Bret Harte is a beautiful, walkable residential neighborhood along the southern border of San Rafael in Marin County. The earliest homes date from the late 1930s. The neighborhood is tucked into the hillside with ample green space, tree-lined streets, and the secret bootleg trail. It features Bret Harte Park—the neighborhood's social center—and a diversity of families that call Bret Harte home.
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Coming Up

BHCA Annual Meeting | Tuesday, February 10, 7:00 PM
Join us for our annual Bret Harte Community Association virtual meeting. Members of the BHCA Steering Committee will give a brief overview of the Association, including its activities, priorities, and finances; and answer questions in a Q&A at the end. Feel free to send questions ahead of time through the BHCA Feedback form. Looking forward to seeing you (virtually) there! We'll send out a link before the meeting to join.
Bret Harte Neighborhood Meetup | Pete's 881 | Friday, February 13, 8:00 PM
No kids allowed! Come join fellow OG Bret Hartigans at our first annual neighborhood meetup at local favorite Pete's 881. You don't have to be a member to attend, just come for a drink and meet some new neighbors.
Coming Up: Bootleg Trail Maintenance Crew
Spring is a great time to pull broom while the soil is wet and otherwise prepare our very own backwoods trail for the coming summer months. We'll meet in the park and head up for a couple hours of trail maintenance. Bring gloves, water, and wear sturdy shoes. We'll be announcing a date soon.
Need to Renew Your Membership?
Remembering to renew your annual membership can be a pain—that's why we introduced an auto-renew option! Join once, and be renewed automagically every year. Check this one thing off your list and enjoy the extra time you saved!

Upcoming Annual Events

BHCA Annual Meeting | Tuesday, February 10, 7:00 PM
Join us for our annual Bret Harte Community Association virtual meeting. Members of the BHCA Steering Committee will give a brief overview of the Association, including its activities, priorities, and finances; and answer questions in a Q&A at the end. Feel free to send questions ahead of time through the BHCA Feedback form. Looking forward to seeing you (virtually) there! We'll send out a link before the meeting to join.
Bret Harte Neighborhood Meetup | Pete's 881 | Friday, February 13, 8:00 PM
No kids allowed! Come join fellow OG Bret Hartigans at our first annual neighborhood meetup at local favorite Pete's 881. You don't have to be a member to attend, just come for a drink and meet some new neighbors.
Egg Stuffing Party | Sunday, March 22, 3:00–5:00 PM
Meet in the park to stuff approximately 12 gazillion plastic eggs with individually wrapped candy! It's a fun, festive meetup that's great for little hands and those with unusual dexterity alike. Help us make the shortest event of the year also the most memorable!
Spring Egg Hunt | Saturday, April 4, 2026, 10:00 AM
The furry, rascally rabbit Bret Bunny will be hiding eggs at the Bret Harte Park. Bring your little Bret Hartigans (and a basket) and help collect all the eggs. Coffee provided for the biguns.
Bret hARTe Community Art Stroll | Saturday, TBD June 2026, 2025, 2:00 – 5:00 PM
Join us for our fifth annual art and craft- focused event, with arts, crafts, events, and delicious treats both in the neighborhood and in the park! Check out the creative talents of Bret Harte artists, musicians, and purveyors once again during this fan-favorite event!
Neighborhood Garage Sale | TBD Fall 2026, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Don’t miss the Bret Harte–wide annual sale, with dozens of households participating. Clothing, housewares, collectibles, small furniture, electronics, kids clothes and toys, books, bikes, antiques, glassware, flatware, plants, vintage collectibles, musical gear, gardening equipment, eclectica, and more!
Bret Harte Annual All-Neighborhood Picnic | TBD Fall 2026, 4:00 – 7:00 PM
Save the Date for the annual all-neighborhood picnic in the park. Meet and mingle with your neighbors, see the new faces, come enjoy the camaraderie and friendly vibe that is Bret Harte. Local musicians will entertain, and feel free to bring a dish to share. This is our only all-member event of the year (and one of the few aimed at grownups), so don't miss it!
Halloween Pumpkin Carving Party | Sunday, October 25, 2026, 3:00 – 5:00 PM
Join your neighbors in getting your porch trick-or-treat ready! We'll have a somewhat limited supply of pumpkins on hand (provided by the BHCA), but feel free to bring your own. We'll also have decorations for smaller pumpkins for the wee Bret Hartigans. Festive treats will be provided. Please bring your own carving tools if you have them, a few will be provided.
Pre-Trick-or-Treat Pizza in the Park | Halloween, 5:00 PM
Come dressed in costume for unbridled pizza chaos before heading out for trick-or-treating! Pizza provided by the BHCA.
Cookie Decorating Party | TBD Sunday 2026, 3:00–5:00 PM​
Bring the kids to Bret Harte Park for the third annual cookie decorating party! We'll have cookies and decorating supplies, and cider and holiday music to help usher in the holiday season.

Stay Connected

WhatsApp Group for Bret Harte Parents
​Do you wrangle a tiny Bret Hartigan and want to meet up with others just like you? Get with the WhatsApp! Join the Bret Harte Parents WhatsApp group—a great way to coordinate and hear about impromptu park meetups and playdates. Folks new to the neighborhood (or with new Bret Hartigans) are especially encouraged. To be added to the group, please contact Briony at 415-420-8684‬.
Contact Us
​The BHCA Steering Committee is a volunteer-run group of neighbors working hard to make ours the best neighborhood there is‬. If you have a comment, question, suggestion, idea, or yen to volunteer, let us know!

Join Us!

Welcome to the neighborhood! Whether you’ve been here one year or fifty, you already know how great this place is. You might also know that the Bret Harte Community Association works hard to keep it that way—by putting on activities for all ages including Halloween, the Spring Egg Hunt, the neighborhood Art Stroll, and an annual Bret Harte–wide garage sale, and picnic in the park. The BHCA provides services to residents and represents our neighborhood at the city and county levels when asked. All we’re missing is you! Join (and then renew) to help support us financially. Annual membership is by calendar year and only $25 per household.
​The Bret Harte Community Association (BHCA), in existence for over 50 years, is a neighborhood organization serving the residents of San Rafael's Bret Harte Neighborhood and supports approximately 500 residences, with the purpose of bringing the community together.

The BHCA is funded by neighborhood and community donations. A $25/year per-household donation is suggested. However, all activities are available to all neighborhood residents regardless of member status. The many accomplishments of the BHCA are achieved solely through volunteer efforts. To stay up to date on what's happening in and around the neighborhood, subscribe to the BHCA Email List.
All content © 2022 Bret Harte Community Association (BHCA). Contact [email protected].