Fall exhibitions, shows, and performances you won't want to miss.

Othello at Marin Shakespeare Company

Start the fall season off right with some classic Elizabethan drama courtesy of the Marin Shakespeare Company. Starting August 26th, the troupe will take on the famous tragedy of Othello—a love story dealing with betrayal, jealousy and manipulation. Directed by Robert Currier, the performance stars former California state prison inmate, Dameion Brown, as Othello. Tickets range from $10-$35. // Aug. 26 - Sept. 25, 8pm, Forest Meadows Amphitheater, 890 Belle Ave. (San Rafael), marinshakespeare.org

12 Newly Minted Bay Area Artists at Pro Arts

Want to support up-and-coming artists in the Bay Area? Minted is a multi-disciplinary survey exhibition of recent graduates from the MFA program at San Jose State University. Curated by the co-founder/director of the stARTup ArtFair, Ray Beldner, the exhibition reveals and challenges current trends in Bay Area art while shining a light on one of the lesser-known MFA programs in the Bay Area. The exhibition will include artists working in photography, painting, sculpture, digital media, and conceptual practice. // Sept. 2 -30, 6-9pm, Pro Arts Gallery, 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, (Oakland), proartsgallery.org

Iconography at Dallas A. Saunders Artisan Textiles

Opening over Labor Day weekend,Iconography is an exhibit of tapestries featuring the work of five iconic modern artists: Chuck Close, Kiki Smith, Alex Katz, Squeak Carnwath and Deborah Oropallo. The tapestries are woven using a process developed by Magnolia Editions in Oakland that unites advanced digital techniques with traditional Jacquard weaving to capture an exquisite amount of detail in the weaving, allowing a direct translation of the artist's work to the tapestry. Three tapestries by Chuck Close, who was recently appointed by President Obama to the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities, will be on display. // Sept. 2 - Oct. 30, Dallas A. Saunders Artisan Textiles, 275 Highway 128, Suite 101, (Geyserville), dallassaunders.com

TheConference of the Birds in San Jose

Based on the ancient Sufi poem of the same name, The Conference of Birds was written by Academy-award winning screenwriter Jean Claude Carrière and translated and directed by legendary British theater and film director Peter Brook. The colorful dance performance takes 10 dance traditions spanning 4 continents out of their respective silos and gathers them on stage with a score from Randy Armstrong. Playing for two day only! // September 9 at 8pm and September 10 at 2pm and 8pm, Mexican Heritage Plaza, 1700 Alum Rock Ave. (San Jose), tikkl.com/cob/campaigns/cob-tickets

Free Show: SF Opera in the Park

The San Francisco Opera will kick-off its fall season with a free concert in Golden Gate Park. Pack a picnic, and settle in for some arias al fresco as the opera celebrates their 94th season. Music will be directed by Nicola Luisotti.// Sunday, Sept. 11, 1:30pm, Sharon Meadow, 320 Bowling Green Dr. (Golden Gate Park), sfopera.com

Black Sabbath at Oracle Arena

Arguably the greatest metal band of all time (sorry, Metallica), Black Sabbath is ending its epic farewell tour, The End, with a stop at Oakland's Oralce Arena–its final North America destination. Joining them on tour is Long Beach-based band Rival Sons. Get your tickets before they sell out. // Thursday, Sept. 15, 7:30pm, Oracle Arena, 7000 Coliseum Way (Oakland), coliseum.com

Claude's 21st Birthday Bash at Cal Academy

Claude the albino alligator is turning 21 this September and Cal Academy is celebrating with a NightLife party of gator proportions. Since Claude can't drink, make sure to order an extra drink to honor the iconic gator on his special day. More details coming soon. // Thursday,Sept. 15, 6pm, Cal Academy, 55 Music Concourse Dr. (Golden Gate Park), calacademy.org/nightlife

Nick Cave at Stanford's Anderson Collection

Would you wear one of these suits? Interdisciplinary artist Nick Cave challenges conventions on what it means to be a visual artist, a performer, a crafter, and an educator. Cave is well known for his Soundsuits, full-body sized sculptures, often worn as costumes and performed in, made of everything from collected and repurposed buttons, to wooden sticks, beaded baskets, doilies and sequins. This September, The Anderson Collection at Stanford University will show an exhibition of eight Soundsuits and three videos works by Cave. Don't miss it. // Sept. 14, 2016 - Aug. 14, 2017, Stanford, 314 Lomita Dr. (Palo Alto), anderson.stanford.edu

Anthony Hernandez Exhibit at SFMOMA

Anthony Hernandez is the first retrospective to honor the more than 45-year career of this major American photographer. Featuring approximately 160 photographs — many never shown before — the exhibition includes a remarkably varied body of work. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Hernandez developed his own individual style of street photography, and his works varies from black-and-white to color photography, from 35mm to large-format cameras, and from the human figure to the landscape to abstracted detail. // Sept. 24, 2016 - Jan 1, 2017, SFMOMA, 151 Third St. (MoMa), sfmoma.org

Ayesha Curry at Books Passage

Ayesha Curry is headed to Larkspur to discuss her debut cookbook, The Seasoned Life: Food, Family, Faith, and Joy, which shares 100 of her favorite recipes. Ayesha will discuss the development of her unique culinary aesthetic and take questions from the audience. Tickets for the event are $120 and include dinner with wine pairings at Left Bank Restaurant and a signed copy of The Seasoned Life. // Sunday, Sept. 25, 6:30pm, Left Bank Restaurant, 507 Magnolia Ave. (Larkspur), bookpassage.com

The Red Violin Performance by Virtuoso Violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn

The famous Red Violin, also known as Red Mendelssohn Stradivarius, was first crafted in 1720 by legendary violin maker Antonio Stradivari. Not long after its creation, the instrument vanished for more than 200 years. Now the instrument falls into the hands of virtuoso violinist Elizabeth Pitcairn, who will perform an hour long show accompanied by Dr. Louise Thomas on the piano at Sonoma Valley Museum of Arts. The soiree begins with cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres in the museum and continues with a converstion with the musicians after the show. Tickets are $175. // Sunday, Sept. 25, 5pm, Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, 551 Broadway (Sonoma), svma.org

Pat O'Neill / MATRIX 262 at BAMPFA

Taking full advantage of its dual art museum/ film archive status, BAMPFA will present the films, sculpture, photography and works on paper by LA-based artist Pat O'Neill this fall. O'Neill was a pioneer of avant-garde film and a founding faculty member at CalArts. He is best known for his optical printing techniques that marked a creative breakthrough in composition image-making in film. O'Neill's rarely screen masterpiece, Water and Power (inspired by Los Angeles) will be available for screening. // Sept. 28 - Nov. 27, BAMPFA, 2155 Center St. (Berkeley), bampfa.org

A Beautiful Day in the Gayborhood at the GLBT History Museum

This month's installment of Mighty Reels at the GLBT History Museum reveals the sights and sounds of the early years of the Castro Street Fair. Media preservationist John Raines presents rare videotape of the 1976 and 1978 fairs as captured by the Queer Blue Light media collective. The videos even include a brief interview with Harvey Milk, who explains his rationale for establishing the event in 1974. The screening takes place just two days before this year's fair. // Friday, September 30, 7pm, GLBT History Museum, 4127 18th St. (Castro), glbthistory.org/museum

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2016

What's more San Franciscan that a free bluegrass festival in Golden Gate Park? Pack a picnic and enjoy timeless tunes from musicians such as CAKE, Boz Scaggs, Cyndi Lauper, and many more this October. // Sept. 30-Oct. 2, Golden Gate Park, hardlystrictlybluegrass.com

All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50 at OMCA

This October marks the 50th anniversary of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense, founded in 1966. Check out the OMCA exhibit, All Power to the People, for a contemporary view on the legacy of this visionary group, told from multiple perspectives. Rare historical artifacts, first person accounts, and new contemporary art show how the Party continues to inspire culture, activism, and community empowerment on local, national, and international levels. // Oct. 8, 2016 –Feb. 12, 2017, Oakland Museum of California,1000 Oak St. (Oakland), museumca.org

Litquake 2016

Let your imagination run rampant during the seventeenth annual Litquake Festival. Hobnob with nationally known authors reading from their books, sit in on writers' and readers' salons at local restaurants and galleries and don't miss the San Francisco trivia night hosted by 7x7. This year's highlights include talks with author Chinaka Hodge andMichelle Tea in conversation with Daniel Handler. The complete festival schedule goes live September 1. // Oct. 7-15, various venues and times, litquake.org

2001: A Space Odyssey with the San Francisco Symphony

Experience Stanley Kubrick's Academy Award-winning masterpiece, A Space Odyssey, with epic score performed live by the San Francisco Symphony featuring music by R. Strauss, Strauss Jr., and Ligeti. Tickets range from $30-$165. // Oct. 13–15, 8pm, Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave. (Civic Center), sfsymphony.org

First Annual Marin Music Festival

Home to Metallica, Sammy Hagar, and more iconic artists, Marin County is finally putting together its own music festival. The free event will feature live local bands, arts and crafts booths, food trucks, craft beer and wine, kid's activities and a stunning waterfront view. // Saturday, October 15, 10am - 6pm, Marin Rod & Gun Club, 2675 East Francisco Blvd. (San Rafael), sresproductions.com

Japanese Photography from Postwar to Now at SFMOMA

One of the most significant contributions to the art of photography comes from postwar Japan. After World War II, the country began to produce film and camera equipment, supporting a large amateur photography culture and sponsoring native photographers as important artistic producers. This exhibition highlights SFMOMA's considerable collection of Japanese photography including photographs from the 1960s, when major figures such as Shomei Tomatsu and Daido Moriyama investigated Americanization and industrial growth; the more personal and performative work of Nobuyoshi Araki and Eikoh Hosoe; and photography addressing the present culture and the Fukushima nuclear disaster.// Oct. 15, 2016 –Mar. 12, 2017, SFMOMA, 151 Third St. (SoMa), sfmoma.org

Treasure Island Music Festival

TIMF is celebrating its ten-year anniversary the October with an important land mark: this is the last year the festival will take place on its namesake island. Get your tickets to hear Sigur Ros, Ice Cube, Purity Ring, Glass Animals, Tycho and so many more. If nothing else, remember that this is the last time you can Instagram the views from the top of that iconic ferris wheel. // October 15-16, Treasure Island, treasureislandfestival.com

Alexander Valley Film Festival

The Alexander Valley Film Society celebrates its second annual, four-day film festival this year in Cloverdale. Expect a unique mix of local and independent films, winning student films, and and a new programming track that includes LGBT and Spanish-language. // Oct. 20-23, The Raven Film Center, 415 Center St., (Healdsburg) and The Clover Theater, 121 East 1st St. (Cloverdale), avfilmsociety.org

Madame Butterfly at San Francisco Opera

Cultures clash when a trusting young geisha marries an American naval officer stationed in Nagasaki in the classic opera, Madame Butterfly. Puccini's gut-wrenching music takes the audience on an emotionally charged journey through innocence, betrayal and sacrifice towards a heartbreaking finale. If you have't seen it yet, you must. // Nov.6–Dec. 4, 7:30pm., War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Ave. (Civic Center), sfopera.com

Dia de los Muertos Community Concert at Davies Symphony Hall

Bring the entire family to this annual family-friendly concert, celebrating Latin-American music and culture for the Day of the Dead. Arrive an hour early for refreshments live music and dancing, colorful altars, traditional crafts, and more. Expect performances by La Santa Cecilia, Mariachi Flor de Toloache, Círculo Cultural theater group and Women of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. Tickets range from $20-$90. // Saturday, Nov. 5, 1pm and 7pm, Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave. (Civic Center), sfsymphony.org

Frank Stella: A Retrospective at the De Young Museum

Frank Stella: A Retrospective is the first comprehensive US exhibition of the artist's colorful work since 1970. Known for his large geometric, colorful paintings and work in minimalism, the installation will feature approximately 50 of his large-scale works, including paintings, wall-mounted reliefs, and three-dimensional sculptures. Also opening the same day is Frank Stella's Prints which will highlight his experimental printmaking technique. // Frank Stella: A Retrospective: Nov. 5, 2016 - Feb. 26, 2017, Frank Stella's Prints: Nov. 5, 2016 - June 25, 2017, de Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr. (Golden Gate Park), deyoung.famsf.org

Danny Lyon: Message to the Future at the de Young Museum

It's a busy fall at the de Young. Also opening on November 5th, Danny Lyon: Message to the Future is the first comprehensive retrospective of the career of Danny Lyon—a leading figure in American street photography during the 1960s—to be presented in 25 years. The exhibition will assemble about 175 photographs, related films, and ephemeral materials to highlight Lyon's artwork dealing with social and political issues of the time. // Nov. 5, 2016 - Apr. 30, 2017, de Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Dr. (Golden Gate Park), deyoung.famsf.org

The Nutcracker at the San Francisco Ballet

A San Francisco holiday tradition since its debut on the War Memorial stage back in 1944, the SF Ballet's production of The Nutcracker is a classic with a local twist—the scene is set in the City by the Bay. Bring mom, dad, kids, and granny, and dress in your holiday finest—this is an old-fashioned annual treat for the whole family that's not to be missed. // Dec. 10- 29, War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Ave., SF, sfballet.org