Southern Sonoma Country Life

Dried Pressed Flower Pumpkin Decorating at Dutcher Crossing Winery

Dutcher Crossing Winery, Sonoma County's hidden gem with award-winning wines, has a festive, fall “add on” to tasting reservations: mod podge pumpkin decorating!

 

For  $30 per person, each guest will be supplied with a pumpkin, pressed dried flowers and the space to create their masterpiece to bring home. Dutcher Crossing is one of my favorite wineries and I love the idea of having something fun and creative to do while tasting excellent wines here in the north of the home county. 

 

Get yourself up there with family and friends before Halloween. 

Dream Big – Exploring the Boundaries of Creativity — A Warm Community Welcome to World Class Scultpure, Huru — Petaluma River Park's Mark di Suvero Installation, Sonoma County, Northern California

What an incredible example of art as a collective endeavor of passion and collaboration. The power of art connecting us was demonstrated during a poignant sunset gathering celebrating all the people who made the installation of breathtaking Huru, by internationally renowed American sculptor, Mark di Suvero possible, at the fledgling Petaluma River Park on the McNear Peninsula, in the heart of Petaluma, Sonoma County, this October (2023).

Seeing majestic and graceful Huru (An Australian Aboriginal word for hello and goodbye) extend its monumental arms ever-so-slowly in the evening light as a welcome to the River Park and Petaluma is a moving experience in itself. I was captivated and pleased to learn that this 38-foot-tall, 12,000 pound tower of public art is capable of withstanding the most powerful wind gusts and a Magnitude 10 earthquake — so firmly is it anchored to its indefinite home at the gateway to Sonoma County. 

Its generous loan by the McKegney Family, in remembrance of the late & much loved Lowell McKegney, studio director and longtime friend of lauded sculptor, di Suvero, is a full-circle moment in the anchoring of ties that interconnect our community here in Petaluma. Lowell, who passed away in 2011, was gifted the giant, steel structure by the sculptor during his longtime career traveling the world on installations, most notably, locally, in San Francisco, in a Crissy Field Exhibit of eight structures that stood in view of the Golden Gate Bridge from May 2013 too 2014. 

Di Suvero's west coast yard has been discreetly located in Petaluma for decades. In more recent years, locals have become accustomed to all kinds of weird and wonderful, large-scale Burning Man art structures popping up in storage yards around town, a continuation of the large-scale expressions of art that have been created in di Suvero's tucked-away corner of the community, for so long now. 

Carol and family have been searching for the perfect spot for Huru since the Chrissy Field exhibit wrapped in 2014. The McKegneys were my neighbors in the late 1990s and our families have remained close ever since. I picture Lowell as I write, unassuming and gentle, undoubtedly pleased by Huru's placement and his family's loving dedication to his legacy and memory.

Petaluma River Park is a 24 acre natural refuge within the city. Non-profit, Petaluma River Park Foundation is on a mission to restore our riverfront habitat and transform it into a vibrant, welcoming public park that unifies our community for generations to come. While the park is already open daily with a rudimentary pathway and picnic tables for all to enjoy, the non-profit is working tirelessly to transform this rare space into a vibrant and healthy riverfront park. With support from the CA State Coastal Conservancy, the non-profit and its hard working and visionary volunteers are working with our community to develop the final park plan with a goal of completion by 2028.

The Petaluma River Park Foundation has assembled a stellar Board of Directors, drawing on local talent in the arts, ecology, place-making, community engagement, strategic planning, fundraising, and operations. Seair Lorentz has been Executive Director of the Petaluma River Park Foundation since 2021. She was born and raised in Petaluma and is one of the original founders, visionaries, and volunteer developers of the project to purchase McNear Peninsula and transform it into a community park. Her husband, Sean Paul Lorentz is di Suvero's current Studio Manager, following in the footsteps of Lowell McKegney and is a founder and board member of the river park, completing the circle with overseeing Huru's return. 

A six-person team expected the installation to last for days, but, remarkably, it proved surprisingly straight forward , despite its magnitude, as if it was waiting to come home. Funds for hauling Huru to the park, assembly by professional welders and putting it back together with the help of a 70-ton crane were donated entirely by community members and grants from Creative Sonoma and The National Endowment for the Arts.

Looking around the crowd at the evening gathering, it was wonderful to witness the interconnectdness of Petalumans, coupled with the energy infusion of art and open space lovers who are relative newcomers to the city. 

I can't wait to see and be a part of the future development of the park over the next few years. Under Huru's mighty watch, we're in good hands. 

 

 

McEvoy Ranch and Hog Island Seafood Dinner & Wine Pairing — October 28th, 5pm

McEvoy Ranch is teaming up with Hog Island Oyster Co. to celebrate their new cookbook, The Hog Island Book of Fish and Seafood, written by acclaimed chef John Ash.

 

Recipes taken straight from the new book will be paired with McEvoy Ranch wines or beverages over a four course meal for an unforgettable evening.

What's more, President of McEvoy Ranch Samantha Dorsey, Chef and Hog Island Cookbook Author John Ash and Hog Island Oyster Co. Founding Partner/CEO John Finger will all be there to share stories and mingle.

 

General Price: $150

 

McEvoy Member Price: $127.50 - Not a Member? Join Here

 

There's a lot going on at the ranch this fall, click here for the event page on the website. 

Petaluma River Park Welcomes Huru — a Monumental Sculpture by Internationall Acclaimed Abstract Expressionist sculptor and 2010 National Medal of Arts RecipientMark di Suvero

Come out and say hello to Huru!

Thanks to generous community support, Petaluma River Park is delighted to welcome Huru home to Petaluma for the entire community to enjoy. Built in Petaluma in 1984-85 by world-renowned artist, Mark di Suvero, the monumental sculpture is on long-term loan to the Petaluma River Park by the McKegney Family. Lowell McKegney was a lifelong friend and "right-hand-man" to di Suvero until Lowell's passing in 2011.

 

Huru's installation marks one more milestone in the Petaluma River Park journey to create a shared space that connects people, art, and nature. This is one of the most exciting projects coming to fruition in the North Bay. If you haven't yet explored Petaluma River Park and its mission, click here for more info.  

Travel Tuesday — Berkeley Based Backroads Launches New Women's Adventures

Avery & Liz Hale - photo Backroads & TravMedia 

Backroads, the Berkeley-based leader in active travel announced the launch of Women's Adventures, this August, a new offer exclusively for women travelers. Since 1979 when Backroads was founded by Tom Hale, more than 50% of its executive team and leader population have been women. What a fantastic opportunity to adventure ravel without the headache of having to do all the research and bookings. 

The launch of Backroads Women's Adventures, inspired by his wife Liz and daughter Avery, is a highly anticipated addition that celebrates this commitment, as well as the unique camaraderie and chemistry of all-women groups.

Set in some of the world's most beautiful places, these new vacations feature 26 of Backroads' most popular Walking & Hiking itineraries in bucket-list destinations, both far flung and backyard favorites, from Arizona, Yosemite and Yellowstone to England, Peru and Bhutan. While the all-women trips will naturally have a different dynamic than other Backroads' trips, they will offer the same commitment to excellence, flexible itineraries and exceptional Trip Leaders for which Backroads is known.

"As part of the Hale family business, I've been lucky enough to take many Backroads trips, several of them with women only to destinations like Argentina, Vietnam/Cambodia and the California Wine Country," said Liz Hale, Backroads' Director of Community Partnerships. "There's nothing like traveling with a group of women. The shared experience on and off the trail, the sense of adventure, the deep connections and conversations, easy laughter and the joy of sisterhood that forms and strengthens as we create new lifelong memories.”

Women seeking outdoor and cultural travel experiences in combination with stylish creature comforts—whether traveling solo or with female friends or family members—has been a growing trend over the years. Backroads has seen an increase in select travel dates becoming all-women trips, often as Private Trips.  

Backroads Walking & Hiking tours are crafted to offer travelers an unfiltered and genuine connection to the culture, landscapes, people and natural beauty of the region they are exploring. With over 30 years of experience designing and leading Walking & Hiking trips across the globe, launching Women's Adventures that feature some of the company's top hiking itineraries is an exciting evolution of the Backroads trip collection.

“There's a special magic and connection that often happens when women gather,” said Backroads Executive Vice President, Avery Hale Smith. “I've experienced this firsthand on the girls trips I've participated in over the years, and we've heard it repeatedly from guests who have traveled privately on all-women Backroads trips. We're excited to offer women the opportunity to connect, learn and be immersed in the local culture and community while discovering these amazing destinations together.”  

Backroads New Women's Walking and Hiking Adventures include:

North America

• Banff to Yoho
• California's Palm Springs & Joshua Tree – 4-Day Getaway
• California's Yosemite
• Oregon's Crater Lake & Cascades
• Sedona – 4-Day Getaway  
• Wyoming's Yellowstone & Tetons

Europe

• A Taste of Camino de Santiago
• Cinque Terre & Tuscany
• Croatia
• Dolomites to Lake Garda
• England's Cotswolds
• French Pyrenees to Basque Country
• Greece's Peloponnese
• Iceland
• Italian, French & Swiss Alps Lodge-to-Lodge Hiking Tour
• Italy's Amalfi Coast
• Norway's Fjords
• Portugal
• Provence to the French Riviera
• Scotland's Inverness to Isle of Skye
• Switzerland

South America

• Argentina's Patagonia
• Chile's Lake District
• Peru

Asia Pacific Region

• Bhutan
• New Zealand South Island

Backroads' new Women's Adventures are all available for immediate booking. For the complete collection of Backroads Women's Adventures and for more information, visit Backroads.com or call 800-462-2848.

About Backroads

Backroads was founded in 1979 by Tom Hale and has been a leading innovator in active and adventure travel for over 40 years. Guests join Backroads to bike, hike, and so much more—on expertly planned active adventures highlighting the unique character of each destination. The company offers multiple ways to go active: Biking, Walking & Hiking and Multi-Adventure tours; Active Ocean & River Cruises, Safari, Culinary and Snow Adventures; and Dolce Tempo trips for travel at a more relaxed pace. Backroads also offers Private Trips, Women's Adventures and Family Trips designed for three distinct age groups: Families with Teens & Kids (best for ages 9+), Families with Older Teens & 20s (one or more kids age 17+) and Families with Adult Kids 20s & Beyond (one or more kids age 20+). Repeat guests and referrals from past guests make up many of the travelers that Backroads hosts each year in hundreds of locations across the globe. For more information, please visit backroads.com or call 800-462-2848.

Falling for Filoli — History, Heritage & Horticulture, An English Country House in California

Photos — Frances Rivetti 

Oh what a lovely day spent wandering the house and gardens of Filoli in Woodside, a half-hour's drive south of San Francisco. This was my first time visiting and a wonderful outing with my British American girlfriends, who all love a smashing National Trust property pit-stip as much as I do. This one, however, is a lavish 20th Century American estate, which harkens back to a dazzling era of California wealth and luxury.  

The British National Trust abounds with historic homes and gardens, its US contemporary, The National Trust for Historic Preservation is considerably smaller in scope, but an important non-profit that, hopefully will continue to expand in the future. By supporting The National Trust for Historic Preservation, we can all help save these extraordinary places for generations to explore in the years to come. 

Today, over 100,000 visitors flock to Filoli to experience its seasonal splendor, inside and out. It remains the sole intact estate from an era when San Francisco’s wealthiest families created grand showplaces in the countryside outside of the city in the years after the 1906 earthquake.

The Filoli Library (below) and Florilegium collections provide valuable resources for the study of horticulture, botany, the arts, local history . . . this gorgeous library was modeled on a historic library design from Denham Place in England.

“Fight for a just cause; Love your fellow man; Live a good life.” When Anglophile William Bowers Bourn II and his wife, Agnes turned the key to their Georgian manor, built 30 miles south of San Francisco in 1917, he came up with its unique name as a clever combination on his life credo. As heir to California’s Empire Mine gold fortune, William Bourn built his magnificent English-style Filoli estate with 16 acres of formal gardens amidst 654 sprawling acres. 

Shortly after the gardens were completed in the early roaring twenties, William Bourn suffered a severe stroke and was confined to a wheelchair. The estate he had created as his refuge became just that as he took solace and joy in being pushed around his gardens to soak in plantings and panormaic views until he passed, in 1936, aged 79. His wife Agnes died six months earlier, aged 75. And, sadly, their daughter, Maud Bourn Vincent, had passed away from pneumonia before her parents, at age 45, after falling sick during a transatlantic voyage from Europe to the United States. The couple's young son had died in infancy. The entire family is buried on the estate.

The house is a lot bigger in scale than a contemporary country house in England, built at the end of World War I. It's easy to see the influence from William's years in England when he studied at Cambridge University, only with all the resources he had at hand, back home in California, most aspects of the house interior living spaces are  plus-sized, starting with the kitchens.

Lurline Matson Roth, a San Francisco shipping heiress and self-taught horticulturalist and her husband, William, purchased Filoli in 1937 for an undisclosed price. It was an irresistable country retreat for her family: twin teenage daughters, Lurline and Berenice and their 21-year-old son, William. Lurline employed 16 gardeners, but she was frequently outside in all weathers, working alongside them, deadheading camellias, pruning roses and overseeing the garden she saw as a living tapestry.

Lurline, a naive San Franciscan and heiress to the Matson Navigation Company, was a well-known and accomplished equestrian who competed in horse shows across the country and bred award-winning specimens. In 1964, she and her son, an unsuccessful California gubernatorial candidate in 1974 renovated Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco. 

It's not hard to picture the Roth family and guests enjoying the bounty of their California orchard and garden in lavish meals around this elegant dining table. A Tiffany silverware set for 18 and floral arrangements from the property would've set the table scape off nicely, I'd say! I chatted to one of the estate managers in the dining room as he and his team prepared for a fundraiser. We discussed what it would have been like to work in service to the Bourn and Rot families and he said he didn't think it would have been very easy to cater for the elite. I doubt things have changed. Can you imagine cooking for and catering to Zuckerberg or Musk? Even with today's modern amenities, it can't be easy to blend into the shadows while tending to the rich, powerful and famous. 

Elegant and informal, the grounds are as enchanting as any I've vistied in my native England.

Lesley looking very "English Country Home" covergirl in her pretty summer frock. 

Jane and Gail wouldn't mind hosting us for the weekend if they were in charge!

Lurline Roth lived on alone at Filoli after the death of her husband in 1963. She had the foresight to donate the estate to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1975 after establishing an endowment to maintain the gardens.  Although she moved to a smaller house not too far from Filoli, she returned frequently on weekends to wander her beloved brick walkways and allées. She passed away in 1985, aged 97. My friend Laura's Mom Louisa was one of the first docents at Filoli and she remembers the kindness of Lurline B. Roth toward volunteers and visitors, fondly. 

A stroll though Filoli’s summer Garden is a treat for the senses! Take in the decadent scents of lavender and roses and the colorful rows of vegetables. Silver and blue perennials and succulents are paired with a parade of pink annuals including begonias, fuchsias, and zinnias.

Tempting to say the least. Both Lesley and I love a swim and a few laps of this super pool would've been a welcome respite from the August afternoon heat. I don't suppose anyone swims here these days, but if pools could talk, there must've been some fun poolside parties back in the day!

Wear comfortable shoes, a hat and bring a full water bottle.  No pets allowed. 

There's a plant sale section attached to the store. Here's Lurline's old golf cart put to good reuse.

Having staff to help maintain fresh floral arrangements at all time was a thing! Priorites. 

Lady of the house. In another life, I could do it! Meanwhile, we did enjoy a nice lunch at the Quail Cafe (open 10 to 4.30 pm).

One's own ballroom. So civilized. 

If You Go:

Filoli is nestled on a slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains and surrounded by the protected Peninsula watershed. Filoli is proud to participate in Museums for All offering free and reduced admission to any holder of a SNAP EBT card. Please email [email protected] to reserve your admission with Museums for All. Otherwise, it's best to book tickets ahead. Check out the website for special seasonal events and workshops. 

Admission

86 Cañada Road, Woodside, CA 94062

Open every day 10am - 5pm

Open 5-8pm every Thursday for Summer Nights. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Summer Show — Art at Aqus Cafe, Petaluma. What is Summer to You?

Summer. Childhood memories. Travel. Dining outdoors. A day at the beach. Ice cream and watermelon. Family reunions and hanging out with friends. Shorts. Breezy linen. Sandals, sundresses, straw hats and sunscreen. So many pleasant things come to mind with the mention of summer. 

For those of us who live in wildfire regions of the world, summer has a considerably more serious side. Summer months call for water conservation and fire prevention, brush clearing and energy conservation. While we're embracing the warmer months in many of the old ways, there's a vital new aspect to the season that makes us look at life and the land around us through a new lens, in a different light. 

I'm looking forward to seeing the new show at Aqus Cafe at Foundry Wharf: "What is Summer", curated by the super team of Gail Foulkes and Jennifer Mygatt Tatum and featuring fifteen local artists' interpretations of this question. 

An artists reception takes place at the cafe at 189 H St on Thursday, July 27th from 4-7. 

A Revamp of the Tomales Hotel & Event Space & Coastal Writing Update

Tomales Hotel has new owners, Bill and Rachel Bonini. Bill grew up in the tiny coastal hamlet of Tomales and has a special place in his heart for the Gold-Rush-era main street and its Victorian architecture. 

As I've written about Tomales and the Marin-meets-Sonoma (Fog Valley) coastal history at length over the past decade or so, in my non-fiction, reporting and also in my fictional stories, I too have a fondness for this remote little coastal treasure.  

And so when an invite popped into my inbox last week alerting me to the recent upgrades to the storied Tomales Hotel, I jumped in my car and headed out west to check it out for myself.

If you're a local and a Dillon Beach-goer you too most likely share my experiences of having driven by the hotel on many occasions and wondered at its historic austerity. I couldn't imagine booking an overnight, even though I love its proximity to the beach, the bakery across the road, neighbor bar The William Tell before its recent closure. 

But it was crying out for attention and since the call was heard by a former local, it's really cool to see the authenticity of a mid 1800s hotel paired with modern amenities such as wifi and its own authentic and rustic event/party space across the street. 

Bill and Rachel have refreshed all of the rooms, which are all super spacious. There's a wheelchair accessible suite on the ground floor too. If you'd like to experience staying overnight in a western coastal hotel that hasn't altered all that much since its inception during the mid Victorian era, then this is the place for you. And it's well priced compared to most other properties along Tomales Bay and the coast. If you don't know the area well, Tomales is about four miles inland from Dillon Beach. 

The Bonini's also own the lot across the street from the hotel, recently rebranded as The Lot 95. I took a few photos of it staged for visitors and I can imagine some fun and original parties for small-sized celebrations with the hotel taken over by wedding and big birthday parties. Don't you love the table linen? Apparently it was sourced from downtown Petaluma's iLeoni. 

Click here for more info on Tomales Hotel

TOMALES HOTEL

26985 Highway One
Tomales California 94971
Tel: 707-888-9991
[email protected]

A couple of days later I was back out at the coast, this time to Doran Beach and up to Bodega Harbor and north to Jenner and back. I'm getting stuck into my physical research for my new novel Floating in the Middle, set along the Sonoma Coast.

I keep thinking I'll cast my net a little wider for the next story, but if a story is calling my name and it's set in Sonoma County, then I can't very well hang up and head elsewhere, can I? I hope you're ready for another one. It'll take me at least a year but I have this one well thought out so I am hoping it doesn't take me as long as the last one to complete. We'll have to see. The characters will tell me if they think I need to explore deeper. 

One thing I can tell you is that one of the characters arrives in a boat moored in Bodega Harbor. I stopped by to check out where he would have one of the other main character's pick him up for a long weekend reunion on the coast.

If you drive the Sonoma Coast regularly, you'll be aware of the reconstruction of the highway in parts due to cliff erosion. It's this that sparked my intrique initially. I drove up and down and in and out of the various beach parking lots to figure out in my mind's eye where all the action takes place in my new story. It remains a figment of my imagination however, so don't go looking for any specific house as I truly am building it from the ground-up as a made-up-place. 

I've been thinking a lot about where my stories come from. There's a distinctive thread through all my writing that ties together my connectedness to this place, my sense of being an immigrant, even after more than three decades. I write about where I am. I'm here for longer periods of time than anywhere else, though I'm equally at home back in my native England. This time I have a British protagonist. Not me, but someone I understand for her attachment to two countries, two cultures and two coastal regions. 

Thanks for sticking with my Southern Sonoma Country Life posts. They've been few and far between of late with my book endeavors and my extended family time in the UK. I hope to keep you posted on things that spark my interest in the area this summer. 

 

 

Marvelous Montecito — Read my Story on Weekending Like a Royal in Coastal Californa

Photo: Frances Rivetti 

I'm back in California and dipping my toes in the water to get back to my writing. Here's a super fun clip from an article I wrote for The Royal List prior to leaving for the UK. Please do click here and read the full story . . . 

 

Montecito, the peaceful, super-private, panoramic enclave of a not-so-secret roster of ultra-elite residents, is home-sweet-multi-million-dollar-home to Harry and Meghan’s family of four. And if it’s good enough for the Sussexes, it’s good enough for us.

A winding, two-hour drive north of Los Angeles brings you to Montecito. We soak in its subtle Southern California vibe and pleasant, Mediterranean climate with a drive-by of its upper-village gates of gorgeously-landscaped, lavish, hillside estates of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their star-studded neighbours, Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Rob Lowe, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry and Orlando 

Global Wine & Food Event Returns to Sonoma County — The Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience, May 18-21,2023

Last May I was fortunate to attend the inaugural Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience (HWFE)  — a weekend-long celebration featuring the best of Sonoma County and world-renowned food and wines. 

This fantastic festival is back for a second year and is set to showcase the region’s makers – farmers, growers, winemakers, and chefs – alongside globally recognized wines from the greatest wine regions of the world. I can't wait to revisit. It is an extraordinary gathering that highlights the vibrant culinary diversity, sustainable farming practices and deep connection to agriculture that Sonoma County offers.

The weekend-long event includes special wine tastings and seminar discussions, barbecues, exceptional lunches, dinners, celebrity chef demonstrations, cocktail experiences, and an expansive Grand Tasting. And there's  a live outdoor concert featuring Maddie & Tae at Rodney Strong on Saturday, May 20th.

New highlights from this year’s event will feature a Farm-To-Glass cocktail seminar hosted by the award-winning team of the Little Red Door from Paris; culinary demos from chefs including Joe Sasto, and Viet Pham; a special dinner experience at Michelin starred and recently reopened Cyrus; and a new Zinfandel tasting and pairing event hosted by Leslie Sbrocco called Zinfandel Live, with a unique live music component at Villa Chanticleer on Sunday.

“We couldn’t be more excited to be returning for our 2^nd annual Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience,” says Steve Dveris, founder, and CEO of the festival. “Our goal has always been to highlight the vibrant culinary diversity, amazing wines and sustainable farming practices of Sonoma County as it relates to the rest of the world.”

Chefs who are participating in the event include local chef Dustin Valette, chef/owner of The Matheson and Douglas Keane from award winning Cyrus; Food & Wine’s Best New Chef Matt Horn; Food Network star Maneet Chauhan; “Top Chef” winner Stephanie Izard; Food Network’s “Chopped” star and “Top Chef” finalist Joe Sasto; Food & Wine’s Best New Chef and Iron Chef America winner Viet Pham. The local participating beloved chefs include Thomas Bellec, Domenica Catelli, Duskie Estes, Matt Horn, Crista Leudtke, Tracey Shepos, Leah Scurto, Casey Thompson, and Ari Weiswasser.

Events will be held around Healdsburg, including at The Matheson, Montage Healdsburg, and the Madrona, along with wineries including Aperture Cellars, Bacchus Landing, Bricoleur Vineyards, Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery, Jordan Vineyard & Winery, Kendall-Jackson Estate and Gardens, and Rodney Strong Vineyards, and more.

The event also strives to give back to the local community. The outdoor concert at Rodney Strong Vineyards on Saturday evening with the band Maddie & Tae benefits the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation. The organization’s mission is to raise funds that support the Leadership Academy, workforce development and other resources that elevate local vineyard workers, farmer workers and their families. This year’s event will also feature a community brunch at Chalkboard Restaurant to benefit Healdsburg Future Farmers of America (FFA). Sponsored by Foley Family Wines, a significant donation will go towards the HWFE Future Farmers Scholarship, created by HWFE for students from the local Healdsburg High School FFA chapter. We will also contribute to Farm to Pantry, whose goal is to bring together our communities to end food injustice and reverse global warming by rescuing and sharing locally grown food with those who have been marginalized.

“As co-founders and partners in this event, we believe in the dual mission to showcase Sonoma County wine, ag and sustainability on this global stage while raising funds to elevate and celebrate the local vineyard workforce. The mission is exemplified in the events and messaging throughout the entire weekend.  Have fun while doing good, what is better than that?” comments Karissa Kruse, CEO & president of Sonoma County Winegrowers and Executive Director of the Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation.

Partners of the Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience include Kendall-Jackson Wines, Stonestreet Estate Vineyards, Foley Food & Wine Society, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, along with event co-founders the Sonoma County Winegrowers. For more information: healdsburgwineandfood.com. A la carte tickets, VIP Ticket packages as well as Ultra VIP packages are available.

About Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience

Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience is a four-day celebration featuring the best of world-renowned food and wines and highlighting the “Makers Behind the Magic.” The festival showcases the region’s makers – farmers, growers, winemakers, and chefs – alongside globally recognized wines from the greatest wine regions of the world. HWFE highlights vibrant culinary diversity, sustainable farming practices and a deep connection to agriculture, through tastings,

Culinary demonstrations, seminars, events, and more, in the beautiful setting of Healdsburg & Wine Country. https://www.healdsburgwineandfood.com/