Marin begins to emerge from pandemic isolation with big art show and new music fest

Sherman R. Frederick

Mill Valley Herald

After two years of pandemic life devoid of live events coupled with very little social interaction, are we poised to shed all of that and return to some semblance of the vibrant life in Marin?

It feels like it with the announcement of the return of the Marin Arts & Crafts Show in San  Rafael March 4-6, bringing over 100 artisan exhibits and interactive workshops for a vibrant showcasing of handcrafted wares, art, jewelry and fine goods.

And, not to be outdone, the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce took a bold post-COVID step in announcing it was getting into the big-time music festival scene. 

Chamber says it will launch the Mill Valley Music Festival, a brand new multi-genre, all-ages one-day event that will take place near downtown Mill Valley on Saturday, May 7. 

The new MVMF will transform Friends Field,located adjacent to the Mill Valley Community Center, into a sprawling festival grove for a one-day, all-ages celebration of local arts and culture. Nestled below the slopes of Mount Tamalpais, the MV Chamber promises this new “destination festival” looks to serve as Mill Valley’s annual signature event while drawing attention to the longstanding cultural contributions of Mill Valley throughout the greater Bay Area and far beyond.

In addition to multi-talented musical performances featuring a diverse array of national touring acts and local musicians alike, fans from across the country can begin to plan for a weekend adventure as they visit this charming hidden gem and Redwood tree-lined village that is considered one of the most picturesque mountain towns in all of Northern California.

Grammy Award-nominated singer/songwriter Ben Harper and his longtime band The Innocent Criminals have been tapped to kick off the new festival, which marks one of Harper’s only U.S. dates currently announced for the first half of this year.

Lettuce, one of the great funk-jam bands of the modern age, is also set to perform, alongside other popular acts like Nashville’s very own psychedelic-folk rockstar Liz Cooper; Latin Grammy Award-winning Venezuelan disco-funk trio Los Amigos Invisibles; and the Bay Area-based La Doña, a Latin-Alternative music project from Cecilia Cassandra Peña-Govea and considered to be one of the most sought-after new acts from the Golden State.

“There’s no doubt that these past few years have been incredibly rough for all of us,” says Jim Welte, director of the Chamber. “We can’t wait to celebrate the resilience of Mill Valley, Marin County, and the entire Bay Area, and the vital role the Bay plays in the vibrancy of the Golden State – all set to an amazing, day-long soundtrack of fantastic music and an abundance of incredible food, drink, and art while spending an afternoon with your best friends and ones you’ve yet to meet.”

General Admission tickets start at just $90, and VIP passes will be available for $180. Discount-priced $25 tickets are also available for children under 12 years old if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

VIP ticket-holders will be treated to a truly elevated festival-going experience with notable perks including premier viewing areas of the main stage, private bars and comfy lounge areas, exclusive vendors, and premium bathroom facilities. Interested fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets soon because only a limited number of tickets will be made available for purchase, while the Chamber looks to create a more elevated, curated, and intimate festival-going experience for guests of all ages.

In an effort to support and give back directly to the local Mill Valley community, organizers will donate a portion of proceeds to a number of local institutions including Kiddo!, Mill Valley Schools Community Foundation, which raises funds for arts education and programs in five public elementary schools and one middle school. The 2022 festival will also support the City of Mill Valley’s Public Art Program and a number of other year-round initiatives spearheaded by the Mill Valley Chamber. 

You can stay tuned for more festival announcements through this newspaper and the festival’s official website at MillValleyMusicFest.com including the full performance schedule, onsite amenities, food vendors, and more.

Meanwhile, Marin Arts & Crafts Show will showcase handcraft in all forms. Browsing the many artisan exhibits,  “show goers will find everyday items that are both beautiful and useful,  ranging from finely crafted jewelry, accessories, and clothing, to woodwork, ceramics, artwork, paper arts, specialty foods, antiquities, and objets d’art.”

Marin Arts & Crafts Show begins Friday through Sunday, March 4 -6, at Embassy Suites, 101 McInnis Pkwy, San Rafael. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information see this website: ArtsAndCraftsShow.com. 

Besides shopping directly from the artists and artisans, you can also take part in a series of small interactive workshops that are on-going throughout the show and offer a chance to learn handcraft skills such as jewelry making, painting, and mixed media.