It's a perfect time in the wine country with warming temperatures, vines starting the new year's growth, wildflowers, and lots of exciting events to tempt you.
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| Early spring in Sonoma County image from pressdemocrat.com |
Wine-themed events
March
1-3 and 8-10 Wine Road Barrel Tasting
This is an annual winery open house on Friday through Sunday the first two weekends of March. Over 100 wineries in Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys participate. It's a very popular and very crowded event. It can get a little crazy about mid-afternoon on Saturday in Dry Creek Valley and in the town of Healdsburg.
15-16 Pigs and Pinot
Celebrity chefs and sommeliers at Charlie Palmer's Dry Creek Kitchen. Pork and Pinot Noir go together like pizza and beer! This event is sold out, but there's a waiting list.
16-17 Savor Sonoma
For the first time in decades this event will NOT happen as the Heart of Sonoma Valley Association goes through some turmoil.
April
6 Taste of Olivet
Winery open house along Olivet Road in the Russian River Valley.
6 Pick of the Vine
A wine and beer benefit tasting in the evening.
13 Garagiste Wine Festival
A chance to try hard-to-find micro-winery offerings.
21 Easter Sunday
Many wineries are closed.
27-28 Passport to Dry Creek Valley
About 45 wineries open their doors with food, wine, music, and vineyard tours--usually hosted by the winemakers. A bit pricey, but it's a great event.
May
16-19 Signature Sonoma Valley
You can buy tickets to many individual events hosted by owners, winemakers, and grape growers with dinners, tastings, and parties. It can get expensive if you attend several of these, but it's a unique event for the wine geek.
June
8 North Coast Wine and Food Festival
A tasting of award winning wines from the Press Democrat's wine competition. A really nice selection of foods.
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| North Coast Wine & Food Festival image from pressdemocrat.com |
Non-wine events
Of course, expect to find wine at most of these
March
1-10 Sonoma County Restaurant Week
Participating restaurants throughout the county offer fixed-price lunch and dinner menu specials.
23-24 Artisan Cheese Festival
Promoting the local cheese industry with chef demos, pairings, and a chance to talk with the cheese makers.
27-31 Sonoma International Film Festival
Watch movies, meet the filmmakers.
April
6 Battle of the Brews
Food and beer tasting. A local fund-raiser.
13-14 Apple Blossom Festival
Parade, music, food and drink. Celebrating Sebastopol before Chardonnay and Pinot Noir moved in.
May
4-5 Bodega Bay Fisherman's Festival
Blessing of the fleet, boat races, music, food, drinks, arts & crafts, etc. Dress warmly cuz you never know about the weather at the coast.
16-18 Cruisin' the Boulevard
Petaluma's salute to American Graffiti (much of the movie was filmed here).
18 Rose Parade
The 125th Rose Parade and Festival in Santa Rosa.
23-25 Healdsburg Future Farmers Fair
The highlight is the Twilight Parade on Thursday evening.
24-26 Bottle Rock
The Woodstock of Wine Country.
June
May 30-Jun 2 Sonoma Speed Festival
What used to be called the Vintage Races at Sonoma Raceway. Old cars, many historic race cars competing on the track. Nothing like the smell of unburned hydrocarbons with your Chardonnay!
May 31-Jun 9 Healdsburg Jazz Festival
At various venues.
7-8 Huichica Music Festival
At Gundlach-Bundschu Winery in Sonoma.
8 Beerfest
The biggest craft beer tasting in Sonoma County. According to website Eyewitness Travel this is one of the best beer festivals in the country.
8 Peggy Sue Car Show and Cruise
Downtown Santa Rosa car cruise. Rather than a static display of old cars you can see and smell them as they go by.
9 Railroad Square Music Festival
In Santa Rosa
14-16 Country Summer
The area's largest country music festival.
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| Peggy Sue cruise |
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