Bodega Bay
Stay Merry
For holiday shoppers who still can’t find that perfect gift, the creative members of Artisan’s Co-op, in West Sonoma County, offer a host of art and gifts for all tastes, as well as goods for the home and the holiday tree. Spanning this week and next, the Merry & Bright Holiday Sale offers 10% off items throughout the co-op’s gallery, featuring work from over 50 local artists. Shop merrily and locally Thursday, Dec. 23 through Sunday, Jan. 2 (closed Saturday, Dec. 25), at 17175 Bodega Hwy, Bodega Bay. 11am to 5pm each day. Face coverings required. artisansco-op.com.
Monte Rio
Big Screen Buddy
When people list their most-beloved Christmas movies, the 2003 film Elf regularly ranks among the most popular movies to celebrate the holiday with. This week, the new proprietors of the Monte Rio Theater & Extravaganza screen the Will Ferrell comedy just in time for Christmas, and they’ve pulled out all the stops to make it a memorable event. Along with the movie, attendees can participate in an “ugly sweater” contest, win prizes, enjoy snacks and drinks, and hear Christmas carols on Thursday, Dec. 23, at 20396 Bohemian Hwy, Monte Rio. 6pm. $10–$15. Face coverings required. monteriotheater.com.
Mill Valley
Holiday Concert
Discovered by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads at age 16, Matt Jaffe is a Bay Area artist who gives back to the community through volunteering with nonprofits like Bread & Roses and using his music to support local and national epilepsy groups. Jaffe’s latest album, Kintsugi, was inspired by his own struggles with seizures and an incident onstage in 2019. Overcoming these obstacles and finding strength in his music, Jaffe shares his songs onstage at his annual holiday concert on Thursday, Dec. 23, at Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Ave., Mill Valley. 7pm. Free. sweetwatermusichall.com.
Novato
Space Talk
Since the dawn of science fiction, authors and artists have imagined spacecraft capable of delivering humanity to the farthest reaches of the universe. But, what would these vessels look like in real life? That’s the question that science series Wonderfest asks this month. “Starship Reality-Check: The Science of Deep Space” features Wonderfest Director Tucker Hiatt and Dr. Pascal Lee, of the SETI Institute and the Mars Institute, in a talk about interstellar travel on Monday, Dec. 27, at HopMonk Tavern, 224 Vintage Way, Novato. 7pm. Free. Face coverings and proof of vaccination required. Wonderfest.org.
—Charlie Swanson
