We have arrived at that time of year when daytime events are still generally pleasant, and the notion of sampling beer or treasure-hunting for antiques under an open morning/afternoon sky remains appealing. At the same time, slightly cooler evenings have us wondering what fun things there are to do indoors once the sun has set and the chillier temperatures have kicked in.

Here then, to help sort it all out, is a roundup of just some of the shows, concerts, exhibitions and festivals taking place over the next two months — indoors and outdoors.

‘Pins & Needles’ at Mercury Theater

Weekends through Sept. 14

“Pins and Needles,” presented by Petaluma’s Mercury Theatre, is a song-filled Broadway revue from 1937, created at the height of the Great Depression and originally performed by members of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union. The timely musical event opens, appropriately enough, on Labor Day weekend, with a rare Monday matinee on Labor Day itself, Sept. 1. Tickets are available online at mercurytheater.org. Prices are $35 general, $30 seniors, $20 students. All tickets for the Labor Day performance are $20, and union members may attend that day for just $10. Mercury Theater is located in the Cinnabar Theater building at 3333 Petaluma Blvd. N, in Petaluma.

Gary Vogensen on the River

Friday, Sept. 5, 5:30 p.m.

Petaluma’s Riverfront Cafe continues its outdoor Friday night concert series with singer-songwriter GAry Vogensen. Grab a table on the open air deck, order some food and a drink, and prepare to have a great time on the river. Riverfront Cafe is at 224 B St. Information: riverfront.cafe.

‘Featherbaby’ at Spreckels

Running weekends through Sept. 14

This world premiere comedy, authored by the Argus-Courier’s Community Editor David Templeton, is a story of friendship, competition, jigsaw puzzles and tall tales from the rainforest, as narrated by a rambunctious, foul-mouthed parrot named Featherbaby (played by Gina Alvarado and Matt Cadigan, alternating performances). The three actor play takes place in Spreckels intimate studio theater. For information visit SpreckelsOnline.com.

‘Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood’

Friday-Sunday, Sept. 12-28

Playwright Ken Ludwig’s inventive action-adventure tells the old story of Sherwood Forest’s famed bandit in a whole new way. Petaluma’s Cinnabar Theater brings the show to Sonoma State University’s Warren Theater for a three weekend run to kick off the company’s 2025/2026 season. Information on that season, and all the dates and times for “Sherwood,” can be found at CinnabarTheater.org.

Petaluma River Craft Beer Festival

Saturday, Sept. 13. 1 p.m.

The Petaluma River Craft Beer Festival is back to celebrate three of Petaluma’s favorite things — live music, the River and fantastic beer made by local brewers. Sponsored by the Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club of Petaluma Valley, the festival features dozens and dozens of local beer-makers, and takes place outdoors alongside the river on downtown Petaluma’s Water Street. For information and tickets visit Eventbrite.com.

‘Xicano Community Narratives’ Exhibit

Thursday, Sept. 18 — Saturday, Nov. 1

The newest exhibition of art at the Petaluma Arts Center includes a huge number of artists who call Sonoma County home. “Their work expresses individual stories of identity and experience, the experience of being Xicano today (American, Mexican, Californian, Indigenous), and being an artist in an ever-changing landscape,” explains an announcement on the Arts Center website. The show opens with a free reception for the artists on Thursday, Sept. 18, and runs weekends through Nov. 1. As a companion event, there will be a Lowrider Festival on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 12-4 p.m., featuring some of Sonoma County’s best lowrider cars, plus taco trucks, a DJ and a dance performance by Ballet Paquilloyotzin de Petaluma. The Petaluma Arts Center is at 230 Lakeville, near the SMART station. Find out more at PetalumaArtsCenter.org.

Burning Ham in Penngrove Park

Saturday, Sept. 20 from noon-5 p.m.

A fundraiser for Rohnert Park/Cotati’s Active 20-30 Club and Petaluma’s Active 20-30, the 11th annual Burning Ham BBQ cook-off invites teams from around Sonoma County and the Bay Area to pit best recipe against best recipe. Ticket-holders enjoy “endless tastes” of pulled pork, bacon sides, baby back ribs, whole roasted pig and bacon desserts. There are always games and live entertainment, with every dollar raised going to serve under-resourced children in Sonoma County. General Admission is $55. To grab your advance tickets visit EventBrite.com.

RockSober Fest 2025

Saturday, Sept. 20, 1-8 p.m.

For the first time since the pandemic, RockSoberFest returns with an afternoon of live music and poetry by sober artists, performing for sober audiences outdoors in beautiful Olema. A number of Marin and Sonoma County artists are involved, including the teenage rock band F.A.T. Betty, plus the rock ‘n roll bagpiper known as The Dame of Drones (formerly known as Chelsea the Piper), singer-songwriters Tyler Allen (of Santa Rosa), Chris Holbrook, Jesse DeNatale, Sara Rodenburg, Nicolette Gottuso, Nicole Frazer and Tom Finch, and poets Danielle Vantress Salk and Kristy Greenwood. RockSteadyFest ticketholders are welcome to bring a picnic lunch with them, or they can enjoy a spaghetti-and-salad dinner that will be served all day. Tickets are $20-$25 on a sliding scale, or $12 for the youth concert. The box office will open at 12:30 p.m., and gates will open at 1 p.m. The festival takes place at Sacred Heart Church, 10189 CA-1, in Olema, with plentiful parking. Lawn chairs welcome.

Jazz in the Plaza

Sundays, 1-3:30 p.m.

Every summer and fall in Petaluma, an annual series of free, outdoor jazz concerts, led by the legendary bassist Chuck Sher, is held in front of the Speakeasy restaurant at Putnam Plaza. The concerts are a showcase featuring an ever-changing array of the Bay Area’s best jazz players. Coming up next, on Sept. 7, the lineup features Steve Heckman on Sax, Randy Vincent on guitar, Bryan Bowman on drums and Chuck Sher on bass. There is limited seating, with some of the best views from local restaurants.

Petaluma Poetry Walk

Sunday, Sept. 21, 11 a.m. — 8 p.m.

Imagine hearing 26 poets at eight different downtown venues in one unforgettable day. Well, you don’t have to imagine it, because the 28th annual Petaluma Poetry Walk is happening again all around the downtown area. This free day-long event is a celebration of live readings, a fusion of amazing poetry and a deep sense of community and place. Come for one reading or stay for them all. And don’t forget to pick up the new anthology magazine with cover art by Ellen Kombiyil. To see the full list of poets and the route from venue to venue, visit PetalumaPoetryWalk.org.

Movies in the Park

Fridays at sunset Sept. 19, and Oct. 25

There’s nothing quite like a movie watched under the stars, wrapped in a blanket in a community space like Lucchesi Park. The City of Petaluma’s monthly movie series continues at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19 with “Cars,” the beloved Pixar film about a friendship between a race car and a pickup truck. The series concludes on Friday, Oct. 25, with “Ghostbusters,” perfectly timed to raise our spirits for Halloween. The movies are free. Food and beverages are available for purchase from local food and beverage vendors setting up shop at the park.

All Hallows Art Fest

Saturday, Sept. 27, 9 a.m. — 3 p.m.

The All Hallows Art Fest – a truly exceptional showcase for one-of-a-kind, hand-made art pieces – annually features some of the best Halloween-loving artists in the state, and often far beyond. For those patrons who attend every year – either to add to their own collections or just to goggle in wonder and delight – part of the fun is seeing familiar artists alongside intriguing newcomers. At the same time, for the art-making “regulars,” the fest is a chance to reconnect with each other and make new Halloween-loving acquaintances. There is a $5 cost to drop in, and there is food and drink available for purchase, plus raffles and spooky fun all around. For details visit HalloweenFolkArtsSociety.com.

Petaluma Antique Faire

Sunday, Sept. 28, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Antique and collectible lovers throughout the Bay Area will once again be swarming into town, as the 39th Annual Petaluma Antique Faire takes over downtown Petaluma once again. It’s a magnificent opportunity to browse, gander and otherwise shop in a massive and sprawling open-air market, with vendors setting up on Kentucky Street, Fourth Street, in the A Street parking lot, and on Western Avenue.