Downtown Novato's Fall Calendar Moved to Saturdays, Just as Novato Boulevard Construction Gets Underway
October 22, 2026
October 22, 2026
Since May, downtown Novato had a reliable weekday pulse. The Downtown Novato Community Farmers' Market ran every Tuesday on Sherman Avenue between Grant and De Long. It went from 4 to 8 p.m. through September, then 4 to 7 p.m. in October. That season ended this past Tuesday, October 27. From now through the holidays, downtown's calendar falls on a handful of Saturdays. And the City of Novato expects to start construction on Novato Boulevard between Diablo Avenue and Grant Avenue in late October or early November 2026. The work will take an estimated 18 to 24 months.
Those two changes together set the pattern for the coming months. Fewer dates, packed into daytime and early-evening Saturday windows, with a long roadway project underway on the stretch of boulevard that ends at Grant Avenue.
The summer calendar spread downtown across the week. The Tuesday market brought crowds to Sherman Avenue. On select Fridays in June, July and August, Concerts on the Green filled Novato Civic Green at 901 Sherman Avenue from 6 to 8 p.m. The series ended August 21 with Anthony Arya. The city's one fall movie night, Jumanji on the Civic Green, ran on Friday, September 25.
The city's Día de los Muertos celebration last Saturday, October 24, bridged the two seasons. It ran from 3 to 6 p.m. on the Civic Green, with food from Manny's Tacos and Tommy's Salsa and performances by Ireri Ballet Folklórico and Xiuhcoatl Danza Azteca. There was also a community ofrenda and procession. This year added the city's first Car Ofrenda Display, with vehicle trunks turned into traditional altars. It was the last Civic Green gathering of the year on the city's events calendar. From here, most of the remaining dates fall on Saturdays.
Here is what's left on the downtown and city calendars between now and early December:
December 5 is the busiest day of the stretch. The crafts faire runs on Hill Road until 4 p.m., and the tree lighting starts downtown at 4. Anyone planning to hit both can go straight from one to the other.
As those Saturdays arrive, the long-stalled final piece of Novato Boulevard is getting ready for crews. The Transportation Authority of Marin describes the full Novato Boulevard Improvements Project as 2.8 miles in three segments. Segment 2, from Grant to Eucalyptus, and Segment 3, from Eucalyptus to San Marin Drive, are already complete. Segment 1, Diablo to Grant, is the last one.
It has been a long time coming. Patch reported on October 12 that the capital project dates back to 2001. City staff blamed the delays on environmental review, utility coordination and funding. Public Works Director Chris Benigni told the council, "We are finally at a momentous stage where we're ready to go to construction." The city's project history shows a five-lane layout workshop in 2009 and the council's choice of a three-lane alternative in 2018. It then lists right-of-way action in 2023 and bid advertising in July 2026.
The money is in place. The city says the City Council awarded the construction contract to Team Ghilotti, Inc. on September 22, at about $16.8 million. The Marin Independent Journal put the total project cost at about $23.9 million once staff time and contingencies are added. Its funding breakdown included about $8.49 million in Measure AA funds for the city's share, about $4.7 million from Novato Sanitary District and an estimated $2.7 million from North Marin Water District.
One step remains before work can start. Patch reported that a formal bid protest arrived the afternoon of the council meeting. On the City Attorney's advice, the council approved the award on condition that the protest is resolved before the city manager signs. The city's October update says it is still finalizing the construction agreement. So the late October or early November start is the city's expectation, not a date already set.
The project combines three agencies' work into one contract. The city says this is meant to shorten the overall timeline and avoid tearing up the same street again and again. According to Patch, the work happens in order. Novato Sanitary District replaces sewer mains and the laterals running from homes to the trunk line. North Marin Water District then replaces water lines and services. The city rebuilds the road surface last.
Once the utility work is done, the new street surface goes in. Project engineer Elisa Sarlatte described it this way.
"We are going to add sidewalks on the portions of Novato Boulevard where there currently are not sidewalks on both sides of the street. We will be adding bike lanes throughout the full length from Diablo to Grant on both sides of the street, and then we'll have a full traffic lane in either direction with a shared center lane."
Her remarks were reported by Patch. The plans also include upgraded ADA curb ramps, new storm drains and bio-retention areas that treat runoff before it reaches creeks. The city's list adds updated crosswalks, traffic signals, street lighting and fire-wise, water-efficient landscaping. The lane layout changes near downtown. Between Seventh Street/Tamalpais Avenue and Grant, the design calls for two northbound lanes and one southbound lane.
The city says to expect "periodic traffic delays, lane restrictions, and temporary changes to access" during construction, and that it will work to keep access open where it can. Benigni told the Marin Independent Journal that the city intends "to communicate with the neighborhood better," use "better traffic control" and give advance notice of major disruptions. As of the city's October update, a dedicated construction page with schedules and traffic impacts was expected "within the next two weeks."
Count forward 18 to 24 months from an early November start and the project overlaps at least two holiday seasons, likely into a third. If the start date holds, the Saturdays above will be the first downtown events held while it's underway. People who reach Grant Avenue by Novato Boulevard will want to check the construction page before heading to the tree lighting, which already closes Old Town streets to cars. The Novato Downtown SMART station and the Redwood Boulevard and Grant Avenue Transit Station both sit near Sherman Avenue. That's the same walkable link the city pointed out for the farmers' market.
The city's other investment this year is happening at storefront level. The Marin Independent Journal reported in August that Novato's tenant improvement grant program covered only downtown businesses last year, when it awarded $100,000. In June the City Council approved another $100,000, and the program is now open to businesses citywide. The grants cover visible upgrades like signage and facades. Grants are awarded first-come, first-served until the money runs out. Projects under $10,000 may be fully funded with no match required.
The city's program page lists past grantees and their projects. Copperfield's Books built a demising wall. Village Restaurant repaired its parking lot. Trek Winery added solar panels, and Firehouse Subs got a new coat of exterior paint. The same reporting says more than 800 residents answered the city's economic development survey, and many asked for more retail and more support for local businesses.
Safe Trick or Treat runs this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Small Business Saturday follows on November 28, and the Community Tree Lighting closes Old Town streets to cars on December 5 from 4 to 7:30 p.m.
If you live near the Diablo-to-Grant stretch and want to know how a two-year roadway project could affect your home's value, or when to list around it, Christina & Karla - Home In Marin can walk you through what we're seeing nearby. Request Your Free Home Valuation, and we'll give you a clear, local read on your home.
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