The Napa Valley Weekender
NAPA VALLEY, Calif. — Welcome to Napa Valley Features’ Weekender. Every Friday morning we provide a selection of activities and experiences around the region that has been curated by the Napa Valley Features team. Our goal is to provide at least a few free or low-cost events and to cover every town in our valley. This is an eclectic list, ranging from theatrical readings to musical concerts, from wine celebrations to art gallery tours, from charitable walks to astronomical marvels. Our goal is for both locals and visitors to find this list valuable, engaging and complete with sufficient details to eliminate the need for extensive searches for times, locations or any associated costs.
To have your event considered for our Napa Valley Weekender, please complete our new form. Ensure you provide all essential details about the event, as well as your contact information should we have any inquiries. Submissions must be received by Wednesday evening for consideration in that week's Friday Weekender. Thank you.
This Weekend
American Canyon
American Canyon flea market: Open Sundays from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round, this may be the largest and longest-lived flea market in Northern California. If you haven’t been, think community garage sale on steroids. 303 S Kelly Road, American Canyon, 707-226-8862.
Calistoga
The Vincent Arroyo Family Winery is holding its first Lobster Boil on Saturday, Oct. 7, from noon to 2:30 p.m. The menu includes fresh Maine Lobster, prawns, hotlinks, fresh corn, potatoes and more. The food will be paired with acclaimed Vincent Arroyo Family Wines. The cost is $150 per person for this 21-and-over event. For more information, visit the winery’s website.
The Rotary Club of Calistoga will host its 83rd Annual Calistoga Community BINGO Night on Saturday, Nov. 18, at the Boys and Girls Club located at 1401 North Oak Street. Doors open at 4:30 p.m., and the games kick off at 6 p.m. Keegan Barrett will serve as the BINGO caller for the evening, which also features raffles, silent auctions, and casual food and drinks available for purchase. The cost to play all 12 games is $40 for the first BINGO packet, and seating is limited to 300; therefore, advance reservations by purchasing the first BINGO packet are recommended. All packets will be available for pickup at the Will Call table on the day of the event. Email bobbifrioli@gmail.com for more info.
From Friday, Oct. 6, to Sunday, Oct. 8, the Moonshine at Mount View Hotel in Calistoga will offer a weekend of classic movie screenings, with doors opening at 7 p.m. each evening. The lineup includes "Rebel Without A Cause" starring James Dean on Friday, "They Drive by Night" featuring Humphrey Bogart on Saturday, and Alfred Hitchcock's "Rebecca" on Sunday, all beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are available for $5, both at the door and via EventBrite, and food and drinks can be purchased separately. For those interested in private screenings or other events, the venue can be contacted at 707-942-6877. For tickets, visit EventBrite.
Calistoga Farmers’ Market: This year-round market is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday. The Calistoga Farmers’ Market, managed by a Market Advisory Committee under the umbrella of the Calistoga Chamber of Commerce, is full of fresh vegetables, local fish, arts, crafts, baked goods and music. It's located on Washington Street adjacent to the Community Center and across from City Hall.
The Calistoga Healing Arts Festival will be held in Pioneer Park Saturday, Oct. 7, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Come to meet up with massage therapists, frequency healers, psychics, tarot readers and many more. While you’re there enjoy sweet treats from Fi & Me Baking Co. The address is 1309 Cedar St.
Buster’s BBQ Jazz and Blues: Enjoy free music (tips appreciated!) every Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. Listen to jazz and blues on the back patio at Buster's Southern BBQ, weather permitting.
Napa
An unprecedented BBQ and Sake pairing at The Q Restaurant & Bar, 1313 Main St., is slated for this evening, Friday, Oct. 6, at 6 p.m. This dining event offers an opportunity to enjoy barbecued dishes paired with select sakes. A portion of the proceeds will go to The Common Ground Collective for Maui Fire Relief. The cost is $120 per person, and reservations are required. For more details or to reserve a spot, call the restaurant at 707-224-6600.
The Napa Farmers Market is held from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays at 1100 West St. at Pearl, also on Tuesdays at the same time and place.
Directed by NVC Theater Arts’ Jennifer King, a staged reading of excerpts from “The Laramie Project” will be at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7, at the mainstage at the Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center in Napa. The event features cast members from the Napa Valley College Theater Arts’ 2002, 2007 and 2010 productions as well as current students and Napa County community members. Tickets are Pay-What-You-Can.
Listen Louder Exhibition Opening at di Rosa, Saturday, Oct. 7, 5:30 to 7 p.m. The di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art will unveil “Listen Louder,” a comprehensive career survey of San Francisco-based artist Ana Teresa Fernández. The exhibition features a diverse range of media that includes paintings, sculptures, videos and photographs. Di Rosa Executive Director Kate Eilertsen notes that Fernández’s work addresses important issues related to border politics and environmental changes. Non-member cost is $10 per person, while members can attend for free and bring one guest at no charge. Address: di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, 5200 Sonoma Highway, Napa. For tickets visit here.
On Saturday, Oct. 7, the 13th annual Napa Blues, Brews & BBQ event returns to the Napa Valley Exposition at 575 Third St. in Napa. The one-day festival runs from noon to 6 p.m. and is free to enter. The event features live blues music, a variety of barbecue food vendors, arts and crafts stalls, and a specialty microbrew beer garden with more than 40 unique beers. This year the event is partnering with local charity Feeding It Forward and offers a $60 Beer Garden bracelet for unlimited beer tastings and exclusive stage performances. Attendees must be 21 or older to enter, and onsite parking is available.
California Native Plant Sale is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Skyline Wilderness Park, located at 2201 Imola Ave., Napa. This fall sale will offer more than 1,000 plants, including over 100 drought-tolerant native species, and experts will be on hand to provide advice and answer questions. Admission to Skyline Park is free during the sale, and all proceeds go toward the maintenance and educational programs of the Martha Walker California Native Habitat Garden in Skyline Park. No reservations are required.
The October Writers’ Salon at Jessel Gallery will be 5 to 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 7. It promises an evening of literary engagement and dialogue and will feature readings and talks by New York Times bestselling author James Conaway, Brian R. Martens, Sandra McGee and Bruce Overby. Readings start at 5:30 p.m. and are followed by book signings at 7:30 p.m. The entrance fee is $10 at the door, with children admitted for free. RSVPs are required by sending an email or calling 707-257-2350.
St. Helena
The St. Helena Farmers’ Market is on Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to noon from May through October in Crane Park, 360 S. Crane Ave.
St. Helena Sidewalk Sale is taking place today, Friday, Oct. 6, through Sunday, Oct. 8. The event will be hosted along Main Street by the St. Helena Chamber of Commerce. Attendees can expect to find great deals during this annual sidewalk sale that offers a variety of items from local businesses. There is no entry fee for the event. The venue address is St. Helena’s Main Street.
On Friday, Oct. 6, Merryvale Vineyards in St. Helena will hold its Friday Live Music on the Terrace event from 5 to 7 p.m. Located at 1000 Main St., the gathering will include live music, a food truck, and the option to purchase Merryvale wines by the bottle. Seating operates on a first-come, first-served basis, and attendees are welcome to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. If the weather turns foul, the musical entertainment will shift indoors to the tasting room located at 1000 Main St., St. Helena.
Yountville
The Estate Yountville’s Crush It Harvest Festival will continue on Saturday, Oct. 7, from 11 a.m. to sundown. The event includes fine wines, a lavish barbecue, live music, grape-stomping, lawn games and more. Tickets to the Crush It Harvest Festival are $100 per person and include unlimited barbecue bites, grape-stomping and a commemorative T-shirt. Wine-tasting will be available for an additional cost, with 21-plus wristbands required. For more information or tickets for Crush It, visit here.
“California Road Trippin’” at the Napa Valley Museum Yountville, 55 Presidents Circle, on Saturday, Oct. 7, from 1 to 4 p.m. Dive into the past with this Mid-Century Modern Mini Conference, which is free with museum admission. Speakers including Nut Tree author Diane Zimmerman and Disneyland Hotel historian Donald W. Ballard will explore the nostalgia and history of California road trips. Refreshments are courtesy of Fever-Tree. Although the event is free with museum admission, space may be limited, so early arrival is recommended. For more details, call 707-944-0500 or email info@napavalleymuseum.org.
Every Friday from 6 to 10 p.m. Hotel Villagio in Yountville hosts live music in its lobby. The free event takes place at 6481 Washington St.
Sunrise Yoga at Bardessono Hotel and Spa Rooftop Pool Deck: The event takes place every Saturday from 7:30 to 8:15 a.m. This morning yoga session focuses on breath work and meditation, providing a serene start to the weekend. The cost is $30 per person, and reservations are required due to limited space. For more information or to make a reservation, contact the Bardessono front desk.
Upcoming Events
Night Sky for October takes place throughout the month of October with various celestial events, such as meteor showers, planetary appearances and an annular solar eclipse. The month kicks off with the Draconid Meteor Shower from Oct. 8 to 10, offering up to six meteors per hour and followed by other notable events such as the appearance of Venus and the crescent Moon on Oct. 10 and the Orionid Meteor Shower from Oct. 20 to 21. One of the highlights is the "Ring of Fire" Annular Solar Eclipse visible in the Western United States on Oct. 14, beginning at 11:04 a.m. and ending at 4:55 p.m. The events are free to observe (just look up!), though protective eyewear is a must for the solar eclipse.
A special Rock 1 reception will be held Thursday, Oct. 12, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Helena’s Nimbus Arts, 649 Main St., for visiting artist Michael Grab as he shares his journeys around the world to create his stone-stacking sculptural wonders. Vino and bites provided. Donation of $10 requested. The Art of Stone Stacking with Grab will be held on Saturday, Oct. 14 from 9:30 a.m. to noon at a location to be determined. Grab will introduce the art of rock balancing and perform a live demonstration to illustrate various techniques Then students will start building their own or small-group creations with Grab’s guidance and instruction. A donation of $20 is requested. All ages welcome, although those 10 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.
The Lady Is a Vamp: Tribute to the Rat Pack will feature Kellie Fuller and the Mike Greensill Trio at Blue Note Napa on Thursday, Oct. 12, from 7 to 9 p.m. The event aims to re-create the glamorous atmosphere of 1960s Las Vegas and features timeless hits from Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. Doors open at 6 p.m., with dinner, wine, beer and cocktails available throughout the show. Tickets are priced between $20 and $30, available for purchase at bluenotenapa.com. Given the intimate setting of the 180-seat venue, advance ticket purchase is strongly advised. Blue Note Napa is situated at 1030 Main St., on the first floor of the Napa Valley Opera House in downtown Napa. For additional details, visit bluenotenapa.com or kelliefuller.com.
You’re invited to celebrate 50 years’ service to St. Helena honoring Craig Bond, 2 to 6 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 15. The plaque dedication will be 2 to 4 p.m. at the Performing Arts center at St. Helena High School; the alumni gathering will be from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Crane Park picnic tables. Bring a bottle, raise a glass. Bond is responsible for the St. Helena Choral Society and Chamber Singers, the St. Helena Teen Choir, Jazz @ 7 Vocal Ensemble and the St. Helena Children’s Chorus. Everyone is welcome. For details visit here.
Gravity Glue Artist Reception and Lecture, The Art of Stone Stacking Workshop Nimbus Arts will host two events featuring guest artist Michael Grab of Gravity Glue on Thursday, Oct. 12, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 14, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Grab, who has garnered international recognition as a stone-stacking artist and photographer, will give a reception and lecture on the first date and a hands-on stone stacking workshop on the second. His journey in this art form began by "happy accident" in 2008, evolving into a way of life and an international movement. A $10 suggested donation is recommended for the reception and lecture, while the workshop has a $20 registration fee.
The Calistoga Chamber of Commerce Monthly Business Mixer will be hosted by the Calistoga Depot on Oct. 19 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. for an evening of networking and connection with fellow business professionals. Enjoy wine and hors d'oeuvres as you explore valuable networking opportunities and bring your business card for a chance to enter the door prize raffle.
UpStage Napa Valley’s Third Annual Playwright Festival, “PlayFest,” is slated for the weekends of Oct. 20-22 and Oct. 27-29. The performances will take place in Newton Hall at Grace Episcopal Church, 1314 Spring St., St. Helena. Over the course of two weekends, nine 15-minute original plays will be showcased, focusing on various social issues. Artistic Director Sharie Renault emphasizes that the festival aims not just to entertain but also to engage and heal through theater. Tickets are available at $35 per weekend or $65 for both weekends. Group rates of $30 per person apply to parties over 10, and student tickets are available for $25 each. Performances on Fridays and the first Saturday are at 7:30 p.m., while Sundays and the second Saturday feature matinees at 2:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here or at the door.
Coming Oct. 21, 2023, to Feb. 25, 2024, to the History Gallery at the Napa Valley Museum at 55 Presidents Circle in Yountville: “Pollyanna Valley” delves into the making of the Disney classic Pollyanna (1960), starring Hayley Mills. The exhibit explores why Walt Disney selected various filming locations in the Napa and Sonoma valleys, including Santa Rosa, St. Helena, Calistoga and Petaluma, to depict an idyllic turn-of-the-century town. The exhibit will feature rare behind-the-scenes photographs as well as original lobby cards and posters. Admission is included with general admission. For further information, contact the History Gallery at 707-944-0500.
The di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art is hosting its annual Halloween Haunt, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 21, as part of its biannual di Rosa Day events. Attendees can look forward to a range of activities that include a haunted house, a hay bale maze, seasonal art activities with GUILD Napa and more. The event also features an art and makers market, a costume contest, a photo booth, food trucks and trick-or-treating opportunities. Di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art, 5200 Sonoma Highway, Napa. Tickets are $45 for general admission, $30 for members and $10 for minors (ages 3 to 20). Tickets are available at dirosaart.org.
A Young Professionals Napa Valley Mixer is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 25, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Chispa, 929 Main St. in Napa. These mixers provide an opportunity for young professionals between the ages of 21 and 40 who live and/or work in Napa Valley to network, engage in community activities, and gain exclusive access to upcoming events and a member directory. Membership is free, and the October event at Chispa includes the added perk of having a professional headshot taken by photographer Bob McClenahan. Reservations are required, and attendees can RSVP via Eventbrite. For more information, visit the Young Professionals Napa Valley website or contact them via email.
On Oct. 30 at 6 p.m. the Wizards of Elixirs competition returns to the Main Gallery at the Napa Valley Museum at 55 Presidents Circle, Yountville, sponsored by Charbay Distillery, The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley and the museum. Bartenders from Wine Country’s top establishments, including Hollywood Room, Ox & the Fox and more will compete for the People’s Choice Award. Attendees can expect to sample a variety of competition cocktails, partake in a raffle and purchase food from on-site food trucks. Tickets for the event include cocktail tastings and one raffle ticket, with additional raffle tickets available for purchase. Best Halloween costumes will also win a prize. The event will be held indoors within the “Tiki Dreams” exhibition. For more information, visit napavalleymuseum.org or call the museum at 707-944-0500.
The 29th Annual Angel Bazaar fundraiser, hosted by Napa’s St. Apollinaris Catholic Church, will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 11, and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 12, at 3700 Lassen St. in Napa. You will find gorgeous themed baskets, a silent auction that includes high-end Napa Valley wines and some fun surprises. Get a jump start on your Christmas, Hanukkah and other gifts for family and friends. You might even find something special for yourself. Take a break to enjoy some goodies and coffee or tea at the Heavenly Café or get something from the food truck to sustain your shopping energy. Admission is free.
Yountville’s Community Thanksgiving 2023 is set for Wednesday, Nov. 22, for prep and setup and Thursday, Nov. 23, for the main event that includes setup, delivery service and cleanup. The event will consist of home deliveries and a sit-down lunch that rely on donations and volunteer efforts for food, wine and monetary contributions. The event aims to bring the community together during the holiday season and is seeking contributions ranging from home-cooked cranberry sauce, hors d’oeuvres and desserts to larger donations from restaurants and businesses such as turkey, vegetables, stuffing and more. Monetary donations may be made out to the Yountville Community Foundation. Special information: This is a community event and not a town-sponsored occasion. Please direct all questions, reservations or donations to Jeff Durham to streamline the process. For further details or to contribute, email him at jeff@theyountvillian.com or text 415-706-6011.
The first annual Cameo Day will take place on Monday, Nov. 27, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Cameo Cinema, 1340 Main St. in St. Helena. The event is focused on promoting the mission of the Cameo Cinema and aims to familiarize attendees with upcoming 2024 programming. Guests can meet board members of the Cameo Cinema Foundation and enjoy complimentary popcorn and fountain drinks. Admission is free, and no tickets or reservations are necessary. Contributions to the 2023 Annual Fundraising Campaign made during the event will be acknowledged with a movie pass and a Cameo button. Budget-friendly monthly pledges are encouraged as a sustainable way to support the cinema's diverse array of programs. For more details, contact the Cameo Cinema Foundation at info@cameocinema.com or visit their website.