10,000 And More Maniacs, Surfer Dudes, A16, Ballet, And New Party Place: 5 North Bay Events

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Power-pop legends, surf-rock performers, acclaimed chefs, dancers, and craft brewers will headline a busy stretch of summer events across Sonoma County, with Petaluma and Healdsburg hosting concerts, dining experiences, performances, and celebrations over the coming weeks.

10,000 Maniacs, Smithereens, Escovedo Play Petaluma

The Smithereens, 10,000 Maniacs, and Alejandro Escovedo top the line-up of the 2026 Petaluma Music Festival at the Petaluma Fairgrounds on July 25, continuing career that have spanned decades.

Formed in New Jersey in 1980, the Smithereens helped define American power pop. Drawing inspiration from Buddy Holly, the Beatles, the Kinks, the Who, Elvis Costello, and Nick Lowe, the group developed a distinctive sound built around memorable melodies, layered guitars, and driving rhythms.

English singer-songwriter and author John Wesley Harding will front the band during the Petaluma performance. The Smithereens were inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2019.

Alejandro Escovedo will bring more than four decades of genre-defying songwriting to the Petaluma Music Festival, performing songs from his latest album, Echo Dancing. The Texas-born musician, whose career has spanned punk, cowpunk, Americana, rock, and singer-songwriter traditions, revisits and reimagines songs from across his catalog on a new release.

Alternative rock pioneers 10,000 Maniacs will bring 45 years of music to the Petaluma Music Festival as the band celebrates a milestone anniversary in 2026. The group helped define the college rock and early alternative movement alongside bands such as R.E.M. and the Pixies, selling more than 10 million records and producing enduring hits including "These Are Days," "Trouble Me," "Like the Weather," and "Candy Everybody Wants."

A full line-up and schedule of bands is on the Petaluma Music Festival website.

Petaluma Music Festival, July 25, 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM

Indie-Surf Sandy's Returns To Little Saint In Healdsburg

Bay Area indie surf-rock band Sandy's will return to Little Saint in downtown Healdsburg on Saturday, July 25.

Led by singer, songwriter, and composer Alexi Glickman, Sandy's evolved from the former Bay Area indie band The Botticellis into a project blending surf rock, indie pop, dream pop, psychedelic influences, and jazz-inspired arrangements.

Guests can enjoy Little Saint's plant-based menu and beverage program during the performance. The downtown Healdsburg venue regularly hosts concerts, films, author talks, and community events.

Doors open at 7 p.m., and the free, all-ages concert begins at 8 p.m. in the venue's upstairs event space. Organizers recommend RSVPing, although seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Info: littlesainthealdsburg.com/

In Celebration Of The Tomato: Little Saint + A16

Little Saint will also partner with San Francisco restaurant A16 for Tomato Sagra on Saturday, Aug. 15.

Executive Chef Deborah Mullin and A16 Chef Valentin Atayde will prepare a Southern Italian-inspired prix fixe dinner celebrating Sonoma County's peak tomato season. The menu will showcase tomatoes grown at Little Saint's regenerative farm alongside other regional ingredients.

The dinner runs from 5 to 9 p.m. at Little Saint, 25 North St., Healdsburg. The prix fixe menu costs $125 per person, excluding gratuity, and reservations are available through OpenTable.

Aug. 15 from 5 PM – 9 PM at Little Saint, 25 North St. Info: littlesainthealdsburg.com/

Old Caz Opens Downtown Petaluma Location

Old Caz Beer announced they are bringing the party from Rohnert Park to downtown Petaluma on Aug. 8.

The new Old Caz Backyard will have the brewery's beers, local wine,m and cider, as well as a full kitchen, rotating food trucks, a stage for live music, and a dedicated children's play area.

The expansion follows the brewery's original taproom opening in 2019 and the later addition of its SoMo Pub. Owners say the new downtown location is designed to create another gathering place for the community while expanding the brewery's presence in Petaluma.

Info: oldcaz.com

LUNAE Blends Ballet And Farm Dining In Petaluma

Tara Firma Farms in Petaluma will host a midsummer evening of ballet and farm-to-table dining as the JAD Experience presents LUNAE during a six-night run this July.

Co-founded by dancer and choreographer Julia Adam and Tara Firma Farms' Aaron Lucich, the immersive outdoor production combines live dance with a seasonal dinner served at the working farm. Attendance is limited to 100 guests for each performance. Additional information and tickets are available at jadexperience.org.

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