It’s a fact: we’re all gonna have to go some time. The thing is, our loved ones have to grapple with our absence. Enter the Death Cafe, an unconventional take on the idea of a support group for those wrestling with the loss of a loved one. As noted in an April 2013 Bohemian feature, participants in the Death Cafe laugh a lot more than they cry, and the whole meeting serves to break the weirdly uncomfortable relationship humans have with something that’s so normal, it’s 100 percent guaranteed. Tea, cake and stories of shuffling off abound when Karen Garber hosts on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at the Sunflower Center. 1435 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma. 7pm. Free. 707.792.5300.

Naturally, the stellar music drove the narrative of the award-winning documentary Buena Vista Social Club. But just as important and eye-opening were the many scenes of street life in and around Havana—the cars, dancing, street peddlers, artists and overall culture of the country that’s grown independently for 50 years. Filmmaker Warren Haack became entranced by this culture, and has released a film capturing life in the clubs, bars and streets of Cuba. ‘Santiago Is Santiago’ explores this Afro-Cuban intermingling; it screens on Tuesday, Jan. 7, at the Bay Model Visitor Center. 2100 Bridgeway, Sausalito. 6pm. Free. 415.332.3871.

We were glad to see a familiar name in this year’s SF Sketchfest lineup with the announcement of a tribute to Mal Sharpe, who with Jim Coyle revolutionized the concept of the man-on-the-street interview in the 1960s and added a touch of the absurd to the already absurdist decade. (It worked in the 1980s, too; you haven’t lived until you’ve heard Sharpe ask Reagan devotees at the Republican National Convention to name their favorite fish.) Like Woody Allen, Sharpe has been seduced by Dixieland, and plays it, properly and suitably, every week in Sausalito. Kick the new year off right, get a $7 ice cream cone and see Sharpe and band rave it up on Sunday, Jan. 5, at the No Name Bar. 757 Bridgeway, Sausalito. Free. 3—6pm. 415.332.1392.

Everyone knows that, as a Mediterranean climate, Sonoma County is perfect for growing grapes. But what about that other Mediterranean fruit, the olive? Alas, we once had many olive farms in the region, since replaced, like the ill-fated Gravenstein apple, by the more-buck-per-pound grape. Enter the Sonoma Valley Olive Festival, which aims to restore the local olive to its throne. While there’s the Blessing of the Olives on Jan. 4 at the Sonoma Mission (11am; free), we direct your attention to olive guru Don Landis and his free workshop on curing olives in the home. Landis shares his personal recipe for “no lye” curing, and there’s a whole gang of samples on Sunday, Jan. 5, at Cline Cellars. 24737 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. Free; RSVP to Don Landis (ol******@*****il.com). For more info, visit www.olivefestival.com.

One of the unexpected perks of the holiday season, as far as nightclubs are concerned, is the return of musicians so dizzyingly talented that they fled for bigger cities—only to return to see family in late December, and pick up a few dates while back home. Kai Devitt-Lee is a jazz guitarist of boggling aptitude who graduated from Healdsburg High School’s jazz program and swiftly made a beeline to New York City, where he now turns heads gigging regularly. He returns to play for friends, family and in-the-know locals on Monday, Dec. 30, as part of the dinner entertainment at Dry Creek Kitchen. 317 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 7—10pm. Three-course dinner, $36. 707.431.0330.

I have this dream that there’s this huge Italian family, right, and they’re visiting from out of town, and so of course they go to Volpi’s for a massive six-course dinner. Four hours later, they’re so full of vino that they stumble into the Phoenix Theater, only to see Farewell, Nick Wan onstage. Electronic blips and bleeps fill the hall, and the grandfather starts twerking, the mom stage dives, the children get on stage and sing “Hold On, We’re Going Home” and Aunt Peg throws up on Tom Gaffey’s shoes. Hey, it’s the holidays. Anything can happen on Saturday, Dec. 28, at the Phoenix Theater. 201 E. Washington St., Petaluma. 8pm. $8. 707.762.3565.

Can you imagine if Chuck Prophet were to write an album all about Sebastopol? “Woman down on Main Street, straight from the Whole Foods / Hangin’ with the gluten-free organic shaman dudes / Blues’ll get you woman, ’fore this quiet down goes dark / where no one rides their bike downtown, and there ain’t no place to park / That’s why I’m goin’ to Graton / Start a kombucha company / I’ll use Gravensteins somehow so folks’ll take me seriously.” But alas, Prophet—whose last album was all about San Francisco—merely performs in the town on Saturday, Dec. 28, at Hopmonk Tavern. 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol. 9pm. $20. 707.829.7300.

Man, that Christmas dinner was heavy—turkey, potatoes, stuffing, apple pie. Wasn’t I trying to lose weight? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And there’s always my New Year’s resolution, but I feel like burning some off right now. Plus Sheila’s in town—I think she said something about the Sweetwater. Dance party time! The dirty, dusty-45 funk revival has been riding high, and in the Bay Area, few do the style better than Monophonics. I’ll boogaloo on down and burn off this excess baggage when they play Friday—Saturday, Dec. 27—28, at Sweetwater Music Hall. 19 Corte Madera Ave., Mill Valley. 9pm. $17—$20. 415.388.3850.