With temperatures forecast in the 70s, the upcoming three-day Memorial Day weekend offers a number of opportunities to get out and explore Sonoma County.
Here are 15 ways to spend the long weekend. Click through the above gallery for inspiration.
Attend a Memorial Day observance
Cloverdale
A ceremony will be held 10 a.m. Monday at the Cloverdale Cemetery, located at Crocker Road and E. First Street in Cloverdale. The event is hosted by the American Legion Post 293.
Petaluma
The annual Memorial Day event begins 11 a.m. Monday at Cypress Hill Memorial Park, 430 Magnolia Ave. The ceremony will feature the Avenue of the Flags display within the park’s section devoted to veterans and their spouses, and presentations by local veterans. The event is free. Refreshments will be available at the Veterans Memorial Building at 1094 Petaluma Blvd S.
Rohnert Park
A Memorial Day observance begins at 10 a.m. Monday at the Community Center, 5401 Snyder Lane. In a patriotic display, American flags will line the street outside of the Community Center complex.
Santa Rosa
Rural Cemetery – Free docent-led tours will start at noon Monday at Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery, 1600 Franklin Ave, Santa Rosa. Visitors will learn about veterans of the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and World Wars I and II. Attendees should walking shoes and meet at the Franklin Avenue gate.
Santa Rosa Memorial Park – A brief ceremony 10 a.m. Monday will honor military veterans. Santa Rosa Memorial Park, 1900 Franklin Ave. Volunteers are needed Saturday morning to place flags on veterans’ graves. Meet at the Veteran’s Patio for instructions at 9 a.m.
Sebastopol
A Memorial Day service begins 11 a.m. Monday at Sebastopol Memorial Lawns, 7951 Bodega Ave., followed by refreshments at Sebastopol Veterans Memorial Building, 282 High St.
Sonoma
The 65th annual Sonoma Valley Joint Memorial Day Observance begins 11 a.m. Monday at the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Park, located at 126 First St. W., Sonoma. Vietnam Army veteran Tony Lazzarini will be the keynote speaker. Any veterans who would like to take part in a “Grand March,” should meet at 10:30 a.m. in the parking lot.The event is followed by a free picnic at the Veterans Memorial Building at 126 1st St. W., Sonoma.
Windsor
A ceremony will be held at noon Monday at Shiloh District Cemetery, 7130 Windsor Road. The American Legion Honor Team will perform flag duties and play taps.
Volunteer
Get a jump start on veteran-focused Memorial Day activities by volunteering 9 a.m. Saturday morning at Santa Rosa Memorial Park, 1900 Franklin Ave, Santa Rosa. Helpers are needed to place flags on veterans’ graves. Meet at the Veteran’s Patio for instructions at 9 a.m. On Monday, a ceremony at the cemetery will honor military veterans.
Rock it out
If you don’t already have tickets to this year’s BottleRock Napa Valley festival there is still hope. The festival runs Friday through Sunday, at the Napa Valley Expo, 575 3rd St, Napa.
Featured artists this year include Red Hot Chili Peppers, Post Malone, Lizzo, Duran Duran, Lil Nas X and The Smashing Pumpkins. Some general admission tickets are still available. Get those tickets here. Some sold-out tickets are still available at BottleRock’s official ticket exchange at lyte.com.
Cruise Lake Sonoma
The water is back to full capacity and boaters can expect to be in good company at Lake Sonoma this weekend.
Lake Sonoma Marina offers a variety of boat rentals, including, pontoon, speed, fishing boats. Also available for rent are Jet Skis, kayaks, paddle boards and canoes. In addition, to spending time on the water, visitors will find plenty of locations overlooking the water to camp, hike or picnic.
Enter the splash zone
The inflatable water park at the Spring Lake Regional Park swimming lagoon in Santa Rosa will test the balance, coordination and courage of many visitors. It features slides, obstacles, climbing features and more. The popular floating structure is open each summer from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.
There are three sessions each day for the Spring Lake Water Park and the $10 tickets often sell out. Children must be 6 years or older and at least 42 inches tall. The park is located at 5585 Newanga Ave, Santa Rosa.
Piddle paddle around
Kayak and stand up paddleboard rentals return for the summer season on Memorial Day weekend at Spring Lake Regional Park in Santa Rosa and continue through Labor Day.
Rentals are available: 10:15 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; and 10:15 a.m. – 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Hourly rental rates for kayaks are $14 for a single and $18 for a tandem. Hourly rental rates for stand up paddleboards are $14. Reserve in advance online or in person at the Boat Rental Office at the park’s Violetti Entrance, 93 Violetti Road in Santa Rosa.
The hills are alive
Classical music and nature lovers can wander the grounds of Jack London State Historic Park on Saturday, while pianist Hunter Noack performs live on a 9-foot Steinway grand piano in the Beauty Ranch Meadow. The concert titled, “In a Landscape: Classical Music in the Wild” is from 5:30 -7 p.m. Tickets are $40 and are available here. The park entry fee of $10 per vehicle, with up to nine passengers, is not included. Attendees may bring picnic supplies, beverages, and lawn chairs or blankets. During the concert, headsets are available so guests can explore the park, while listening to the music.
Dust off your binoculars
There are three birding events Saturday morning in Sonoma County:
Petaluma: Join a Petaluma Wetland Alliance docent for a free guided walk 9-11 a.m. Saturday at Ellis Creek, located at 3890 Cypress Drive. Try to spot some of 50-plus species that visit Ellis Creek’s fresh water ponds and tidal flood plains. Bring binoculars, water, and a hat. Meet near the main entrance kiosk.
Kenwood: Join a docent led 2.3-mile beginner birding hike 8:30-11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Meet near the white barn at the Sonoma Ecology Center in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood. Tickets are $10 general, $5 for students, youth, park members or volunteers. The docent will share information about bird anatomy, tips to identify species by sight, sound, flight pattern and behavior. Bring water, binoculars, and wear clothing layers. Parking fees apply.
Jenner: Learn to identify birds by their sound 8:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday. Meet at Willow Creek Road off Highway 1 south of Jenner. Tickets start at $25. Park in the half-circle parking area on the right, just past the kayak launch on the left.
Find a farmers market
Santa Rosa Community Farmers’ Market: 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa
Windsor Certified Farmers Market: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sunday, Windsor Town Green
Sebastopol Certified Farmers Market: 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Sunday, Sebastopol Plaza.
Get your gaúcho on
Step back in time to 1840s Mexican California during the Petaluma Adobe Living History Day. The event is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park, 3325 Adobe Road, Petaluma.
Meet the vaqueros, traders, cooks, and crafts people who lived in Mexican California. Dip candles, make baskets, churn butter, rope with vaqueros, and play historical games. Bring a picnic lunch, since drink and food concessions are not available in the park. Make sure to leave your pets at home.
Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for ages 6-7, and ages 5 and younger are free.
Celtic Festival
Experience a taste of Celtic culture and history from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday at Holy Dormition Orthodox Church, 1521 Rose Ave., Santa Rosa.
The Celtic Festival features food, high tea, archery, crafts, entertainment, Highland games activities, and Scottish country dancing lessons. After dinner, enjoy Celtic music and dancing. Bring your fiddle or pipes and join the music. Admission is free.
Look inside the lighthouse
Make the trek to Point Reyes National Seashore, near the hamlet of Inverness, to sneak a peek inside Point Reyes Lighthouse. A park ranger will be available to answer questions about the lighthouse from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Friday to Monday afternoons. Be prepared to climb 313 stairs, both ways, and dress for windy and cold weather conditions.
Hear Herr Schmutzinberry
Enjoy a free family concert with featured guest composer and musician, Wolfgang Amadeus Schmutzinberry, as part of the Valley of the Moon Music Festival. The event is 11 a.m. Sunday at the Sonoma Community Center, 276 E Napa St., Sonoma.
According to the event organizers, Schmutzinberry may be the only living composer that loves wearing powdered wigs. Tickets are free, but it is necessary to RSVP. More information at pdne.ws/45quAsq.
Get kite crazy
Check out the exhibition “Kite-Flying Foibles” from Saturday to Monday at the Charles M. Schulz Museum & Research Center, 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa. Make your own kites to take home, experiment with wind, learn how kites fly and even feed a kite-eating tree.
The exhibit runs from 10 a.m. to noon. Tickets are $10 per child and are free for up to two adults per child before 11 a.m. Regular museum admission applies after 11 a.m.
Take a hike for all ages
Join Sugarloaf Ridge State Park docents from 10-11:30 a.m. Monday on a 2-mile family-friendly hike. Learn about the park’s plants, animals and history, while ascending 400 feet in elevation. The event is free, but an RSVP is required. Meet outside the visitor center at the Sonoma Ecology Center, 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood. Parking fees apply. The event will be canceled if there are heavy rains.