19th Annual Taste of Yountville Weekend Celebration
Yountville, the “culinary capital” of the Napa Valley will host the 19th Annual Taste of Yountville weekend celebration March 23 – 24, 2012 to showcase the town’s finest food, wine and fine arts. Taste of Yountville will culminate in a town-wide block party on Saturday, March 24 in which food and wine lovers can sip and sample local favorites while taking a stroll along picturesque Washington Street.
In addition to the signature block party, the Taste of Yountville weekend will play host to several special events throughout Yountville, including local fine arts events hosted by the Yountville Arts Committee.
The Yountville Arts Committee will present the popular “Napa Valley Open Studio Artists” events throughout Taste of Yountville weekend featuring two local artist fine arts shows and sales.
The Taste of Yountville Art Show & Sale Artist Reception will be held on Friday, March 23 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event will be a one-of-a-kind opportunity to meet 30 of Napa Valley’s most prestigious artists, and view their work on display, including fine art, ceramics, glass, jewelry and mixed media, at the Yountville Community Center. Admission is $5 and all works will be available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the Yountville Arts Committee.
The weekend will culminate with the feature event on Saturday, March 24 with the 19th Annual Taste of Yountville block party, where the town’s well-known restaurants and wineries will be set up for a street festival along pedestrian-friendly Washington Street with savory bites and wine.
The event, hosted by ABC7 News Arts and Entertainment Reporter Don Sanchez, will take place from noon to 5 p.m., and admission is free. Tasting tickets to experience the town’s 12 restaurants and 20+ wineries are only $1 each.
A special garden tour of the French Laundry’s two-acre culinary masterpiece by culinary gardener Tucker Taylor is also available (check website for details). In addition, a one-day Passport will be available to visitors to get stamped along the event route during Taste of Yountville for a chance to win special prizes at day’s end.
The Yountville Arts Committee will also host the two-month long Gallery at Community Center Show & Sale in conjunction with Napa Valley Open Studio Artists at Taste of Yountville.
Key sponsors of the event include the Yountville Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Yountville, AM 1440 KVON and 99.3 THE VINE. For more information on Taste of Yountville and the weekend’s events, visit www.yountville.com.
A few of this year’s Taste of Yountville block party participants:
Bistro Jeanty
Bouchon
Bottega
etoile at Domaine Chandon
Hurley’s Restaurant & Bar
Lucy restaurant and bar at Bardessono
NapaStyle Paninoteca
Pacific Blues
Redd
Bell Wine Cellars
Cliff Lede Vineyards
Domaine Chandon
Girard Winery
Cornerstone Cellars
Goosecross Cellars
Hopper Creek Winery
Jessup Cellars
Somerston Wine Company
Watch for Black Chicken
A few years ago I was at a dinner with several friends where we all had brought bottles of wine to share. One of the guests sitting next to me had brought a bottle of wine that was soon to become one of my favorites, Biale Black Chicken.
Never having heard of Black Chicken before, I had no preconceptions of how this wine should taste or what the bottle actually cost. Would it be good, great or fabulous? Well, my all-time favorite wine is always a red blend, something with Cabernet, Cab Franc, Merlot or Bordeaux. I like Merlots, Chiantis, Pinot Noirs and Sangiovese, but I love Cabernets and Zinfandels. When I first tasted Black Chicken I thought it was a blend of some kind, smooth and full of flavor. I was surprised to learn that it was a Zinfandel because it was so smooth and I was used to Zinfandels being a little more robust and spicy. I had taken the turn in the road to find the Black Chicken!
The road was not a straight one. Though I had lived not more than 15 minutes away from Black Chicken home winery all of my life and had even bought my annual Christmas tree from a farm right down the street, I’d never noticed the signs before. After my initial tasting of Black Chicken I was soon asking my friends Dennis and Connie Klimisch (the culprits who have made me a slave to this red wonder that night I first tasted it) to bring their Black Chicken whenever we were doing dinner. It was definitely a treat and I was having an affair with this dark red wonder.
A few years ago when we were planning the first issues of Local Happenings Magazine it was a no-brainer to have a wine article in each issue—our entire family and all of our friends are winos. We scheduled out the stories and within a couple of issues, wineries were asking us to feature them in our colorful publication. Then one day I was driving down Big Ranch Road in Napa to a client and I drove right by the Biale Winery sign that I had, of course, seen many times prior but never put it together that this is the Black Chicken winery. Simple and nondescript, you can pass right by and not know it, but when I saw it I yearned to go down the simple lane and see what I could see. One thing you should know is that you have to have an appointment to come to the tasting room. It is a small, intimate family winery that guards its privacy well. I drove out on to Big Ranch Road again and decided I needed to know the story of “Black Chicken.”
To tell the story we need to go back a little to a simpler time in winemaking history.
The Biale family, immigrants from Northern Italy, began growing Zinfandel grapes in Napa in the 1930’s. Biale Winery’s fruit was sold for bulk “jug” wine. Their small farm produced its share of prunes and walnuts along with eggs and vegetables.
OK, I’m still not getting “Black Chicken”! Patience Deanna.
I called up the tasting room manager, Austin Pitzer, and asked if I could come interview the family and do a story on the winery. I soon was sitting on the veranda of the tasting room overlooking the famous vines and the entire Napa Valley. It is amazing how close they are to town and yet so far. Austin and I got comfortable in very large rocking chairs and he told me that we were expecting the owners to join us. I was so close to knowing the story I could feel it. Little did I know that the story would come from a small, Italian matriarch, Clementina Biale. Clementina was wife to Aldo, original owner and the heart behind Black Chicken.
March 1954
“I had only just arrived from Italy, only two weeks had I been here and my husband would deliver eggs and wine from our farm. Customers would call in their orders and I answered the phone and took an order for ‘two dozen eggs and a black chicken.’ I told them we didn’t have black chickens, we were on a party line back then and then I asked my husband why they would order a black chicken when we didn’t have any. That’s how I found out that “Black Chicken” was the code word for a gallon of wine!”
This is just one of many stories I am sure of how Black Chicken and the Biale Winery came to be. Aldo Biale was an Italian immigrant living in Napa and had a small farm with his mother, which sold eggs and homemade wine to their fellow Italian neighbors.
Committed to the tradition of farming grapes, the Biales decided in 1991 to form a partnership with the goal of producing a world-class wine from the oldest Zinfandel vines on the ranch. The team: Al Perry, winemaking; Dave Pramuk, Marketing; Aldo and Bob Biale, farming. The wine, named after longtime farmer Aldo Biale, was called “Aldo’s Vineyard”.
The inaugural wine from “Aldo’s Vineyard” was a quantity of 400 cases produced from about eight acres of 60-year-old vines. Now, 12 years later, Biale is recognized internationally as being among California’s very finest producers of Zinfandel. This wine was recreated in 1999.
In 2009, the Black Chicken was recreated and there was a special bottling of “Bravo Aldo!” Aldo was the first to “fishspear”, a procedure that punches down the stock which allows you to blend the skins and stems without tearing. This creates deeper textures. This wine represents a tribute to Aldo.
Biale Wine grapes are grown on site and also a couple miles away. The Oak Knoll District has a very cool, long season. The Biale library consists of 14 different Zinfandels and four Petite Sirahs. (Petite Sirah grapes are related by history – but that’s another story!)
“Zinfandel grapes are unique in that no grape expresses itself from place to place like a Zinfandel. There is a big difference of the Zinfandel grape on different ranches right here in Napa.” Dave Pramuk adds.
We must remember that Napa is only 2% Zinfandel and accounts for only 4% of the world’s wines – that is how special Biale Winery is since they have the biggest Zinfandel of the valley.
Steve Hall, winemaker, started work after the original winemaker retired in 2008. He was already a fan and friend of the Biale Winery, so it was a compliment to be asked to join the team. A Cabernet winemaker by trade, the Biale Zinfandel wine was already in his blood.
“Zinfandel becomes more intense closer to Napa because they have thicker skins,” Hall says. “The best way to describe it is that Zin is more masculine in Napa and Cabernet is more feminine and soft here in the Valley. Cabernet has more regional flavors of different climates and Zinfandel has completely different status from ranch to ranch.”
We had set up a wine tasting to compare some of their famous Zinfandels. They poured a 2009 Black Chicken, 2009 Old Kraft Vineyard Zinfandel, 2009 Monte Rosso and 2009 Grande. I must say I was totally surprised to find out there were other Biale Wines that I actually liked as much, or better, than the Black Chicken. Could that be possible? (See sidebar for complete tasting notes and menu ideas.) It didn’t stop there though, when I went to their release party in September there were three or four more wines that I liked as well.
What really struck me was how in tune this winery and founders were to their home and neighboring ranches. I grew up in a very tight-knit family and this is how the Biale’s seemed to me with their arms embracing their neighboring wineries.
At Biale the estate vineyards comprise 30 percent of the winery’s wines. The majority of their wines are sourced from other family vineyards throughout Napa and Sonoma Valleys that share the same dedication to farming for quality that they do. Here are the ranches that are currently being used:
Aldo’s Vineyard. Oak Knoll District Estate. The old vines planted in 1937 on the Biale ranch in Napa produces their signature wine.
The Biale Ranch (a prime source for Black Chicken grapes). Oak Knoll District Estate. “Black Chicken” was for the old code name for Aldo’s secret Zinfandel, younger vines behind Aldo’s home.
Grande Vineyard. Napa. Planted in 1920 on Napa’s Silverado Trail, named for the Italian immigrant father of Dorothy Rossi and the grandfather of Tony Rossi – Theodosio Grande.
Stagecoach Vineyards. The Biale Block. Napa Valley. The four-acre Zinfandel site planted at this acclaimed mountain ranch above Oakville. Aldo’s and Old Crane clones on St. George rootstock.
Old Crane Ranch. St. Helena Appellation. Planted on west St. Helena’s gravel-rich soils in the 1880’s by Dr. Crane, a Napa Valley pioneer.
Old Kraft Vineyard. St. Helena Appellation. Planted in the 1890’s and rescued and restored by Bill and Margie Hart.
Varozza Vineyard. St. Helena Appellation. Jack Varozza continues a family tradition at this historic site along York Creek.
Falleri Vineyard. Calistoga Appelation. Sonja Spencer’s one acre planted by her grandmother in 1924 in the town of Calistoga near the hot springs.
Valsecchi Vineyard. Carneros Appellation. Century-old vines near the town of Sonoma once farmed by Ron Mick’s grandfather John Valsecchi.
Monte Rosso Vineyard. Sonoma Valley. Legendary mountain vineyard farmed by the Louis M. Martini family for three generations and now owned by the Gallo family.
Moore Vineyard. Napa Valley. Scenic and historic vineyard preserved by Bill Moore near Coombsville in Napa along Hagen Road first planted in 1905.
Rockpile Rocky Ridge Vineyard. Rockpile. The Rockpile appellation has quickly become renowned for its great Zinfandels. The fifth generation Mauritson family is leading the way.
Pagani Ranch Vineyard. Sonoma Valley. The Pagani Ranch in the Sonoma Valley is an iconic landmark for lovers of Zinfandel. The fruit from century old head-trained vines is prized by winemakers.
Biale is also home to Petite Sirah. With four Petite Sirahs on their order form, this is not just a passing fancy. They also produce red blends and Zinfandel using Petite Sirah. Here are the ranches for this varietal:
C.C. Ranch (Carpy Connolly Vineyard). Rutherford Appellation. This vineyard, in the heart of Rutherford, produces Petite Sirah with the substance, character and finesse this appellation has made famous.
Thomann Station Vineyard. St. Helena Appellation. St. Helena’s soils and sun are a perfect haven for Petite Sirah. Power and precision are the hallmarks of the Thomann Station vineyard.
Palisades Vineyard. Calistoga Appellation. Calistoga’s eastern bench is home to the great Palisades Vineyard where head-trained vines on an old creek bed produce Petite Sirah as dramatic as the setting.
When visiting Biale Winery, wine will not be the only thing you get a chance to buy. Thanks to Clementina Biale you can also own your very own Black Chicken apron. I bought two, one for my sister-in-law, Regina and the other for my mother, Genevieve. Both were received with genuine admiration for the handiwork and bright vivid colors. These are a must for the cook and/or gourmet in your life.
Biale is a genuine family winery that makes you feel right at home and special as soon as you get there. The tasting room is open only by appointment since it is an intimate winery, so call for your tasting at (707) 257-7555. The winery is located at 4038 Big Ranch Road in Napa.
Bob Biale said it best when describing Biale Winery, “We have always considered ourselves part winery, part farming and part historic preservation society.”
Wine Tasting – The Wines:
2009 Black Chicken Zinfandel – Food recommendation from Bob Biale: “Anything Gorgonzola!”
2009 Old Kraft Vineyard Zinfandel – Food recommendation from Dave Pramuk: Grilled Lamb or very rare beef.
2009 Monte Rosso Vineyard Zinfandel – Food recommendation from Steve Hall: Grilled Italian sausages, zucchini or eggplant.
2009 Grande Vineyard Zinfandel – Food recommendation from Bob Biale: Lamb Stew with polenta.
Taster #1 – He rated the 2009 Grande as his favorite, The Old Kraft was his second choice, Black Chicken was his third choice and the Monte Rosso coming in fourth.
Taster #2 – She rated the 2009 Old Kraft Vineyard as her favorite, the Grande came in second, Black Chicken came in third and Monte Rosso was fourth.
Taster #3 – He rated the Black Chicken as his #1 favorite, the Kraft was his second choice, Grande came in third and the Monte Rosso was fourth.
Taster #4 – She rated the Old Kraft as her #1 favorite, Black Chicken was her second choice, Grande was third and Monte Rosso was fourth.
It should be noted that all of these wines were exceptional – but we were forced to rate them!
Foods that love Biale Zinfandel:
Polenta with Rabbit – Bob Biale
Roast on BBQ – Steve Hall
Rack of Lamb – Dave Pramuk
Deanna Baillie loves good wine and great conversation – but her family and Ben, her Australian Shepherd, always come first. Here she shares a glass of wine with Regina and Robert at the Biali Family Winery Release Party.
Rocktoberfest
Strudel? Perhaps. Sauerkraut? Definitely. Schuhplattler? Well, that’s a new one for Vallejo. If you’re curious as to just what exactly schuhplattler is, or holzhackertanz or vorplattler, such mysteries will be revealed at Vallejo Rotary’s first annual Vallejo Rocktoberfest this October 21st (they’ll also be revealed in a few paragraphs). All the standard Oktoberfest amenities will be in place at Vallejo Rotary’s new event, but the Vallejo Rocktoberfest offers much more than just beer and bratwurst … it’s bringing lederhosen and rock n’ roll.
However, first things first: the beer. The all you can drink beer, mind you. With your ticket purchase you can drink as much as you like, though we don’t suggest you go for a record. For true Oktoberfest enthusiasts, look forward to some authentic German ale and seasonal brews provided by both the Blue Frog Grog & Grill and Napa Smith Brewery. Round Table Pizza will also be providing standard domestic beers in an effort to satisfy Rocktoberfest goers of all kinds. Wine will be available as well, however, “We’re promoting the beer. It’s Oktoberfest,” says Jeanne Kilkenny-Turk, president of Vallejo Rotary. Past president and event chairman Constance Howard agrees. “Beer and more beer. And music,” she says. “How could that not be fun?”
As to not get too tipsy, there will be plenty of food available to help balance out your alcohol intake, care of Catering By Ray Martin, who has been serving our Napa-Solano friends and neighbors for the past 15 years. Food options include both German and American sausages, sauerkraut, hot and cold potato salad and apple strudel. The best part of all, as with the beer, food is all you can eat! All you can eat, all you can drink, you may want to start practicing mass consumption habits now.
The true authenticity of the night will be brought to you by the Golden Gate Bavarian Club, a schuhplattler, or “shoe slapping,” group that brings traditional Bavarian culture with them wherever they perform. “There’s about 40 or 50 groups like us all across North America,” says Fritz Sheffler, vorplattler (German for “head dancer”) of the Golden Gate Bavarian Club. “Basically, these groups are formed by people who have Germanic heritage, mostly Bavarian, and want to celebrate their culture. They do the dances, learn to play the instruments, speak German … it’s a cultural thing and performing is a way of sharing that with people.”
At about 20 members strong, the Golden Gate Bavarian Club brings anywhere from four to 12 members with them to a performance. Full of traditional dances and some interactive games, the Bavarian Club puts on quite a show. “Sometimes we throw in a woodchopper dance (holzhackertanz), or maypole, teach polka, whatever people want to learn. We’re basically there to dance, have fun and share some of the Bavarian tradition,” says Sheffler. “A lot of people like to see these traditional dances; you won’t see them anywhere else besides when we perform, and if you happen to go to Bavaria.”
Were it just the Golden Gate Bavarian Club providing the entertainment this would be a slightly different event, but it is the Vallejo ROCKtoberfest, and adding that rock flare is local band Lucas Ohio and the Shamblers. “We have a rock and roll band just to give it a different flavor,” says Kilkenny-Turk. “The goal is to bring people out in Vallejo and have a good time.”
Now, for those who don’t know, Rotary is an internationally recognized service club comprised of business and civic leaders. They meet once a week, committing to their motto “Service Above Self”. Vallejo Rotary was first chartered in November of 1921, soon to celebrate their 90th anniversary of community service this year.
Vallejo Rotary has a number of community projects in the works, but the primary directive for funds produced from Vallejo Rocktoberfest will go toward Dan Foley Park’s renovation area. “We’re looking to build another children’s playground out there but it might take us a year and a half to raise the money for it,” says Kilkenny-Turk. “I’m hoping that Rocktoberfest is successful, it depends on how much money we raise.” Representatives from the Greater Vallejo Recreation District will bring displays to Rocktoberfest with the plans for Dan Foley Park. And, while the Dan Foley Park renovation is the main focus of fundraising at this event, it isn’t the only place the money will be going.
“We will be delivering dictionaries in November to every third grade student in the city of Vallejo,” says Kilkenny-Turk, the dictionaries being funded directly from Vallejo’s annual Ducky Derby in association with Vallejo Rotary and the Vallejo Chamber of Commerce. Kilkenny-Turk adds, “We give out over $10,000 in scholarships every year to high school students. We also send seven children, yearly, to a leadership camp called Camp Royal.” These are all things that Vallejo Rotary does for the community every year, in addition to other endeavors such as sponsoring projects at Loma Vista Farms and Children’s Wonderland, sending students to Camp Venture at the California Maritime Academy, co-sponsoring Fishing in the City to teach elementary schoolchildren how to fish … the list goes on … and fundraisers such as Vallejo Rocktoberfest are essential to Vallejo Rotary’s success in the community.
Vallejo Rotary hasn’t had a fundraiser such as this in some time now – some may remember their Texas Hold’em tournament a few years back – but a Rocktoberfest is certainly a big change from previous events. “We’ve never done anything like this, it’s a completely new thing for us,” says Kilkenny-Turk. “My goal is to get people out for something to do in Vallejo, and at the same time it’s going to a good cause.”
Kilkenny-Turk had been thinking about putting on a big fundraiser for Vallejo Rotary long before she took over the presidency last July. She realized that there’s usually not a whole lot going on in the fall months, it’s after everyone’s yearly golf tournaments and before all the service clubs’ crab feeds. “It’s a different time of year to get people out,” she says. “I’ve gone to a few Oktoberfests and thought it would be a fun thing to do.”
The event will be held at one of Vallejo’s nicest venues, with one of the nicest views: the Springbrook Masonic Temple. “It’s one of Vallejo’s hidden jewels,” Howard says. The weather is supposed to be just right and with a grand patio outside of the temple’s banquet room, Kilkenny-Turk adds, “The view out there is going to be beautiful.” She plans to coax the guests outside if even for a little bit to enjoy the view. “We’re getting the beer wagon from the Wednesday Night Celebration so that will be parked outside.”
While Vallejo Rocktoberfest is an event sponsored by Vallejo Rotary, Kilkenny-Turk cannot stress enough that the event is open to the general public and anyone, ages 21 and up, is welcome to attend. “Everybody’s invited to the event,” she says. “Rotary is sponsoring this event for the community to come out and have fun; you don’t have to be a member of Rotary to come. We want non-Rotarians to come out.”
There are sponsorships available for those to want to make sure that Vallejo Rocktoberfest is a successful event and can adequately support Vallejo Rotary’s community projects. A $300 sponsorship gets two tickets, recognition at the event, leading up to the event, and after the event on all promotional materials including their website, Facebook, newspaper ads – everything. A $150 sponsorship gets a ticket to the event, recognition the night of and on promotional materials after the event, but not before.
This fundraiser could certainly become a new staple event for Vallejo. The Masonic Temple can fit a few hundred guests, “We’re hoping to pack the place,” says Kilkenny-Turk. “I’m truly hoping that if we have a successful year this year, we can continue on. It would be something that we can definitely do as an annual thing.” And above all else, Kilkenny-Turk looks most forward to just having a community event: “Getting people out there to come together, have a beer and some brats and enjoy the fall season.”
Tickets to the event are either $55 per person, or $100 per couple. Your ticket includes all you can eat food and drink and beer and more beer, as well as a commemorative beer mug! … Did we mention the beer? Sodas and water will also be available, as well as door prizes and a raffle. So start planning now for what is sure to be the first of many epic Rocktoberfests in the city of Vallejo. Invite your friends, come hungry and thirsty, and you may want to consider transportation arrangements. Drink responsibly!
For more information go to: www.vallejorocktoberfest.com
By Matt Larson: Matt Larson is not just a writer, he does lots of other stuff with his time. Example? Sure! He hosts stand-up comedy shows and would like YOU to attend on October 22, 2011 at the Fetterley Playhouse in Vallejo! Info @ www.thecomedycircuit.com.
Lafayette Art and Wine Festival – A Fine Pairing
When Scott Hampton was president of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce many years ago, he set about to create a city-wide event which would engender a sense of community. As a proper Chamber leader, he sought a way to draw people to the downtown area in order to showcase the many businesses in Lafayette. He envisioned a festival – something similar to the Concours d’Elegance, once held annually at Acalanes High School. In 1995, his vision took life in the form of the first Lafayette Art & Wine Festival. The 3,000 people who gathered at Lafayette’s Plaza Park for wine, good food and a little music made the event a rousing success. Hampton surely could not have predicted that his little festival would morph into an annual marquee event, putting Lafayette on the festival-scene map. 16 years after its introduction, the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival has become one of the premier festivals of its kind in Northern California, and Hampton couldn’t be more pleased.
Nearly 100,000 people now attend the festival, held the third weekend of September in downtown Lafayette on closed blocks of Mt. Diablo Boulevard and Lafayette Circle. It is the largest event in Lamorinda (a term referring to the cities of Lafayette, Moraga and Orinda) and one of the five biggest outdoor festivals in Contra Costa County. Hampton, owner of Lafayette’s Clocks, Etc. on Moraga Boulevard, has been on the Festival committee since day one, and he marvels at the transformation he’s seen in the last 16 years. “Everything has changed, except for the amazing weather!” says Hampton. “We’ve gone from one music stage in the beginning to four music stages. We have over 200 artists, lots of food choices, about 20 beer and wine booths, including craft beers and fine wines in the Premium Wine Pavilion, local artists, hundreds of volunteers and a large committee. We’ve had some extremely hot years, and also the occasional raindrop, but it has always been a beautiful weekend; and we’ve ordered great weather for this year!”
Jay Lifson, executive director of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce and the event’s sponsor, also remembers the first festival. “It was pretty low key and included a petting zoo,” laughs Lifson. “Within three years it grew and caused us to move it to Mt. Diablo Boulevard. Now we’ve got hundreds of arts and crafts vendors, a wide variety of food options, and specific entertainment just for kids at the KidsZone, where the young ones will find games, arts and crafts projects, music and magic. It’s the same fun we’ve always had, just a little more to recycle.”
The Lafayette downtown area, with its beautiful shade trees, unique architectural blends and easy street layout make a perfect venue for the festival. The vibe is ‘urban meets hometown quaint’. The musical offerings are eclectic, as is the art. Art collectors will find a little bit of everything: watercolors, oil painting, prints, ceramics, photography, blown glass, pottery, wire sculpture, wood working and jewelry. “It has really turned into an end-of-summer party for Lamorinda, as well as a festival,” says Lifson. “It has a small town feel and allows new visitors to Lafayette to meet our merchants along Mt. Diablo Boulevard and Lafayette Circle. We are really lucky having a great partner in BART that stops at the front steps of our event and has additional parking for our guests. We typically have over 40 non-profits participating, getting their message to a lot of people. And, it’s a chance for residents to talk with city council members, the city manager, local police and firefighters.”
As a former employee of Diablo Publications, Orinda resident Susan Stafford worked the Diablo booth at the festival for several years and found the experience to be fun and energizing. “Meeting festival patrons and shooting the breeze creates a sense of community,” says Stafford, who delights in the small-town feel. “I like mingling with Lamorindans, tasting different ethnic foods, dog watching and seeing all the babies in strollers and kids riding on their dads’ shoulders. I like the old-fashioned nature of these festivals – looking at and buying hand-made crafts and watching kids gorge on corn dogs and sticky pink cotton candy. I thoroughly enjoy the mood.”
Chelley Dallara of Eckerstrom Productions is in charge of booking the 200 participating vendors. She has an extensive mailing list from which vendors are obtained, and she regularly sources new vendors from events and happenings around the state as well as from advertising in trade journals and word of mouth. “There are always many new vendors, as well as many of our old favorites,” says Dallara. “There is also a local artist alley featuring Lamorinda artists.”
“The beauty of these events is that they have a little something for everyone,” says Dallara. “And there is always something new to see. The Lafayette Art & Wine Festival has a substantial amount of fine art and I believe part of what people are drawn to is coming out, meeting the artists in person and chatting with them. There are so many unique and interesting pieces to look at. It is fun to be able to talk to the artists and ask questions to know more about the art itself – what thought process or background went into a piece of art – and obtain new levels of understanding about the items that interest us.”
Printmaker Linda Yoshizawa has been participating in the festival since 1999 and, in addition to the camaraderie of the artists and the people watching, the connection to the public is what she most appreciates. “I enjoy talking to people about the process involved in making my monotypes,” says Yoshizawa. “It gives me the opportunity to explain the difference between original prints and reproductions. When I explain what I do I can see that it enhances their appreciation of the artwork. I think that the number of people who are actually interested in fine art has gradually increased. I have had people who come by my booth and say, ‘I have seen and loved your work for years and I am finally ready to buy.’ That makes it worthwhile for me.”
“Lafayette is developing a reputation for encouraging its artists,” says silk painter Maggie Lucas-Hill, who will be exhibiting paintings and her line of table accessories at the festival. “Local artists are pleased that they are valued in the community, and that the Chamber of Commerce wants to showcase us. The festival offers an opportunity for local artists to show their work alongside other seasoned crafters from various regions and provides exposure to a large number of attendees.”
Hampton says the challenge with the festival is to keep it fresh, interesting and enjoyable year after year. Visitors this year can expect new bands in the music lineup, better parking and new Lafayette restaurants and stores in the downtown area. “We book popular, high-quality bands, the art is juried and the food selection is of quality,” says Hampton. “Some of our local restaurants and caterers participate, and we encourage the merchants along the festival route to showcase their wares. We also provide space for the local artists to display their work. With the money that we raise from the festival we donate thousands of dollars to many local non-profit organizations, such as Lafayette Partners in Education.”
Music lovers can expect another great lineup this year. On the Art Stage, at 50 Lafayette Circle, Saturday afternoon and evening headliners include the Spazmatics and Annie Sampson. Playing on the same stage Sunday will be Lafayette’s own Bob Athayde, Dave Martin’s House Party, and Leo Vigil. The Wine Stage, at 3582 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, features a Saturday lineup of Red House, Chubby’s All-Stars, Who Too and Santana Tribute Band Zebop! Sunday’s Wine Stage offerings include Rock Skool, Front Street and the Sun Kings. The third music venue, the Premium Wine Stage, will feature Ragged Glory and Dream Posse on Saturday, and on Sunday, Julia Glyde, Phladdog and ML Crisis will entertain throughout the day and evening.
Hampton’s favorite part of the festival weekend is watching the crowds and seeing people enjoying themselves. He, of course, spends the weekend working. “I start off at 5 a.m. on Saturday working with the committee and the volunteers to get everything up and running for our 10 a.m. opening. The rest of the weekend I am busy working the festival as part of the committee, and also running back and forth to my store, Clocks, Etc., and to our booth in the La Fiesta Square Shopping Center. It is a very hectic but fun weekend.”
“It is simply a festival not to be missed!” adds Lifson.
The Lafayette Art & Wine Festival is Saturday, September 17, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Sunday, September 18, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.. Admission is free, however, you must purchase a festival glass and drink tickets if you wish to drink the beer or wine that is poured “on the street” or in the Premium Wine Pavilion. Dogs are allowed, but must be kept on a leash and in control at all times. From 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., the pavement is cooler, the temperature is lower and there is ample room for your dog. As the event progresses, it gets crowded and can become dangerous for your pet. No dogs allowed in the food court.
To get to the festival, take BART to the Lafayette Station where you’ll find continuous shuttle service to the festival. If you drive, take Highway 24 to the Central Lafayette exit and follow the festival signs. Free parking is available at the upper lot of the Lafayette BART station. Walking and biking is encouraged. For GPS purposes, enter the address 3535 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Lafayette, CA.
Fran is a freelance writer and regular contributor to Lafayette, Alamo and Danville Today newspapers. She lives in Lafayette with her husband, Dan and two teenaged boys, Aaron and Ben.
