Marin Blog · Summer in Marin Collection

Outdoor Events to Enjoy This Summer in Marin County

Posted in Blogging Marin on Thursday, May 5, 2022 by MCVB Staff

By Whitney Butler

 

Summer in Marin County is the best time to enjoy the outdoors. Savor farm-fresh produce at local farmers’ markets, hike a sunny trail atop Mount Tamalpais, or stroll along the coast on one of Marin’s beautiful beaches.

In Marin, it’s easy to combine long summer days and balmy evenings with entertainment and culture. Here are a few inspired ideas to add to your summer activity checklist.

 

Concert Series at Town Center Corte Madera

In addition to a weekly farmers’ market, Town Center Corte Madera hosts an annual music series from June to August showcasing all kind of styles surrounded by a beautiful village-style shopping mall. Every Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., live music fills the Town Center as you shop popular brands like Ethan Allen and Urban Outfitters, and lesser-known, local favorites, too.

Enjoy food from several vendors inside the mall, and don’t forget a folding chair and blanket to enjoy live jams from local artists.

 

Live on the Avenue in San Anselmo

We will see you in 2022! The Town of San Anselmo and the San Anselmo Chamber of Commerce are pleased to announce that San Anselmo Live On The Avenue will be back this summer June through October.  This series is where live entertainment coincides with a pedestrian thoroughfare straight through the heart of town.  Come stroll, shop, dine, and dance on San Anselmo Avenue!  Concerts will be at Creek Park and the Town Hall Plaza between 6:00pm to 8:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Saturday outdoor movie nights in Creek Park will be continuing from June through September

 

Music Events at the Marin Country Mart

Larkspur follows its own beat at several musical events taking place in the courtyard of the artisan paradise known as Marin Country Mart, where you’ll find everything from local brands specializing in handmade crafts, eco-friendly products and more.

The Farmers' Market at the Mart delivers outdoor live music by revolving artists each Saturday from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm while you shop for fresh organic produce. Each shopping day features different musical styles. Check out their weekly schedule!

Check the Marin Country Mart website for up-to-date activities happening all summer long in Larkspur. 

 

Concerts on the Plaza in Mill Valley

In the Depot Plaza near downtown Mill Valley, the annual Concerts in the Plaza kicks off with local favorites. The Mill Valley Arts Commission will again host a summer of concerts, featuring new artists and local favorites across a range of musical genres. This year, the concert dates are still to be determined.

Continuing in June is Mill Valley's Comedy on the Plaza. Bring a chair and pick up a picnic dinner from one of the local shops or restaurants 

The Depot at Mill Valley is the center of this bustling town. Once a train depot, the spot now includes a large, open space for kids to play and a sweet café with patio tables so you can enjoy the ambiance in the shade. The Depot Plaza is a great place to people-watch—even more exciting during the summer concert series.

Bring your dancing shoes, as these beats tend to bring out the boogie in most who attend this outdoor event.

 

Mountain Play

For some locals, the summer tradition of watching an outdoor performance has been in the family for generations. Every May and June, Mount Tamalpais comes to life with theater productions by Mountain Play, a great outdoor theater adventure.

The stone-step amphitheater is nestled in the mountain between redwoods in Mount Tamalpais State Park. Live theater has been produced on the mountain for four generations, beginning in 1913.

This summer, Mountain Play is excited to host guests for an evening production of Hello, Dolly!, the blockbuster Broadway hit, bursts with humor, romance, high-energy dancing, and some of the greatest songs in musical theater history. The romantic and comic exploits of Dolly Gallaher-Levi, turn-of-the-century matchmaker and “woman who arranges things,” are sure to thrill and entertain audiences of all ages again and again. 

 

Marin County Fair 2022

Plans are underway for the first in-person Marin County Fair since summer 2019, an outdoor-only event with the theme So Happy Together! from June 30th through July 4th.

The 2022 fair will focus on outdoor headline entertainment, performers roaming the grounds such as jugglers, unicyclists, and stilt walkers, and interactive art experiences for fans of all ages. Returning fair favorites will include traditional carnival rides, the Global Marketplace, food and drinks, and fireworks over the Civic Center’s Lagoon Park. The always-popular competitive exhibits program will take place online as it did in 2021.

Always a favorite are the fireworks display. The fireworks take place every night of the Fair, shot from three barges over the lagoon in a low-level, safely choreographed extravaganza of music, rockets, Roman candles, comets, meteoric showers and spectacular bursting cascades — all beautifully reflected in the water below. Bring the entire family and enjoy this amazing show every night of the Fair at 9:30 p.m.

 

Novato Art, Wine, and Music Festival

Presented by the Novato Chamber of Commerce and produced by Eckerstrom Productions, the free festival includes live music, vendor booths, food, craft beer and premium wines.

Our Main Stage will be at the entrance of the festival, sponsored by Hennessy Funds, located at Grant Avenue and Redwood Boulevard. The music lineup includes Petty TheftMustache HarborHeartlessAZ/DZ, Cat Fight, Spike Sikes and His Awesome Hotcakes, and others. Times can be found on the event’s Facebook page.

You will also find live music throughout the event on 3rd, 5th, and 7th streets. Including some of your favorite local bands: James M. Harman, Sandy Geller, James Patrick Regan and more.

Of course, there is a wide selection of wine and microbrews, as well as a large array of festival food from the popular teriyaki chicken kebobs, crab fries, and corn dogs, to snow cones, turkey legs, tri-tip and kettle corn. This year will also feature refreshing margaritas brought to you by Sabe Beverages. Commemorative beer & wine glasses are available for $6.00

The popular Piccolo Puppet Show, featuring 3 shows of Punch & Judy style puppet shows will be back for the kids, as well as a bungee jump, and the waterballz, in the children’s area

Besides a variety of fun options for the kids, browse fine home decor, sculptures, clothing, sun hats, purses and leather goods, art posters and photography. Toe rings, earrings and other jewelry are also high on the priority list for shoppers. New this year is local artists Jeff Lewis doing stunning landscape photography, as well as painter John Bucklin.

 

Sound Summit

The historic Mountain Theater at Mount Tamalpais State Park is where you’ll find another exciting summer event in Marin: Sound Summit, a daylong festival in September sponsored by the Roots & Branches Conservancy, a nature and culture conservation organization headquartered in Marin.

Bring a blanket and plenty of sunscreen, and enjoy live music from popular bands like Wilco and The Stone Foxes, with unbelievable views of the Bay Area in the background.

There will be festival food and drinks available for purchase, as well as silent auction items to help raise money for Mount Tamalpais State Park.

Last year’s 2021 event sold out quickly! Get your tickets in advance, and enjoy rockin’ out on a mountaintop with friends and family for a worthy cause.

 

For all you need to plan your Marin County vacation, visit the Marin Convention and Visitors Bureau’s website or facebook page

Tags: events