Attended this early this month and what more can you ask for with wine tasting, beautiful weather…read moreand food tasting? Located in San Rafael, the only bad thing was that parking meters ran whcih time was limited for me. Wines from Napa and they were pretty tasty! Pulle pork that they provided was delish! I shall come to another event when my friend notifies me but this is one I have to come again next year!

Another edition of this great festival in San Rafael. A bit far for me but with sister, went and…read moreenjoyed it. Talked to a lot of photographers, including one film 4x5 view-camera photog, which is a rarity these days! Lots of sculptures too, very colorful and very original. I love to see the paintings and the sculptures, which at one point both clash and blend today to offer visitors the best that a normal gallery can't ever offer! Admission fee charged ($10) but if you get on the mailing list of one of the festival's artists/vendor, you can get a postcard by mail to allow you FREE entry!! Lots of entertainment to keep everyone interested and content, along with food vendors to keep that stomach happy too!! If you're in the market for art for your home, walls or as a gift to a friend, you cannot beat the variety nor the selection in one place!!! HEY: FREE parking!!!! If you take your camera to snap away at the great sights, please remember this: RESPECT other artists' work by asking first if you can snap a pix. First off they will want to know WHY and PURPOSE of the picture. If you do post it, even if it's at MySpace (yuck) or something, at least take a card and list their email or URL of their site. DO NOT snap pixs of paintings/photography on display. Not considered cool at all unless of course you know the artist and it's been approved. NOTE: Pictures displayed with my review were with approval/knowledge of the artists. ;-)

A-OK way to spend a weekend afternoon. While not my favorite of the various local art festivals, I…read morestill think this one is nicely done and worth checking out. Pros: -Held on the grounds of the beautiful Marin County Civic Center (nearby pond with fountain, ducks and geese-great for a picnic lunch) -Free parking -Affordable jewelry and crafts for the home -Well laid out and easy to walk through and see everything you want to see -Nice to speak to the artists about their work Cons: -Honestly $10 admission is a bit steep for the quality of the artists. While there are some unique works and great artists, I've seen many of them at various Art Festivals in the Bay Area that were free to attend-I don't think this event is "juried." If I'm going to pay to get in, I prefer that it were. -Not a great assortment of food and drinks -I've been here twice and this year it seemed a bit "empty"-there was a ton of open space where tents and displays seem like they should have been but instead there was just a void. -Cash only for admission-they should have that on the website-I saw several fair goers who had no idea and had to leave to go get cash Overall, I'd say check it out-it's usually a beautiful day in June in San Rafael, but I think it's trying too hard to be like the Sausalito Art Festival, which just doesn't compare.

This annually event has become a signature showcases of many master street painters who turn the…read morestreets into an amazing art gallery. https://youtu.be/ZbXL-9qsFSg

Its great to have this festival back in town. They repaved the street so that well over 50 if not…read more100 street painters could work on their chalk art. There were some really amazing works of art. Too bad it was so hot in 2013. Also too bad that they close at 7 pm when it started to cool off. The artists must have melted on that dark pavement. Cant wait for next year though.

Really fun to walk amongst tall trees and see tents full of various artisanal works, arts and…read morecrafts. The details on some of the artworks are so amazing - photos simply cannot capture them and have the same visceral effects! There's Mother Nature, art, playgrounds, drinks and food - we had a great afternoon in Mt. Tam!

My main issue with the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival is it has extremely similar vendors to the…read moreKings Mountain Fair but has a $25 admission fee. I could see charging $10, but the current pricing for the smaller size isn't a fit - although I will say it is more children friendly with the child's grove. All in all, while Kings Mountain is more difficult to get to and the parking can be troublesome, I'd recommend it before the Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival and don't plan on returning next year.

Lines for rides too long. Our kids got 1 ride for the 30 entry fee…read more Horrible bathrooms! Only a total of about 30 toilets in the entire fair grounds for thousands of people. Overpriced games - $10 each. This used to be a great fair and sad to see it go downhill like this.

County fairs are always a joy for me, earmarking summer and quality time spent with friends and…read morefamily. This year, the Marin County fair has a set price at $25 (buy online only and scan ticket at entrance) including all rides except for 3 that is $5/ride. Parking is $20 card only. More vendors selling knick knacks this year and I noticed a Hawaiian shaved ice stand I didn't see before. My favs every year is the arts fair where you can purchase some local art and always the animal section (pig race, petting zoo, sheep shearing). This year there were a half a dozen spotted piglets knocked out from the heat you can pet. Adorbs. Note lines weren't bad for the rides until about 6pm when the night crowd started rolling in. And I think fireworks are daily at 9:30pm. Lots of people setup picnic spaces about an hour prior to that for optimal viewing.

Nestled amongst these nice houses in the Novato hilly area is this gem of a festival. I liked it…read moremuch better than the Oakland one, perhaps because it seemed smaller, more authentic, tucked on this hill. There was some semi Pasteur type of land adjacent, ok perhaps more like dead and dry grass :) but nonetheless it leant to a nice feel and atmosphere. WE had a wonderful time. From the church tour, to the nice and friendly parishioners to the dancing in the main square, it was fun and inviting. I would come back in an instant when in town. EPHARISTO

A Memorial Weekend tradition in on the sunny hilltop location in Southern Novato neighborhood known…read moreas Ignacio. Authentic Greek food , dances and homemade specialities to eat and drink while you relax on the feck under the shady Oak tree. Must try all the delicious Greek pastries and coffee drinks to finish after your meal from inside and outside food lineup. Opa!

This was a great festival for many years--the best in the Bay Area. It's outrageous that the…read moreorganizers never revived it, long after the homeless encampment the they initially complained about was removed. King's Mountain has become the go-to art festival for Labor Day weekend. It's fine, but I miss the old Sausalito Art Festival.

A friend of mine passed away this year, sudden and unexpected, but perhaps it saved him from seeing…read morewhat his beloved Sausalito Art Festival turned into. Never have I read such accurate assessments as those penned here on yelp to commemorate the sad remains of what this festival has become. Because I've been away the past couple of Labor Day weekends it'd been 3 years since my last visit to SAF. The price is still exorbitant ($30, $15 parking) and buys you nothing more than you can get for free at any street festival in the Bay Area, all summer long. In the past though, that fee could be somewhat rationalized by the quality of the live music, original art, and food/drink and the fact that all of that could be enjoyed from an inviting waterfront location. Where to begin... The primary music venue here once overlooked Richardson Bay, with plenty of covered seating areas to accommodate all those who wanted to eat or drink, not dance, while enjoying the music. An added bonus was those who listened from kayaks on the bay, charming and unique. In 2019, the music stage was moved. It no longer faces the water, no longer has covered seating, and the only seating area at all is VIP (extra $$) or on a hill quite far from the music. Don't even get me started on the ADA seats on the hill. Is it even legal to make disabled folks climb a grassy hill to sit on a precariously perched folding chair? I'd bet not. Shame on you, SAF. Strike two: The food booths, art, and music are all segregated and none face or front the water. You might as well be in Gilroy. Gone is the opportunity to grab an ice cream while enjoying the art; you'll need to return to the food area for that. And while you're there? The only seating is at unshaded picnic tables with, again, no view of anything. Did I mention that there used to be 15 different kinds of food and now there are 8? Well, now I did. A friend of mine remarked to one artist how appealing her shaded spot was. The artist's comment? "That's the only good thing about this". Telling, huh? The artists, always high quality, were in shorter supply than usual and given their new surroundings I can't say I blamed them. I could go on and on but instead I'll echo the universally bad reviews penned in 2019 in saying: There was nothing to keep anyone there this year. Between musical acts, the stage area went radio silent and if you'd already eaten, drank, or viewed the art it was essentially time to go. I did just that, leaving well before the days' headliner (Blues Traveler) because there was nothing more to enjoy and nowhere to sit. In 2019, SAF couldn't have veered further off course than they did. After a year as dismal as this one, I tend to think they can only improve. Time will tell whether this one-time 5-star attraction can return to its former glory.

I'm a huge advocate of Farmers Markets. I love that they bring together locals as well as local…read morevendors. I had a good time, and would definitely recommend coming here at least once, but I may wait awhile before coming again. Mainly because trying to find parking near this market is insane. That, and I wasn't necessarily blown away by any one particular vendor. I highly suggest coming early or parking a little ways down - since come 6:00pm - Downtown San Rafael is a madhouse. As far as clothing and jewelry vendors - I didn't see too much that stood out to me personally, but it was still fun to browse. The Food vendors were very friendly. I tried a mini vanilla Teeny Cake, which was probably the highlight of my stroll-through. The fruit looked delicious and I loved that so many of the fruit vendors had samples out. White nectarines, peaches, and plums - juicy and perfectly ripe were everywhere. I watched a number of mellow soulful musical performances, before turning the corner and heading to Sol Food for some Mango Iced Tea and plantains. I'm so glad that these early night Farmers Markets exist. It's an incredible way to bring together a diverse group of people in a warm and genuine way. Would definitely recommend- if you happen to be in the area on an upcoming Thursday.

Not my favorite farmer's market. Not by a longshot. It feels like a hybrid farmer's market/street…read morefair and not a wholly interesting one at that. The one thing I do like about this Thursday evening market is the deep discounts that go on close to the 8 p.m. closing time. Linger around, then pounce on those $1/pound nectarines, plums, and peaches. Grab 3 flower bouquets for $10. Get a mess of end of summer/end of night tomatoes. They have the usual fruits and vegetables, an assortment of okay food, live LOUD music on the little square beside Arizmendi Bakery, inflatable jumpy things at one end, and mostly forgettable jewelry/clothes/junque at the other end. No dogs allowed here, even on a leash. You will be stopped, so don't even bother trying.

It was very fun to get out and see people no masks required…read more They get five stars because of Covid they didn't have a lot of planning time and they did it. There were lots of vendors food music and even a puppet show for the kids. Not quite as big as the normal art and wine festival but nonetheless it was great!

This is my first year of adding the Novato, Art, Wine and Music Festival in my summer festival…read morerotation. Usually I'm a fan of the San Anselmo Art Festival, which was cancelled for 2017. Overall, this isn't a bad little festival. It's free and there is street parking nearby (2 hour limit) that is also free. You could do worse on a nice sunny, not too hot/not too cold Marin County Saturday. The booths were of similar style and quality as many other festivals in the Bay Area during the summer months. There were a few unique vendors and I ended up purchasing a tank top with a manta ray design (I mean EVERYONE needs one of those) and a small giclee print on canvas of a vintage Yosemite travel poster. I didn't partake in the food or wine, but it seemed like the usual street fare. The crowd was having fun and overall it was a nice little community event. I can't say I'd travel too far to attend but if you're in the area, it could be fun to stop by for a little while and see the sites.

Nice yearly holiday event to take the entire family to. I haven't been in a few years, but the last…read moretime I went, it was pretty and very festive. Amazing Christmas decorations inside and outside the ENTIRE house! I recommend at least one visit per holiday season here:-)

We'll miss our yearly tradition at the Rombeiro's Christmas house but am so incredibly grateful to…read morehave had them part of our celebration for so many years. I am saddened to hear of the passing of the patriarchs of the family but grateful to them for all the lives they positively impacted over the years