Latest News:
Annual Events in Napa Valley
January - April
Napa Valley Mustard Festival, www.mustardfestival.org. Celebrate the food, wine, art, and the rich, unique agricultural and cultural bounty of the Napa Valley! The Mustard Season offers a full palette of food, wine, art, entertainment, and cultural activities staged throughout the world-famous grape growing region when fields, vineyards, and hillsides are vibrant with wild mustard in bloom.
February
Crab Feed month in the Napa Valley – Visit the Community Calendar at www.napachamber.com to find out about these popular community events that raise money for many of our charitable organizations.
March
Napa Valley Marathon & Marathon Expo, www.napavalleymarthon.org. The Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon boasts one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The course runs the length of the famed Napa Valley wine-growing region. It begins in Calistoga, famous for its geysers and curative waters, and winds south along the historic Silverado Trail to finish at Vintage High School in north Napa. Except for the last half-mile, the entire course is rural. Runners are treated to panoramic views of the valley, flowering fruit trees, and dormant vineyards carpeted with golden mustard flowers.
May – August
Chefs’ Market, Thursday Evenings, 5-9pm, www.napadowntown.com. Now in its 16th year, Napa’s most popular outdoor event combines food, wine and entertainment to make this one a signature Napa event. Chef’s demonstrations from some of the best chefs in the Valley – and you are invited to enjoy and taste. Three musical stages & kid’s entertainment.
June
Auction Napa Valley, www.napavintners.cm. Auction Napa Valley is the world's largest charity wine auction, having raised more than $60 million in 25 years for Napa County health, youth and housing nonprofit organizations.
Connolly Ranch Family Farm Day, http://www.ConnollyRanch.org, is always held in June on the Saturday before Father's Day. Open free to the public, this event offers the community the chance to tour the Connolly Ranch, visit the farm animals including goats, sheep, miniature donkeys, geese, ducks, chickens, Olivia the pig, the miniature horse and cow plus an assortment of new baby animals. Hot dogs and lemonade will be available for sale.
July
Festival del Sole, www.festivaldelsole.com. Napa Valley’s Festival del Sole is a weeklong event in July featuring a combination of concerts and exhibitions by internationally acclaimed musical and visual artists, discussions with top literary figures, and culinary delights with the finest chefs and winemakers. It is the sister event to Italy’s annual Tuscan Sun Festival, which is held every August in Cortona. The Del Sole Foundation for the Arts and Humanities sponsors both events.
July – August
Wine Country Film Festival, www.winecountryfilmfest.com Imagine yourself in California's world famous vacation spot! Napa and Sonoma Valleys, where locals and visitors alike converge during wine country's oldest and biggest celebration of world cinema, just 45 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. You are sitting under the stars in an open air theater venue, sipping good wine, savoring seasonal cuisine, and socializing with new and old friends. Dozens of festivities range from open air film screenings to educational symposia, informal receptions with guest celebrities to over a dozen cooking demos, live entertainment, barrel tastings and fun for all ages.
August
Main Street Reunion Car Show, www.napadowntown.com. Over 400 pre-1976 cars on display, plus entertainment.
Blues, Brews & BBQ, www.napadowntown.com. Featuring Blues from some of the Bay Area’s best blues musicians, twenty hard to find micro-brewed beers and BBQ extraordinaire. It doesn’t get much better!
Napa Valley Art Festival http://www.NapaValleyArtFestival.com is always held on the third Saturday in August. Open free to the public, this event features fine wine, music and fine art from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Yountville Community Center is located at 6515 Washington Street near the intersection of Yount Street. Participating artists are selected by a distinguished panel of professional artists and art professionals. A portion of the sales benefit Connolly Ranch Education Center.
September
Napa River Wine, Crafts & Jazz Festival, www.napadowntown.com. Celebrating its 34th year, this event has added music in a big way and a new location. 200 artists display unique, original handcrafted art & a new kid’s craft area. Napa Valley wines make strolling down the street a summer delight.
Napa Valley Tomato Festival, http://www.NapaValleyTomatoFestival.com, presented by Connolly Ranch in conjunction with the Napa County Farm Burear. Planning is still underway. It is anticipated that this will be an annual event always held on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. Proceeds from the event will benefit Connolly Ranch and the Farm Bureau.
Annual River Festival, www.friendsofthenapariver.org. Please join us for one of Napa's most celebrated musical events. This Labor Day weekend tradition continues with an evening concert on the banks of the river with the Napa Valley Symphony, delicious food, fine wine, and glorious fireworks. The Napa Valley Symphony performs from 7 to 9 pm, and the fireworks explode at 9:05 pm. Proceeds from the event support the Friends’ mission of restoration, conservation, and responsible development of the river.
October – November
Hometown Halloween, www.napadowntown.com. Join the Flintstones, the cast from the Wizard of OZ and more. Thousands of costumed goblins (of all ages) will march and trick or treat. Pet costume contest at 1pm, parade at 2.
Connolly Ranch Harvest Festival, http://www.ConnollyRanch.org, is always held in October on the Saturday before Halloween. Open free to the public, this event offers the community the chance to tour the Connolly Ranch and take advantage of activities that include meeting the farm animals, garden information, face-painting, free pumpkins and hot dogs and lemonade.
Napa Valley Blues Festival www.calistogajazz.com. Live Music: Downtown Blues - Various blues artists perform at locations downtown throughout the day. Free to the Public. Other scheduled concerts are available for a fee. Food, wine & beer booths.
December
Tree Lighting Ceremony, www.napadowntown.com. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Enjoy a cup of hot chocolate, cookies and entertainment as Napa’s Mayor lights the Christmas tree in Veterans Park.
Christmas Parade, www.napadowntown.com. Since becoming an evening parade, Napans have figured out how to add lights to any entry – cars, horses, even children. The floats get a little better every year! Santa wraps this one up and leads everyone to the Oxbow Public Market, for free cookies & hot chocolate.
Annual Festival of Lights, www.yountville.com. Yountville’s annual holiday faire features food, wine and entertainment town-wide. Enjoy visits with Santa Claus, carolers and horse-drawn carriage rides. In the evening, Yountville is set aglow with thousands of twinkling lights adorning trees and shops along Washington Street. Vintage 1870 will be open until 8pm for holiday shopping. For information call the Yountville Chamber of Commerce, (707) 944-0904.