Picnic-Friendly Weekend in Healdsburg, April 28-29

Some days the weather just cries out for a picnic, or a long walk or a bike ride. Here in Healdsburg, we do what we know best:  winetasting.

continues this weekend at the Raven Theater for Performing Arts, with an 8 p.m. show  Saturday and a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday. is the final scheduled show in the play's run, with director Steven David Martin on hand to answer audience questions.

Saturday - Sunday is Passport to Dry Creek Valley, showing off the 40-plus wineries of "ground zero for zin." Each of the wineries will have a different theme, with music, food and other features to show off their wines.

The winery event is not free: $120 for both days, $70 Sunday only, but no worries, it is sold out, according to the Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley website.

Saturday, April 28 you might want to get out early for various yard sales, garage sales and the , from 8 a.m. on at Healdsburg City Hall. In fact the sale season has come upon us with a sudden vengeance -- two weekends ago it was raining. Check out this Craigslist search for more in the area, or think about listing your Garage Sale in Patch Events.

Saturday morning, Dragonfly Floral (winner of our poll) presents their , featuring three Sonoma county craftswomen, Amy Halko, Holly Jordan and Marilyn Webster. Ten percent of proceeds benefit the .

Also Saturday our neighbor to the south is having a Carnaval 2012 celebration in the , with Ballet Folklorico, Pomo and Chinese Lion dancers, car show and martial arts, food and music. It's from noon to 5:30 p.m., and it's free, but no alcohol is allowed.

Saturday night, check out the flugelhorn-led , featuring Dave Ellis on tenor, the year's second “Jazz in the Gallery” series co-sponsored by and the . Tickets still available for $25 on HJF website or at the HCA gallery, 130 Plaza St., Healdsburg. Show time is 7:30 p.m., wine and desserts will be available.

Sunday, April 29 is Day Two of the Passport to Dry Creek, so plan your bike rides accordingly. It also marks the local premiere of the new program, "Steppin' Out." T

he 50-member Healdsburg Chorus sings a variety of show tunes and favorites from the American Songbook under the direction of Betty Zukov and accompanied by Susan Nelson. Shows are at , 3 p.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Monday.

Screenings: The continues its run of the idiosyncratic Jiro Dreams of Sushi, but only two showings a day, a 3:50 p.m. matinee and a 9:05 p.m. show.  It's alternating with Salmon Fishing in the Yemen , with Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt at 6:45 p.m. in the same theater.  

If you want more Blunt, she's with Jason Segal in Five Year Engagement (R) in the Hollywood & Wine theater. The other (R) at the H&W is The Deep Blue Sea, a tortured romance with Rachel Weisz and Tom Hiddleston. Meanwhile The Lucky One (PG-13) continues another week.

A couple other movies open this weekend that look interesting - "The Pirates: Band of Misfits," an animated comedy from Aardvark (the Wallace and Gromit house), and "The Raven," with John Cusack playing Edgar Allen Poe on the trail of a serial killer. Both sound cool, both at the Airport.

But that begs the question: Why is "The Raven" not at the Raven?