Every month I check a bunch of websites to see what’s happening in Marin, and it’s amazing to me how much you can do around here for free! If you’re interested in guided hikes, outdoor events, music, theater, lectures and book clubs, you’ll find all that listed below.
For this list, I’ve chosen events that are ideal for an adult on their own. Also, the list excludes events that are free but encourage you to purchase something (like farmers’ markets, authors talking about new releases, or live music at a restaurant).
Guided Hikes
- Sun 9/7 – Indian Valley
- 10am-2pm at Indian Valley Open Space Preserve (3.5 miles)
- For more information, visit the event page from Marin County Parks.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Sun 9/7 – The Light Show
- 6pm-9pm at Blithedale Summit Preserve (3.5 miles)
- For more information, visit the event page from Marin County Parks.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Wed 9/10 – Senior Stroll: Loch Lomond Birds
- 10am-12pm at Loch Lomond Marina (1 mile)
- For more information, visit the event page from Marin County Parks.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Wed 9/17 – Tennessee Valley
- 10am-2pm at Marin Headlands (3.5 miles)
- For more information, visit the event page from Marin County Parks.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Sat 9/20 – Open Space After Dark
- 7pm-8:30pm at Mount Burdell Preserve (up to 2 miles)
- For more information, visit the event page from Marin County Parks.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Tue 9/23 – Big Rock Ridge
- 10am-2pm at Lucas Valley Preserve (6.5 miles)
- For more information, visit the event page from Marin County Parks.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Other Outdoor Events
In addition to the events listed below, you can find one-time volunteer events through Marin County Parks, One Tam, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area Conservancy, and Friends of China Camp.
- Sat 9/6 – Nike Missile Site Veteran Open House
- 12pm-3pm at Marin Headlands
- For more information, visit the event page from the Golden Gate National Recreation Area Conservancy.
- Sun 9/7 – Battery Townsley Open House
- 12pm-4pm at Marin Headlands
- For more information, visit the event page from the Golden Gate National Recreation Area Conservancy.
- Sun 9/14 – Lemonade with a Ranger
- 11am-1pm at Ring Mountain Preserve
- For more information, visit the event page from Marin County Parks.
- Sun 9/21 – Learn to Nature Journal
- 12pm-2pm at Paradise Beach Park
- For more information, visit the event page from Marin County Parks.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Music & Theater
- Mon 9/1 – The Curtain Theatre performs Shakespeare’s As You Like It
- 2pm at Old Mill Park in Mill Valley
- For more information, visit the event page from Curtain Theatre.
- Sat 9/13 – Trombone Shorty Foundation Alumni Band
- 12pm at Sweetwater Music Hall
- For more information, visit the event page from Sweetwater Music Hall.
- Sun 9/28 – Marin Bluegrass Sessions
- 12pm at Sweetwater Music Hall
- For more information, visit the event page from Sweetwater Music Hall.
Lectures & Presentations
- Wed 9/3 – Michael M. O’Shaughnessy, Mill Valley’s Founding Civil Engineer, with Curt Oldenburg
- 6:30pm-8pm at Mill Valley Public Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Mill Valley Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED (currently full but wait list available)
- Thu 9/4 – Marin Poetry Center Reading Series: Maxine Chernoff & David Watts
- 6:30pm-8pm at Mill Valley Public Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Mill Valley Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Sat 9/6 – Twenty Great Plants for Marin
- 1pm-2:30pm at Mill Valley Public Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Mill Valley Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Tue 9/9 – Building Your Emergency Plan and Checklist
- 6pm-7pm at Mill Valley Public Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Mill Valley Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Thu 9/11 – Exploring the Great Classical Ballets: Cinderella
- 11am-12pm at Belvedere Tiburon Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Belvedere Tiburon Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Thu 9/11 – Protecting Our Waterways, Otter by Otter
- 6pm-7:30pm at Belvedere Tiburon Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Belvedere Tiburon Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Sat 9/13 – Radio for Emergencies
- 1pm-3pm at Belvedere Tiburon Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Belvedere Tiburon Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Tue 9/16 – To Stay or To Go: A Senior’s Guide to Homeownership
- 12pm-1pm at Mill Valley Public Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Mill Valley Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Tue 9/16 – Disaster Preparedness Class
- 1pm-3pm at Belvedere Tiburon Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Belvedere Tiburon Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Tue 9/16 – CPR & First Aid Response
- 6pm-7pm at Mill Valley Public Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Mill Valley Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Wed 9/17 – Marin Master Gardeners: Growing Edibles: Plan to Plot to Plate
- 12pm-1:30pm at Civic Center Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Marin County Free Library.
- Fri 9/19 – After Hours: The Latest on U.S. Tariffs with Jon Haveman
- 7pm-9pm at Mill Valley Public Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Mill Valley Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED (opens 9/1)
- Sat 9/20 – Build a Personal Go Bag
- 3pm-5pm at Belvedere Tiburon Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Belvedere Tiburon Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Sat 9/20 – Festival de Cine Latinx / Latinx Film Festival
- The film: Encanto
- 1pm at South Novato Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Marin County Free Library.
- Sat 9/20 – What Librarians Want Local Writers to Know: A panel of Marin librarians in conversation with author Michael J. Coffino
- 3pm-4:30pm at Mill Valley Public Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Mill Valley Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Mon 9/22 – The Economics of Immigration
- 6pm-7pm at Belvedere Tiburon Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Belvedere Tiburon Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Tue 9/23 – Marin Master Gardeners: Native Groundcovers
- 11:30am-1pm at Belvedere Tiburon Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Belvedere Tiburon Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Tue 9/23 – Caregivers and Emergency Preparedness
- 6pm-7pm at Mill Valley Public Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Mill Valley Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Sat 9/20 – Festival de Cine Latinx / Latinx Film Festival
- The film: Selena
- 1pm at South Novato Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Marin County Free Library.
- Thu 9/25 – Movies @ The Marin
- The film: Zoot Suit
- 5:45pm-8pm at Marin City Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Marin County Free Library.
- Thu 9/25 – Marin Master Gardeners: Amendments & Fertilizers
- 6:30pm-7:30pm at Fairfax Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Marin County Free Library.
- Sat 9/27 – Festival de Cine Latinx / Latinx Film Festival
- The film: Nacho Libre
- 1pm at South Novato Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Marin County Free Library.
- Sat 9/27 – Saturday Cinema
- The film: Cesar Chavez
- 2:30pm-4:30pm at Novato Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Marin County Free Library.
- Tue 9/30 – Movies @ The Marin
- The film: Cesar Chavez
- 6pm-7:45pm at Marin City Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Marin County Free Library.
- Tue 9/30 – Evacuations: Preparation, Process, and Best Practices
- 6pm-7pm at Mill Valley Public Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Mill Valley Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Book Clubs
All of these books are available (as book, ebook, and audiobook) through the Marin County Free Library.
- Mon 9/8 – Point Reyes Book Club
- The book: The Light Eaters by Zoe Schlanger
- 7pm-8pm at Point Reyes Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Marin County Free Library.
- Thu 9/11 – Contemporary Fiction Book Club
- The book: The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
- 2pm-3pm at Belvedere Tiburon Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Belvedere Tiburon Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Thu 9/11 – Romance Book Club
- The book: Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria
- 6:30pm-7:30pm at Mill Valley Public Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Mill Valley Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
- Mon 9/15 – Let’s Talk About Books
- 4:30pm-5:30pm at Inverness Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Marin County Free Library.
- Thu 9/18 – Civic Center Afternoon Book Club
- The book: The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
- 1pm-2pm at Civic Center Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Marin County Free Library.
- Thu 9/18 – Novato Thursday Evening Mystery Book Club
- The book: What Jonah Knew by Barbara Graham
- 6:30pm-7:30pm at Novato Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Marin County Free Library.
- Tue 9/23 – Stinson Beach Book Club
- The book: Aflame by Pico Iyer
- 6pm-7pm at Stinson Beach Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Marin County Free Library.
- Wed 9/24 – Novato Wednesday Evening Book Club
- The book: The Known World by Edward P. Jones
- 6:30pm-7:30pm at Novato Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Marin County Free Library.
- Sat 9/27 – Book Circle
- The book: Aflame by Pico Iyer
- 12pm-1pm at Belvedere Tiburon Library
- For more information, visit the event page from the Belvedere Tiburon Library.
- REGISTRATION REQUIRED
Do you know of any free events that should be included in this list? If so, please add them to the comments. Happy exploration!
