Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival

The Valley of the Moon Vintage Festival celebrates the harvest on the historic Sonoma Plaza each September. The daytime festival is free: a morning Blessing of the Grapes, the barefoot Historic Grape Stomp, a 5K fun run, live music, a wine garden and activities for kids.

The ticketed side brings a long-table Harvest Dinner on the Plaza and the Sonoma Valley Grand Tasting in the old Sonoma Barracks, where more than forty valley wineries pour, from Gundlach Bundschu and Buena Vista to Anaba.

It feels like a hometown harvest party rather than a showcase. Locals line up to stomp grapes for bragging rights, families spread across the lawn, and the people who grow the valley's fruit are right there in the crowd.

The Grand Tasting is the easiest way to taste the whole valley in one evening, from Carneros at the south end to Kenwood at the north. Proceeds go to the vintners and growers foundation, which supports local nonprofits and students.