Family events in Novato, CA

Put on your cowboy hat and get ready for a fun, old-West themed weekend with classic camp activities and entertainment. The schedule includes family-friendly events like tie-dye shirts, a petting farm, face painting, specialty arts and crafts, hay wagon rides, and an outdoor movie night, plus more Western-style fun like a roping rodeo time and a hoedown vibe. There is also a wine and paint night for adults 21 and up, along with a kids paint night.

Celebrate the grand opening of Joyful Journeys Early Learning Center & Preschool with a family friendly event that includes tours of the new preschool, opportunities to meet the staff, and time to explore the classrooms. Learn about play based early learning programs for children from 6 months to 5 years old, pick up enrollment details, and enjoy refreshments. Extended care will not be available during the event.

Bread & Roses and KC Turner present Shawn Colvin in a benefit for Bread & Roses, part of the 13th Annual Cookout Concert Series at HopMonk Novato’s outdoor concert venue. Sponsored by JAMBAR and Rue de Rêve Apéritifs. Shawn Colvin, a three-time Grammy winner, has spent more than three decades shaping American songwriting, releasing thirteen albums and earning recognition as one of the country’s most respected performers. Career highlights include the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Trailblazer Award in 2016 and induction into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame in 2019 alongside Lyle Lovett and Buddy Guy. She continues to tour internationally while creating new music. This outdoor show is mostly seated on the ground level, with limited seating on the lawn and at the top of the hill. Seating is limited and first come, low-back chairs are allowed in the lawn section, and table seating at the hillside is also first come. All ages are welcome, children need a ticket, and babies in arms are not permitted. Parking is free with ample availability. Venue rules include no pets, no coolers, no backpacks, no outside food, and no umbrellas.

Enjoy the next Concert on the Green featuring Big Blu Soul Quartet, bringing a lively blend of soul, rhythm and blues, and funk. Admission is free. Attendees are welcome to bring picnic blankets and lawn chairs. Outside food and drinks are permitted, including takeout from downtown Novato eateries. For this event, pets should be left at home.

Trokiando In The Bay returns with a full day of custom trucks, live entertainment, vendors, food, awards, and a roaring burnout pit at the Solano County Fairgrounds. Hundreds of custom builds will be on display, and a live concert will feature Grupo H-100 alongside additional special guests. Attendees can explore a dedicated vendor area, enjoy food and drinks, and take in a family friendly atmosphere. Tickets are available online and at the gate while supplies last. Event rules include no outside alcohol, no weapons, no illegal substances, and no reckless driving outside designated areas. Coolers are permitted if they do not contain alcohol, and everyone is expected to respect the venue and fellow attendees.

Young golfers can get started at Foxtail Golf Club with a beginner clinic that introduces the game in a simple, step by step format. Instruction follows the Pathway Program developed by the U.S. Kids Coaches Institute, keeping lessons clear, engaging, and focused on building confidence. Coaches certified by U.S. Kids Golf lead every session so participants receive quality guidance and a strong foundation for long-term enjoyment. An additional processing fee of up to 5% applies.

Foxtail Golf Club is hosting a Beginner Junior Clinic for kids ages 7 to 14. The program follows the US Kids Player Pathway, starting at Level 1 with a hat, accomplishment pins, and a training booklet, then progressing through additional levels as kids move forward. Lessons are taught by US Kids Golf Certified Coaches, and the focus is on learning golf fundamentals while having fun.

Join a hands-on session focused on open-ended creativity with glue. Instead of step-by-step crafts, you’ll explore how simple materials and child-led play can spark imagination, problem-solving, and learning. You’ll also learn strategies that emphasize the process, welcome a little mess, and help create plenty of “wow” moments. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting a little gluey.

This Sonoma Valley back to school health fair focuses on helping students from PK or TK through 12th grade get ready for the year with health resources and preparation support. Backpacks with school supplies will be available, and students must be present to receive one. To arrange accessibility accommodations for students with special needs, please contact the organizers. For questions, call 707-939-6070 ext. 212 or email events@svchc.org.

Hall Pass returns to the Creek Park Stage for San Anselmo Live, presenting a free outdoor show in a shaded grassy amphitheater. Streets will be closed to traffic and food and drink are available all around, creating a relaxed setting to enjoy the music. Attendees can bring blankets and chairs for lounging, or step onto the dance floor. The band will play multiple sets through the evening for a lively summer outing.

Come join the Bel Marin Keys community for the Bel Marin Keys Fun Run, with options for running, walking, strolling, or just cheering along. The event includes a scenic neighborhood route, plus a big start and finish celebration with music, a food truck, refreshments, games and activities, and prizes for both the short (0.5 mile) and long (2 mile) courses. Families are welcome, and participants are encouraged to dress in colorful, festive, or fun running attire.

Hop on a kayak, canoe, or stand-up paddleboard and explore the Petaluma River through Friends’ Boating at the Barn program. Life jackets are available for toddlers through adults, so families can get out and enjoy the river together. The program runs as an all-volunteer operation and welcomes donations, with volunteers also needed on Sundays.

Join a guided kayak tour on the Petaluma River, exploring its past, present, and future. The experience highlights the historic “saltwater highway” that shaped Petaluma and continues to connect wetlands and city life. Gear and an experienced guide are included, and you’ll also get post-paddle perks at local businesses.

Get ready for the school year with a family-friendly yoga session focused on building confidence, resilience, flexibility, focus, and balance. Led by Michelle Wing, this class includes yoga plus special moves designed to help everyone stress less and feel better. All ages are welcome, and a portion of the proceeds benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters.

The Cruisin’ Hooters series returns for 2026 with monthly cruise-ins at Hooters presented by Cruisin’ North Car Club, Inc. The spotlight is on classic vehicles from 1986 and earlier, with all makes welcome. From June through November, Hooters selects a Best of Show at each gathering, and the December edition is dedicated to Toys for Tots. A meal deal is available to participants displaying a vehicle and to attendees who purchase raffle tickets. Options include a half pound bacon cheeseburger, eight boneless wings, a chicken sandwich, three tenders, eight fried shrimp, and a garden chicken salad. Curly fries are included with each choice unless noted, and the salad does not come with fries. Offerings and prices may change. In December, the Toys for Tots cruise-in invites an unwrapped toy donation. If it rains, donations can be dropped off from a regular everyday vehicle. There is no raffle in December. As a courtesy, please avoid parking in front of neighboring businesses such as Mattress Firm.

Music in Place and the City of Sonoma present a summer Sonoma Sundays On the Plaza concert at the Sonoma Plaza Grinstead Amphitheater. The program features Tim Weed, a Grammy-nominated concert musician, composer, producer, recording engineer, and recording artist known for expressive 5-string banjo work, strong songwriting, and soaring vocals, alongside The Dorian Mode. This Petaluma-based acoustic quartet, led by vocalist and bassist Dorian Bartley with Robby Elfman on piano and clarinet, Peter Graves on sax, and Tony Blake on drums, celebrates the Great American Songbook with vintage jazz, up-tempo R&B, and soulful ballads that evoke 1920s speakeasies, 1930s big-band swing, 1940s jump blues, and the lively R&B associated with Ruth Brown. The series is free and open to everyone thanks to support from the Sonoma Community Center, The Dawn Redwoods Trust, and the McNeely Family Foundation.

Board gamers gather at Round Table Pizza in downtown Petaluma, next to Goblin Bros Petaluma, for a relaxed session in a typically quiet setting. The group brings a selection that ranges from easy to learn games for all ages to more strategy focused titles, so every experience level can find a match and plenty of tablemates. Teaching and rules help are available for anyone who wants to try something new. Compared with the Friday game nights, there is extra time here to settle into longer sessions and Euro themed games.

Young people ages 10 to 17 build or refresh sailing fundamentals with guidance from experienced instructors on the Petaluma turning basin. Enrollment is limited to six campers so everyone receives focused coaching, with time on remote control sailboats, El Toros, a Captain's Gig, and a Lido-14. Instruction is tailored to each participant’s abilities and interests, encouraging steady progress and confidence on the water. The fee is $375 per camper, and a sibling or friend discount is available.

Bring a young reader to the American Canyon Library for a friendly reading time with a certified listening dog. It’s a relaxed, supportive setup that lets kids practice their reading skills while the dog provides a calm presence as they read aloud.

Stop by the Sonoma County Library BiblioBus when it pulls up to the Petaluma Senior Center. It is a mobile library where you can sign up for a library card, use free Wi-Fi, and check out books in English and Spanish for all ages.

The international sensation comes to Sonoma for the first time. On a sunlit Greek island, a bride-to-be searches for the father she has never known, which draws three unexpected men from her mother's past back into their lives. The story unfolds to ABBA hits including "Dancing Queen," "Mamma Mia," and "The Winner Takes It All," and celebrates family, friendship, love, and second chances, a mix that has delighted audiences worldwide. Featuring a large cast, dynamic dance numbers, steady humor, and a crowd-pleasing score, it is promoted as one of the biggest and most memorable Transcendence productions to date. Mamma Mia! is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International, and all authorized performance materials are supplied by MTI.