While the media and Nor Cal public at large tries to figure out just how to pigeonhole a wildly successful 3rd annual BottleRock Napa Valley Music Festival, I thought I'd spend an afternoon and evening at this smash-hit, sell-out event, conveniently located across the county border, taking in its particular style.
Festival goers have a look. There are the ever-awesome and usually rainy (upcoming in June) UK Glastonbury Festival Kate Moss in wellington boot style, the street-style and So Cal, springtime Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which, according to Elle Magazine: "When you think "festival fashion," Coachella is pretty much king. With all of young Hollywood gathered in one dusty desert destination, decked out in their boho best, it's a mean style game".
Then there's Outside Lands, the month of August's 'gastromagical' Bay Area music, food, wine & beer fest, in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Pretty much always fogged in at the height of summer, attendees don't step out in any kind of style at Outside Lands without at least four layers as back-up. Ponchos, hats, boots, blankets galore, the more layered, the more Outside Landish. Certainly takes the pressure off what to wear. Wear it all!
And now we have BottleRock bon-vivants to people watch and wonder about who they all are and where they come from. After a third year and a huge boost in (sell-out) ticket sales (the festival packed in a maximum three day capacity of 100,000 souls this May 29th, 30th and 31st).
Wine Country Casual? I'd estimate a good half of the day time crowd fit into this style category. Well dressed forty and fifty-somethings from the Valley making the most of a major music festival in their back yard. No need to camp. In and out privileges if they fancy a bit of a breather and a stroll around Napa's plentiful amenities, downtown.
Over at the (well representing Sonoma County) Lagunitas beer tents and the brewery sponsored Jam in the Van (the world's first solar powered mobile music studio and performance session platform, the dress code was a tad more relaxed.
I still don't quite get the point of the "silent" dance parties, but clearly I was in the minority.
And after the first "sip" of summer sounds, there were plentiful rest spots throughout the 26-acre Napa Valley Expo.
Lots of shaded areas makes this an all-age appropriate fest and it's fun to see whole families rockin' it out together, from grandparents down to the tiniest tots, the youngest of whom I was glad to see mostly all had been decked-out by their sensible party parents in protective headphones.
Not everyone turned out in the latest J-Crew summer ensemble. I spotted this pair marching to the beat of their own drum several times throughout the four-stage fest. His fur-lined goggles must have been a bit of a viewing hindrance, but he stuck with them. Whatever floats your boat!
And then there's the "Where's Waldo" look. Clearly his festival-going friends were not going to lose him in the crowd. I hope he kept hydrated. Petaluma-based Camelbak came up trumps with their reusable bottles and refill water stations.
The Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage was a popular new addition this year, pairing rock stars with celebrity chefs for cooking up a steady stream of tasty wine country fare, throughout the three day event.
Wine aficionados had plenty of Napa Valley vintages to chose from. The Miner Family Winery stage came with its own pop-up tasting room and commemorative poster printmaking booth. Beer and wine booths had a bigger range of more moderately priced wines-by-the-glass at the 2015 event.
Foodies had a wide range of fresh, tasty and not overly priced multi-ethnic Napa Valley specialties to dine on during the daytime and evening hours. Though the food court was constantly packed, lines were not overly long and seating manageable.
Seventy bands played over the three days. That's a lot of logistics. Festival producers Dave Graham and partners have come up trumps with their major reorganization of a fledgling event that without their optimistic take-over, would most likely have folded after a first year financial flop.
This year's blockbuster sell-out line up of acts that included Bay Area band with Sonoma County roots, The Brothers Comatose, (my favorite) the Avett Brothers, Imagine Dragons, Snoop Dog, Robert Plant and Gwen Stefani assumably grossed somewhere in the $12 mill range. Producers are on the right track for profitability and dates for a fourth BottleRock Festival have already been announced.
The event will take place over Memorial Day Weekend, May 27th to 29th, 2016. Limited early-bird tickets are on sale, including a 3-day package if you're up for a year-ahead splurge for $225. Click here for 2016 tix. You have 12 months to figure out your outfit.
These two yummy mummies as they'd be categorized in the UK, were taking time out to catch up on the goings-on of the ever-expanding British royal family. What would Kate wear?
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