Postponed during the pandemic, the 14-year strong Sebastopol WALKS program will return on February 26 with an easy 3 to 4-mile moderately paced “Peace Poles Potpourri” walk lead by Council Member Sarah Glade Gurney who said, "I've designed the first 2022 walk to be rich in geographic features, hidden treasures, visual delights, and fun community members. My RELAUNCH route, called "Potpourri," will encourage you to come walking again, in March and the months following, and to engage in our community in a new way, as we emerge from the pandemic. The "Hosts" lined up to speak at the 10 stops include both individuals and organizations that you'll want to know about. What a range! From our Poet Laureate to Buzzy, from Anne of the Laguna Foundation to Janet with an 'art-full' front yard! Warm up your boots. Join me for a fun premier walking tour "South of Bodega" in Sebastopol."

The walk starts at the Sebastopol Plaza at 9am and returns at about noon. Pre-registration is not required. Walkers will be encouraged to wear a face covering and maintain a six-foot distance, if desired. The program will be canceled upon direction from the City Manager/Attorney in the event CDC guidelines indicate.

Walks are scheduled for the last Saturday of the month through November. The events will vary in focus, length, and difficulty, based upon the routes chosen by the morning’s leaders. See the Sebastopol WALKS flyer for a list of upcoming walks.

Some walks will be mainly for exercise to show participants how to connect places in town by foot and others will be informational. Some are new routes and new subject matter; others are updated versions of favorites.

The purpose of the WALKS program is to build interest in Sebastopol as a health-oriented community and help people experience the connectivity of our network of streets, sidewalks, paths, trails and alleys. Participants will learn that they can get around town without driving their car and that they can enjoy the outdoors on foot. They will learn about Sebastopol’s social, cultural, and political history as well as its municipal functions.