The beauty of Mendocino is inspiring and spacious, making this coastal gem a magnet for curious minds, artists, and creatives. Its summer arts festival season is a vibrant testament to both the region’s rich history and the ongoing ingenuity of human creativity. If you’re planning your visit, experiencing one of Mendocino’s festivals is an absolute must.
Kick Off Summer with the Mendocino Film Festival
Summer opens with the Mendocino Film Festival, which usually runs at the end of May or the first weekend of June. MFF is a thoughtfully curated screening experience packed with good stuff. Films play across Mendocino Village and Fort Bragg, offering selections for all ages and ilk, plus live music, too.
Experience Magic at the Flynn Creek Circus
The Flynn Creek Circus comes to town in late June, opening its annual season in the Village of Mendocino, usually in late June, but always in time for the festive 4th of July performance. Flynn Green Circus brings world-class entertainment to small towns, with acrobats, contortionists, trapeze artists, mimes, and more. The circus experience is not to be missed, transporting the audience with humor, magical storytelling, and physical feats that wow.
Two Weeks of Music: Mendocino Music Festival
Mid-July, enter the Mendocino Music Festival. A two-week music extravaganza with its performance tent on the oceanfront Headlands, MMF has been a North Coast arts staple for over 30 years now! Showcasing a wide variety of music from classical to folk, opera to bluegrass, the Mendo Music Fest prides itself on its eclectic flair. Acts travel from far and wide, and there is truly something for everyone.
Literary Inspiration: Mendocino Coast Writers’ Conference
The Mendocino Coast Writers’ Conference opens in August with a call to both masters of the pen, as well as those aspiring to be so. The Writers’ Conference offers intensive courses in all different writing genres with world-renowned authors and an emphasis on local talent. The evening talks and meet-n-greets are open to the public, too, so you can just drop in for a little literary light-up if that’s more your speed.
Arts Beyond Summer
The energy of summer is a’buzz with artsy intoxication, buuuuuut there are also plenty of incredible art experiences on the Mendocino Coast all year round. Mendocino and Fort Bragg are both dotted with countless art galleries, and each holds its own downtown monthly art walk with gallery and shop open houses. There are also incredible pop-up art exhibits and performances in the Botanical Gardens, as well as the world-famous Mendocino Art Center, a community theater, much live music, multiple kilns, and a fine woodworking school. These are just a handful of the incredible creative outlets that are pillars of the Mendocino Coast community.
