Marin's fall calendar has one evening that regulars quietly plan their September around. Edible Garden, the annual culinary fundraiser at the Marin Art and Garden Center in Ross, returns this month for a roaming evening of local food, wine, and botanical cocktails spread across the center's historic grounds.
According to the Marin Art and Garden Center, the event follows a simple and appealing rhythm captured in three words: sip, savor, and stroll. Guests wander the gardens with a glass in hand, sampling tastings from local chefs, wineries, and purveyors, while live music and art fill the grounds. The evening builds toward heartier tastings and sweet treats served around beautifully set tables as the garden lights come on. The event has been named a best fundraising event in Marin by Marin Magazine.
What to Expect on the Grounds
Expect an unhurried, wandering evening rather than a sit-down dinner. The Marin Art and Garden Center describes a lineup of local food and beverage partners pouring wine, beer, and botanical cocktails alongside tastings from Marin and Bay Area kitchens. This year guests can also take in an art installation of Zimbabwean contemporary sculpture by Dominic Benhura and Studio, set among the gardens.
Why It Matters Locally
This is the center's biggest fundraiser of the year, and the proceeds stay close to home. According to the Marin Art and Garden Center, funds raised help keep the gardens beautiful and free to visit, maintain the historic buildings on the property, expand the garden patio area, and broaden the center's year-round programs and art exhibitions.
For anyone considering Central Marin, an evening like this is a small window into what makes Ross feel the way it does. The town has no commercial district to speak of, which makes the Marin Art and Garden Center all the more central to community life here. Events like Edible Garden are one more reason the Ross Valley continues to draw people who want beauty, quiet, and a genuine sense of place close to San Francisco.
Event Details:
Sunday, September 27, 2026
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Garden Cocktail Attire
Location:
Marin Art and Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, Ross, CA 94957
Learn More: Edible Garden at the Marin Art and Garden Center
Sources: Marin Art and Garden Center (maringarden.org), Marin Magazine
