Looking for some family-friendly fun in June and July? Click through the gallery above for some of our favorite picks.
14 Kid-Friendly Things to Do in Sonoma County – June and July
Farm tours, festivals, fairs, free movies. There's a lot of fun to be had in Sonoma County this summer - for both kids and parents
June 3 & 10, Redwood Hill Farm Tours, Sebastopol: Redwood Hill Farm, known for their goat cheese, yogurt and kefir, opens their doors to kids who want to learn about eco-friendly farming practices, explore olive and fruit orchards, and most importantly: cuddle baby goats, pet chickens, and learn how to milk a goat. Registration required. Adults $20, kids $10, and kids under 5 are free. 707-827-3366, redwoodhillfarm.com. (Photo by Alvin Jornada)
June 5, Read to a Dog, multiple Sonoma County Library locations: Have a beginning reader in your family? Help them develop their skills by reading to a dog at local libraries. Trained therapy dogs sit next to children as they read out loud to them, serving as non-judgmental, patient, furry listeners - perfect for beginning readers who may be too shy or self-conscious to read to an adult. Weekly at libraries in Guerneville, Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Rincon Valley, Petaluma, and Sebastopol. sonomacounty.libcal.com (Photo by Alvin Jornada)
June 9-10, Sonoma County Hot Air Balloon Classic, Windsor: Rustle the kids out of bed for an awe inspiring early morning experience when over 20 hot air balloons glow at dawn, awaiting their launch into the sunny morning sky at 6:30 a.m. Balloon rides will be offered and there will be plenty of food, crafts and kid-friendly activities throughout the weekend. Proceeds benefit six local nonprofits. Kids $10, adults $20. Keiser Park, 700 Windsor River Rd., Windsor, schabc.org. (Photo by John Burgess)
June 17, Annual Open Gardens Celebration at Hallberg Butterfly Gardens, Sebastopol: Louise Hallberg has maintained her family's home for decades, caring for the butterfly garden her mother planted in the 1920s. During the 21st Open Gardens Celebration, children can explore the gardens on guided tours, learn about wildflowers, participate in bird and butterfly sightings, and participate in hands-on kid-friendly activities. Free. 707-823-3420, 8687 Oak Grove Ave., Sebastopol, hallbergbutterflygardens.org. (Photo by Christopher Chung)
June 20-22, Sonoma-Marin Fair, Petaluma: The fair returns to Petaluma! And the activities for kids are endless: pet farm animals during the Junior Livestock Shows, meet the World's Ugliest Dog, indulge in fried food and cotton candy, watch pig races, and endless carnival rides with fair admission! There is even a special Kids Park featuring maker-themed arts and crafts for little ones. Kids (under 12) and seniors $12, adults $18 (pre-sale discounts available). sonoma-marinfair.org (Photo by Christopher Chung)
June 22-24, Toyota/Save Mart 350, Sonoma: Gearhead kids will find no shortage of fun fueled activities during this year's annual NASCAR race at Sonoma Raceway. When not indulging in kid-friendly junk food like corn dogs and pizza, the little ones can build their own race cars with Legos and race them against other kids' cars. Meet the Sonoma Raceway mascot, Burnin' Bovine, for photo ops. Don't forget the ear plugs! Kids tickets start at $10, adults $49. sonomaraceway.com/NASCAR (Photo by Kent Porter)
June 22-July 7, Shrek, the Musical, Healdsburg: The world's most lovable ogre takes the stage for Shrek, the Musical at the Raven Theater. The funny and touching tale takes place "once upon a time" and follows the adventures of Shrek and his sidekick Donkey, as well as friends (and foes) Princess Fiona and Lord Farquaad, as they tackle lessons about bullying, fear, displacement, and love. Select shows offer post-show meet and greets with the cast. 707-433-6335, raventheater.org.
June 23, Sonoma Pueblo Day, Sonoma: History- and ice cream-loving kids can explore the historic Sonoma Plaza on Pueblo Day, which commemorates the beginning of Mexican civil governing of Sonoma and the founding of Pueblo de Sonoma in 1835. Hands-on activities will be abundant; kids can pick up an "Ice Cream Tour Passport" at the Sonoma Barracks and visit four historic sites in downtown Sonoma, where they learn about General Vallejo and the early history of Sonoma. After getting their passports filled with stamps, they earn a Sweet Scoops Ice Cream scoop to enjoy in the park. Free. 805-801-6625, Sonoma State Historic Park, Sonoma Plaza, Sonoma.
June 29 & July 22, Free Movies on the Green, Rohnert Park: The Green Music Center opens their grounds for a showing of the Disney animated movie "Coco" on June 29, as well as a double feature of "Annie" (2014) and "The Greatest Showman" on July 22. Bring a picnic, lawn chairs, and cozy blankets for film fun under the summer stars. Free. gmc.sonoma.edu
July 4, 4th of July Healdsburg Kids' Parade and Duck Dash, Healdsburg: Hundreds of children parade through the street in their finest red, white and blue to celebrate 4th of July in Healdsburg - and your children can join in, too! After the parade, enjoy live music, games, face painting, and the famous duck races, where rubber duckies race through waterways with proceeds benefiting local youth programs. Free. rotaryclubofhealdsburgsunrise.org (Photo by Beth Schlanker)
July 5, Hot Dog Thursday at the Pacific Coast Air Museum, Santa Rosa: Aspiring airplane pilots will love the chance to walk among airplanes, meet some of the men and women who flew them, and enjoy an all-American meal - a hot dog, chips and a drink - at the Pacific Coast Air Museum. For a mere $5 per person, you can have a fun lunch with your little ones and learn about the history of aviation at the museum, including looking into vintage airplanes. For $8 you get two dogs and chili toppings and ice cream bars are also available for $1.00 each. For an additional charge, kids and adults can experience what it is like to fly an airplane in the Museum's 3D Flight Simulator. pacificcoastairmuseum.org. (Photo by Kent Porter)
July 13-14, Broadway Under the Stars' Fantastical Family Night, Glen Ellen: Does your child know all the words to the songs in "The Lion King?" If so, then Fantastical Family Night at Jack London State Historic Park is a must for your wannabe Broadway baby. Start the evening with a picnic in the park, followed by a performance of kid-friendly musical numbers from Disney musicals and more, all performed by professional Broadway actors, singers and dancers. Tickets start at $35. ttcsonoma.org (Courtesy photo)
July 20, Family Fun Nights at the Children's Museum of Sonoma County, Santa Rosa: Gather the kids and head to the Children's Museum of Sonoma County for their newest event, Family Fun Night, which takes place every 3rd Friday of each month. The museum stays open late, until 7 p.m., so 9-5 families can have fun, too. Kids can explore the many hands-on exhibitions. You can feed the whole family, too: Mary's Pizza Shack will be serving up jumbo slices of pizza for $2 a slice. 707-546-4069, 1835 W. Steele Ln, Santa Rosa, cmosc.org. (Photo by Beth Schlanker)
July 28, Fort Ross Festival, Jenner: Fort Ross State Historic Park's annual festival offers family-friendly fun that combines history, nature and food (and craft beer for the grown-ups!), paired with Pacific Ocean views. Kids can experience what it was like to live on a 19th century trading post with crafts, costumed re-enactors, cannon firings, baby animals, and Native American dancing. $20 per car. fortross.org (Photo by Kent Porter)
