As if you needed any more reasons to visit Sonoma, the summer arrives and offers you an extra thousand by way of festivals, concerts, markets, screenings, dinners, races, and, of course, wine events! While checking the Sonoma County Events Calendar for your specific dates is always worthwhile, here are six wine-infused summer event series in Sonoma that will entertain you throughout the entire summer and then some.
Sonoma’s Tuesday Night Market in the Plaza
From the first Tuesday in May to the last Tuesday of September, Sonoma Plaza is the place to be. This weekly farmers market becomes the front porch for locals and visitors alike. You have your normal farmers market fare: incredible produce, an array of food trucks, and a lively band, but, in Sonoma Plaza from 11:30 am until sunset, you can legally drink alcoholic beverages! Bring a bottle of wine for your summer eve picnic or pick one up from the dozen plus tasting rooms within a one-block radius of the square. Adastra’s organic “N’Oak” (no oak) Chardonnay, Corner 103’s North Coast Brut Rosé and Pangloss Cellar’s White Blend are my picks. | FREE
St. Francis Winery & Vineyards Stars Under the Stars
La La Land (July 23rd) and The Goonies (July 30th) are coming soon to a winery near you! During the month of July, St. Francis Winery hosts an outdoor movie theater on Tuesday nights with a great line-up of summer flicks. Enjoy a pre-screening concert at 7:00 PM while you grab a glass of St. Francis wine (try their Sonoma County Pinot Noir) or plate from El Coyote food truck, then sit back and enjoy the show. Full details here. | Admission and popcorn are FREE
Paradise Ridge Wines + Sunsets
While the Byck Family and the Paradise Winery team are still awaiting the rebuild of their tasting room and event space after the devastating Sonoma fires, they are hosting a special Wines & Sunsets series each Wednesday night from June 19 - September 18, 2019 in a hillside amphitheater, which overlooks their vineyards and offers exceptional views of Russian River Valley. The event features live music, their wines by the glass (or bottle), gourmet food trucks and a sunset, of course! Find out more here. | $5-15 Tickets
Santa Rosa Wednesday Night Market
From May 15 - August 28, 2019, the Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa plays host to the Santa Rosa Wednesday Night market, featuring food trucks, a farmers market, live entertainment and its very own craft beer & wine garden. Open 5:00 - 8:30 PM. For up-to-date info about the vendors for the week, check out their Facebook page here. | FREE
Sebastiani Friday Music Night + Food Truck Series
From May to October, Sebastiani Winery generously hosts a weekly live music series in their tasting room on Fridays from 6:00 - 9:00 PM. Sebastiani wines are available for purchase (I’m digging their Carneros Rosé and Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon), and you can bring your own picnic spread or choose something delicious from one of the food trucks. For those of you with children, this is a family-friendly event, and even well-behaved dogs are invited. Check out the musical line-up here. | FREE
Muscardini Cellars Simmer Down Saturdays
From late April until the end of August, simmer down on Saturdays from 5:30 - 7:30 PM at the little red schoolhouse that serves as Muscardini Cellars’ tasting room. Grab a table on the spacious porch and a bottle of the Tesoro Red Blend or a refreshing Pinot Grigio, and enjoy the live music and food truck fare. Michael Muscardini will most likely be there holding court, along with his golden retriever pup, Biondi. Tip: While most Saturdays, Muscardini Cellars hosts a Simmer Down party, it’s better to check the winery’s calendar here; you can also see their other fantastic events, from special wine dinners to educational field trips. | $3 Cover + $10 wine purchase (stemless logo wine glass to take home included)
