The Little Art Shop

Looking for a relaxed way to build your watercolor skills and actually keep painting? 🎨💧
Join Tracie Wilbur for Strait Watercolors, a welcoming watercolor studio night for teens 13+ and adults at The Little Art Shop Studio.
This is not a stiff formal class and not just an open studio either. It’s a supportive, artist-led space where beginners through experienced painters can gather every other Thursday evening to paint, share, learn, and stay connected to their watercolor practice.
Bring your own supplies, settle in, and enjoy a creative evening in community. New to watercolor? You’re welcome too. Tracie is there to help, encourage, and make the process feel approachable.
✨ Beginner-friendly 
✨ Teens 13+ and adults 
✨ Low-pressure, artist-led studio night 
✨ Great for building a regular watercolor practice 
✨ Limited to 12 seats 
🗓 Thursday, July 23 
🕠 5:30 PM–7:30 PM 
💲 $25 per session

📍 The Little Art Shop Studio 
129 First St., Benicia CA 
Historic Tannery Building next to Bella Sienna’s

Local Event: Strait Watercolors with Tracie Wilbur

Solano County

Benicia

California

Strait Watercolors with Tracie Wilbur

Looking for a relaxed way to build your watercolor skills and actually keep painting? 🎨💧
Join Tracie Wilbur for Strait...

Black Box, Mira Theatre Guild

Join host Keith Thompson for Poetry by the Bay, Vallejo's longest running poetry open mic! Come read your work or just sit and listen.

Local Event: Poetry By The Bay

Poetry By The Bay

Join host Keith Thompson for Poetry by the Bay, Vallejo's longest running poetry open mic! Come read your work or just sit and...

Wilson House, Vallejo

Step inside the beautiful Wilson House, Vallejo's only surviving Julia Morgan-designed residence, for an elegant afternoon celebrating renowned architect Julia Morgan, the Arts &amp; Crafts movement, wine and the history of this remarkable home.
The afternoon features a presentation by noted Julia Morgan scholar Dr. Karen McNeill, a piano recital of early 20th-century music by concert pianist Susan Lin, a guided tour of the Wilson House and Gardens, and a wine tasting featuring Hartford Family Winery, paired with a selection of cheeses.

Local Event: An Arts Salon! Exploring Arts & Crafts & Julia Morgan Architecture

An Arts Salon! Exploring Arts & Crafts & Julia...

Step inside the beautiful Wilson House, Vallejo's only surviving Julia Morgan-designed residence, for an elegant afternoon...

An Arts Salon! Exploring Arts & Crafts & Julia Morgan Architecture

Four Fools Winery

Welcome to Wizards &amp; Wine: A Harry Potter Inspired Market!
Grab your house crew and join us for an afternoon of magic by the bay!
Wizards &amp; Wine transforms Four Fools Winery into a spellbinding marketplace filled with themed vendors, handcrafted treasures, mystical goods, art, candles, crystals, books, treats, and enchanting finds around every corner.
<ul><li>Sip wine with a waterfront view</li><li>Shop magical makers &amp; small businesses</li><li>Dress in your house colors (costumes encouraged, never required)</li><li>Snap photos and soak up the vibes</li></ul>
Whether you’re a bold Gryffindor, a clever Ravenclaw, a loyal Hufflepuff, or a slightly dramatic Slytherin with excellent taste — this market is for you. 🦁🐍🦅🦡
Bring your friends. Bring your family. Bring your inner wizard.
Show up ready for some magic!

Local Event: Wizards & Wine: A Free Harry Potter Inspired Market

Contra Costa County

Rodeo

Wizards & Wine: A Free Harry Potter Inspired...

Welcome to Wizards & Wine: A Harry Potter Inspired Market!
Grab your house crew and join us for an afternoon of magic by the...

Wizards & Wine: A Free Harry Potter Inspired Market

Fairfield Arts

Join Fairfield Arts for a milestone celebration featuring a Free Artist PopUp and local creative talent. Guests can also participate in a Poetry Open Mic Reading at 4:00 PM—bring a themed poem to share or simply enjoy the performances as a listener.

Local Event: Fairfield Arts 2nd Anniversary Poetry Open mic

Fairfield Arts 2nd Anniversary Poetry Open mic

Join Fairfield Arts for a milestone celebration featuring a Free Artist PopUp and local creative talent. Guests can also...

Create something meaningful, personal, and beautifully your own. ✨📖
Join Reba Halverson for Create a Vision Journal, a welcoming, beginner-friendly workshop designed to spark creativity, connection, and self-discovery.
In this relaxed mixed-media class, students will create a personal journal using whatever mediums speak to them: paint, collage, photographs, poetry, found papers, or simple words. No artistic experience is needed, just curiosity, openness, and a willingness to explore.
Your journal can become a:
<ul>
<li>
Vision Board journal
</li>
<li>
Life Purpose exploration
</li>
<li>
Scribble Bucket List
</li>
<li>
Quotes That Spark Joy collection
</li>
<li>
Daily Art journal
</li>
<li>
or something uniquely your own
</li>
</ul>
By the end of class, you’ll leave with a meaningful handmade journal that reflects your voice, your questions, and your unfolding story.
✨ Beginner-friendly 
✨ Adults + teens 13+ 
✨ All materials provided 
✨ Relaxed, community-oriented studio setting 
✨ Limited to just 8 seats
🗓 Tuesday, July 28 
🕠 5:30 PM–7:30 PM 
🎟 Limited to 8 seats
📍 The Little Art Shop Studio 
129 First St., Benicia CA 
Historic Tannery Building next to Bella Sienna’s

Local Event: Create a Vision Journal with Reba Halverson

Create a Vision Journal with Reba Halverson

Create something meaningful, personal, and beautifully your own. ✨📖
Join Reba Halverson for Create a Vision Journal, a...

Love landscapes, but not the pressure of painting every leaf and blade of grass? Good. 🎨
Join Ebbie Navas for Make &amp; Take: Beginning Abstract Landscapes, a beginner-friendly class where students will create two expressive landscape paintings in one session.
This class is designed for adults who want to explore landscape painting in a looser, more intuitive way using color, layering, atmosphere, and expressive brushwork. Instead of chasing realism, students will learn how to capture mood, light, and place in a way that feels personal, creative, and freeing.
It’s a great fit for beginners, returning painters, and anyone who wants to experiment with landscapes in a supportive studio setting.
✨ Beginner-friendly 
✨ Adults 
✨ Create 2 paintings in one class 
✨ Landscape-inspired, expressive, and approachable 
✨ Limited to 8 seats
🗓 Tuesday, July 29 
🕐 1:00 PM–3:30 PM 
💲 $45 class fee
Optional Premium Materials Kit: $35 
Includes two 20" x 20" stretched canvases and a Lukas Cryl Studio Enamel Set.
📍 The Little Art Shop Studio 
129 First St., Benicia CA 
Historic Tannery Building next to Bella Sienna’s

Local Event: Make & Take: Beginning Abstract Landscapes with Ebbie Navas

Make & Take: Beginning Abstract Landscapes with...

Love landscapes, but not the pressure of painting every leaf and blade of grass? Good. 🎨
Join Ebbie Navas for Make & Take:...

Make & Take: Beginning Abstract Landscapes with Ebbie Navas

Online

<h2>ARE YOU SET UP TO BE FINANCIALLY SECURE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?</h2>
Financial Freedom 101 is an experiential online immersion event where in just 3 days, you’ll get the skills, tools and money systems you need to become financially free forever!
You’ll discover how to become financially free in 5 years or less with $10k+ per month in passive income so you don’t have to depend on your business, a job, a partner, the government or anyone else for money.

Local Event: Financial Freedom 101

Financial Freedom 101

ARE YOU SET UP TO BE FINANCIALLY SECURE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE?
Financial Freedom 101 is an experiential online immersion...

Moschetti Artisan Roastery

New poetry event in Vallejo, Poetry by the Cup, meets every 1st Saturday at 11 AM at Moschetti's coffee house.

Local Event: Poetry By The Cup

Poetry By The Cup

New poetry event in Vallejo, Poetry by the Cup, meets every 1st Saturday at 11 AM at Moschetti's coffee house.

Waterfront Park

National Night Out Martinez 2026&nbsp; Tuesday, August 4 from 5:30 PM to 9 PM Martinez Waterfront Park 245 N Court Street, near the Marina
Spend the evening dancing to the music of the premier Eagles tribute band Midnight Flyer!&nbsp;
Bring your own chairs, your best dance moves, and all the good vibes for a night the whole family will love... FREE &amp; Family-Friendly Celebration! Police &amp; Fire Dept. Demos&nbsp; First Responder Displays Free Child ID Program CERT Disaster Preparedness Info Kids’ Entertainment Delicious Food Trucks Exhibits, Giveaways &amp; More! Reserve your&nbsp;<a href="https://NationalNightOut2026.eventbrite.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">FREE tickets </a>Hosted by Downtown Martinez &amp; Co. Hello@NNOMartinez.com National Night Out Martinez is a 501(C)(3) non profit organization EIN #41-4701113 <a href="https://nationalnightout2026.eventbrite.com/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExUzhmUHhqcDNGbDdCNW9yQnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR5s1RyNQL3kugp6VHnRAftmJlkU40s4nld9WcKRWJmewEFrN37ldSAtWd66dg_aem_FIBKE1XWY4ejK7U3EExFoA" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"></a>

Local Event: Midnight Flyer Rocks National Night Out Martinez

Martinez

Midnight Flyer Rocks National Night Out Martinez

National Night Out Martinez 2026  Tuesday, August 4 from 5:30 PM to 9 PM Martinez Waterfront Park 245 N Court Street, near the...

The Lucky Garden

Experience a powerful evening of spoken word and creative expression Hosted by Swiss TheBigCheez at the Lucky Garden. Presented by The Swiss Project and Hole None Records, this event invites you to share your voice or enjoy local talent in an intimate setting. To be Booked as a feature Contact Swiss at 832-758-6898 To sign up early. Text your full name to 832-758-6898

Local Event: Poetry 4 The Mind

Poetry 4 The Mind

Experience a powerful evening of spoken word and creative expression Hosted by Swiss TheBigCheez at the Lucky Garden. Presented...

The Mare Island Company is&nbsp;launching something new this summer. &nbsp;In collaboration with Local Edition Creative, Mare Island Dockside Dazzle kicks off Friday, August 7th, 5–8pm at the Historic Core — with a live painting exhibition, the unveiling of Farmer the Rigger, and a chance to meet the sculptor himself, Zulu Heru. Live music, food and drinks from Redwood Empire Whiskey Bar, and free to attend. A perfect summer night out for the whole family.

Local Event: Dockside Dazzle: Where History is Alive and Ships, Spirits and Artistry Thrive.

Napa County

Napa Valley

Dockside Dazzle: Where History is Alive and...

The Mare Island Company is launching something new this summer.  In collaboration with Local Edition Creative, Mare Island...

Dockside Dazzle: Where History is Alive and Ships, Spirits and Artistry Thrive.

<h2>Something is happening in Vallejo...</h2>
Not just another concert. Not just another Friday night.
Askari's~ Place was created for people who still believe there's nothing like live music, genuine conversation, and an evening that feeds the soul.
On Friday, August 7, the room comes alive with the unmistakable sound of Pure Ecstasy, delivering the rhythm, soul, and funk that reminds us why live bands still matter.
Rooted in Vallejo, this evening proudly features two of our own. Vallejo Poet Laureate Jacalyn Eyvonne will move audiences with her powerful spoken word, while vocalist Michael Nelson brings his smooth, soulful voice to the stage. Together, these hometown artists celebrate the creativity, talent, and cultural spirit that make Vallejo unique.
No stadium. No giant arena. Just great people, great music, poetry, and an intimate experience you'll remember long after the lights come up.
Welcome to the New Movement... Askari's~ Place.

Local Event: Pure Ecstasy Brings R&B, Soul & Funk to Askari's~ Place – August 7

Vallejo

Pure Ecstasy Brings R&B, Soul & Funk to...

Something is happening in Vallejo...
Not just another concert. Not just another Friday night.
Askari's~ Place was created for...

Pure Ecstasy Brings R&B, Soul & Funk to Askari's~ Place – August 7

The City Arts Gallery

Join us for an open mic for poets hosted by Rachel "Ray" Davis at the Solano County Arts Council headquarters. Please be advised that performances may include adult content as the community gathers for this afternoon of spoken word.

Local Event: I Need A Mic: Open Mic Poetry

I Need A Mic: Open Mic Poetry

Join us for an open mic for poets hosted by Rachel "Ray" Davis at the Solano County Arts Council headquarters. Please be...

Hog August Bites takes over downtown Rio Vista on August 22, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. with classic cars, trucks, motorcycles, military vehicles, live music, People’s Choice Rib Tasting, a chili cook-off, Vendor Village, and Kid Zone fun including face painting, games, waterslides, and hands-on activities. A community celebration designed for families, food lovers, music fans, and car enthusiasts alike. Contestant and vendor applications are still being accepted.

Local Event: 12th Annual Hog August Bites

12th Annual Hog August Bites

Hog August Bites takes over downtown Rio Vista on August 22, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. with classic cars, trucks,...

Mira Theatre Guild

Celebrate 18 years of spoken word performances at Vallejo's longest running poetry open mic, Poetry by the Bay, hosted by Keith Thompson.Come read your poetry at the Mira theater or just come support your local poets! Founded in 2008 by Kyrah Ayers. Meets monthly at 7 PM on the 4th Thursday at the Mira Theater.<a href="https://www.thereporter.com/2026/07/21/poetry-by-the-bay-set-to-celebrate-its-18th-anniversary/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Press coverage here.</a>

Local Event: 18th anniversary open mic - Poetry by the Bay 

18th anniversary open mic - Poetry by the Bay 

Celebrate 18 years of spoken word performances at Vallejo's longest running poetry open mic, Poetry by the Bay, hosted by Keith...

Vacaville Museum

Join Fairfield Poet Laureate Emerita Suzanne Bruce for an evening of literature featuring award-winning poet and photographer Katy Brown. The event includes a poetry reading followed by an open mic session, with pizza available for purchase from A Taste of Tuscany food truck. Entry is $12, or $10 for museum members.Katy Brown is a poet and photographer. She has won awards in The Ina Cool brith Circle, California Federation of Chaparral Poets, and The International Dance Poetry Competition. Her poetry has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies including the Poeming Pigeon, Sacramento Voices, California Fire and Water, and The Ina Coolbrith Society’s Gathering Anthologies.





For the last 7 years, Katy Brown and Taylor Graham have led a quarterly “Capturing Wakamatsu” event featuring poetry and exploration of the historic American River Conservancy site. Her secret power is that she can catch a lizard with a blade of grass.

Local Event: Poetry In The Palazzo

Poetry In The Palazzo

Join Fairfield Poet Laureate Emerita Suzanne Bruce for an evening of literature featuring award-winning poet and photographer...

Nearby Communities

State Edition

National Edition

Events and Things to Do in Benicia, CA

Saturday, July 25

An Arts Salon! Exploring Arts & Crafts & Julia Morgan Architecture

JUL

25

9:00 AM

Benicia, CA

Wizards & Wine: A Free Harry Potter Inspired Market

JUL

25

1:00 PM

Four Fools Winery, 13 Pacific Ave, Rodeo, CA

Also around town...

Please confirm event details with the organizers before attending

Thursday, July 23

Saturday, July 25

Tuesday, July 28

Wednesday, July 29

Friday, July 31

Saturday, August 1

Tuesday, August 4

Wednesday, August 5

Friday, August 7

Sunday, August 16

Saturday, August 22

Thursday, August 27

Saturday, September 12

An Arts Salon! Exploring Arts & Crafts & Julia Morgan Architecture

Wizards & Wine: A Free Harry Potter Inspired Market