Irish Festivals, Woofstock & Secret Eats

🎭 What’s Happening This Week

☘️ Marin Irish Festival & Ceili | Lake Championships

📅 Sat & Sun, May 3–4 | 10am to 6pm
📍 Lagoon Park, Marin County Fairgrounds

Celebrate Irish heritage with traditional music, dance performances, storytelling, and local brews at the Marin Irish Festival. The Ceili dance-offs are a local favorite, if you’ve never seen one, you’re in for a treat.

Marin Irish Festival Website→ 🎟️ Tickets here

🐾 Woofstock 2025 – Marin Humane

📅 Sunday, May 4 | Noon to 5pm
📍 Marin Humane, Novato

A music festival for your dog (and you). Expect food trucks, live bands, craft beer, dog contests, and enough doggos in flower crowns to break the Internet.

Marin Humane Website → 🎟️ Event info

🛍️ Marin Country Mart Farmers Market

📅 Saturday, May 3 | From 9am-2pm
📍 Larkspur

Small but mighty, this farmers market at Marin Country Mart is an insider favorite. Expect organic produce, small-batch baked goods, local honey, plus live acoustic music while you shop.

Marin Country Mart Website → More info

🎸 Live Music at Sweetwater Music Hall

📅 Friday, May 2 | Purple Haze
📍 Mill Valley

Legendary venue, local favorites. Sweetwater brings serious musical energy every weekend. Grab dinner at the attached café before catching the show. Catch Purple Haze – Tribute to Jimi Hendrix this Friday!

Tickets & Info → Sweetwater Music Hall

🏆 Local Legend

🍸 The Silver Peso – Larkspur’s Last Honest Dive

Tucked away in downtown Larkspur, The Silver Peso has been serving up cold drinks and good times since 1938. Renamed in 1961 by WWII veteran Chester Wolmack, who as local lore has it, funded the purchase with sunken treasure, the bar has become a cherished institution. Despite the area’s soaring home values, the Peso maintains its unpretentious charm, offering affordable drinks like Pabst Blue Ribbon on draft. It’s a place where tech moguls and longtime locals rub elbows, united by a love for its laid-back atmosphere. Notable patrons have included the likes of Janis Joplin and Barry Bonds. Under the stewardship of current owner Rebel Lee, the bar continues to thrive, resisting gentrification and preserving its unique character.

📍 Location Downtown Larkspur
🍺 Vibe Unpretentious, welcoming, and steeped in history
🎶 Fun Fact Hosts the legendary “Black Wednesday” gathering every Thanksgiving Eve

💸 Budget-Friendly Marin

Free & affordable things to do in Marin. Curated by a local.

🥾 Tennessee Valley Trail (Mill Valley)

This scenic, mostly flat trail is one of Marin’s most underrated gems, perfect for families, weekend walkers, or anyone craving fresh air without a huge time commitment. The 1.7-mile route winds through wildflower-dotted valleys, coastal scrub, and rolling hills before opening up to a secluded beach cove (yes, with actual driftwood forts).

🧺 Local tip Pack a picnic and bring a blanket, the cove is a perfect no-crowd lunch
🐾 Good to know Dogs are allowed on leash, and parking is free at the trailhead.
📸 Photo moment Snap a shot at the wooden bridge or at the overlook just before the descent to the beach.

Trail Details → National Park Service Website

💎 Hidden Gem

🌿 Old Saint Hilary’s Open Space Preserve – Tiburon

This one’s for the view-chasers and wildflower lovers.

Old Saint Hilary’s Preserve is one of Tiburon’s best-kept secrets, 122 acres of quiet trails, rare native plants, and seriously jaw-dropping views of the Bay, Mt. Tam, and San Francisco. In spring, the hills explode in wildflower color, including the endangered Tiburon Jewelflower, which only grows here.

⛪ Bonus history hit The historic Carpenter Gothic-style Old St. Hilary’s church (built in 1888) sits at the edge of the preserve — beautiful, weird, and worth a peek.
🌅 Pro tip Sunset here is golden-hour magic. Bring a blanket and someone you like.
🐕 Dogs Allowed on leash.
🚗 Parking Free lot at Vistazo West Street + street parking nearby.

🍽️ Foodie Find

🥘 Sol Food – San Rafael | Hidden Menu Item

Yes, you know Sol Food… but do you know about the secret combo?

Ask for the “Bistec Encebollado plate with extra maduros” — it’s not on the main menu. You’ll get marinated steak, sautéed onions, extra sweet fried plantains, rice, beans, and their life-changing green sauce (salsa verde) on the side.

🔥 Locals know Add a side of pan de agua (their house-baked bread) to soak up every last drop.

View Menu → Sol Food Website

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