Marin Weekend Family Fun for October 3–5

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.

All Weekend

• Come shop until you drop at the huge North Bay Just Between Friends kids' sale, Sonoma County Fairgrounds' Grace Pavilion, Santa Rosa. Various times.
• Drop in and keep cool this weekend at the Hamilton Pool in Novato, Friday, 5–7 pm, Saturday and Sunday, noon–6 pm.
• Mickelson Pumpkin Patch has a huge pumpkin field and attractions like a hay maze, games, tractor rides, and farm animals. Friday & Saturday 9 am–10 pm, Sunday 9 am–8 pm.
• Pick the perfect pumpkin and get lost in the corn maze at Petaluma Pumpkin Patch, Friday & Saturday, 10 am–10 pm and Sunday, 10 am–7 pm.
• Pick a pumpkin, brave the Haunted Village, visit the farm animals at Pronzini Farms Pumpkin Patch, Friday & Saturday, 10 am–7 pm and Sunday, 10 am–6 pm.
• Novato's Grossi Family Farm pumpkin patch offers 4 acres of pumpkins, farm animals, hay maze, and more, Friday, noon–5:30 pm, Saturday & Sunday, 10 am–5:30 pm.
• Filoli's Nightfall is an enchantingly eerie haunted wonderland, Friday–Sunday, 5:30–8:30 pm.
• Bring the family to the Thomas’s Halloween Party at Roaring Camp Railroads, Saturday & Sunday, 10 am–3 pm.
• Take a mini train ride in Santa Rosa with Redwood Empire Live Steamers, Saturday & Sunday, noon–4 pm.
• See a fantastic family film at the 48th annual Mill Valley Film Festival, then celebrate Sunday at the Hoopla! party at Marin Country Mart (admission included with film screening ticket). Saturday & Sunday, various times and venues; Hoopla! is Sunday 1 pm–3 pm

Friday, October 3

• Come to Boyle Park in Mill Valley for a pop-up storytime, Friday, 10:15 am.
• Enjoy soulful twists on children's songs with Soul4Kids in Sausalito's Robin Sweeny Park, Friday, 11 am–noon.
• Bring the kiddos for Friday Movie Night at the Mart: The Apple Dumpling Gang at Marin Country Mart, Friday, 6 pm.
• The West End Block Party in Downtown San Rafael returns with music and community spirit, Friday, 6–9 pm.
• Explore the solar system at a star party with San Francisco Amateur Astronomers in the Presidio, Friday, 6–9 pm.
• See the hit movie Little Mermaid (2023) in Mill Valley's Old Mill Park, Friday, 6:45 pm (movie starts at sunset)

JBF huge kids' sale is this weekend in Santa Rosa.

Saturday, October 4

• Experience what it was like on the rock at Living History Day on Alcatraz with free activities, (boat ticket purchase required), Saturday, 9 am–3 pm. 
• Meet representatives from a variety of Marin preschools at the Nativity of Christ Greek Orthodox Church preschool fair, Saturday, 10 am–noon.
• Celebrate the spook season at Treasure Island's Harvest Festival and Pumpkin Patch, Saturday, 10 am–4 pm.
• Get a new-to-you costume at theHalloween Costume Swap, Novato Library, Saturday, 11 am–1 pm.
• Come to Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley for a special free Sing and Stomp performance, Saturday, 11 am–noon.
• Oak Hill Farm's annual free Pumpkin Day offers activities, food, pumpkin launching, and more, Saturday, 11 am–5 pm.
• Learn about Cold War history from veterans of the Nike program at the Nike Missile Site in the Marin Headlands, Saturday, noon–3 pm.
• See Pixar's Brave for free in Novato's Pocket Park, Saturday, 7 pm.

Sunday, October 5

• Shop for fresh produce and locally made foods and enjoy live music at the Marin Civic Center farmer's market in San Rafael, Sunday, 8 am–1 pm.
• Enjoy a pancake breakfast and learn about fire prevention and safety at Novato Fire District's Station 62, Sunday, 8 am–noon.
• Visit Nicasio Valley Pumpkin Patch for free kids's music, Sunday, 11 am–noon.
• Celebrate Oktoberfest at Marin Country Mart with a kids' pretzel craft, music, and German food and beer from Suppenküche, Sunday, 11 am–6 pm.
• Explore the World War II-era Battery Townsley in the Marin Headlands at its monthly open house, Sunday, noon–4 pm.
• Enjoy an afternoon of hands-on science, technology, engineering, art, and math while supporting the educational programs at the Exploratorium, Sunday, 2–5 pm.
• Join SPARK in Corte Madera Town Park to raise money for Larkspur and Corte Madera public schools, Sunday, 3–6 pm.