Marin County
On the Wall
Has that “Chat Noir” print got you down? Kinda done with that Sutro Baths poster everyone seems to have? The Marin County Free Library is here to help. They’ll loan out some art, just like a book. County officials announced last week that library card holders can use its new On the Wall program to borrow art by a Marin artist. The South Novato, Point Reyes Station, Inverness, Corte Madera and Marin City branches will each have six pieces of art to loan, which can be borrowed for your walls. Each branch invites the public to celebrate the program and meet the artists. The first events were held recently at the Point Reyes and Marin City libraries, followed by ones from noon to 1pm, April 13, at the South Novato Library (with art-making for children next door in The Shop from 1 to 3pm); from 6 to 7:30pm, April 17, at the Corte Madera Library; and from 11am to 1pm, April 27, at the Inverness Library. For library locations, visit marinlibrary.org.
Sonoma Valley
Author! Author!
The annual Sonoma Valley Authors Festival returns to Sonoma for its seventh consecutive year, redefining what it means to “get lit” in wine country. Hosted at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, this three-day event is an immersive experience into the world of books and ideas from April 26 to April 28. Featuring a diverse lineup of accomplished authors and speakers, the fest includes Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Doris Kearns Goodwin, known for her insightful historical narratives; David Grann, a New Yorker staff writer with bestselling titles like Killers of the Flower Moon; and Amy Tan, whose novels such as The Joy Luck Club have touched millions. The event will also spotlight rising literary star Anita Gail Jones, alongside acclaimed journalist Hampton Sides, celebrated Irish author Colm Tóibín and former NATO supreme allied commander in Europe, Adm. James Stavridis, among others. For information and tickets, visit svauthorsfest.org.
Rohnert Park & Sebastopol
Give Blood
During National Donate Life Month this April, Vitalant, a nonprofit blood service provider, is calling on locals for blood donations. Maintaining a robust blood supply is essential, and donors of all blood types are urged to step forward, especially those with type O, the most frequently transfused blood type. Residents of Sebastopol and Rohnert Park have a unique opportunity to make a difference at local blood drives. Sebastopol’s event is scheduled from 1 to 5pm, Tuesday, April 16 at the Sebastopol Fire Department, 7425 Bodega Ave. In Rohnert Park, donors are welcome from 11am to 2:30pm, Friday, April 26 at Reed Between the Lines, located at 5800 Redwood Dr. Eligible donors are encouraged to learn more and schedule an appointment by visiting vitalant.org or calling 877.258.4825. A donation can save lives.
Napa
Shemekia Copeland
Music venue Blue Note Napa hosts the indomitable Shemekia Copeland for two sets on Friday, April 19. The evening promises a journey through blues, soul and Americana as Copeland takes the stage at 6:30 and 9pm. “Shemekia Copeland provides a soundtrack for contemporary America…powerful, ferocious, clear-eyed and hopeful,” writes Living Blues magazine. Likewise, The Chicago Tribune’s jazz critic Howard Reich observed, “Shemekia Copeland is the greatest female blues vocalist working today. She pushes the genre forward, confronting racism, hate, xenophobia and other perils of our time… There’s no mistaking the majesty of Copeland’s instrument nor the ferocity of her delivery. Copeland reaffirms the relevance of the blues.” Tickets for this all-ages show range from $35 to $65 and are available online at bit.ly/copeland-napa. Blue Note Napa is located at 1030 Main St.
