Autumn 2013 Events in Sonoma County

These are some of the major events, mostly wine or food-related, for Sept, Oct, Nov 2013. This is harvest season -- there's lots to see!

Getting ready to make wine!

September

Aug 30-1  Sonoma Wine Country Weekend - Wine tasting at the beautiful MacMurray Ranch, auction, winemaker lunches and dinners, BBQ, all at various locations around Sonoma County. Info

1  Rodney Strong Winery Concert Series - The great B.B. King. Info

6  Santa Rosa Railroad Square Summerfest - Street festival with food, wine, music. Info

7  Healdsburg Beer in the Plaza.  About 30 microbreweries. Info

7  Cajun/Zydeco Festival in Sebastopol. Food, beer, wine, and lots of music. Info

10-12 National Heirloom Exposition at the Sonoma County fairgrounds. It's about the small, local farmer. Info

21-22 Russian River Jazz & Blues Festival on the beach in Guerneville including Boz Scaggs, Los Lobos, and Robert Cray. Info

21-22  BR Cohn Winery Music Festival - Big-name acts mostly from the '70s including The Doobie Brothers, Heart, Bad Company and the Gin Blossoms. Info

22  Polo in the Wine Country benefit for Junior Achievement in Santa Rosa. Food and wine tasting. Info

27-29  Sonoma Valley Crush Weekend. Get hands-on with the crush. Info

27-29 Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival -  The 116th annual celebration held on the town square in Sonoma with a grape stomp, parade, music and, of course, wine tasting. Info

Note there are two big events happening the weekend of Sept 27-29 in and around the town of Sonoma (Sonoma Crush & the Vintage Festival). Lodging and restaurants will be booked up!

28 Heirloom Tomato Festival at Kendall-Jackson in Fulton. Info

October

4-6  Sonoma County Harvest Fair - Food, award-winning wines, beer, music, "World Championship" Grape Stomp. Info

12 Cotati Oktoberfest - Eat and drink in your lederhosen. Info

27  Pinot on the River in Healdsburg. Info

November

2-3 Wine and Food Affair - A northern Sonoma County food and wine event weekend with over 100 participating wineries. A great chance to check out some of those small ones that aren't usually open for tasting. Info

23-24 Holiday in Carneros - Winery open house in southern Napa and Sonoma Counties. Info

29-30  Heart of Sonoma Valley Open House at about two dozen Sonoma Valley wineries. Info

Dry Creek Valley in early November

The harvest / crush / vintage - Grape harvest season this year started in late August and generally runs until about Nov 1st. The prime time is about mid-Sept through mid-Oct. 

Individual wineries harvest events - Many wineries have their own harvest parties and winemaker dinners. Check with your favorites to see if they have anything going on.
A list of October events at various wineries.

Thanksgiving weekend - Wineries are closed on Thanksgiving Day. The rest of the weekend is usually very busy and many put on holiday open houses.  Check with your favorites to see if they have a special event. Be prepared for big crowds on Friday and Saturday.