Hilarity Will Ensue: MV Arts Commission’s Comedy in the Plaza Returns With a Dynamite Lineup – June 15, 6pm 

Comedy in the Plaza – the Mill Valley Arts Commission’s annual night of free hilarity on the downtown plaza – regularly draws some of the best standup comedians in the business, and this year’s edition, in a year when we could all use some laughter, is no different. The event is set for Thursday, June 15 at 6pm, featuring the comedy of emcee Bernadette Pauley and comedians, Dennis Gaxiola, Phil Johnson, Al Ducharme, and Kellen Erskine.
City officials approved a street closure of the block of Miller Ave. between Throckmorton and Sunnyside avenues for the duration of the event, allowing the event to accommodate more people comfortably and giving families access to outdoor dining for the performance.
Downtown business owners: It will also give retailers the opportunity to sell their wares outside – LET US KNOW ASAP IF YOU'D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE!! 
Piazza D’Angelo, The Pointe Malibu and Heartwood are sponsoring. FULL STORY.

Jules Mercer's Vintage Ruse, An Exciting, Multi-Faceted New Business, Hosts EMV After Hours on June 13, 5:30-7pm!

Jules Mercer spotted a for-lease sign on Shoreline Hwy., a space so large at 6,000 square feet that she could manifest the community hub she’d sought for ages: part retail, part creative outlet and part community gathering space in which to host events – or allow others to do so. Her multi-faceted space at 256 Shoreline Hwy. will be on full display as she hosts the MV Chamber's EMV After Hours on Tuesday, June 13, 5:30-7pm. FULL STORY.
MORE INFO ON EMV AFTER HOURS.

Let’s Eat: With Construction Waning, More Mill Valley Restaurants and Eateries Are Serving Up Lunch Again!

Due to the construction, many downtown restaurants halted lunch service during construction – jackhammers, construction noise and dust are not the best ambience for grabbing a midday bite to eat! But most of them have restored lunch service in recent days! FULL STORY.

The 112th Annual Dipsea Race Is Almost Here – 6/11th, 8am!
Dipsea Race guru Barry Spitz calls this year a puzzle given that Owens has been hobbled with an Achilles injury. He taps two-time Dipsea champion Chris Lundy as the only runner among last year’s top eight (sixth) to gain a pair of head starts, “one for turning 52 and one for dropping her Winners Penalty from 2018.” FULL STORY.

EDENS, Owner of Strawberry Village, Begins Property Renovations, Debuts New Weekly Farmers Market on June 13
The first EDENS-driven activation to launch at Strawberry Village is a new weekly farmers market, held every Tuesday from 10am-2:30pm, starting June 13 in the parking lot along the frontage road between West Elm and Starbucks. The market is in conjunction with Marin Community Farmers Markets. FULL STORY.

With Shiny Shed Collective, a Pair of Lifelong Besties Direct Their Expertise To Helping People Redesign Their Homes Without Breaking the Bank
“Interior design can feel elite. How do I make my house feel like a home without spending my whole life savings?” FULL STORY. 

Sweetwater Hosts Dick Bright’s Book Launch and All-Star Concert 6/11 & All-Ages Collab With Desert Daze June 17 Feat. Skyway Man and Brainstory
The concert features Anna Kristina (Zepperella), Ben Fong-Torres, Little Roger, Chris Rowan (Rowan Bros.), The Rubinoos, Bob Sarlatte with famed rock journalist Joel Selvin. FULL STORY.

Council Backs Proposed New Home for the Engine No. 9 on the Grounds of City Hall
The City Council voted unanimously this week to authorize the city manager to finalize an agreement with Friends of No. 9. The agreement includes an encroachment license, maintenance and removal of the engine, and the installation of the engine at City Hall for five years, with the option to renew for another five-year period. FULL STORY.

Mountain Play Returns With Nicole Helfer-Directed ‘Into the Woods’ – Thru June 18
Directed and Choreographed by Nicole Helfer, and Music Direction by Daniel Alley, Into the Woods takes you on a journey with everyone’s favorite characters from the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, as they navigate the woods in search of wishes fulfilled. FULL STORY. 

More on The Mountain Play:
Review: Fairy-tale mashup brings musical magic to Mount Tamalpais
Mountain Play returns with ‘Into the Woods’

Summertime…And the Free Movies in the Park Series Is Here to Bring the Fun – ‘School of Rock’ Screens 7/14
The Comedy in the Plaza laugh fest is on June 15, followed by Concerts in the Plaza, Mill Valley Film Festival and the Fall Arts Fest to send us into the fall. Between now and then, however, it's all about Movies in the Park. FULL STORY. 

Amazing Art of Every Stripe
Abounds in June!

Desta Gallery to Lead New Art Curatorial Program at the Depot Cafe and Bookstore – Thru July 19
Emebet Korn’s renowned Desta Gallery continues to showcase gorgeous art at her gallery at 100 Throckmorton Avenue, and is debuting a new art curatorial program at the venerable Depot Café and Bookstore starting on June 8 with a showcase of the work of artist Katheryn Holt. FULL STORY.

Mill Valley Chamber Hosts Award-Winning Painter Elizabeth Geisler’s Latest Work Thru June
Best known for her water reflection paintings, Geisler creates images that reside somewhere between photorealism and abstraction. Up close, the color use and brushwork read as abstraction, but from a distance, they blend into a more representational depiction. FULL STORY.

ÆRENA Galleries Presents ‘When The Change Came’ Featuring Katy Kuhn’s Amazing Abstracts Thru June

A reception for the artist is set for Tuesday, June 6 as part of the Arts Commissioner’s First Tuesday Artwalk from 5:30-7:30pm. FULL STORY.

Poet and/the Bench Showcases ‘Peripheral Visions’ Mixed Media and Collage Jamie Kelty – Runs Thru Sept. 30
The raw materials and meticulous details in Jamie Kelty’s collages and mixed media paintings are magical worlds she creates to reflect memories, history and a crafted world of design. 
FULL STORY.

A Long Memorial Day Weekend for the Ages Is In the Rearview Mirror – Thanks to All Who Participated and Made It Happen!

Photos above by Gary Ferber Photography. Photos below by Tim Ryan and others.

2023 MV Music Fest's In the Books!

The Mill Valley Chamber‘s Mill Valley Music Festival gathered upwards of 10,000 people across two amazing days to ingest arts and culture and community! We did that by bringing world-class music to our little hamlet. But…we welcome your feedback and we know we can do better. We are committed to the cause of making Mill Valley an exciting, engaging and equitable place to live in the coming years. FULL STORY.

Some of the best coverage we've seen so far. (Amazing photos by Jon Bauer)

DIDN'T GET ENOUGH OF THAT LINEUP?
LISTEN TO THE 2023 MVMF SPOTIFY PLAYLIST HERE.

Recap: Get a Glimpse of the Sights & Sounds of the 2023 Mill Valley Music Fest!
We've got an incredible video that captures the spirit of the day in all its joy and excitement, as well as dozens of photos from photographer Jon Bauer that encapsulate the breadth, depth and al-around thrills generated by the every element of this event. 
FULL STORY.

Who Would You Like to See Us Try to Book for the 2024 Mill Valley Music Fest?!?
We’re committed to making you proud of the Mill Valley Music Fest. SEND US YOUR SUGGESTIONS HERE.

More Mill Valley, More Often: A Pair of Illustrious Mill Valley Brands Align, As the Depot Cafe Will Begin Serving Equator Coffees
“What the founders share in common is their love for their Mill Valley neighbors and community,” Russell says. “Both brands are committed to serving the most sustainably sourced products to our community and visitors.” FULL STORY.

Planning Commission Hosts Study Session on 1 Hamilton, City Sends Off Council-Backed Housing Element to State
The housing element also identifies 401 Miller Ave., home to Sol Food and Simple Mills, as well as the large property on East Blithedale Ave. owned by Comcast building. FULL STORY.

Marin Economic Forum

Retail's “Shrinking Middle”
As consumers nationally continue to defy inflation and drive sales, those retailers serving the middle income buyer are not benefitting. The Economist: profits at luxury retailers have soared while thrifty consumers shift purchases of basic items (think furniture and groceries) to lower priced or discount retailers, whose profits are also performing well. They are also seeing this phenomenon play out in Marin's recent closures of Bed Bath and Beyond and Lucky’s supermarket. LEARN MORE HERE AT MEF'S JUNE 6TH BRIEFING. 

Call It a Comeback: Marin’s Tourism Revenue Exceeds 2019’s $832M, Then a 7-Year High
Turbulence. Disruption. Tragic levels of revenue loss. These were the words used to track the years 2020 and 2021, and quite a bit of 2022. But according to the Marin Economic Forum and specifically the 2022 annual report of the Marin CVB, which promotes tourism in Marin, numbers are looking up, up and away. FULL STORY.

MVMF SIMPLY DOES NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT OUR SPONSORS & VENDORS – PLEASE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM!!

MORE INFO

The Junction to Host a Live Show by LA-Based Supergroup ‘Circles Around the Sun’ – 6/28
“Doors close; windows open; new directions extend themselves in mysterious ways. But sometimes you know it’s real from the first beat. It just clicks. It’s just how Neal would want it. It’s Circles Around The Sun.” FULL STORY.

Sound Summit Returns to Benefit Mt. Tam, Unveils Loaded Lineup Headlined by Lord Huron – Sept. 9
Founder Michael Nash produces the event as an annual celebration and fundraiser for Mt. Tam State Park by Roots & Branches Conservancy nonprofit. Sound Summit has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in support to Mount Tam. FULL STORY.

San Rafael Joins the Ranks of Mill Valley and Others in Backing County Reusable Foodware Ordinance
The ordinance is set to take effect on Nov. 10, 2023, though county and city officials have indicated that if additional funding is needed to support businesses making the transition, city officials could lean on the Zero Waste JPA, which would provide “anywhere from $10,000-$20,000,” City Manager Todd Cusimano said. “If this is not working in November we are going to pivot – we need to be working collaboratively with out businesses.” FULL STORY.

Marin Magazine Opens Up Voting for the 2023 Best of Marin County Honors
In no uncertain terms, Marin Magazine readers made one thing crystal clear in 2022: they love them some 94941. The magazine is ramping up its 2023 ‘Best Of’ Marin issue and is seeking your votes across a host of categories. FULL STORY. 

Reminder: All requests for promotion must be made by Monday at 12pm for inclusion in that week's Friday Flash and EMV Blog. Thank you!. 
QUESTIONS? WE'RE HAPPY TO CHAT.

MILL VALLEY LOVE FEST CONTINUES

Sustainable Seafood Restaurant Coho a Lively Addition to Marin’s Fine-Dining Scene
"Marin now has its first fine-dining sustainable seafood destination." Photo by Douglas Zimmerman/Special to the IJ. FULL STORY.

MORE MORE MORE

SFGate's Mueller Touts Mill Valley's Deliciousness & Beauty – And We’re So Grateful!

Feel the 94941 Love: Marin Mag Shines Its Bright Spotlight on the 2022-23 EMV Guide
Since we published our 2022-23 Enjoy Mill Valley Guide print magazine, which went out to nearly 40,000 homes within the August issue of Marin Magazine, our longtime partners have embedded the 48-page guide on their site here for more than a month. We’re incredibly grateful for that 94941 love! These assets are timed not only to promote the Guide, which includes all Chamber members, but also to encourage holiday shopping in Mill Valley – #ShopMV! FULL STORY.

GO HERE FOR THE FULL 2022 EMV GUIDE.

Discounts Abound With the Chamber Saver Card for Businesses & Consumers!
Our Chamber Saver Discount program an easy, effective way to encourage our Chamber Members to support other Members, Shop Local and save money while doing so, is now 7 years old! It's this simple: Members offer other members discounts at whatever level they choose. Email us if you want to participate and offer a discount; email us if you have questions; and email us if you need a new card. MORE INFO.

CURATED NEWS YOU CAN USE

Curated News From Mill Valley & Beyond – Week of June 5
We hope you agree that we’re one of the best sources of news and information in Marin, a communications pipeline that directly connects to the broader 94941 and Bay Area via maps, magazines and the Enjoy Mill Valley Blog.
FULL LIST OF STORIES.

EMV Film Series

Our EMV Films series highlights some of the myriad creative businesses, organizations and people in Mill Valley. Thanks to filmmaker Norm Hunter and his team. To date, we've put the spotlight on historic family businesses, inspiring chefs, nightlife, MV Lumber Yard, health & wellness and the family-centric spaces of Miller Ave. – more to come!
GO HERE TO CHECK OUT THE FILMS WE'VE RELEASED TO DATE.

WONDERING WHAT OUR
MEMBERS THINK OF OUR WORK?
WATCH THIS VIDEO.

Member Spotlights
(click image for full story)

Monthly Membership Plans!
For your convenience, we offer monthly, subscription-style billing for our Mill Valley Chamber members through Stripe. Email us with questions, and let us know if you'd like to switch over to a monthly plan when you're up for renewal!

Sign Up for City's New MV Connect E-Newsletter
Looking to catch up on what's happening with the City of Mill Valley? The MV Connect e-newsletter has it all. Click here to sign up for it. If that doesn't satiate your thirst for City news, the E-Notification program has dozens of topics about which you can sign up to receive email blasts. Click here to read the latest edition.