"The Lus had a family restaurant that served the community for 35 years, and they wanted to turn it over to someone who would do something similar." Anna Fox said that to the Marin Independent Journal in August. She was describing how she and her husband, Jeff, ended up in the old Dragon Cafe on Alameda del Prado.

The same idea runs through most of what's new in Novato this fall. A family restaurant in Ignacio went to a couple who promised to keep it a neighborhood place. A Hamilton playground is being rebuilt and renamed for the councilmember who pushed for it. Downtown, a classic car show turns 30 the same month the City adds a new way to remember people with cars. Each change grew out of something that was already here, and people chose to carry it forward.

The Ignacio Corner the Lus Chose to Pass On

Dragon Cafe closed when the Lu family retired in 2025 after more than three decades in business. In January, Anna and Jeff Fox took over the space. They found it after connecting with the Lus on Facebook, following what Anna described as a few heartbreaks during their search.

Renovations started in February. The 728-square-foot space became a 20-seat pizzeria with a kitchen under 300 square feet. The morning dough station turns into the expediting area at dinner, and a three-deck Polin oven imported from Italy heats each deck to 800 degrees. Fox Pizza opened on Friday, August 7, 2026. That date comes from the IJ's August 11 story, which reported the debut "on Friday."

The pizza is a hybrid of New York and New Haven styles. Every 14-inch pie starts with Jeff's 7-year-old sourdough starter and organic 00 flour from Central Milling in Petaluma, and the dough ferments at room temperature for 28 to 30 hours. The signature Tie Dye pie swirls tomato sauce with house-made pistachio pesto. Seasonal pies like the Elote-Ish and the Dippio Tomato use produce from local farms. For dessert, the brown butter chocolate chip cookie and olive oil cake share the menu with a celebration cake from Fire Swamp Provisions, another Novato business. The wine list has 12 low-intervention bottles, including Martha Stoumen and Hammerling.

In August, the IJ listed the hours as 4 to 8 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, at 528 Alameda del Prado. Pickup orders go through a dedicated window and can be placed at foxpizzamarin.com. Check the site before you go in case the hours have changed since then.

Hamilton's Playground Gets a New Name and Keeps Its Shade Tree

Across town, the handoff is civic. On July 14, the Novato City Council voted 4-0 to approve new playground designs for Hamilton Amphitheater Park and to rename it Mark J. Milberg Community Park. Milberg was a former mayor and councilmember who represented District 5, which includes Hamilton. He lived in the neighborhood. Councilmember Tim O'Connor and Mayor Pro Tem Kevin Jacobs proposed the new name. In June, O'Connor described Milberg's ties to the park:

"Prior to his passing, he frequently expressed support for continued investment and improvements to the park."

The new design comes straight from people who already use the park. Most of the 287 people who answered the City's survey were Novato residents, many of whom visit regularly with children ages 3 to 5. Based on those answers, the play equipment will be replaced in a neutral color. The playground will also get a music theme, a nod to the site's history as an amphitheater. The main play structure will have a sun cover, and the swing set will grow to include an infant swing. The old sand will give way to a rubber surface, with a ramp up to the play structure. City parks director Katie Gauntlett said the mature shade tree will stay.

The City's project page adds more detail. The work includes accessible paths from the parking lot, a refurbished gazebo, sensor-operated drinking fountains with bottle fillers, and a remodeled restroom. Construction was scheduled to start in the second half of September, with completion tentatively set for the end of October 2026. That is a projection, not a confirmed status. The City hasn't posted an update on whether work has started or whether the park is closed. The budget is about $700,000.

A separately funded public art mural is planned for the same site. Its themes are music, play, inclusion and community connection, with content suited to children ages 2 to 5. The selected artist receives a $10,000 award, according to the City's call for artists. The City's mural page targeted completion for October 2026, depending on construction. The renaming ceremony will take place once construction is finished.

Grant Avenue's 30th Car Show and Its First Car Ofrenda

Downtown, the carry-forward shows up in the calendar. The Downtown Novato Business Association is putting on its 30th annual Nostalgia Days. It starts with a Friday Night Hot Rod Cruise through downtown on October 9 at 5 p.m. The free Classic Car Show follows on Grant Avenue on Saturday, October 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with live music and an award ceremony at the end of the day. You can register a car or sign up to volunteer at nostalgiadaysnovato.com.

Two weeks later, cars come back downtown in a new role. The City's Día de los Muertos Celebration is Saturday, October 24, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Novato Civic Green, 901 Sherman Avenue. New this year is the City's first car ofrenda display, where people turn the trunk or back of a vehicle into an altar for loved ones. Typical decorations include photographs, marigolds, LED candles, papel picado and favorite foods. Taking part is free, but space is limited and you need to apply. The afternoon also includes a procession, a community ofrenda, sugar skull decorating and face painting.

The Rest of October, Week by Week

Today is Tuesday, October 6, so the remaining dates fall like this:

1. Tuesdays through October 27. The downtown farmers market runs on Sherman Avenue between Grant and De Long, from 4 to 7 p.m. in October. The October 27 market is the last one of the season.
2. Saturday, October 10. Along with the car show, the City is holding a Repair Fair and Halloween Costume & Decor Swap from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
3. Friday and Saturday, October 16 and 17. Novato Theater Company holds its October Comedy Festival at 5420 Nave Drive, Suite C, at 8 p.m. both nights. Tickets are $25 a night or $40 for both.
4. Saturday, October 17. The free Not-So-Scary Halloween Magic Show at City Hall has shows at 10 and 11:30 a.m.
5. Saturday, October 24. Día de los Muertos and the car ofrenda display at Civic Green, 3 to 6 p.m.
6. Wednesday, October 28. The City and the Museum of the American Indian host a free screening of the short film The Land Still Speaks at City Hall, 901 Sherman Avenue, at 6 p.m.
7. Saturday, October 31. Downtown Novato Safe Trick-or-Treat runs on Grant Avenue from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Where November Picks Up

The calendar slows down once the farmers market closes, but it doesn't stop. The City lists Novato Classic gymnastics meets for November 7 and 8. Rhythms Performing Arts has Into the Woods on its calendar at Novato Theater Company for November 13 through 15. On Sunday, November 15, the California Native Plant Society's Marin Chapter leads a free walk of about a mile called "Olompali Galls and Other Natural Wonders." It runs from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Olompali State Historic Park, and parking costs $8.

If the Hamilton work stays on the City's timeline, the playground on the old amphitheater grounds could reopen by then under Mark Milberg's name, and the City will hold the renaming ceremony there. For more on the city's different parts, from Hamilton to Ignacio, see our Novato neighborhood page and our look at Novato's hill and valley neighborhoods.

Every change in this post came from someone choosing who would carry a place forward. If you're thinking about who should take on a Novato home you've cared for, Donna Goldman would be glad to talk it through quietly, on your timeline. Make a Request.