Enjoy Mill Valley Blog
The Enjoy Mill Valley Blog is the official storytelling platform of the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce — and the most comprehensive source for what’s happening in and around town.
Whether you’re looking to explore something new, support a neighborhood business, or stay informed about upcoming events, the Enjoy Mill Valley Blog is your trusted source for local insight — thoughtfully curated and proudly community-driven.
Marin Theatre Company Rolls On With Sara Porkalob’s Smash ‘Dragon Lady’ – Thru Dec. 17, Tix on Sale Now
Dragon Lady starts in the year of the Water Dragon on the eve of Grandma Maria’s 60th Birthday, “your most important birthday of your old people birthdays,” when Maria Porkalob Sr. must share the dark secrets of her fantastical life with her first-born grandbaby Sara “so they remember after you are dead.”
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EDD: Hospitality Industry – Food & Beverage, Travel & Tourism, Lodging, and Recreation – Continues to Buoy Turbulence With Unemployment Rising
For broader context, while Marin’s unemployment rate is 3.6%, the numbers across California are 4.8% and 3.6% across the U.S. Mill Valley’s unemployment rate is 2.5%, while the rate in Tam Valley and Homestead Valley is 2.3%.
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Holiday Craft Fair Featuring Dozens of Artists Returns to Community Center – Dec. 2, 10am-4pm
“Join us for this festive event and enjoy some unique holiday shopping,” organizers say. “The fair features many new and returning artists selling their fine handmade arts and crafts. There is a wide variety of items to choose from that may include: woodwork, jewelry, glass work, ceramics, decorations, knitwear, fiber arts, plants and much more.”
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MV Chamber Hosts Artist Barry Toranto’s ‘Windowscape’ Photography in December – Artwalk is Dec. 5, 5:30-7:30
“The Windowscapes are each a single exposure,” Toranto says. “Window reflections merge with what is on the other side of the glass. These photographs are not created by layering. Looking through glass is always surprising. Changing the camera angle changes the reflection: shadows change the way the objects show or do not show. Inanimate objects in a window can seem to have personality, as photographs are inanimate and yet arouse feelings.”
Read MoreDon’t Miss PAAM’s Holiday Spectacular at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre – Dec. 2nd at 7pm, Dec. 3rd 1pm
Performing Arts Academy of Marin (PAAM), Mill Valley residents Annie and DJ Thistle’s multi-faceted artistic juggernaut that seeks to equip young artists with well-rounded, whole-person dance and theater arts training and the confidence to take on whatever path they choose, is getting ready for their annual Holiday Spectacular, this time at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre in San Francisco.
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Chabad Mill Valley to Host a Chanukah Celebration of Light & Unity – Dec. 10th @ 5:30pm, Downtown Plaza
As we near the holiday season and continue to grapple with the complexities of the horrific Oct. 7th attack and the ensuing efforts to reduce the violence to civilians, Chabad is hosting a ‘Chanukah Celebration of Light & Unity’ on Sunday, Dec. 10th at 5:30pm on the Downtown Plaza, featuring a menorah lighting, latkes, Sufganyot, hot beverages, chocolate gelt, Israeli-style food, crafts, dreidels, prayer and light for Israel.
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Mill Valley City Council Unanimously Rejects Former Councilman’s Appeal to Reverse Planning Commission’s Approval of the Treehouse Project at Former BofA Building
Among the testimonials for and against was Andrew Reeder, a representative of the building’s owner, Spruce CRE, who said the company did not receive any other application to rent the building in the past two years. He said they will take on a “significant capital improvement” to the property. The Chamber’s case for vibrancy extended to a long-empty bank. “As Reynolds said, “Let’s breathe life into a dead bank building.”
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Mill Valley-Based Bright Antenna Records to Showcase a Pair of Emerging Artists – Windser and Akira Galaxy – at the Sweetwater Music Hall on Dec. 11th.
Longtime Mill Valley-based indie record label Bright Antenna, founded by novelist and filmmaker Tiffanie DeBartolo in 2007, has been curating and spotlighting fantastic bands in the Bay Area and well beyond the region. DeBartolo is set to collaborate with another Mill Valley music dynamo with a showcase of two Bright Antenna bands – Windser and Akira Galaxy – at the Sweetwater Music Hall on Dec. 11th.
Read MoreO’Hanlon Center for the Arts Hosts ‘Off the Shelf’ – an End-of-Year Party & Fundraiser Featuring Altered Books on Silent Auction, Great Food, Crafts & More – Dec. 9
On Dec. 9, O’Hanlon is hosting a winter fundraiser and party. The event is free but they request that people register in advance. A centerpiece of the event is an array of Altered books are on silent auction – auction will close at 8pm. There will be small craft sale in the Loft as well. O’Hanlon will have food provided by a wide range of local restaurants, including Mill Valley Market, Whole Foods, Good Earth Natural Foods, Piazza D’Angelo, Mamahuhu, the Depot Cafe and more.
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As Metropolitan Transportation Commission Seeks Up to $1 Billion for a New Regional Transportation Measure – Cities Like Mill Valley Have Concerns
Mill Valley Mayor Urban Carmel, a TAM committee member, said he is concerned about how many taxes Marin residents face. The measure “would really need to demonstrate what people are going to get from this and in very, very concrete terms,” he said. “Are we going to get bus services that are actually every 20 minutes, or are we going to get what we have today where there’s literally zero buses in the middle of the day?” he said.
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Desta Gallery Hosts ‘Elemental,’ a New Exhibition of Paintings by Sheryl Daane Chesnut and Isabelle Maynard and Ceramics by Karyn Gabriel
Sheryl Daane Chesnut finds inspiration in nature’s beauty, from its intricate details to satellite vistas. She explores the ordered chaos within natural processes, such as fractal patterns seen in ocean waves, snowflakes, crystals, algae, and river networks. These qualities infuse her painting, shaping her creative vision. Isabelle Maynard finds joy in immersing herself in the beauty of both bustling cities and the tranquility of nature. These diverse environments serve her as a rich source of inspiration.
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Marin Residents Tap Housing, Homelessness and Climate Change as Major Priorities for Marin County Government In the Years Ahead
The linchpin of the Housing Element, at least initially, is the 1 Hamilton plan, which goes before the Planning Commission on Tuesday, November 28th at 6:30 pm at City Hall. The Planning Commission will be asked to take action to recommend approval to the City Council regarding final actions on the project. Also, during this hearing the Commission will review and provide input on the Draft Environmental Impact Report.
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