopol. Free.
The city council will consider a resolution to approve a revision to the publicly available salary schedule for city employees; hear a report for California Intergovernmental Risk Authority (CIRA) and Redwood Empire Municipal Insurance Fund (REMIF) Board; and discuss city attorney proposals received in response to the RFP for city attorney services. See the agenda and supporting documentation here.
Dog training class: Motivation Through the Eyes of a Dog
Wednesdays, May 8 to June 12, 10:30 am to 11:30 am, at the Sebastopol Community Cultural Center, 390 Morris St., Sebastopol. $240.
Join this six-session class designed to meet your young pup’s social, physical, and mental needs, helping them reach their full potential as a balanced dog. Please note that all handlers must be at least 18 years old to participate. You can also drop-in for just $45 a class. Register now.
Ceramics Studio: Handbuilding Basics
Wednesdays, May 8 to 22, 1:30 pm-4 pm, at Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 S. High St., Sebastopol. Sliding scale starts at $55.
This three-session course is designed for new and returning students wishing to improve their clay handbuilding skills and enjoy being a part of the SebARTS clay studio community. Each session will start with a demonstration of a specific project related to functional pottery. Class time will also include unstructured time for students to explore special projects and consult with the instructor as needed. Week 1: Pinch pots, coils, and texture; Week 2: Slips, slabs, and slump molds; Week 3: Glazing success strategies. Register now.
Girl Scouts – new troop starting
Wednesday, May 8 and May 15, 4:30 to 5:30 pm, at Ives Park, 7400 Willow St., Sebastopol. Free.
This Starter Troop is targeted for families in the Sebastopol Area, but all are welcome. This free event is intended for youth (Pre-K to 5th Grade) who are not yet members of Girl Scouts but would like to get started on their journey. Staff and volunteers from Girl Scouts of Northern California will be available to answer any questions you may have about Girl Scouts and getting involved. In addition, kids will have an opportunity to try out some Girl Scout activities. Please register in advance so you can be alerted should there be a shift due to weather or illness, etc. This will also ensure that there’ll be enough materials on hand for all youth attending. Find out more.
A Resilient Planet Needs Fungi Now! A presentation by Britt Bunyard
Thursday, May 9, 6:30 pm at Sebastopol Grange, 6000 Sebastopol Ave. (Hwy. 12), Sebastopol
Fungi are weird, fungi are cool, and fungi are beautiful. But how much do we really know about them? For starters, they do much more than just rot things. They control pretty much all life on our planet and are everywhere. Britt Bunyard’s lecture will present fascinating stories and beautiful photos of amazing fungi featured in his new book, The Lives of Fungi: A Natural History of Our Planet’s Decomposers, published by Princeton University Press. Discover the crazy, wonderful life that goes on all around us, mostly hidden in plain sight. For general audiences, no knowledge of mycology is required. Find out more.
Fall Prevention Series: Foot Health and Falling
Friday, May 10, 2:15 pm to 3:15 pm at the Sebastopol Senior Center, 167 N. High St., Sebastopol. $5.
Join the Sebastopol Senior Center’s footcare specialist, Tamara Lipori RN BSN, RN, PHN, WOCN, for a presentation on common foot conditions in seniors and fall risks. Tamara is a Registered Nurse and Public Health Nurse with specialized training in lower limb preservation, foot and wound care and nephrology. Learn how foot health and teeth brushing tie together more often than you might think. Register here.
Sebastopol Free Organic Compost Giveaway
Saturday, May 11, 9 am to 12 pm (or until the pile is gone) at 425 Morris St. (behind the Community Center Youth Annex), Sebastopol. Free.
The City of Sebastopol has procured certified organic compost for Sebastopol residents. The compost is available to residents for free. Bring shovels, buckets or bags, tarps, gloves, or a pick-up truck. Get up to half-a-cubic yard per household. Compost is available while supplies last.
Healthy Hustle Circuit Training in Ragle Park
Saturday, May 11, 9 am to 10 am, at Ragle Ranch Regional Park (Lions Grove/Redwood Grove Group Picnic Area). $10-12.
Support your health and wellness goals with this outdoor, mixed-level, 12-station circuit led by a certified group fitness instructor. For more information, contact Mich Swannucci at ParkPrograms@sonoma-county.org. Registration required. Register here.
Sebastopol Repair Café
Saturday, May 11, 10 am to 2:30 pm, at Chimera Makerspace, 6791 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol. Free.
This event aims to repair and reuse items that would otherwise end up in the landfill, thus promoting a zero-waste lifestyle. You are invited to bring your broken or worn-out items for possible repair. Skilled volunteers will be available to assess and perform minor repairs if the items are reparable. Repair areas include bikes, ceramic, glass and wood gluing, clothing and textiles, jewelry, lamp and small electronics, metal repair and sharpening, walkers and canes, and musical instruments. Make a repair reservation by clicking on this link. Drop-ins might be able to be accommodated if spots open up during the event, but it’s better to reserve a spot.
Asanas Outside Yoga in Ragle Park
Saturday, May 11, 10:30 am to 11:30 am at Ragle Ranch Regional Park (Lions Grove/Redwood Grove Group Picnic Area). $10-$12.
Enjoy the stress-relieving benefits of being outdoors and the strength-building yet grounding benefits of yoga. Breathe in the fresh air as you move through asana sequences for strength building and gentle stretching, breathwork and meditation. This is a vinyasa/hatha style, mixed-level class. For more information, contact Mich Swannucci at ParkPrograms@sonoma-county.org. Registration required. Register here.
Art at the Source Opening Reception
Saturday, May 11, 2 pm to 4 pm, at Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 282 S. High St., Sebastopol. Free.
Art at the Source Open Studios begins at the beginning of June, but the opening reception for the Art at the Source exhibition at SebARTS is this week. The exhibition contains one piece from every artist participating in the open studios event in June. Come meet the artists and plan your itinerary for this annual open studios event.
Science Buzz Café: Solar Energy
Monday, May 13, 6 pm at HopMonk, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. $10 at the door.
This week’s guest, Ross Eppler, solar energy engineer and evangelist, will address the topic, “Solar is Dead—or Alive—What Does the Future Hold?”
Community Sing: An Evening with Aly Halpert
Sunday, May 12, 5 pm at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church (in the outdoor sacred space), 500 Robinson Road, Sebastopol. $10-$30 by donation. (No one turned away for lack of funds.)
Aly writes songs for building community, working for collective liberation, and envisioning different worlds. With skill as a composer, guitarist, pianist, drummer and vocalist, Aly has created music for young people growing up in queer families, Jewish prayer, movements for justice and everywhere in between. Her songs support those moving through grief, praying for change and connecting with the divine. She’ll be leading the group in a community sing.
MOTHER’S DAY IS SUNDAY, MAY 12
Consider this your reminder. Many of our local restaurants will be having Mother’s Day brunches. Make those reservations early!
Here are some other options:
Mother's Day Weekend Kickoff
Friday, May 10, from 4 to 8 pm at Region in The Barlow, 180 Morris St., Sebastopol. $25 per ticket.
Sparkling wine, music and food! Join Region Friday Night with Breathless Sparkling Wines as you meet the sisters of Breathless while enjoying a glass of their gorgeous sparkling wine paired with truffle fries and chocolate, along with live music from Brie Paige. Reserve your spot. Region also has a pretty awesome Mother’s Day gift package (three bottles of wines and chocolate for $90), which you can find here.
Mother's Day Hat Making Workshop
Saturday, May 11, 2 pm to 4 pm at DRNK Winery, 3637 Frei Road, Sebastopol. $100 per ticket.
Join DRNK for a fashionable Mother's Day workshop where you can spend time with Mom or a friend drinking wine and crafting. The Dreaded Barbie, a creative guru, will help you choose from various styles and materials and show you different techniques for stylizing your hat. Two glasses of wine and a tour of the wine cave are included. Get tickets.
Mother's Day Felting Workshop
Sunday, May 12, 11 am to 1 pm at J.G. Switzer in the Barlow, 6780 McKinley St., Suite 115, Sebastopol. $95.
Learn about nature’s miracle fiber: wool. Make your own fabric. Workshops include a tour of their little wool workshop and a half-hour of making your own 20” square of Ready Roll fabric. You have an option to turn your newly made fabric into a pillow, laptop case, and more for an additional charge (available only for workshop participants). Register now.
Moms and Kids Tasting Menu at Sonoma Wine Shop/La Bodega
Sunday, May 12, 1-4 pm at Sonoma Wine Shop/La Bodega, 2295 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol. $42 for mom, $19 for kids.
SonomaWine Shop/La Bodega, just south of town, is doing an afternoon mother and kids tasting menu. It starts with sparkling juice for the kids, paired with a slice of our organic artisan pizza. The moms will have a bellini or sparkling wine with a pear tartlet. Next comes fresh juice with our gourmet mac & local cheese for kids, while moms will taste more local wine with appetizers like our saffron arancini. They’ll finish with some sweet juice and dessert wine and our house-made dessert. (Gluten-free and plant-based options available.) Fathers are welcome to join in the tasting too.
Finally, at Pax Winery, in the Barlow, mothers can get a free glass of Trousseau Gris on Mother’s Day. (I will definitely be stopping in for that one.)
For a more complete musical schedule for Sebastopol, see happeningsonomacounty.com and choose Sebastopol from the dropdown.
SUBMIT YOUR EVENT to the official Sebastopol Community Calendar, one of the many sources I use to put this column together.