2017 ENJOY MILL VALLEY SUMMER/FALL GUIDE
The Faces and Places of #MillerUP
Our 2017 Enjoy Mill Valley Summer/Fall Guide, our all-things-Mill-Valley mini-magazine going out to 38,000 households within the June issue of Marin Magazine, is dedicated to our Miller Avenue-area businesses and features short capsules on many of the people who own and run those businesses. We got them to answer a few silly questions, and we hope you'll check out their answers and, more importantly, shop, eat and engage with
ALL Miller Avenue-area businesses! #MillerUP |
Events Calendar
From a blockbuster Memorial Day Weekend and live music, free movies and amazing live performances to the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival and Mill Valley Film Festival in September and October, respectively, we've got you covered with the 411 on all of the great events happening in the 94941 through mid-October! Scroll to bottom of page to view the Summer Guide in its original magazine format.
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2017 Enjoy Mill Valley Summer/Fall Event Calendar
MAY
Throckmorton Youth Performers’ “Beauty and the Beast”
Throckmorton Youth Performers hit the stage with this beloved take on the classic fairytale of Belle and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. 142 Throckmorton Ave., May 26-28, June 2-4. Tix $15-$35. MORE INFO. |
Mountain Play’s “Beauty and the Beast” & “Hair”
The Mountain Play turns 104 this year with a production of the Disney classic and celebrates the Summer of Love’s 50th anniversary with a music fest around the rock musical “Hair.” Cushing Amphitheatre, Mt. Tam. Sundays 5/21-6/16. Festival June 10. Tix $25-$40. MORE INFO. |
Memorial Day Weekend
Kiddo! Carnival & Community Celebration – May 26-29
The four-day Kiddo! Family Carnival features more than 15 exciting rides and loads of carnival games, with a community celebration on Friends Field featuring live music on May 29. MV Middle School, 425 Sycamore Ave. Tix for unlimited, one-day rides are $30 once the carnival begins. May 26 (4pm-10pm), 27, 28 (12pm-10pm) & 29 (12pm-5pm). MORE INFO. 
Volunteer Firefighter Assoc.'s Pancake Breakfast – May 29
Decades ago, Mill Valley Volunteer Firefighters cobbled together grills, coolers and propane tanks to make a Memorial Day breakfast for a few people. And then 800 showed up. They’ve been doing it ever since, serving up pancakes, eggs, sausage, juice and coffee to nearly 2,000 people outside City Hall. 7–11am, 26 Corte Madera Avenue. Adults $10, Kids under 13 $5. MORE INFO. |
MV Historical Society's 40th Walk Into History – May 28
The Historical Society’s annual walk honors the legacy of community action that has fueled our town. Beginning at the Outdoor Art Club and ending at the restored downtown clock, the one-mile walk looks at the history of the Fire Department and encounters some amazing people who helped make Mill Valley what it is today. Every 15 min., 9:30am-3:30pm. Tix $10-$20. MORE INFO. 
Memorial Day Parade – May 29
Mill Valley’s most popular event of the year honors those who have served our country – with a good ol’ fashioned parade. Limited to the downtown this year due to Miller Ave. construction, the parade draws more than 6,000 spectators each year and dozens of entities as participants. Parade starts at Old Mill Park at 10:30am, preceded by a Lytton Square memorial service. MORE INFO. |
JUNE
MV Philharmonic’s Local Parks Tour – 5/31, 6/3-4 & 11
MVP’s current season concludes with Director Laurie Cohen’s presentation of the MVP Local Parks Tour: free concerts in Golden Gate Park, Angel Island and Fort Mason on June 3, 4, & 11. Free kickoff concert at the Mt. Tam United Methodist Church in Mill Valley, 410 Sycamore Ave., on May 31. MORE INFO. |
Naked Truth: Summer of Love – June 2
MV Library celebrates the Summer of Love with “Stories of Peace, Love & Liberation,” featuring talented storytellers sharing their own present-day stories. Josh Healey emcees with storytellers Emily Epstein White, Phil Surkis, & more. 375 Throckmorton. 7pm. Free – registration recommended. MORE INFO. |
First Tuesday Artwalk – June 6
The Arts Commission’s monthly local art celebration spans a host of venues, including Jan Buscho’s paintings (above) at the Community Center, as well as talented artists at venues like the O’Hanlon Center, Seager Gray Gallery, the MV Library, Dolls and Dandy, City Hall, the MV Chamber, Throckmorton Theatre and the MV Design District. Tuesday, 5:30-7:30pm. Free. MORE INFO. 
107th Dipsea Race – June 11
The inimitable Dipsea Race – America’s oldest cross-country foot race – holds its 107th running across the 7.4-mile gorgeous, grueling course from downtown Mill Valley to Stinson Beach. Two-time defending champion Brian Pelcher will try for a three-peat in a race whose handicapped system has made winners of men and women of all ages. June 11, 8:30am, downtown. Free. MORE INFO. 
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MTC’s “The Legend of Georgia McBride” – June 8-July 2
Times are tough for Elvis impersonator Casey, who performs his act for an audience of zero in a Panama City, Florida dive bar. After encountering a seasoned drag queen, he trades in his sequin jumpsuit for a sequin dress and achieves stardom in Matthew Lopez’s fierce, fabulous and heel-toting comedy. Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller Ave., Tix. $10-$60. MORE INFO. 
Big Sam’s Funky Nation – June 17
For more than a decade, New Orleans native Big Sam Williams and his Funky Nation band have been whipping up a sound that mixes funk, rock & roll, hip-hop & jazz into a sound they call Noladelic Powerfunk. The former Dirty Dozen Brass Band member has made the brassy, groove-heavy sound his own. Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Ave., 8pm. Tix $22-$25. MORE INFO. 
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Comedy in the Plaza – June 21
The 2017 edition of the MV Arts Commission’s annual night of hilarity is being headlined by “Whose Line Is It Anyway?" co-star Greg Proops. He’ll be joined by comic Jann Karam and multi-talented Bay Area personality Brian Copeland. Depot Plaza. 6:30pm. Free. MORE INFO. |
Italian Street Painting Marin – June 24-25
Founded by MV residents Sue & Joe Carlomagno, Italian Street Painting Marin celebrates the Summer of Love with its annual festival, showcasing 100 master street painters who turn the streets into an amazing gallery. 5th Ave. & A St. San Rafael. Sat. 10am-8pm, Sun 10am-6pm. Tix $10-$15. MORE INFO. |
JULY
Movies in the Park: “The Princess Bride” – July 7
The free series of Movies in the Park continues with a 30th anniversary screening of Rob Reiner’s hilarious film about the quest of farmhand Westley, accompanied by newly befriended companions along the way, to rescue his true love Princess Buttercup from the odious Prince Humperdinck. Bring a blanket/low beach chair. Old Mill Park. Film begins at dusk. Free. MORE INFO. |
First Tuesday Artwalk – July 11 (Note date change)
The Arts Commission’s monthly local art celebration spans a host of venues, including Daniel Patrick’s Stinson Beach photographs at the MV Chamber (above), as well as talented artists at venues like the O’Hanlon Center, Seager Gray Gallery, Dolls and Dandy, City Hall, Community Center, Throckmorton Theatre and the MV Design District. Tuesday, 5:30-7:30pm. Free. MORE INFO. |
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Mill Valley Campout – July 22-23
The 4th Annual Mill Valley Campout promises a fun family overnight under stars that includes camping, magic, live entertainment, arts & crafts, s’mores, campfire songs, relay races & much more. This is a one-of-a-kind night with your neighbors on Friends Field at the Community Center, 180 Camino Alto. $25 per person, children 3 and under free. MORE INFO. |
Throckmorton’s “The Music Man” – July 27-August 6
This all-ages production of Meredith Willson’s Tony Award-winning musical tells the story of fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill, whose plans to skip town with ill-gained cash are thwarted when he falls for Marian, the town librarian. By curtain’s fall, he turns into a respectable citizen in this funny, family-friendly story. 142 Throckmorton Ave., July 27-30, Aug. 3-6. MORE INFO. |
AUGUST
First Tuesday Artwalk – Aug. 1
The Arts Commission’s local art celebration spans a host of venues, including Kathryn Thompson’s nature illustrations (above) at the Library, and artists at venues like Seager Gray, MV Chamber, Comm. Center and the MV Design District. Tuesday, 5:30-7:30pm. Free. MORE INFO. |
Movies in the Park: “Inside Out” – August 4
The Movies in the Park series continues with Pixar’s Oscar-winning “Inside Out,” which take place inside the mind of a young girl whose five personified emotions lead her through life. Bring a blanket and/or low beach chairs. Old Mill Park. Film begins at dusk. Free. MORE INFO. |
CONCERTS ON THE PLAZA
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Forty+ years on, the Arts Commission’s free Concerts on the Plaza live music series on the Depot Plaza rolls on. MORE INFO.
Wednesday, August 9 (6:30-8pm) Jamie Clark Band (top right) performs pop-Americana influenced by Bruce Springsteen and Roy Orbison. Wednesday, August 16 (6:30-8pm) Dave & Reed Fromer (second from top left) have been delighting audiences for decades. |
Sunday, August 20
3pm – Todd Morgan & the Emblems (top left) showcase their 50s rock-centric originals. 4pm – HowellDevine (bottom right) delivers Mississippi Hill Country blues. Sunday, August 27 3pm – The Vivants (second from top right) draw on Southern music traditions and country harmonies. 4pm – Frobeck (bottom left) delivers high-octane “funk rock awesomeness.” |
Tainted Love – Aug. 11
The 80s are enjoying a resurgence, but for Tainted Love, they never ended. The SF band’s highly stylized show keeps the dance floor packed with the music of Bon Jovi, Journey, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie, Crowded House, Flock of Seagulls and much more. Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Avenue, 8pm. Tix $22-$27. MORE INFO. |
Curtain Theatre: Moliere’s “The Miser” – Aug. 19-Sept. 10
The Curtain Theatre has been producing free theater in Old Mill Park since 2000. Its 2017 edition tackles “The Miser,” whose love affair with money forces his children and servants to scheme to achieve their hearts’ desires. Hilarity and complications ensue. Old Mill Park. Sat., Sun. & Labor Day. 2pm. Free. MORE INFO. |
SEPTEMBER
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“Beauty & the Beast” – Sept. 8
The Movies in the Park series continues with this year’s blockbuster tale of Belle, a young woman from a small village, and the Beast, a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. Bring a blanket and/or low beach chairs. Old Mill Park. Film begins at dusk. Free. MORE INFO. |
Black Uhuru – Sept. 16
Formed 45 years ago in Kingston, Jamaica, the legends behind hits like “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” and “Shine Eye Gal” hit Mill Valley led by founding member Derrick “Duckie” Simpson. Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Ave., Tix $32-$37. MORE INFO. |
MILL VALLEY FALL ARTS FESTIVAL
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The 61st Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival draws thousands to Old Mill Park for some fantastic art from more than 140 artists, great live music from an array of local bands, children’s entertainment and, on those oft-hot early fall days, some much-needed precious shade in the park’s gorgeous redwood grove.
There isn’t a more dazzling, relaxing place to check out the |
wares of artists from all over the Bay Area and beyond, with plenty of great food and drink as well. Don’t miss the MV Chamber’s Art Lovers Save discount program, giving attendees a chance to save at merchants and restaurants all over town.
September 16-17. Old Mill Park. 10am-5pm. Tickets $10, $5 students/seniors, free for children under 12. MORE INFO. |
Dipsea Hike for Zero Breast Cancer – Sept. 23
This 6-mile, family-friendly hike supports Zero Breast Cancer’s efforts aimed at preventing breast cancer in the next generation. It also encourages physical activity, which an important role in breast cancer risk reduction, recovery after breast cancer and breast cancer recurrence prevention. Old Mill Park. 8am. MORE INFO. |
MTC’s “Thomas & Sally” – Sept. 28-Oct. 22
This explosive world premiere from 2017 PEN Award-winner Thomas Bradshaw gets up close and personal with America’s first prominent mixed-race couple: Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, the enslaved woman who mothered six of his kids. Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller Ave., Tix. $10-$60. MORE INFO. |
OCTOBER
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MV Community Block Party - Oct. 1
One of the best parties of the year, this quintessential local event benefits Kiddo, which provides music, art, physical education and other support services to our public schools. Throckmorton Ave. is blocked off, allowing families to safely enjoy live music, kids games, jumpees, great food from local restaurants & a fashion show featuring clothing from some of Mill Valley’s best boutiques. Organizer Larry “the Hat” Lautzker created the event in 1998 as a grand opening celebration for his Famous4 clothing store and has kept the party going ever since. Throckmorton Ave. 1:30-5pm. Free – donations encouraged. MORE INFO.
40th MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL
MVFF40 – Oct. 5-15
The Mill Valley Film Festival has earned its stellar reputation with a consistent slate of Oscar contenders, star-studded events featuring both Hollywood legends and emerging talents, nine nights of live music at the Sweetwater and a laser-like focus on independent films. It returns Oct. 5-15. Mill Valley & venues across Marin. MORE INFO. |
“Moana” – Oct. 6
The free outdoor Movies in the Park series from MV Recreation, the MV Chamber and the MVFF screens Disney’s “Moana,” the tale of a strong-willed Polynesian girl chosen by the ocean to reunite a mystical relic with a goddess. She seeks out the legendary demigod Maui. Bring a blanket and/or low beach chairs. Old Mill Park. Film begins at dusk. Free. MORE INFO. |
YEAR-ROUND SIDEWALK SALES
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The Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center’s annual series of Sidewalk Sales gives shops & boutiques all over town the opportunity to spread their wings onto the sidewalk and offer discounts to shoppers on some of the busiest days of the year. The sales run at least monthly through the end of the year:
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Participating stores include:
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A number of Mill Valley arts and culture organizations host events throughout the summer, including concerts, exhibits, workshops and classes. Here are a few (click logos for more info):
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