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Fall 2005 Arts Guide: [ North Bay Filmmakers | D.I.Y. Films | Pitching a Project | Summer Movie Slump | Fall Movie Preview | 'Garden Design at Ground Zero' | Save the Date ] Save the Date Our subjective short list of those happenings you want to attend By Bohemian Staff September Sausalito Art Festival Sept. 3�5. Nationally famous juried art festival pairs great visuals with outstanding music, including Branford Marsalis, former actor-turned-rocker John Corbett and Pride & Joy (Sept. 3); Eric Burdon and the Animals, and WAR (Sept. 4); and Los Lobos (Sept. 5). Bay Model, Sausalito. $5�$20. 415.331.3757. Napa River Festival Sept. 4. Napa Valley Symphony and Friends of the Napa River team up for this local favorite, now in its 15th year with a boat parade, plenty of free family entertainment and fireworks ending the day. Veteran's Park at the Third Street Bridge, Napa. Free. 707.254.8520. Crosby, Stills & Nash Sept. 7. So it's come to this: CSN tickets top out at $151, and science still hasn't invented a Nasherator able to tone out those reedy high notes. But Stephen Stills is still in the band, and that's reason enough to see these legends perform in the LBC's human-sized space. 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. 8pm. $76�$151. 707.546.3600. Heirloom Tomato Festival Sept. 10. See red�and every other color of the rainbow�as 175 different varieties of tomato go on display. Some 50 food purveyors offer sustenance in addition to the love apple and Lavay Smith works her charm with the Red Hot Skillet Lickers. Kendall-Jackson Wine Center, 5007 Fulton Road, Fulton. 11am to 4pm. $45�$55. 800.769.3649. Sonoma County Book Festival Sept. 10. Sixth annual book fair features California Poet Laureate Al Young, novelist Dorothy Allison, poet Kay Ryan and a marvelous swathe of other area authors in a celebration of the literary arts. Santa Rosa Sonoma County Library, Third and E streets, and the Cultural Arts Council Gallery, 529 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. Free. 707.527.5412. Cajun & Zydeco Fest Sept. 10. Munch on alligator sausage and étouffée, down a Hurricane and kick up your heels to the Zydeco Flames, Geno DeLaforse and the French Rockin' Boogie, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, and Gator Beat, and let the little ones enjoy the new kids' area at this 10th annual fundraiser by the Rotary Club of Sebastopol. Sebastopol Community Center, 390 Morris St. 11am to 7pm. $20 at the gate. 707.823.3631. 33rd Annual Trade Feast Celebration Sept. 10�11. Celebrate the acorn harvest, or the Big Time, as local Native Americans call it, with food, activities and hands-on learning. Miwok Park, Novato. 415.897.4064. Russian River Jazz Festival Sept. 10�11. Stepping away from the permed hair and bad sax of jazz lite, the RRJF offers up the goodness of the Jazz at Lincoln Center's Afro-Latino Jazz Orchestra headlining on Saturday, with performances by Dave Holland Big Band and our own Dan Hicks bringing his Hot Licks to Johnson's Beach. The Nelson Riddle Orchestra hails Frank Sinatra on Sunday, with Pat Metheny headlining and the esteemed Cedar Walton shimmering early in the day. Johnson's Beach, Guerneville. $47�$100. 510.655.9471. The Beach Boys Sept. 11. Led by lyricist Mike Love and longtime band member Bruce Johnston, the Beach Boys promise to perform a full slate of their good-time hits when they surf into the Marin Center. Benefit barbecue follows the concert. 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. 3pm. $35�$80.415.499.6800. Art for Life Auction Sept. 15�18 (previews start on Thursday through Saturday, wine and food on Sunday). Proceeds from the sales of some 250 pieces of work benefit the Face to Face/Sonoma County AIDS Network, but this annual event, celebrating its 18th year, is about life (OK: and getting great deals on art and having a good time). Seize the day at the Friedman Center, 4676 Mayette Ave., Santa Rosa. Exhibit: Sept 15�17, free; auction: Sept. 18, $50. 707.544.1581. San Francisco Comedy Competition Comedians square off for a shot at the title. Sept. 15: SSU, Evert B. Person Theatre, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. $10; SSU students, free. 707.664.2382. Sept. 16 and 23: Marin Center, Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. $25. 415.472.3500. Sept. 18, 25 and Oct. 7: Napa Valley Opera House, 1030 Main St., Napa. $25. 707.226.7372. Sept 30: LBC, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $35. 707.546.3600. SRJC Chamber Concert Series Sept. 16�April 21. Subscription-based slate of excellence features the Alexander String Quartet (Sept. 16), violinist Frank Huang (Oct. 21) and pianist Stephen Hough (Nov. 11) for the '05 section of the series. Individual concert tickets are hard to come by, but the $120�$140 series price for six performances continues to be a steal. (For the biggest steal of them all, see Music, p48.) SRJC, 1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. 707.527.4372. Hands Across the Valley Sept. 17. Hollywood celebrities, local politicos and national sports figures raise big bucks for safety-net food programs. Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery, 1991 St. Helena Hwy., Rutherford. $125�$250. 707.226.6136. Blues, Brews & BBQ Sept. 17. This is a free event unless you care to imbibe, in which case, tasting deeply from the goodness of some 15 area breweries is $20�$25. Music includes KFOG 104.5-FM fave Eoin Harrington, the Irish soul singer who's at an unstoppable spot in his career, as well as Funky Beulah, the jamming blues of Fierro, Roland, Ivey & Love and the Revival Revue, among others. Dancing in the streets guaranteed as this festival takes over Fourth Street in downtown San Rafael. 415.453.9000. Glendi International Food Festival Sept. 17�18. Yummy sweet cheese and infinite other edibles. Glendi is Greek for "party." Need we say more? Protection of the Holy Virgin Orthodox Church, 90 Mountain View Ave., Santa Rosa. $8; under 12 free. 707.584.9491. Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival Sept. 17�18. Music, art and fun for the whole family, now in its 49th year and counting. Some 150 artists converge at this venerable fest. Throckmorton Avenue at Cascade Drive, Mill Valley. Check web site www.mvfaf.org for shuttle bus schedule. $7; under 12 free. 415.381.8090. Redwood Arts Council Sept. 17�June 10. The autumn portion of the 26th season presents violinist Gregory Fulkerson (Sept. 17), the Daedalus String Quartet (Oct. 22) and music for the clarinet, cello and piano performed by Charles Neidich, Tanya Tomkins and Eric Zivian (Nov. 12). Concerts held at the Occidental Community Church. 707.874.1124. Petaluma Poetry Walk Sept. 18. Now in its 10th year, Petaluma goes loopy for the written word as spoken when some six venues host readings of such artists as new star Kim Addonizio, the great Kate Braverman, Beat mama Diane di Prima and our own Jonah Raskin, David Bromige, Geri Digiorno and many others. Noon to 6pm. Free. http://petaluma.poetrywalk.org. Duck's Breath Mystery Theater Sept. 21. The "American Monty Python" kicks off its 30th year with live performance of skits old and new. Napa Valley Opera House, 1030 Main St., Napa. 8pm. $25. 707.226.7372. Sebastopol Celtic Music Festival Sept. 22�25. The greatest Celtic musicians this side of the Emerald Isles do more than just fiddle around. Confirmed performers include the popular Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill, Cherish the Ladies, Le Vent du Nord, Llan de Cubel, Crasdant, Greenhouse and others. Sebastopol Community Center, 390 Morris St., Sebastopol. $20�$165. 707.823.1511. Napa Valley Harvest Festival Sept. 24. Remember why Napans consider their county to be nature's "teacher's pet" as some 20 wineries pour, area eateries proffer and the Pointless Systars entertain. Benefits Kiwanis Club of Napa. Charles Krug Winery, 2800 Main St., St. Helena. $50�$60. 800.550.6260. Jarvis Puppet Workshop & Festival Sept. 23�24. Learn the backstage secrets of puppetry, make your own Punch or Judy and see the pros work their magic. Not appropriate for children under 5. Jarvis Conservatory, 1711 Main St., Napa. $20�$30. 707.255.5445. The Commitments Sept. 24. Blue-eyed soul lives in this live rendition of Alan Parker's stirring film of the same name. Watch our hapless lads and lasses try to put a successful act together while digging the tunes. One night only at Spreckels Performing Arts Center, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. $23�$26. 707.588.3434. Petaluma Downtown Antique Faire Sept. 25. Everything old is new again at this perennial Petaluma event. Hundreds of vendors, thousands of bargains, seemingly hundreds of thousands of opportunities to buy. Downtown Petaluma. Free. 707.762.9348. Petaluma Progressive Festival Sept. 25. What do you get when you gather left-wingers in the same park at the same time? No, not a Bill O'Reilly bashing party. Or, at least, not only that. The Progressive Festival highlights the movement's issues, causes and such high-profile activists as Green Party candidate David Cobb, SF supe Matt Gonzalez and even Daniel Ellsberg. Walnut Park, Sixth Street and Petaluma Boulevard South, Petaluma. Free. 707.763.8134. Russian River Food & Winefest Sept. 25. Praise Bacchus. This all-day salute to the bounty of the county includes wine, baked goods, cheese, chefs and authors. Look for such "celebrity" chefs as Fleur de Lys' Hubert Keller and Traci des Jardins, New York Times' food writers, Michele Anna Jordan and the ch�vre goddess herself, Laura Chenel. Fife's Guest Ranch, 16467 Hwy. 116, Guerneville. $15�$45. 707.869.9474. Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad Sept. 30. Comedy troupe brings Catskills aesthetic to comic romp more about the schtuppa than the chupah. Russian River Resort, 16390 Fourth St., Guerneville. $10. 707.869.0691. 19th Annual Fall Music Festival & Celebrity Golf Classic Sept. 30�Oct. 1. Indie favorite Lisa Loeb makes a rare, rare, rare Sonoma County appearance. And in such company: the Doobie Brothers, the Turtles and Little Feat. Party on. Golf on Friday; music on Saturday. Chardonnay Golf Club, Napa; B.R. Cohn Winery, 15000 Sonoma Hwy., Glen Ellen. $60�$275. 800.330.4064. Sonoma County Harvest Fair Sept. 30�Oct. 2. For hay rides, a haunted room and the World Championship Grape Stomp competition, visit the Harvest Fair. Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa. $2�$6. 707.545.4203. October Journey Oct. 1. They built some city, but we're guessing it's not Novato. Undeterred, the megaband headline the third annual Rock 'n' Blues by the Lake concert, a benefit for Novato public schools. Openers include the Flying Other Brothers, the Unauthorized Rolling Stones, Rahman D'Amato, whichever young group wins the ongoing Verge battle of the bands and others. From noon; Journey on at 4:45pm. $10�$35. 415.897.9383. Ballet Flamenco José Porcel: Oct. 1 Spanish dancer and choreographer brings his troupe of 20 to the Marin Center. 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. 8pm. $18�$50. 415.499.6800. Napa Valley Open Studios: Oct 1�2 and 8�9. Artists throughout the valley open their doors to the public. Sponsored by the Napa Valley Arts Council. Various locations. 707.257.2117. Calabash: Oct. 2. Go out of your gourd at the Calabash where Bay Area artists exhibit their gourd art and instruments to benefit AIDS food bank. Food for Thought, 6550 Railroad Ave., Forestville. $25�$30. 707.887.1647. Mill Valley Film Festival: Oct. 6�16. This prestigious festival showcases independent films and bigger features destined for the multiplex. Settle in for the fun with some popcorn at various venues in Southern Marin. $10. 415.383.5256. Seal: Oct. 8. Here to promote his eponymous fifth album, the ritually scarred singer aims to blow the house down. LBC, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $45�$65. 707.546.3600. Sausalito Floating Homes Tour: Oct. 9. Self-guided tour of 15 of the world's most unique homes. Kappas Marina, Sausalito. $30 (advance reservations recommended). 415.332.1916. Bioneers Conference Oct. 14�16. Hear about groundbreaking biology and discuss building a blueprint for sustainable food systems at the 16th annual Bioneers Conference, a meeting of environmentally focused minds. Featured speakers include ecoliteracy expert and physicist Dr. Fritjof Capra, our own Brock Dolman of the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, Code Pink co-founder Jodie Evans, Mother Jones' publisher Jay Harris, journalists Mark Hertsgaard and John Stauber and many others. Center, Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. $208�$405. 877.246.6337. Legends & Lore Oct. 15. Storytelling festival focuses on tales of the Pacific Rim and the Americas by Brenda Wong Aoki and Michael Katz. Spreckels Performing Arts Center, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. $8�$12. 707.588.3434. ARTrails Oct. 15�16 and 22�23. Self-guided opportunity to buy directly from an artist, learn about the work from an artist, support an artist . . . or two, or three. Throughout Sonoma County. Free. 707.579.2787. Great Artist Series Oct. 18�April 2. Subscription series features Russian State Chorus (Oct. 18) and flutist Paula Robison with Romerao Lubanbo and Cyro Baptista (Oct 30). $45�$115. LBC, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. 707.546.3600. George Carlin Oct. 23 The hardest working comedian under the First Amendment, Carlin exercises his right to free speech . . . freely. LBC, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa. $45�$75. 707.546.3600. Frogz Oct. 30 Costumed acrobatic contortionist dancers evoke penguins, frogs, cats and other delights. Marin Center, 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. 3pm. $18�$25. 415.499.6800. November Savion Glover Nov. 1. Tony-winning dancer brings his newest invocation of the great art of tap to the Marin Center. 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. 7:30pm. $18�$45. 415.499.6800. Axis Dance Company Nov. 4. Groundbreaking Bay Area company involved in "physically integrated dance," in which dancers who have disabilities are incorporated into dances with the able-bodied. Evert B. Person Theatre, SSU, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. $8�$15. 707.664.2353. The Bad Plus Nov. 5. Postmodern jazz trio variously influenced by Autechre, Bjork and Led Zeppelin use rock tunes by the Pixies, Nirvana and others as a tool for jazz improvisation. And you're not intrigued? C'mon! Evert B. Person Theatre, SSU, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. $8�$15. 707.664.2353. Savage Jazz Dance Company Nov. 5�6. Premiere suite of dances set solely to the music of Miles Davis. Spreckels Performing Arts Center, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. $21�$24. 707.588.3434. Wine & Food Affair Nov. 5�6. Russian River Wine Road gathers 57 local wineries for another delicious extravaganza. Various locations in Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River valleys. $15�$45. 800.723.6336. North Bay Veterans Day Parade Nov. 11. Join the largest Veterans Day parade in Northern California to support the troops, past, present and future. Starts at noon. Historic Downtown Petaluma. Free. 707.763.6688. Festival of Harps Nov. 12. Experimental technique and musical innovation abound at the 16th annual Festival of Harps. Spreckels Performing Arts Center, 5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park. $21�$24. 707.588.3434. [ North Bay | Metroactive Central | Archives ]