FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVALS

Santa Cruz July Passport

Food & Drink Festivals

From amazing produce to finely crafted beer, cider and wine, Northern California in summer produces a glorious spread. Here are a few regional festivals to celebrate the season. CHRISTINA MUELLER

MILL VALLEY WINE, BEER AND

GOURMET FOOD FESTIVAL JUNE 2 Sponsored by Mill Valley Market since 1981, this family-friendly festival in the downtown Mill Valley plaza highlights 65 wineries, 15 craft breweries and food from local restaurants and chefs. Proceeds benefit the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce and Kiddo! Mill Valley Schools Community Foundation. enjoymillvalley.com

NORTH COAST WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL

JUNE 8 Featuring 90 gold- and silvermedal wines from Napa, Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino and Marin counties, as well as food by 25 chefs — from favorite local restaurants like Valette and Dry Creek Kitchen — this daylong event held at Rohnert Park’s SOMO Village Event Center packs quite a punch. northcoastwineandfood.com

ANNUAL ALL-AMERICAN ZIN DAY DRY

CREEK VALLEY JULY 6 Celebrate all things zin at this valley-wide fête. Sip Dry Creek Valley’s most popular varietals, zinfandels and primitivos (Italian zinfandels), and savor meaty barbecue at wineries like Mazzocco-Sonoma and Family Wineries. Discounted admission for designated drivers. sonomacounty.com

PETALUMA WINE COUNTRY BIG Q BBQ

FESTIVAL JULY 7 A tasty ode to all things barbecue, sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society, this huge event offers a spirits tasting, educational seminars, cooking demos and cash prizes for the winners. winecountrybigq.com

OAKLAND WINE FESTIVAL JULY 20 With proceeds supporting communitybased charities, this event features the Judgement of Oakland, the first double-blind tasting to be open to consumers. Luncheons, dinners, a grand tasting and a silent auction and wine pull spill over into the evening hours. oaklandwinefestival.com

SANTA CRUZ JULY PASSPORT

CELEBRATION DAY JULY 20 The more than 40 members of the Santa Cruz Winegrowers Association open their doors every quarter to honor the terroir and the farmers, vintners and families of this mountainous region. scmwa.com

LIVERMORE VALLEY TASTE OUR

TERROIR JULY 25–28 From a Portapalooza (yes, there will be port) to a Pink Party brunch with rosé, the wine and food events at this valley-wide festival span four days, culminating in the coveted People’s Choice Award on Sunday. lvwine.org

GRAVENSTEIN APPLE FAIR AUGUST 17–18 Press your own cider, show off our moves in the egg and spoon race, sample the wares at the Artisan Tasting Lounge or just chill out under the oaks and hear music from the main stage. Hosted by Sonoma County Farm Trails, this weekend celebrates the region’s heritage apple with the low-key vibe of festivals of yore. gravensteinapplefair.com

EAT DRINK SF AUGUST 24 Featuring more than 150 chefs and restaurants in a weekend of cooking demonstrations and much more, the 11th year of this food and drink event is sure to delight fans of the culinary arts. Find out why San Francisco has such a unique foodie scene. eatdrink-sf.com

BODEGA SEAFOOD ART & WINE

FESTIVAL AUGUST 24–25 With a portion of proceeds benefiting Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, this long-running festival touts the seafood, wine and beer, and abundant agricultural products of the North Bay. Two music stages feature western swing, Afro-Brazilian and other beats. bodegaseafoodfestival.com

BLUES, BREWS & BBQ AUGUST 25 With over 40 microbrews in the Beer Garden and barbecue from 15 Bay Area pit masters, the toughest part of the day will be deciding which brew to pair with which ’cue. Two stages, one with zydeco and one with blues, will flank First Street in downtown Napa. donapa.com