Tuesday, Nov. 6, is Election Day. After you get out the vote, why not drop by the East Side Farmers Market between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to pick up fresh fruits and vegetables from friendly local vendors. There’s a wide variety of food-to-go as well, plus handcrafts and fun for kids. The market is held in the Community Center parking lot, 320 N. McDowell Blvd.

Interested in birding? Search for migrating birds from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8. The morning will include birding around Shollenberger Park ponds and wetlands; afternoon includes bird watching around the adjacent Ellis Creek water recycling facility. Participants should pack a lunch. The park is at 1400 Cader Lane, off South McDowell Extension. E-mail Tom McCuller at sisyphus@sonic.net or call 546-1812. On Saturday, Nov. 10, a nature walk at the park starts at 9 a.m. Walkers should meet at the first kiosk. Call Gerald Moore at 763-3577.

If your slogan is “So many books, so little time,” you won’t want to miss the Petaluma Regional Library’s fall book sale. It begins Friday, Nov. 9, with Children’s Sale Day, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and continues Wednesday, Nov. 14, through Saturday, Nov. 17. The library is at 100 Fairgrounds Drive. Go to sonomalibrary.org.

Here we are in early November. That means it’s time for the 24th annual Petaluma Holiday Arts and Crafts Faire. Five dozen local exhibitors will offer a wide variety of items, including wall art, ceramics, seasonal décor, jewelry, clothing and bath products from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, at the Petaluma Community Center, 320 N. McDowell Blvd. Lunch and snacks will be available. Admission is free. To preview items, visit holidaygiftfaire.com.

Dine and dance Saturday, Nov. 10, at Green String Farm’s Chili Cook-Off and Contra Dance. Locals who believe their chili is dynamite can join farm interns, staff, local restaurants and farmers by enrolling at greenstringchilicookoff@gmail.com. If you’re interesting in sampling and judging the selection, accompanied by Green String cornbread, cost is $10. The event includes a tour of the farm, crop swap, music and dancing, and gets underway at 4 p.m. Chili tasting is at 5 p.m., continuing until the food runs out. Green String Farm is at 3571 Adobe Road. Call 778-7500 or go to greenstringfarm.com.

Dreaming of the tropics? The next best thing may be Dream Big Island Fest, from 5 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, at the Phoenix Theater, 201 Washington St. The event features music by SpawnBreezie, CRSB, Legaci, Erin Paula, the Mango Kingz, Anak and the VaiHauNui Polynesian Dance Group. Vendors will offer leis, temporary tribal tattoos, Hawaiian shave ice and Polynesian clothing. Tickets are $15 to $25, or $80 for a family of four. For details, go to bigbodyradio.com.

Ready for some hot music to take the chill off? The San Francisco Mandolin Orchestra performs its fall concert, “Fire,” at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, at the First Church of Christ Scientist, 522 B St. Selections include Stravinsky’s “Firebird,” Handel’s “Music for the Royal Fireworks” and de Falla’s “Ritual Fire Dance.” The seven-year-old group is a plucked-string orchestra featuring mandolin, mandola, octave mandolin, mandocello, guitar and bass. Tickets are $10 to $15. Go to sfmandolin.org.

— Katie Watts

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