LIVERMORE, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 21:Taylor Rae Granzow prepares to lift a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch at G&M Farms Maze and Pumpkin Patch in Livermore, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
Looking for weekend inspiration? We’ve got all sorts of fun ideas, from the glittering Mill Valley Film Festival to haunted houses, hay mazes and — ooh, la la! — three new French bistros.
(Psst, if you’re going out to a show, festival or meal, be sure to check the venue or restaurant website for the latest COVID safety updates before you go.
1 SEE: Mill Valley plays Hollywood
The annual Mill Valley Film Festival is back with its usual insanely rich collection of films, from cool indie flicks to major Oscar contenders, like Brendan Fraser’s “The Whale.” Here are 15 screenings that should be on your radar.
2 PLAY: Lose yourself in a Halloween hay maze
Corn mazes are so *yawn* last year. This Halloween season is all about hay bale mazes with some crazy twists. You can get stalked by a Minotaur or test military-grade fruit cannons or just, you know, get a little lost in the harvest season bliss. Here are five mazes to check out.
3 EAT: French bistro fare
Mais oui! There’s suddenly a flurry of hot, new French restaurants around the Bay. Make rezzies, then go indulge in some croque monsieur, coq au vin and more delicious fare in Tiburon, Los Gatos and Oakland.
4 WATCH: Great new movies and series
Speaking of what to watch, there are a lot of new shows and movies that are worth catching this weekend, from the class-conscious dark comedy “Triangle of Sadness” to a new take on Anne Rice’s “Interview with the Vampire.” Here’s our roundup.
5 SEE AND HEAR: Rock out at Aftershock
The annual Sacramento-based hard-rock festival returns this week with a staggeringly rich lineup, including a ton of female artists and women-fronted bands.
6 PLAY: Ghosts, spooks and haunted houses
Thrilled by spooky things? This is definitely the season for it, and we’ve got 40(!) ways to get your fright on around the Bay, from kid-friendly carnivals to haunted houses, masquerade balls, bar crawls and more.
7 SEE & HEAR: Litquake and more!
From San Francisco’s annual Litquake to the always amazing SF Music Day, there is a lot to see and do in the Bay Area. Here’s a partial rundown of what’s in store.
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Originally published at Jackie Burrell, Randy McMullen