Marin Weekend Family Fun for January 16–19
Bring the family and experience the free magic of lighted art at the 2026 Napa Lighted Art Festival in downtown Napa!
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. Note that many of these events require advance registration and some may depend on weather conditions so make sure you check with the organizer before you go.
All Weekend
- Visit the animals, walk along the coastal trail, and picnic at the beautiful Slide Ranch, Muir Beach. Open to the public, 8 am–dusk.
- Join the Golden Gate National Recreation Area for an MLK Weekend of Service, Friday–Monday, various times.
- Head out to Point Reyes National Seashore for whale and elephant seal watching, Saturday & Sunday, 10 am–4 pm.
- Take a family waterfall hike to Buck Gulch Falls in Novato (AKA the Fairway Waterfall).
- Experience incredible lighted art in a free event in downtown Napa, Saturday, 6–10 pm, Sunday 6–9 pm.
- See the Studio Ghibli movie Castle in the Sky at the Lark Theater in Larkspur, Sunday, 9 am & 3:30 pm (English dub), Monday, 6:15 pm (Japanese with English subtitles).
Friday, January 16
- Sing, dance, jump and play with musician Emily Bonn at San Anselmo Library, Friday, 10:30–11 am.
- Join In Harmony Music for music and dancing in Sausalito's Robin Sweeny Park, Friday, 11:30 am–noon.
Head out to Drake's Beach in Point Reyes and view the elephant seals from the parking lot.
Saturday, January 17
- Go on a winter birding walk on Turtle Back Nature Trail at China Camp State Park in San Rafael, Saturday, 8–10 am.
- Shop for fresh produce and locally made foods and enjoy live kids' entertainment at the Marin Country Mart Farmers' Market, Saturday, 9 am–2 pm.
- Kick off the new year with Goodie with and design your very own wooden race car or gingerbread house at Goodman Building Supply in Mill Valley, Saturday, 12:30–2 pm.
- Kick off the New Year by enjoying a warm campfire, songs, and marshmallow roast in the Sonoma Barracks Courtyard, Saturday, 5:30 pm.
Sunday, January 18
- Get your fruits and veggies and handcrafted local foods at the Marin Civic Center Farmers Market, Sunday, 8 am–1 pm.
- Honor the life and legacy of Claude, the albino alligator, in a free public ceremony at the Golden Gate Park Bandshell, Sunday, 11 am–1 pm.
Monday, January 19 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)
- Visit Muir Woods for free in honor of MLK Day (parking reservations still required), Monday, 8 am–sunset.
- Join Slide Ranch for morning of volunteering in honor of MLK Day, Monday, 9 am–noon.
- The Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito will be open from 10 am–4 pm for MLK Day.
- Take one last skate on the final day of the Union Square Ice Rink in San Francisco, Monday, 10 am–11 pm.
Visit the animals, walk along the coastal trail, and picnic at the beautiful Slide Ranch, Muir Beach. Open to the public, 8 am–dusk.
