Marin Weekend Family Fun for May 3–5

Check out the Bay Area Discovery Museum's STEM Superhero Festival this weekend, May 3–5 in Sausalito. 

Here are our picks for great events and activities for children and families this weekend. Find more events for the whole week in Marin and beyond in our Family Events Calendar.

Friday, May 3

• STEM Superhero Festival-Special Toddler Only Programs
  Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito
  Friday, 9 am–4 pm
  During STEM Superhero Festival (May 3–5), children will harness the power of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through hands-on programs that explore how different superheroes use STEM skills to save the day – and how they can too! Friday will offer a special toddler only programs throughout the day. Museum admission applies; free for members. Location: 557 McReynolds Road, Fort Baker, Sausalito. Event details.
• Dino Days
  Cal Academy San Francisco
  Friday & Saturday, 9:30 am–5 pm and Sunday, 11 am–5 pm
  Walk among life-size animatronic dinosaurs that move and roar at Dino Days. An immersive festival with its footprint all over the Academy, Dino Days invites you to travel back in time to the Late Cretaceous period and come face-to-face with the largest reptiles that ever stalked the Earth. Museum admission applies. Open daily through May 5. Location: 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. Event details.
• Novato Warehouse Sale
  Bel Marin Keys Blvd., Novato
  Friday–Sunday, 10 am–5 pm
  Shop for the perfect gifts for Mother’s Day, with great deals on hundreds of items from international brands and local artisans. Italian glass and ceramics, Award-winning wines, Cheesecakes, Kitchenware, cookware and tableware, clothing and accessories, Tropical gifts and personal care products and more... Open to the public. Balloons and signs will be in front of the warehouses taking part in this Sale. A downloadable map is available on www.NovatoWarehouseSale.com.
• Sing and Dance with Miss Kitty!
  San Rafael City Hall (next to Library)
  Friday, 10:30–11:15 am
  We are pleased to announce the return of Miss Kitty to the San Rafael Public Library! Miss Kitty is back for a series of fun family concerts that are just right for kids birth to 8 years old. No registration, no space limitations, all are welcome! Location: San Rafael City Hall City Council Chambers, next to the downtown Library at 1400 5th Avenue. Event details.
• American Crown Circus
  Northgate Mall, San Rafael
  Friday & Saturday, 5:30 and 7:30 pm and Sunday and Sunday, 3:30, 5:30, and 7:30 pm; Monday, 7 pm
  American Crown Circus sets up its big top at Northgate Mall in San Rafael, May 2–6. American Crown Circus is a family run, bilingual circus that features acrobats, high wire acts, and clowns (but no exotic animals). Read about our visit to the circus here. There will be 9 performances in all. Tickets range from $10 to $25; each paid adult advance ticket admits two children under 11 free of charge. Child admission coupons are available at schools and local businesses. You can learn more about American Crown Circus and order tickets on their website.
• PAAM Annual Showcase
  Showcase Theater, San Rafael
  Friday, 5:30 pm, Saturday, 3 & 7 pm and Sunday, 11 am &  1 pm
  Featuring PAAM’s Conservatory students performing dance routines in the styles of Jazz, Hip Hop, Tap, Contemporary, Acro, Theater Styles, and Ballet, as well as favorite pieces from Musical Theater. The Conservatory program begins at age 3 with continued training through high school. Tickets: $20, Children under 2 not recommended. Purchase tickets here. Location: 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael. Event details.
• $5 First Friday: Star Wars Party
  Chabot Space & Science Center, Oakland
  Friday. 6–10 pm
  It's $5 first Friday at the Chabot Space & Science Center. Join us for our 2^nd annual Star Wars Party and show off your best at our Star Wars fashion show and dance party! Catch special appearances from the Star Wars Cantina Band, R2-D2 and some of your other favorite characters from the saga. Also, stay for a screening of Star Wars: The Last Jedi!Get your $5 tickets online here. Location: 1000 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. Event details.
• Disney's Alice in Wonderland Jr. Musical
  Del Mar Middle School, Tiburon
  Friday & Saturday, 6:30 pm
  Join Alice in new madcap adventures that feature updated songs from Disney’s animated motion picture as Del Mar Middle School puts on Alice in Wonderland Jr. from May 1st to May 4th. Fun for the entire family. Open to the public. Tickets: $10. Purchase tickets here. Location: 105 Avenida Miaflores, Tiburon. Event details.
• Pippin
  Berkeley Playhouse
  Friday, 7 pm, Saturday, 1 & 7 pm, Sunday, 2 pm
  Prince Pippin, son of King Charlemagne the Great, is on a quest for the secret to true happiness and fulfillment. Unable to gain insight from his father, Pippin decides that experience and adventure is the path to enlightenment. He heads into war as a soldier, explores relationships without love, tries his hand at artistry—he even becomes the king of the land! And yet happiness eludes Pippin. Tickets: $20–$45. Event details
• Stapleton Theatre Co. presents Bye Bye Birdie
  The Playhouse, San Anselmo
  Friday & Saturday, 7:30 pm and Sunday, 2 pm
  A loving send-up of the early 1960s, small-town America, teenagers, and rock & roll, Bye Bye Birdie remains as fresh and vibrant as ever. Teen heartthrob Conrad Birdie has been drafted, so he chooses All-American girl Kim MacAfee for a very public farewell kiss. Featuring a tuneful high-energy score, plenty of great parts for teens and adults, and a hilarious script, Birdie continues to thrill audiences around the world. Tickets: adults $22 and student/seniors $16. Purchase tickets here. Location: 27 Kensignton Road, San Anselmo. Event details.

Saturday, May 4

• Free Access to All Parks
  Marin County Parks
  Saturday, All Day
  Marin County Parks is offering free access to all parks on the first Saturday of the month all year long! Includes Black Point Boat Launch, McInnis Park, McNears Beach Park, Miller Boat Launch, Paradise Beach Park, and Stafford Lake Park. Event details.
• Museums on Us Free Day
  Various Museums
  Saturday & Sunday
  Bank of America cardholders can visit the following Bay Area museums for free! Enjoy the Contemporary Jewish Museum, de Young Museum, the Legion of Honor, and the Chabot Space and Science Center. Photo ID and a valid Bank of America/Merrill Lynch credit or debit card must be presented. Event details.
• Cinco de Mayo at the Mart!
  Marin Country Mart, Larkspur Landing
  Saturday, 9 am–2 pm
  Meet us at the Mart to celebrate Cinco de Mayo one day early! We will have a piñata at 11am, Coco screening at the Farmer's Market, a taco bar from El Huarache Loco, and Mexican Chocolate ice cream from Three Twins Ice Cream! Enjoy the best local and organic produce, flowers, pastured meats, seafood, organic cheeses, yogurt and milk, breads, baked goods, nuts, local wine, jams, honey, hummus and knife sharpening. Location: Larkspur Landing parking lot. Event details.
• Super Bicycle Festival
  The New Wheel, Larkspur
  Saturday & Sunday, 9 am–5 pm
  Celebrate all things e-bike at the second annual Super Bicycle Festival! Enjoy two days of food, craft beer, family cycling, workshops, speakers, a kids' area with entertainment by Enzo Garcia, and test drives of the latest e-bike models and categories. Free, but advance registration suggested. Location: 14 East Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. Event details.
• Broom Buster Work Day
  
  Old St. Hilary’s Preserve, Tiburon

  Saturday, 9 am–noon
  Old St. Hilary’s Open Space Preserve has a friend in the Broom Buster team, a loyal group of volunteers who have worked together to remove French broom on the preserve for the past 20 years. All skill levels are welcome and no previous experience is necessary. All ages are welcome; anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a supervising adult. Dress in layers you can get dirty, wear sturdy shoes, and bring water. Please bring gloves if you have them. Snacks will be provided. RSVP's are appreciated but not required.  RSVP: Contact Volunteer Coordinator Greg Reza at (415) 473-3778. Event details.

• Free Yoga in the Park
  Old Mill Park, Mill Valley
  Saturday, 9–10 am
  Alignment-based Hatha yoga practice in the company of majestic redwoods, community, and lots of fresh air!  Enjoy a fun and unique environment of mindfulness, stretching and strengthening.  Wear layers, and bring a mat and water bottle. Free. No pre-registration required. Location: meet at Old Mill Park Amphitheatre 10 minutes before class, Mill Valley. Event details
• Touch A Truck
  Oakview Nursery School, San Rafael
  Saturday, 9:30 am–noon
  Come and explore and get behind the wheel of your favorite vehicles, including a fire truck, dump truck, police car, school bus, tow truck, ambulance, rescue truck, recycle truck, construction vehicles, and more. There promises to be a parking lot full of cool trucks this year! It will definitely be a day to remember. Admission is $7 per person (cash only, please), and kids under 1 are free. Baked goods and beverages will be available for sale, too. All proceeds from this event will fund special programing for Oak View Nursery School students. Location: 70 Skyview Terrace in San Rafael. Event details.
• Language, the Brain and Cultural Immersion (free)
  Red Hill Church - Gym *upstairs from Le Petit Jardin
  Saturday, 10 am–1 pm
  Please join us to hear Wendy Xa, Neuroscientist and two-time school founder, talk about language immersion and brain development, followed by a panel of world travelers and their life changing experiences. This event is free and open to the public. Register here.
• Novato Police Department Open House
  Downtown Novato
  Saturday, 10 am–2 pm

  Mark your calendars! The Novato Police Department will be holding an Open House on Saturday, May 4! This is a great opportunity to bring family, friends and neighbors down to the station. There will be station tours, demonstrations by specialty units, activities for kids, and more! Location: 909 Machin Ave, Novato. Event details.
• Tour of Novato Community Fair
  Novato City Hall
  Saturday, 10 am–2 pm
  This Saturday, bike riders from the Novato community ride to support local schools. Community Fair and Student Showcase begins at 10 am and runs through 2 pm, with face painting, crafts, bicycle safety rodeo, carnival games and prizes, free books for kids of all ages, and more. Admission to the Community Fair is free. Location, Novato City Hall, Sherman Avenue (at Grant). Event details.
• May Faire
  Marin Waldorf School, San Rafael
  Saturday, 10:30 am–2 pm
  A joyful celebration of spring. Music, dancing, flower crowns and food. All are welcome. Location: 755 Idylberry Road, San Rafael. Event details.
• STEM Superhero Festival
  Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito
  Saturday, 10 am–5 pm (opens at 9 am for members)
  During STEM Superhero Festival (May 3–5), children will harness the power of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through hands-on programs that explore how different superheroes use STEM skills to save the day – and how they can too! Activities include: Super STEM Gadgets, Lights, Camera, Action, Superhero Training Course, DIY Comic Strips, Superhero Yoga with Its Yoga Kids, and live music with Juice & Jelly. Museum admission applies; free for members. Location: 557 McReynolds Road, Fort Baker, Sausalito. Event details.
• Free Guided Farm Tours
  Tara Firma Farm, Petaluma
  Saturday & Sunday, 11 am–noon
  You will learn about our farm and CSA, learn what pasture raised means and how farms like Tara Firma Farms are on the front lines to fight climate change, reduce water usage, and build better soil through the latest methods in Carbon Farming!  Perfect for families, kids and school groups! *No RSVP required. Show up 15 minutes before! If no guests arrive before tour time, we do not hold the tour.* Location: 3796 I Street Ext., Petaluma. For more info, call (707) 765–1202 or visit their website.
• Fancy Nancy Tea Party
  San Anselmo Library
  Saturday, 11 am–12:30 pm
  The San Anselmo Library cordially requests your presence for an afternoon fete. That's a fancy way of saying there's a tea party and you're invited! Dress up in your fanciest clothes, bring a grownup and enjoy tea, snacks and fun! For ages 4-8, sign-up required—répondez s'il vous plait! Location: 110 Tunstead, Council Chambers, San Anselmo. Event details.
• Storytime and Activities Featuring High Five

  Barnes & Noble, Corte Madera
  Saturday, 11 am
  Limber up those hands and learn how to high five with finesse. Join us for Storytime and activities, and get a coupon from our Café for a grilled cheese sandwich with milk or juice for $4! (Café stores only). Event details.
• Local Spirit: Community Heritage & History Day
  Bon Air Center, Greenbrae
  Saturday, 11 am–2 pm
  Cinco de Mayo weekend, celebrate the vibrant history of Kentfield, Greenbrae, and Marin County with this free, festive outdoor community event .This fun-filled event brings together community and civic organizations, schools, scouts and more to share the extraordinary services and programs they provide for Marin. Showcasing more than 40 service organizations live music, hands-on children’s activities, small bites and beverages, along the promenade at Bon Air.  The Kentfield Fire Department features their newest and oldest fire engines. Box lunches will be available for sale from several merchants. Location: 50 Bon Air, Greenbrae. Event details.
• Children's Day Festival in Japantown
  Japantown Peace Plaza, San Francisco
  Saturday, 11 am–4 pm
  There will be entertainment, food and hands-on craft activities for children in recognition of Japan's national holiday to celebrate children. Free. Food available for purchase. Location: 1610 Geary Boulevard, Japan Center, Nihonmachi Mall, San Francisco. Event details.
• Family Art Making
  de Young Museum, San Francisco
  Saturday, 11 am–4 pm
  Family Art Making offers a free, drop-in art project led by professional teaching artists. Projects change every 3-4 weeks and connect to our permanent collections or highlight our special exhibiton. Make sure to pick up a Discovery Guide to explore the galleries. Artists of all ages are welcome to join. Free and open to the public. Museum admission required for gallery activities found in the Discovery Guide. Location: 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, San Francisco. Event details.

• Napa County Fair & Fiesta
  Napa County Fairgrounds, 1435 North Oak Street, Calistoga
  Saturday & Sunday, noon–10 pm
  Enjoy the carnival, classroom safari and their wild animals, giant lawn games, competitive entries in youth, arts, photography, gardening & farming, and the Napa Valley Olive Oil Competition, arts and crafts vendors, live music and performers and a food truck rally. General admission cost includes most of the activities. www.napacountyfair.org.

• Día de los Niños With Colors of Spanish
  San Rafael Public Library
  Saturday, 1-3 pm
  Join us for an afternoon of fun celebrating Día de los Niños / Children’s Day with a special performance by Colors of Spanish. Guadalupe Tausch of Colors of Spanish will share bilingual music, movement, and adventure ideal for children birth to 8 years old. Participants will get a Spanish language or bilingual book to keep, and enjoy face-painting, sidewalk chalk, lawn games, and other fun following the performance. Snacks will also be provided. No registration, all are welcome! Location: 1100 E Street, Downtown San Rafael. Event details.

• Science Saturday at Environmental Discovery Center
  Spring Lake Regional Park, Santa Rosa
  Saturday, 1–4 pm
  Have you ever used the sun to create art? Energy from the sun keeps us warm and helps plants grow, but it can also create chemical reactions!  We will use solar power to make beautiful sun prints out of natural items found in the park. Sessions begin on the hour at 1, 2, and 3 pm. Free; parking is $7 or free for Regional Parks members. Location: 393 Violetti Road, Santa Rosa. Event details.
• LEGO Star Wars Event
  
  Barnes & Noble, Corte Madera
  Saturday, 2 pm
  Star Wars fans can storm troop into stores for an afternoon of collaborative LEGO play and imagining a galaxy far, far away. Take a photo with a cool standee, and get an exclusive collectible poster, while supplies last. Event details
• Indoor Power Play
  Cal Star Gymnastics, Novato
  Saturday, 6–9 pm
  Drop the kiddos ( K-8 th grade) for some indoor fun. They can run, jump and play in an open gymnastics environment. Bring the kids in on a rainy day or any day to burn some energy. Cost: $30 per child. Location: 70 Digital Drive, Suite #3 in Novato. Event details.

Sunday, May 5

• Civic Center Farmers' Market
  Marin Civic Center, San Rafael
  Sunday, 8 am–1 pm
  There's lots of organically grown produce, breads, eggs, and fresh cut flowers, as well as live music, bounce houses, and more. This farmers' market is a great one to take the kids to. It’s located in the main Civic Center parking lot. Event details.
• Angel Island Adventure Race - Junior & Family Divisions
  Angel Island
  Sunday, 9 am–2 pm
  If adventure and surprises get your adrenaline pumping, then it is time to test your skills and see if you can complete our 8K Junior Team Race or 15K Adult Team Race on Angel Island. Featuring 5 – 10 fun and challenging obstacles throughout the course, teams of two will bike and run on trails, fire roads, and Angel Island’s Perimeter Rd. Circumnavigating these roads and trails will test your mind, body, and spirit. Get ready to sweat on this hilly course and experience the island's breathtaking scenery and panoramic vistas! Event details.
• Children's Program at Green Gulch: Buddha’s Birthday Celebration
  Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, Muir Beach
  Sunday, 9:45–11:45 am
  Join us as we celebrate the birth of our original teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha. We'll begin inside the zendo with the story of the Buddha's birth. While parents are welcome to stay inside for the dharma talk, children are invited outside to decorate the birthday pagoda with flowers from the farm. After the lecture, we'll share a formal procession with children joining their parents to bathe the baby Buddha in sweet tea, a long-standing Green Gulch tradition. A reception of juice, tea, and muffins will follow. Suggested donation: $20 per family. Location: 1601 Shoreline Highway, Muir Beach. Event details
• Family Fun Day
  Asian Art Museum, San Francisco
  Sunday, 10:30 am–2 pm
  Discover and play as a family at the Asian Art Museum. On Family Fun Days, our gallery activities, creative art projects and immersive storytelling make art appreciation into a lively, family-friendly event. Themes and projects change regularly, so visit again and again. The SFUSD Arts Festival is at the Asian Art Museum once again! Join this celebration of student creativity in visual, literary, media and performing arts and try your hand at a few different art-making activities. Location: 200 Larkin Street, San Francisco. Event details
• Free Kindermusik in the Park
  Miwok Park, Novato
  Sunday, 10:30–11 am
  Come strum and drum under the redwoods at Miwok Park in Novato this Sunday for a "musical meetup". 20–30 minutes of songs and movement followed by picnicking, park play, and creek stomping. Bring your family, your friends, your instruments, and your blanket. Free. Location: 2200 Novato Boulevard, Novato. For more info, visit their Facebook page.
• Presidio Picnic
  San Francisco Presidio
  Sunday, 11 am–4 pm
  Presidio Picnic is a great family event that takes place Sundays on the Presidio’s beautiful Main Parade Ground, a seven-acre lawn with views of the park, the city, and the San Francisco Bay. Presidio Picnic features a rotating lineup of 30+ international mobile food creators, ​free yoga class, free Presidio Y Bike learn to ride lessons for kids on the first Sunday of the month, a cultural dance program every 4th Sunday, and more. Event details.
• Folkish Festival with Mariachi TARASCO de Lorenzo Sandoval
  Marin Country Mart, Larkspur
  Sundays, 12:30–2:30 pm
  Meet us at the Mart for some folkish tunes—Cinco de Mayo style! Don't forget your dancing shoes! Join us for a day of delights and mariachi music by Mariachi TARASCO de Lorenzo Sandoval. Event details
• Marin Music Chest 2019 Winners Concert
  San Domenico School
  Sunday, 1:30 pm
  Free and open to the public, the annual Marin Music Chest Scholarship Winners Concert features solo musical performances by young Marin County classical musicians honored with 2019 Marin Music Chest Scholarship awards. Location: San Domenico School, Hall of the Arts, 1500 Butterfield Road, San Anselmo. Event details.