Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley will host a bluegrass benefit concert Sept. 10 and a free community panel discussion Sept. 16.

The venue at 19 Corte Madera Ave. will feature David Nelson Band & Friends with Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band on the Sept. 10 date. Tickets range from $83 to $160. Revenue from tickets, raffles and auction bids supports the California Bluegrass Association's After-school Bluegrass Club (ABC).

The program provides weekly instrument lessons, singing and ensemble instruction to children in grades 4 through 8 at underserved California schools. The California Bluegrass Association said in its event listing that the organization has provided instruction to more than 1,000 young people over the past 30 years through its youth programs.

Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band, who open the show, are themselves alumni of the CBA's youth programs.

A patron reception on the patio begins at 5:30 p.m. with live music from CBA Youth Program alumni Pacific Drive. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the main show runs from 7 to 10 p.m. David Nelson's lineup for the night includes Suzy and Eric Thompson, Paul Knight and Lowell "Banana" Levinger.

The benefit is co-presented by the California Bluegrass Association and Help's On the Way, a Southern Humboldt County nonprofit that develops music and art programs for youth.

Six days later, Sweetwater hosts a different kind of event. On Sept. 16 at 7:30 p.m., the venue holds the Mill Valley Briefing Community Conversation, a free panel discussion exploring what makes Mill Valley the place it is. Admission is free with RSVP.

Joyce Kleiner, a Mill Valley resident since 1995 and recipient of the 2025 Milley Award for Creative Achievement in the Literary Arts, will moderate. Kleiner is the author of two books about the town and has served as a Library trustee, a Parks and Recreation commissioner and a member of the Bayfront Park General Plan committee.

Panelists include Tim Ryan, a community artist who has lived in Mill Valley for 29 years, Erma Murphy and Veery Maxwell. The event page describes the discussion as covering what draws people to Mill Valley, what they hope to pass on and how the community continues to evolve. The panel wraps at 8:30 p.m., followed by a reception celebrating the launch of Mill Valley Briefing.

Sweetwater Music Hall is all ages and wheelchair accessible. The city's free Concerts in the Plaza returns Sept. 26 from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Mill Valley Downtown Plaza.