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Health & Fitness

Ronnie's Awesome List – September 2013

Treasure Hunts for Families 

For a great way to have fun with your kids, get them outside and physically active try GeocachingLetterboxing, and Questing. These outings are great for all ages that you can do anytime and anywhere. When you complete it you may get a prize or learn something, and, best of all, your kids will not know they are exercising their bodies and  brains!

The Groundspeak Geocaching Logo is a registered trademark of Groundspeak, Inc. Used with permission.

Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunt with caches hidden all over the world. Once you create a free account on the website geocaching.com or groundspeak.com you can enter your location (city, zip code, latitude and longitude) and you will get a list of all the caches in the area to choose from. Each clue gives coordinates you can enter into a GPS (global positioning satellite) receiver or Google the coordinates and let it lead you to the vicinity of the cache. Once there, you need to unscramble the clues to pin point where the cache is. There are several different types of caches but many are in containers that may be camouflaged to blend into their surroundings. Inside will be a logbook to sign and it might also contain various inexpensive trinkets for trade, or lead you to an historic or natural landmark. Items to bring include a pen, GPS (optional), tchotchkes to trade, and anything you would bring on a hike. 

Find out what's happening in Mill Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Letterboxing combines elements of orienteering, art, and puzzle solving. Letterboxers hide boxes in publicly accessible places (like parks) and distribute clues to finding the box. Individual letterboxes usually contain a notebook and a rubber stamp. Finders make an imprint of the letterbox's stamp, either on their personal notebook or on a postcard, and leave an impression of their personal stamp on the letterbox's "visitors' book" as proof of having found the box and letting other letterboxers know who has visited. To get started, check on the letterboxes in your area at www.letterboxing.org or www.atlasquest.com. You will need a rubber stamp, pen, small sketchbook, ink pad, a compass, and the clues. 

Questing is a game-like adventure played across a community or geographic place. Clues have a starting point that lead to various sealed boxes in a specific order to be found until you reach the final prize. Participants work as a team to gather these hidden clues as they meaningfully connect with both familiar and unfamiliar places engaging in activities that hone their senses and invite deeper looking and thinking. 

Find out what's happening in Mill Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Here are other FREE local, kid friendly treasure hunts to get you started.

  • Muir Woods Quest is perfect for any child learning to count to 20 and ABC's while discovering the magic of this beautiful redwood forest. My 9 year old loved doing it with her 5 year old friend. Make a left at the first bridge to start. If you forget your copy, ask for the “Redwood Discovery” guide.
  • Crissy Field Mystery Trail Challenge, is a history mystery unlocking the military, natural and cultural history of Crissy Field. Pick up a free copy of the “Mystery Trail Challenge” at the Warming Hut.
  • El Polin Discovery, created by URBIA Adventure League. Look for their shorter quest-like adventures in Bay Nature Magazine. Quests booklets are also available for purchase on their website.
  • The Presidio in San Francisco offers a wide variety of self-guided programs, quest adventures, geocaches and more.
  • Golden Gate Bridge and Pier 39, the folks at Mastermind Hunts have created some great hunts where you solve a series of fun and slightly more challenging clues as you find your way to often overlooked spots. This is aimed more for kids in elementary school and up. Other hunt are available for purchase on their website.
  • Nature Treasure Hunt is a great way to help your kids connect to nature and you do not have to travel far.

These real life adventures are a great way to inspire future stewards of the world to new places, new activities and/or discover the history of your area all while building fun memories your child will never forget. Get out and create your own adventures; the fun awaits just outside your door. 

Happy Hunting!

Special Note:

  • Bay Area Discovery Museum is closed September 9–23.
  • The Children’s Creativity Museum is closed September 2-13, 2013.

Sunday, September 1

Sausalito Art Festival, Bay Model Visitors Center, 2100 Bridgeway, and Marinship Park. 

Point Reyes National Seashore Sand Sculpture Contest, 9am-3:30pm, Drakes Beach, all ages welcome at this free event. 

Green Gulch Farm Sunday Children’s Program, 10am, After a short talk, the children leave the zendo to participate in their own special programs. Activities include crafts, seasonal projects on the farm and garden, yoga, and ritual. Please check in before the program at the table near the southwest side entrance of the zendo. 

Youth America's Cup Race Day, America's Cup, Race 1 & 2. 

Tomales Founders Day, 11am, fair in the community park and the quirky parade at noon. 

Exploring the Towering Redwoods, 10:30-11:30am, RSVP required 388-2596. 

Hawk Talk & Banding Demo, 12-2pm, get an up-close view of the fall raptor migration, Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands. 

Battery Townsley Underground Tours, 12-4pm,  a moderately strenuous hike up the Coastal Trail, approximately one-half-mile north of the Rodeo Beach parking lot. 

Tiburon Belvedere Labor Day Parade, 1pm, old-fashioned parade starts, Tiburon Blvd & Lagoon Rd., along Tib. Blvd. to Main Street and Ark Row to Beach, Bring the family and enjoy the fun! 

King Stag, 2pm, Carlo Gozzi’s fairytale masterpiece featuring comic servants, princes and princesses, magicians and magical animals, Old Mill Park, Behind Mill Valley Library. Free and family friendly. 

Concerts-in-the-Park, Sun Kings, celebrating 50 years of Beatles music, 4pm, Belvedere Park. 

Free Shakespeare in the Park, 2pm, Macbeth, Presidio – Main Post Parade Ground Lawn, (between Graham St & Keyes Ave.) 

Drop-In Art Making, 1-3pm, Colorful beginnings, in honor of Rosh Hashanah, use printmaking techniques to create note cards for your friends and family that celebrate new beginnings, Contemporary Jewish Museum. 

Children’s Storytime and Family Walk, 10:30am, a docent-led Family Walk following Children’s Storytime in the Library, featured book “Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mole” by Jane Yolen, San Francisco Botanical Garden, Golden Gate Park. 

Sunday Roller Disco Party, 1-5pm, enjoy the free sights and sounds of the “Skatin’ Place” – a haven for roller skaters to the sounds of disco and other energizing tunes, 6th Avenue and Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park. 

Children’s Fairyland, Oakland. 

Scottish Highland Games, Alameda County Fairgrounds. 

Gold Rush Days, 10am-5pm, (916) 808-7777. 

Monday, September 2, Labor Day

Sausalito Art Festival, Bay Model Visitors Center, 2100 Bridgeway, and Marinship Park. 

Youth America's Cup Race Day, America's Cup, Race 3 & 4. 

Soccerfest, 12-6pm, Fun Zone full of jumpies, climbing walls, dunk tank, local food booth, soccer skills contest, music for all ages, Mill Valley Community Center. 

Learn To Skate, 1-3pm, free, rangers will offer tips and techniques for beginners as well as ways to attack features that build confidence and skill. Questions 446-4423 or ACraig@marincounty.org McInnis Skatepark, San Rafael. 

King Stag, 2pm, Old Mill Park, Behind Mill Valley Library. Free and family friendly.

Free Shakespeare in the Park, 2pm, Macbeth, San Francisco’s Presidio – Main Post Parade Ground Lawn, (between Graham St & Keyes Ave.) 

Golden Gate Park Band Labor Day Celebration Concert, 1pm, bring a picnic lunch and take in an unforgettable experience, Spreckels Temple of Music, Golden Gate Park. 

Scottish Highland Games, Alameda County Fairgrounds.

Gold Rush Days, 10am-5pm, (916) 808-7777. 

Tuesday, September 3

Youth America's Cup Race Day, America's Cup, Race 5 & 6. The New Bay Bridge East Span is scheduled to open to traffic. The East Span bike path is also scheduled to open to the public. The celebration has been postponed to a future date. 

Wednesday, September 4, Rosh Hashana

Youth America's Cup Race Day, America's Cup, Race 7 & 8. 

Thursday, September 5

Nature for Kids: Spiders at Lake Lagunitas, 10am-1pm, learn how they hunt, how they make their webs, and how to identify many common species. Questions 893-9508 or DHerlocker@marincounty.org, meet at the Lake Lagunitas parking area, Park entrance is $8. 

The Wiggles, 6:30pm, The world’s most popular children’s entertainment group, The Wiggles, is heading out on the road to introduce their new team, Wells Fargo Center, Santa Rosa. 

Friday, September 6

Art Break Day, 9am-5pm, free, take a break and make art, City Plaza, San Rafael. 

Kent Island Restoration Team, 10am to 2pm, learn to identify invasive species, get hands-on training, and be a part of the team working to protect and restore the unique ecosystem on Kent Island in Bolinas Lagoon. Space is limited, so RSVP VBohlen@marincounty.org, 473-3778. 

Mill Valley Community Block Party, 4pm-9pm, Great Music, Food, Community and Fun for all ages, Downtown Mill Valley. 

Friday Night Jazz, 6-9pm, Tim Gill Trio, Marin Country Mart, Larkspur. 

Picnics on the Plaza, 5-8pm, music and family fun. Bring your picnic basket or buy food at the event, Town Hall, San Anselmo. 

Film Night in the Park, 8pm, The Lorax, Old Mill Park, Mill Valley. 

Shuttle Through Time, 1:30-3pm, Presidio. 

Saturday, September 7

Make a Football Ring Toss Game, 9am-Noon, ages 5-12 years, any Home Depot store. 

Beginning Birding, 9:30-11:30am, ages 8+, enjoy the beautiful fall weather and birds along Rodeo Lagoon. Join volunteer Jane Haley for an easy walk along the lagoon. 

Fall Fishing Derby, 9am-12pm, Contact 435-9212, Paradise Beach Park fishing pier, Park entrance is $10. 

Pixie Park Open House, 10-11:30am, Marin Art & Garden Center, Ross. 

Children's Garden Work Day, 10am-12pm, lunch included by Whole Foods, limited to 50 participants, Edna Maguire Children's Garden, Mill Valley. 

Yoga in the Park, 10am to 12pm, begin with one hour of community service when volunteers will help clean-up the beach, at 11am volunteers can choose to switch gears for yoga class, Whole Foods Market will provide lunch. RSVP's are appreciated but not required, 473-2823 or KSchroeder@marincounty.org, NcNears Park entrance is free. 

Tim Cain, 10:30am, Robin Sweeny Park, Sausalito. 

America's Cup Race Day 

King Stag, 2pm, Old Mill Park, Behind Mill Valley Library. Free and family friendly. 

Hawk Talk & Banding Demo, 12-2pm, get an up-close view of the fall raptor migration, Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands. 

Dipsea Hike for Zero Breast Cancer, enjoy a gorgeous hike on the Dipsea Trail, $35 (Adults); $20 (Students 11-18); FREE for Teams* and Kids under 11 yrs old Old Mill Park, Mill Valley. 

Mt. Tam Star Party, 8:30pm, Mountain Theater, Mill Valley. 

Nike Missile Site, 12:30-3:30pm, restored Cold War anti-aircraft missile site has intriguing stories to tell. 

Share a Book, 11am-12pm, South Novato Library. 

Family Fun Fitness, 10-11:30am, energy-packed morning featuring family games. We’ll learn how we can work out our bodies while having fun exploring, West Bluff Amphitheater, Crissy Field. 

Afternoon Art, 1pm and 4pm, learn about owls and make your own owl sculpture, Randall Museum. 

Drop-In Science, 10:30, make your own lava lamp, Randall Museum.

Free Shakespeare in the Park, 2pm, Macbeth, San Francisco’s Presidio – Main Post Parade Ground Lawn, (between Graham St & Keyes Ave.) 

Doing and Viewing Art, ages 4-12, 10am, Tell Me a Story, Family tours are followed by related hands-on art projects led by teaching artists, deYoung Museum. 

Craft & Game Day, 10am-12pm, fun family friendly games outside on the lawn, snacks will be provided, RVSP to (415) 561-2730, Fort Scott, San Francisco. 

Science Saturday: The Western Pond Turtle, 1-2pm, Jessie Bushell from the San Francisco Zoo will introduce you to the shy and fascinating western pond turtle, Presidio, San Francisco. 

SF MTB Festival, 9am-5pm, free, beginner riding zones, professional bike jump demo, and more, McLaren Park, San Francisco. 

Apple Festival

Children’s Fairyland, Oakland. 

Sunday, September 8

Grandparent's Day, Celebrate Grandparents! Free admission for one grandparent and one child, Bay Area Discovery Museum. 

Beginning Birding, 9:30-11:30am, ages 8+, Explore the shore of Rodeo Lagoon with docent Jane Haley and learn what birds are our summer visitors and which ones are here year-round. RSVP 331-1540. 

Marine Science Sundays, 10am – 5pm, Top predators: Orcas and Sharks, family-friendly tours, classroom activities and more will be centered around a new theme each month, Marine Mammal Center. 

Kids Fair, 11am-3pm, free jumpies, petting zoo and more, Peace Lutheran Church, Mill Valley. 

America's Cup Race Day 

Fairfax Car Show, 1-3pm, Broadway will be closed from Pacheco to Bolinas Road. 

King Stag, 2pm, Old Mill Park, Behind Mill Valley Library. Free and family friendly. 

Pleasant Valley Coop Tour, Novato. 

Sunday Streets, Western Addition route, including North of Panhandle, Alamo Square neighborhoods; a safe, fun, car-free place for people to get out and get active in San Francisco neighborhoods. 

Children’s Storytime and Family Walk, 10:30am, a docent-led Family Walk following Children’s Storytime in the Library, featured book “Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Mole” by Jane Yolen, San Francisco Botanical Garden, Golden Gate Park. 

Drop-In Art Making, 1-3pm, Contemporary Jewish Museum.

Free Shakespeare in the Park, 2pm, Macbeth, San Francisco’s Presidio – Main Post Parade Ground Lawn, (between Graham St & Keyes Ave.) 

Opera in the Park, 1:30pm, FREE and open to the public, Bring a picnic and enjoy this outdoor concert. Food and beverages will also be available for sale at the event. Sharon Meadow, Golden Gate Park. 

Sunday Roller Disco Party, 1-5pm, enjoy the free sights and sounds of the “Skatin’ Place” – a haven for roller skaters to the sounds of disco and other energizing tunes, 6th Avenue and Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park. 

Children’s Fairyland, Oakland. 

Monday, September 9

EcoFair Marin, 10am-6pm, Kids Zone, Marin County Fairgrounds. 

Pajama Storytime, 6:30pm, Mill Valley Library. 

Super Yacht Regatta, 11am, Race 1, America's Cup. 

Tuesday, September 10

How to Draw Hawks and Other Raptors, 10-11:30am, free, learn some of the basics of the anatomy, proportions, patterns and ecology will help you accurately and quickly draw them in the field, Richardson Audubon Center, Tiburon. 

America's Cup Race Day 

Wednesday, September 11

Amy "Amy G" Gutierrez - Smarty Marty's Got Game, 5:30pm, Book Passage, Corte Madera. 

KIDS DAY at the Heirloom Expo at the fairgrounds in Santa Rosa. 

Super Yacht Regatta, 11am, Race 2, America's Cup. 

Thursday, September 12

America's Cup Race Day 

Friday, September 13

Toddler Days, 9am-12pm, Slide Ranch. 

Friday Night Jazz, 6-9pm, Jamie Findlay Trio, Marin Country Mart, Larkspur. 

Fair and Ice Cream Social, 6:30pm, free, Tam Valley Community Center, Mill Valley. 

Film Night: Hook, 8pm, $3 or $10/family, bring blankets (no chairs), Strawberry Recreation, Mill Valley. 

Friday Nights on Main, 6-9pm, The Ultimate Community Street Party Outdoor dining, live music, dancing, shopping,  “Oktoberfest,” with the music of The Karl Lebherz Band., Main Street, Tiburon. 

Friday Night Hike, 6:30-8:30pm, naturalist-led event will be illuminated by moonlight and starry night sky, and will follow trails through historic forest and The National Cemetery Overlook, Inspiration Point, San Francisco. 

Super Yacht Regatta, 11am, Race 3, America's Cup. 

Saturday, September 14, Yom Kippur

Greenbrae Mini Maker Faire, 10am-3pm, Bon Air Center. 

Kids Club, 11-12pm, Join us for educational games, activities and music at Northgate, San Rafael. 

America's Cup Race Day SHARE-A-Book Dogs, 1-2pm, K+, advance sign up required, Mill Valley Library. 

Hawk Talk & Banding Demo, 12-2pm, get an up-close view of the fall raptor migration, Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands. 

The Birds, 8pm, China Camp, San Rafael. 

Pier Crabbing, 10 am-Noon, Reservations are required, 556-1693. 

Autumn Moon Festival, San Francisco’s Chinatown. 

Chocolate Festival, Ghiradelli Square, San Francisco. 

Patchwork Series: Cascada de Flores, 10:30am, $8 advance / $10 door, Freight & Salvage, Berkeley. 

San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival, Treasure Island, San Francisco. 

Afternoon Art, 1pm and 4pm, Randall Museum. 

Drop-In Science, 10:30, creating polymers, Randall Museum. 

Free Shakespeare in the Park, 2pm, Macbeth, San Francisco’s Presidio – Main Post Parade Ground Lawn, (between Graham St & Keyes Ave.) 

Doing and Viewing Art, ages 4-12, 10am, , deYoung Museum. 

Guitarist Bill Frisell & Cartoonist Jim Woodring, 2pm, SF Jazz Center, San Francisco. 

Children’s Fairyland, Oakland. 

Much Ado About Sebastopol, 10am-5pm, Renaissance Faire supporting local public schools and programs, Ives Park. 

Sunday, September 15

Pixie Park Open House, 10-11:30am, Marin Art & Garden Center, Ross. 

Introduction to the Opera with SF Opera, 11am, learn about the elements of opera--theater, music, singing, and the visual arts, we will focus on The Barber of Seville, Rossini's delightful comedy, Mill Valley Library. 

America's Cup Race Day 

German Culture Fests, Kinderfest, 12-6pm, Nature Friends Tourist Club, Mill Valley. 

Hawk Talk & Banding Demo, 12-2pm, get an up-close view of the fall raptor migration, Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands. 

Waterfront Pops Concert, gates open at 3pm, concert starts at 6pm, Marin Center Lagoon. 

Life on the Edge: Family Night Hike & Campfire, 6-8:30pm, NatureBridge, Sausalito. 

Comedy Day Sharon Meadow, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. 

Family Friendly Restoration, 10am-1pm, planting native plants, removing unwanted weeds and various other activities to help preserve native habitat. Snacks are provided and we will be finishing off the day with a story circle! For program details RSVP requested to 561-2730 or nature@presidiotrust.gov, Quail Commons, Presidio. 

Nature Journaling, 10:30am–12:30pm, RSVP to 561-2730 or nature@presidiotrust.gov, Inspiration Point. 

Sunday Roller Disco Party, 1-5pm, enjoy the free sights and sounds of the “Skatin’ Place” – a haven for roller skaters to the sounds of disco and other energizing tunes, 6th Avenue and Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park. 

Autumn Moon Festival, San Francisco’s Chinatown. 

San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival, Treasure Island, San Francisco. 

Chocolate Festival, Ghiradelli Square, San Francisco

Yerba Buena Family Day, 1-3pm, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival. 

Free Shakespeare in the Park, 2pm, Macbeth, San Francisco’s Presidio – Main Post Parade Ground Lawn, (between Graham St & Keyes Ave.) 

Children’s Fairyland, Oakland. 

Much Ado About Sebastopol, 10am-5pm, Renaissance Faire supporting local public schools and programs, Ives Park. 

Monday, September 16

Count the Monkeys, 10am, meet author Mac Barnett, Book Passage, Corte Madera. 

Jasper Fforde, Catherine Jinks, & Catherine Murdoch - Middle Grade Mania, 5:30pm, Book Passage, Corte Madera. 

Tuesday, September 17

America's Cup Race Day 

Wednesday, September 18

Share a Book, 3pm, allows children to read to dogs as a way to improve their literacy skills, Belvedere Tiburon Library. 

The Berkeley Old Time Music Festival, five day music festival featuring performances by local and national acts, a rollicking square dance, open cabaret, and the illustrious stringband contest in venues throughout Berkeley. 

Thursday, September 19

International Talk-Like-a-Pirate Day! 3:30pm, free, all ages, Ahoy me hearties, lads & lassies: come to the dread ship Library for an afternoon of pirate living! Doubloons (treasure), hardtack (snacks), tattoos (temporary) and addled activities (crafts). Dress like a pirate for extra adventure! Sausalito Library. 

Muir Woods After Hours, 6-8pm, ages 8+, Explore the evening magic of Muir Woods, learning about the secret nightlife of an old-growth redwood forest. Reservations required; phone 388-2596. 

Ventriloquist Steve Chaney and Cornelius Crow, 4pm, ventriloquism, juggling, and lots of audience participation to tickle your funny bone, Belvedere Tiburon Library. 

Full Moon Walk to Point Bonita Lighthouse, 6:30-8pm, walk along a half-mile trail which is steep in places. 

America's Cup Race Day The Berkeley Old Time Music Festival 

Friday, September 20

Junior Rangers: Full Moon Hike, 6pm to 8:30pm, 7-12 year old (but explorers of all ages are welcome), full moon adventure one mile hike will visit some of the preserves unique landmarks. Questions 473-2816 or JFeickert@marincounty.org, Meet at Taylor Drive, Ring Mountain Open Space Preserve. 

Friday Nights on Main, 6-9pm, The Ultimate Community Street Party Outdoor dining, live music, dancing, shopping,  “Firemen's Ball,” with the music of The Fundamentals, Main Street, Tiburon. 

Friday Night Jazz, 6-9pm, Katie Thiroux Duo, Marin Country Mart, Larkspur. 

Summer Music Series, Pacheco Plaza, Novato 

The Berkeley Old Time Music Festival 

Saturday, September 21, International Coastal Clean-Up Day

Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival, 10AM – 5PM. 

We Are Marin Festival, 12-5pm, feature local art and entertainment, along with some popular headliners, Marin Civic Center Lagoon Park. 

Bothin Marsh: California Coastal Cleanup Day, 9am to 12pm, cleaning litter and recyclables on the Mill Valley Bike Path at Bothin Marsh. Gloves and bags for debris collection will be provided. We will provide snacks and there will be a post-cleanup barbeque for volunteers at the Bay Model, 473-3778 or GReza@marincounty.org

Hal Brown Park at Creekside: California Coastal Cleanup Day, 9am to 12pm, we will provide snacks and a post-cleanup barbeque for volunteers at the Bay Model Visitors Center from 12pm to 3pm. Questions, 473-2823 or KSchroeder@marincounty.org 

Headlands Helping Hands: Coastal Cleanup, 9am-12pm, Celebrate the annual California Coastal Cleanup Day with stewardship at Rodeo Lagoon, free, NatureBridge, Sausalito. 

Coastal Cleanup Day with Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, 9am-12pm, see website for activities happening along the coast. 

Coastal Cleanup, 9am-12pm, Strawberry Recreation, Mill Valley. 

Pixie Park Open House, 10-11:30am, Marin Art & Garden Center, Ross. 

Coastal Cleanup Family Campout, Saturday 10 am – Sunday 1 pm, join the Slide Ranch teachers for a day of farm activities, crafts and nature exploration, family potluck, plus a campfire program under the stars, Slide Ranch. 

Hawk Talk & Banding Demo, 12-2pm, get an up-close view of the fall raptor migration, Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands. 

America's Cup Race Day 

Oktoberfest, 3-9pm, free rides and family fun, Tam Valley Community Center, Mill Valley. 

Nature for Kids: An Evening at Rush Creek, 5pm-7pm, look and listen for the creatures of the evening as they begin their activities. With luck we might hear young owls begging for food and coyotes who are just beginning to sing to each other. Bring a picnic dinner and a tablecloth or sheet to sit on (blankets get full of burs at this time of the year), Questions 893-9508, meet at the Binford Road gate. 

Exploratorium Market Days, 11am-3pm, Free open-air mini festival, Local Motion – a celebration of the myriad ways people, machines and animals get around. 

Afternoon Art, 1pm and 4pm, crayon resist paintings, Randall Museum. 

Drop-In Science, 10:30, meet our snakes and create your own snake model, Randall Museum. 

Tour de Fat, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. 

Doing and Viewing Art, ages 4-12, 10am, Seeing the Light, Family tours are followed by related hands-on art projects led by teaching artists, deYoung Museum. 

Polk Street Blues Festival, 10am-6pm. 

Napa Valley Aloha Festival, 10am-6pm, free festival that will feature live entertainment and Hawaiian/Polynesian music, dance, authentic foods arts, crafts, clothing and wares from vendors all over the West Coast. Interactive cultural presentations (lei making, etc.) may have a small participation fee, Napa Valley Expo, 575 Third St., Napa. 

Children’s Fairyland, Oakland. 

The Berkeley Old Time Music Festival 

Sunday, September 22, Autumnal Equinox

Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival, 10am–5pm. 

Sukkot Harvest Festival, 11:30am-2:30pm, celebrate the ancient harvest festival of Sukkot! This all-ages event will feature a variety of fun and enriching activities. Wander the JCC and experience our center for free from 11am-5pm! Marin JCC, San Rafael. 

Duck Derby Redux, 11am-1pm, Point Reyes. 

Hawk Talk & Banding Demo, 12-2pm, get an up-close view of the fall raptor migration, Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands. 

Polk Street Blues Festival, 10am-6pm. 

Drop-In Art Making, 1-3pm, Lines and Shapes on the Move, Where can a line take you?  Explore the work of Brice Marden and discover lines that move up, down, and all around your artwork. Contemporary Jewish Museum. 

Celebrate Peace, 3:30pm, The Park Chalet/Beach Chalet has been generously opening its lawn to us for four summers now, so we can serve up the families of San Francisco some handmade music and dance outside.

 Sunday Roller Disco Party, 1-5pm, enjoy the free sights and sounds of the “Skatin’ Place” – a haven for roller skaters to the sounds of disco and other energizing tunes, 6th Avenue and Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park. 

Children’s Fairyland, Oakland. 

The Berkeley Old Time Music Festival 

Otter Awareness Day, 12pm-5pm, CuriOdyssey, 1651 Coyote Point Dr., San Mateo. 

Monday, September 23

Tuesday, September 24

Wednesday, September 25

Fairy Tea Time! 2:30pm, Ages 5 and up, Do you believe in fairies? We do! Sausalito Library. 

Thursday, September 26

Friday, September 27

Family Explorers Bay Sail, 9am-12pm, Set sail for family adventure on the Schooner Seaward. Spend your Saturday morning navigating the bay, hoisting sails, singing sea chanties, and learning a bit about bay ecology, $30/pp, NatureBridge, Sausalito. 

Sunset SUP Downwinder, 6pm to 7pm,  TQuestions 446-4423 or ACraig@marincounty.org. Meet at the canoe dock at McInnis Park, entrance is free. 

Friday Nights on Main, 6-9pm, The Ultimate Community Street Party Outdoor dining, live music, dancing, shopping,  “International Olympic Swimmers,” with the music with Dave Jenkins of Pablo Cruise, Main Street, Tiburon. 

Friday Night Jazz, 6-9pm, Lee Waterman and Jazz Caliente, Marin Country Mart, Larkspur. 

Saturday, September 28, National Public Lands Day, Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

Family Explorers Bay Sail, 9:30 a.m.-noon, Bay Model, Sausalito. 

Ring Mountain Grassland Restoration Project, 10am-1pm, Questions, 473-2128 or SAbecrombie@marincounty.org

Birds and Bees Family Campout, Slide Ranch. 

Blackie's Hay Day, 10am-4pm, an old-fashioned country fair. Tiburon. 

Wildlife Treasures of China Camp, 10am, Look for clues that will reveal the identity of some of the animals that call China Camp home during the fall. Possibilities are deer, Coyote, Wild Turkey and White-tailed Kite. 

Kids Club, 11-12pm, Join us for educational games, activities and music at Northgate, San Rafael. 

HeadsUp Summerfest Carnival, 11am-5pm, San Rafael High School. 

Woofstock 2013: An Adoptathon Celebration, 1:30-5pm, Outdoor concert from 2 to 5 p.m. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Plus a Kids Zone and bring you dog! Marin Humane Society, Novato. 

Junior Ranger Programs at China Camp State Park, 3:30pm - 4:30pm, ages 7-12, Free, 456-0766. 

Annie Barrows, 4pm, Ivy & Bean Take the Case, Book Passage, Corte Madera. 

Family Movie Night, 7:30pm, Center Court Movie Lounge:  Pixar's "Up!" 

Hawk Talk & Banding Demo, 12-2pm, get an up-close view of the fall raptor migration, Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands. 

Mission: Presidio, 11am-6:30pm, Reservations required, 561-4323. 

Fog Festival, 12-5pm, Exploratorium. 

Pier Crabbing, 10 am-Noon, Reservations are required, 556-1693. 

Fort Baker Revealed, 1-3pm, Reservations required; call 331-1540. 

Mission: Presidio, 11am-6:30pm.

Salsa Festival, music, FREE hands-on art projects, and a Children’s Play Area, complete with bounce houses, carnival rides, and more! Redwood City. 

Afternoon Art, 1pm and 4pm, wooden sculptures, Randall Museum. 

Drop-In Science, 10:30, conduct experiments with a Cartesian Diver, Randall Museum. 

Children’s Fairyland, Oakland. 

Doing and Viewing Art, ages 4-12, 10am, Mixing and Matching: Thinking in Pairs, Family tours are followed by related hands-on art projects led by teaching artists, deYoung Museum. 

Color Vibe 5K Run, 9am, Solano County Fairgrounds, Vallejo. 

Pacifica Fog Fest, 10am-6pm.

Sunday, September 29

San Anselmo’s Annual Country Fair Day & Parade, 12-4pm, Creek Park.

HeadsUp Summerfest Carnival, 11am-5pm, San Rafael High School. 

Lego Play Day Open House, 1:30-3pm, Mill Valley Library. 

Free Day at The Exploratorium 

Drop-In Art Making, 1-3pm, Contemporary Jewish Museum. 

Sunday Roller Disco Party, 1-5pm, 6th Avenue and Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park. 

Fall Free For All, 10:30am – 6 pm, Fill your day with your choice of free music, dance and theater on six stages and out-of-doors, no tickets required, Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley. 

Children’s Fairyland, Oakland. 

Pacifica Fog Fest, 10am-6pm. 

Monday, September 30

Museum Mondays for Little Ones, Schultz Museum.

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