Dana Davis of Sonoma Body Balance offers a workshop, “The 3 Myths that are Causing Your Back Pain,” from 7:15 to 9:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, at 210 Vallejo St. The free class includes a slide show on posture, lecture, practice and hands-on guidance. Registration is needed: call 658-2599 or go to sonomabodybalance.com.
It’s back to school for all ages at the Petaluma Arts Center. Kids, teens and adults can choose among a variety of arts and crafts classes, including the Art of Comics and Cartooning, Creative Metalwork, Imaginative Clay, printmaking, ceramics, photography, watercolor, architectural design, mosaics, art journaling and pique assiette. Many classes begin this week and costs start at $10. Call 762-5600 or go to petalumaartscenter.org for a complete schedule.
Want to know more about what’s going on in town? Have dinner with Mayor David Glass at Aqus Cafe on the second Tuesday of each month and learn about the city’s inner workings. Dinner is from 7:30 to 8 p.m. Sept. 11, followed by a Town Hall-style meeting that’s recorded for broadcast on Petaluma Community Access television. Aqus is at 189 H St. Call 778-6060 or go to aquscafe.com.
Are you a fan of Sonoma County’s volunteer orchestra, the American Philharmonic? If so, come on down to the Lagunitas Beer Sanctuary on Sept. 11 and help the musicians launch their 14th season with a nicely alliterative Fall Fling fund-raiser. There will be eats and drinks, a silent auction, raffles and door prizes along with plenty of music, from hot jazz to cool classical, by members of the Phil. The Fling gets underway at 5:30 p.m. at Lagunitas, 1280 N. McDowell Blvd., and runs to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 to $30. Call 542-8234 or go to apsonoma.org.
Petaluma-born Daedalus Howell returns to his hometown for a reading of his latest book, “I Heart Sonoma: How to Live & Drink in Wine Country.” Howell’s Sonoma Index-Tribune columns about the dark side of “wine country living” won “Best Humorous Column” from the National Newspaper Association last year. “I consider this book less of a valentine and more of a thank you note to the city and county of Sonoma,” he says. The reading starts at 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 14, at Copperfield’s Books, 140 Kentucky St. For more information, visit dhowell.com.
The Southern Sonoma County Resource Conservation District hosts the great Petaluma Fall Trash Cleanup from 8:30 to noon Saturday, Sept. 15, as part of the statewide Coastal Cleanup Day. Partnering with Friends of the Petaluma River, residents, neighbors and schools will join in cleaning their neighborhoods or adopting a portion of the Petaluma River to clean up and pick up trash before it’s carried into storm drains by winter rains. Event central is Water Street, for check-in, cleaning tools and refreshments. To sign up, contact Jason Sweeney at 794-1242, ext. 126.
Want to donate your sewing skills to a good cause? September is Miles of Pillowcase Smiles Childhood Cancer Month, and ConKerr Cancer’s goal for the month is to create and donate a pillowcase for every child in the country who is currently undergoing treatment. A sewing event to create pillowcases takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15 at First Presbyterian Church at 939 B St. Volunteers, donations of cotton fabric and gift cards are needed. Contact julieconkerrca@att.net.
Relay for Life Petaluma is set for the weekend of Sept. 15 and 16 at Casa Grande High School. The fundraiser gives individuals and communities a chance to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember those lost to it and fight back against the disease. It’s not to late to get involved. Call 292-2621 or visit relayforlife.org/petalumaca.
Pickleball: easy to learn, lots of fun and a funny name. What’s not to like? The game of Pickleball is played on a sport court and is similar to tennis, but uses an oversized ping-pong-style paddle and a wiffle ball. Intrigued? Instructor Arlene Knudsen offers a free Pickleball clinic at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, on the tennis courts at McNear Park at Eleventh and G streets.
1946. The boys were home from the war, Harry Truman was president and Dr. Spock’s “Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care” was published. And, out in the Two Rock Valley, the Presbyterian Church held its first Harvest Festival. Come and celebrate the 66th annual Harvest Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, at the church, 7063 Bodega Ave. The chicken barbecue is always a draw, but there will be local produce, quilts, crafts, baked goods, a raffle and silent auction, games and a scarecrow-making contest. Call 762-4924 or go to tworockvalleypresbyterianchurch.org.
Tired of boring, “flat and fast” half-marathons? The Clo-Cow Half Marathon will wake you right up, taking you from historic downtown out to farming country, to be cheered on by sheep, horses and, of course, cows! The Sunday, Sept. 16, run starts at 7 a.m. downtown and ends at 11 a.m. Cost is $20 to $90. For more information on the all-ages run, call 225-0022 or go to clocowhalf.com.
On Sunday, Sept. 16, the 17th annual Petaluma Poetry Walk starts at 11 a.m. at Viva Cocolat on the Boulevard and ends at 6 p.m. at Aqus Cafe at Foundry Wharf. In between, poets such as Donna Emerson, Ron Salisbury, Bill Vartnaw, Geri Digiorno, Jack and Adele Foley, Jennie Orvino and Jonah Raskin will read their words at seven downtown venues, a different one each hour. The walk is free. Call 338-2489.
Help Mentor Me Petaluma give kids a mentor — and have some fun while you’re at it at the Bocce Ball-a-Palooza and garden party. The event, from noon to 4:30 p.m., includes lunch and beverages. All tournament participants will play at least three games and all ages are welcome to take part: no experience is needed. Cost is $75 individual, $280 for a four-person team or $25 for spectators. Registration starts at 11:30 a.m. The afternoon also includes a raffle for a flat screen TV or a Kindle. Call 778-4798 or go to mentormepetaluma.org.
– Katie Watts
