Spring is coming, and with it comes several virtual and distanced events in the North Bay happening over the next seven days. Here’s a rundown of what’s coming up.
Virtual Talk
In honor of Women’s History Month, the Museum of Sonoma County invites the public to join a virtual panel discussion, “Women in Arts,” featuring three women artists from the museum’s online retrospective, “35: Thirty-Five Artists for Thirty-Five Years.” Moderated by Museum of Sonoma County Art Committee Chair and Board Secretary Estelle Rogers, this discussion will focus on the lives, work and experience of its artist panelists—painter and printmaker Donna Brookman; multi-disciplinary artist Maria de Los Angeles; and mixed-media artist Linda Vallejo. All three artists share their insights and celebrate women in the arts on Thursday, March 18, at 5pm. Free. Registration required. museumsc.org.
Distanced Event
Each March, the Santa Rosa Recreation & Parks department teams with local retailer Fleet Feet for a fundraising run known as the St. Patrick’s Day 5K. This year’s event takes place virtually; participants can pick up the race packet from Fleet Feet by end-of-day on March 20 and run or walk 5K at a time and place of their choosing by end-of-day on March 21. Additionally, participants will receive gifts, and registered runners can join in the virtual celebration and costume contest for a chance to win prizes donated by Fleet Feet. Proceeds benefit the Santa Rosa Recreation & Parks Scholarship Fund. Get more information on registering at srcity.org.
Distanced Giveaway
Founded by lifelong ice cream connoisseur and athlete Alec Jaffe (pictured), Alec’s Ice Cream is a new organic ice cream brand that recently took over the Three Twins Ice Cream Factory in Petaluma. This weekend, Alec and company celebrates their recent launch with a free ice cream giveaway. Ice cream fans can drive up to the factory and grab a free pint–along with compostable bowls and spoons–from the safety of their vehicle. Alec’s Ice Cream then recommends stopping by one of the nearby parks to enjoy the sweet treat before it melts. One pint will be given out per car. All essential workers are eligible for two free pints of ice cream. Scream for Alec’s Ice Cream on Saturday, March 20, 11am to 5pm. 419 1st St., Petaluma. Free. Alecsicecream.com.
Distanced Dining
Thanks to the overwhelming support of the local community in maintaining safe distances and wearing masks, San Rafael’s Dining Under the Lights program returns this spring with outdoor offerings from several downtown and West End Village restaurants. Alfresco dining takes over the town every Thursday and Friday, from 5pm to 9pm. Several restaurants and bars are also serving daily meals outside on their sunny sidewalks or patios and inside during their usual business hours and offering take-out and delivery; and Marin residents and business owners are encouraged to enjoy and support these restaurants often, but especially on Thursday and Friday nights. Find a list of participating restaurants and get more details on Dining Under the Lights at downtownsanrafael.org.
Virtual Art Reception and Reading
Point Reyes Station’s Dance Palace community and cultural center hosts two online events in the next week.
Point Reyes Station artist Sue Gonzalez stays true to West Marin’s light and color in her paintings, but she is “most interested in conveying mood and exploring the boundaries between realism and abstraction” in her art. This month, Gonzalez’s works can be seen in Dance Palace’s virtual gallery; and Gonzalez appears online this weekend for an artist reception and discussion on Sunday, March 21, at 5pm. Free. Registration required at Eventbrite.com.
San Francisco physicist, speaker, author and musician Sky Nelson-Isaacs weaves together cutting-edge ideas about the nature of space and time in his new book, Leap to Wholeness. As part of his ongoing mission to find his own sense of purpose, Nelson-Isaacs examines how the human experience is filtered through thoughts and feelings in the same way that light is filtered through glass while remaining unbroken. Nelson-Isaacs also theorizes that humanity can become a greater part of the fundamental wholeness found in nature. The Dance Palace hosts Nelson-Isaacs in an online discussion about Leap to Wholeness on Wednesday, March 24, at 7:30pm. Free. Registration required at Eventbrite.com. Get details on both of these events at Dancepalace.org.
