Things to Do in the San Francisco Bay Area
October 2026
Curated by Thomas Henthorne
The Goblins BOOtacular is Friday, October 23 in San Anselmo.
Few months show off the Bay Area’s range as vividly as October, when major cultural events, neighborhood traditions, open studios, harvest celebrations, live performance, food and wine gatherings, and Halloween festivities fill the calendar. From the Everybody Eats Festival, Ardenwood Harvest Festival, and Berkeley Harvest Festival in the East Bay to San Francisco Fleet Week, the Italian Heritage Parade, and Litquake in San Francisco, the month offers an exceptional mix of ways to experience the region.
Closer to home, Marin has a particularly strong October calendar, anchored by the 49th Mill Valley Film Festival, Nostalgia Days Cruise & Car Show in Novato, The French Market Marin, and San Anselmo’s Goblins’ BOOtacular. These are exactly the kinds of events that reflect why I love living and working in the towns and neighborhoods of Marin County: there is a small-town sense of community, but with easy access to the cultural depth, natural beauty, and regional energy of the greater Bay Area.
Beyond Marin, Peninsula and South Bay highlights include The Phantom of the Opera, the San Carlos Art & Wine Faire, the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival, and the San Jose International Short Film Festival. Wine Country adds its own seasonal appeal with Healdsburg Crush, Sonoma County Art Trails, V. Sattui’s Crush Party, and the Petaluma Gap Wind to Wine Festival.
This curated guide to the things to do in the San Francisco Bay Area in October 2026 highlights some of the top events happening around the region this month, with a special eye toward the lifestyle connections that make Marin such a compelling home base.
If you are exploring life in Marin more seriously, you may also enjoy my San Rafael lifestyle guide, my San Anselmo guide, or my guide to the Top 10 Hikes in Marin County.
You can learn more about me here. Call or text me at 415-847-5584 if I may be of assistance with your real estate needs.
What’s Happening Around the Bay in October 2026
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Everybody Eats Festival
October 10 This homegrown Alameda festival marks its fifth anniversary with a waterfront celebration of Bay Area food, music, fashion, art, and community at Gold Bar Hangar. |
Ardenwood Harvest Festival
October 10–11 Celebrate the season at Ardenwood Historic Farm with corn harvesting, cider pressing, live music, historic crafts, and hands-on glimpses of 19th-century farm life. |
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Berkeley Harvest Festival
October 17 Berkeley’s free fall celebration at Cedar Rose Park features live music, food contests, a seed swap, community booths, and activities for children and adults. |
Día de los Muertos at OMCA
October 25 OMCA’s 32nd annual community celebration honors loved ones and ancestors with a procession, ofrendas, music, dance, hands-on activities, food, and an artisanal mercado. |
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49th Mill Valley Film Festival
Through October 11 MVFF49 brings acclaimed filmmakers, actors, emerging talent, premieres, documentaries, international cinema, and special events to theaters throughout Marin. |
Nostalgia Days Cruise & Car Show
October 9–10 Downtown Novato celebrates the event’s 30th year with a Friday-evening hot-rod cruise followed by a Saturday showcase of classic cars, custom vehicles, and live music. |
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The French Market Marin
October 11 Browse more than 140 booths of antiques, vintage finds, home and garden décor, jewelry, art, and collectibles while enjoying live French music and made-to-order crêpes. |
Goblins’ BOOtacular
October 23 Downtown San Anselmo welcomes costumed families for an evening of festive trick-or-treating along San Anselmo Avenue with local merchants and neighbors. |
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The Phantom of the Opera
October 7–18 Andrew Lloyd Webber’s landmark musical returns in a revitalized touring production featuring Maria Björnson’s original design at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts. |
San Carlos Art & Wine Faire
October 10–11 The Peninsula’s popular fall festival returns with 225 artists and makers, wine and microbrews, specialty food, live entertainment, and family activities downtown. |
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Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival
October 17–18 The World Pumpkin Capital celebrates its 54th annual fall spectacular with giant pumpkins, art, food, entertainment, a parade, and seasonal fun on historic Main Street. |
San Jose International Short Film Festival
October 22–25 More than 150 short films from around the world screen over four days at CineArts Santana Row, spanning drama, documentary, comedy, animation, and science fiction. |
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San Francisco Fleet Week Air Show
October 9–11 The Blue Angels headline a four-hour waterfront air show between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, with Fleet Fest, ship tours, and the Parade of Ships nearby. |
Italian Heritage Parade
October 11 San Francisco’s Italian American tradition travels from Fisherman’s Wharf through North Beach to Washington Square, accompanied by the Concorso Italiano Auto Show. |
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SF Open Studios
October 10–11, 17–18 & 24–25 ArtSpan’s citywide tradition opens artists’ studios by neighborhood over three October weekends, offering a direct look at the people and spaces behind San Francisco art. |
Litquake Festival & Lit Crawl
October 8–24 San Francisco’s annual literary festival presents readings and conversations across the city before culminating in the free Lit Crawl through Mission District venues. |
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Healdsburg Crush
October 11 Taste limited-production Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and sparkling wine from more than 60 producers at Bacchus Landing, benefiting Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma-Marin. |
Sonoma County Art Trails
October 10–11 & 17–18 Plan a self-guided route through Sonoma County as participating painters, sculptors, ceramicists, photographers, woodworkers, and mixed-media artists open their studios. |
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V. Sattui’s Crush Party
October 16 Step behind the scenes of a working St. Helena winery for grape stomping, live music, Tuscan food, barrel-making demonstrations, and tastings of more than 45 wines. |
Petaluma Gap Wind to Wine Festival
October 17 More than 20 Petaluma Gap wineries gather at historic Gambonini Family Ranch for coastal wines, artisan cheese and charcuterie, paella, live music, and vineyard views. |
Considering Moving to Marin?
Considering Moving to Marin?
The October calendar captures so much of what makes life in Marin distinctive: the Mill Valley Film Festival, neighborhood traditions in Novato and San Anselmo, beautiful fall days, easy access to San Francisco for Fleet Week, Litquake, and open studios, and Wine Country at the height of harvest season. It is a lifestyle that makes it remarkably easy to move between small-town community, open space, cultural experiences, and world-class food and wine—all within a single weekend.
If this month’s guide has you picturing a life here, explore my San Rafael lifestyle guide, San Anselmo guide, or Terra Linda neighborhood page.
For ongoing local insight, visit my Marin Real Estate and Lifestyle blog, where I share more about the Marin County lifestyle and the latest perspective on the ever-changing real estate market.
Fall is also one of the best times to experience Marin outdoors. My guide to the Top 10 Hikes in Marin County is a great place to begin, with routes ranging from redwood-shaded trails to ridgelines overlooking Mount Tamalpais, the bay, and the Pacific.
If making a move to or within Marin County is on your horizon, please reach out at 415-847-5584. I am always happy to help you navigate both the market and the lifestyle.
About the Author
Thomas Henthorne is a consistently top-ranked Marin County real estate agent with Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty, known for thoughtful guidance, strong negotiation, and polished marketing. He is the publisher of a widely read Marin real estate blog covering local market insights, neighborhood spotlights, and the lifestyle that makes Marin such an exceptional place to live. Thomas also brings a design and branding background to every listing and client strategy, with an emphasis on presentation, positioning, and results.
You can learn more about Thomas here.
Call or text Thomas at 415-847-5584 to discuss your real estate goals.
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