Featured Events in Sebastopol in September, 2024 (June Updated)

Join us for a fun and interactive workshop where you'll learn the basics of storytelling! Have you ever wanted to tell your tale in front of an audience but didn’t know how to start? Join our introductory class to learn about narrative, truth telling, what storytelling isn’t and get a chance to start creating your Moth style story for our upcoming 7minutesMax performance on Sunday, October 13th. Registration is $75, $65 for OCA members. Bring your own lunch. Workshop is limited to 20 people. Instructor Jessica Morell became a storytelling in 2016 when she entered the San Miguel International Storytelling festival and won first place out of 36 participants. Since then she is a regular contributor at Westside Stories and has appeared at the GrandSlam at the Mystic a number of times. Jessica is an active local community member and is a passionate board member at OCA. Facilitator and workshop assistant, Suze Pringle Cohan is a published writer and poet, and is in three on-going writing groups. She has been the chair of the literary arm of OCA (one might call her an “armchair”) since 2010, hosting both regular book launches for local authors and poets, as well as workshops on the craft of writing. She's honored to be a longtime member of OCA's Board of Directors. She’s excited to join Jessica in this new offering to our community, bringing words alive. Information Source: Occidental Center for the Arts | eventbrite

Don't miss Nina Gerber and Chris Webster in our Amphitheater!This incredible duo's show is sure to sell out, get tickets early.Bring your own seat cushion or low-backed chair. (Please note: chairs more than 16 tall will need to be placed at the top of the amphitheater. Please contact us to reserve handicapped seating (ground-level).Refreshments for sale, art gallery open during intermission.Outside food & drink is not allowed in our amphitheater (excludes water).Tickets are $35 GA, $30 for OCA members.Born and raised in the semi-rural outskirts of Sebastopol, Nina Gerber has been an undeniable staple of the West Coast acoustic music scene since the late 70's. From the first time she heard Kate Wolf perform in a local pizza shop, the budding teenage guitarist single-mindedly dedicated herself to her instrument. Within a few years she had won Wolf's respect and a place as her principal musical collaborator. From there she built a career as a sought after teacher, arranger, producer and prolific accompanist to a veritable who's who of folk music royalty (Greg Brown, Karla Bonoff, Kate Wolf, Dave Alvin, Lucy Kaplansky, Peter Rowan, Rosalie Sorrels, Mollie O'Brien, Laurie Lewis, Eliza Gilkyson, Chris Webster, and so many more).It would take pages to include all the accolades Gerber has received from the manysongwriters she has worked with. In 2018 Maria Mulduar wrote of Gerber, It is so Zen the way she under-girds and complements whatever music is at hand, never playing an extraneous or superfluous or irrelevant note. Acclaimed songwriter Karla Bonoff says, Nina has this uncanny ability to weave an emotional tapestry throughout a song...never getting in the way of the song, but adding this incredible depth to it...Sometimes, I am just amazed at what I hear coming from her side of the stage. Chris Webster is a soul singer beyond genre. In the course of recording over 20 albums on her own and with others, she has drawn equally from classic R&B thumpers and gospel-grass prayers, from rockabilly rave-ups and singer/songwriter confessions. Webster’s work is rooted in the classic American tension between a yearning for transcendence and a lusty connection to the here-and-now.She’s also funny. Though in performance she hangs back, all sly allure - when you’re in it for the long haul, you learn to pace yourself - she’s got a cool, understated comic timing. Chris Webster has traveled far and deep in her musical career; she has built a body of work to be reckoned with, and has earned the notice of numerous established artists. She was recruited by Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel to join the Grammy-winning country swing band, and her song, “Shake On It,” was recorded by The Band. Chris has sung back up vocals for several artists, including the legendary Ferron, and long-time collaborator, Jennifer Berezan. In 2006 Chris was awarded the Gibson Guitar New Musician Award for best new singer-songwriter. Information Source: Occidental Center for the Arts | eventbrite

Are you interested in learning a form of ritual dance that allows you to tune in to invisible realms of humanity? Are you possibly intrigued enough to learn to teach it or travel the world as an international performer? Do you hear the call to join a community of like minded women who support each other in reaching their fullest potential? Welcome to The Way of the Priestess - Ritual Dance Workshop! Join us for a transformative experience at Soft Medicine Sanctuary. This 4 hour workshop will guide you through the ancient art of ritual dance, connecting you with your innermost self. Through movement and music, you may find that you awaken to your innate Priestess energy and tap into your inner power. No dance experience is necessary - just an open heart and a willingness to explore. Come and discover the secrets your soul has been waiting to tell you. ------------------------------ Sunday September 29 12:00pm-4:00 pm *Please arrive between 11:30-11:45am to receive a blessing & annointing from the Priestesses of Quimera Soft Medicine Sanctuary, Sebastopol ------------------------------ We invite you to join us for an introduction to our mystery school, the Iseum of Quimera, where we heal through movement, dance from the depth of our souls, channel the human experience, and learn how to lead these rituals for others. While this is an introduction to the year-long Priestess program, it can provide profound transformation as a stand alone experience -- we hope you will join us to utilize the power of movement to heal from old stories and unlock new dancing potential. The Iseum of Quimera is a lineage where we study and become Priestesses of Isis, drawing upon what we understand of ancient Egypt. It is a community that uses dance-as-healing and Ritual Performance, as well as a training in self-discovery and lasting personal transformation. We will be opening a gateway to be initiated into this community beginning in October 2024. Join us Sunday September 29 to experience the magic of Quimera Ritual Dance and discover if The Way of the Priestess is for you. To learn more about our year-long Priestess training, visit our website. Information Source: eventbrite