Friday – October 5, 2012
** Schedule subject to change without notice. Please check with the information booths or online regarding changes.
English: Map of Railroads of Sonoma County, California (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
9:00 -Noon School “AG-TIVITY” Tours (Fairgrounds closed to the public) The grounds are open exclusively for classrooms to tour agricultural stations, where they will learn first hand about where their food comes from, meet the animals, watch demonstrations of agricultural skills and take home wholesome local products.
English: Lake Sonoma, Sonoma County, California (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Noon: Buildings and grounds open
Garrett Hall – Expanded Sonoma County Marketplace Noon-8:00 Retail Wine & Food Sales Your chance to purchase the award-winning wines at great prices. 10% off individual bottle purchase, 15% off 6-11 bottle purchase, 20% off case purchases. Taste samples of local food products. Shop for gift baskets. Wine shipping is available.
Finley Hall Noon-7:00 Art Show and Sale Free with fair admission. Art celebrating the beauty of Sonoma County will be judged, displayed and offered for sale. Also view table settings, floriculture and potted plants.
English: Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
E.C. Kraft Building Noon–7:00 Local Arts and Crafts Everything from wine art to country crafts and campsites, from holiday handicrafts to decorated lunch boxes. Come in and see all the agricultural and horticulture exhibits including dried fruits and nuts, the tallest and heaviest vegetables, adorned fruits and vegetables and painted pumpkins.
Stomping Grounds Noon – 5:30 Barnyard Scramble – Kids Activities (all free!) (NEW) Sweet Lil’s Farmery – Bringing farm life to you. Watch chicks hatch, pet baby animals or try milking Sweet Lil, our amazing faux cow. There will be all kinds of barnyard youngsters with their moms and fun activities to participate in at Sweet Lil’s Farmery.
English: Alexander Valley – Sonoma County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Grape Stomp Stage Noon Grape Expectoration (Spitting) Contest Distance Grape Spitting—all ages welcome! 5:00 Qualifying Grape Stomp $30 team entry fee
Around the Grounds Noon – 7:00 Food and Wine Country Shopping with Craft Vendors Noon-5:30 Haunted Room (under the Racing Grandstand)
(NEW) Pumpkin Stage 11:30, 1:00, 3:00 and 5:30 Kent Family Magic Circus
Live Music 2:00, 3:30 and 4:45 Poyntlyss Sistars (Park Stage) 4:30 -6:30 Tom Leps & the Harvest Stompers Dixieland Band (strolling)
Hall of Flowers – Noon-8:30 Wine Country Shopping Start your Christmas shopping early, visit more than 150 arts and crafts booths in the Hall of Flowers. Vendors will be selling many wine country products.
Showcase Café Noon – 7:00 Preserved & Baked Food Contest entries on display (cakes, cookies, pies, pickles, jams, vinegars and more). (NEW) Culinary Competition – 1:00 pm Friday, October 5: Sonoma County High School’s “Iron Chef” Contest Students from local high schools will be competing by using the same set of ingredients to create their best gastronomic masterpiece. The judging panel will consist of local chefs, restaurants and community leaders.
Garden Courtyard and Apple Building Noon – 7:00 Smell the aroma of hundreds of apples on display, and then step into the courtyard to view giant pumpkins and sunflowers, bee display, business and family farm displays, scarecrows and more!
(NEW) Bark Park (Previously Redwood Theater) 12:30, 2:00, 4:30 Rocket’s K9 Comets – Frisbee Dog Show 4:00 Cheesy Beer School (Advance Registration Required) The new cheesy beer school will include a Lagunitas “short course” using five popular microbrews, paired with local cheeses. Attendees will experience aromas of the beers’ ingredients, and then taste the brews while experts describe how it all comes together. The courses will run for 20 minutes and each session will be limited to 30 participants and is free with Fair admission.
Grace Pavilion – 5:30-8:00 Sonoma County Grand Tasting Be the first to taste award winning wines and foods, and then mingle with key winery and restaurant representatives! More than 150 wineries will be pouring. Tickets are $60 in advance and $70 day of.
7:00 p.m. Grounds Close (Grand Tasting continues until 8:00 p.m.)
Saturday – October 6, 2012
** Schedule subject to change without notice. Please check with the information booths or online regarding changes.
10:00 a.m. Buildings and Grounds Open
Grace Pavilion Noon-5:00 Wine Tasting $15 for a souvenir glass and four taste tickets; additional taste tickets are four for $10. More than 150 wines served by our local wineries poured by the ounce (ticket sales end at 4:45 p.m.)
Garden Courtyard Noon – 5:00 Chocolate & Port Pairing $4 per paired taste. Enjoy this special pairing in the Fair’s Garden Courtyard
(NEW) Bark Park (Previously Redwood Theater) 12:30, 2:45, 4:45 K9 Comets – Frisbee Dog Show 1:00, 3:00 & 5:00 Cheesy Beer School (Advance Registration Required) The new cheesy beer school will include a Lagunitas “short course” using five popular microbrews, paired with local cheeses. Attendees will experience aromas of the beers’ ingredients, and then taste the brews while experts describe how it all comes together. The courses will run for 20 minutes and each session will be limited to 30 participants and is free with Fair admission. 1:30 Harvest Dog Dash – Advance Registration Required Cheer on your favorite small breed dog as they compete for the finish line. 3:45 Pet Costume Parade – Beginning and ending at Bark Park Watch as our furry friends parade about in fun and creative costumes.
Garrett Hall – Expanded Sonoma County Marketplace 10:00 -7:00 Retail Wine & Food Sales Your chance to purchase the award-winning wines at great prices. 10% off individual bottle purchase, 15% off 6-11 bottle purchase, 20% off case purchases. Taste samples of local food products. Shop for gift baskets. Wine shipping is available.
Finley Hall 10:00 –7:00 Art Show and Sale Free with fair admission. Art celebrating the beauty of Sonoma County will be judged, displayed and offered for sale. Also view table settings, floriculture and potted plants.
E.C. Kraft Building 10:00–7:00 Local Arts and Crafts Everything from wine art to country crafts and campsites, from holiday handicrafts to decorated lunch boxes. Come in and see all the agricultural and horticulture exhibits including dried fruits and nuts, the tallest and heaviest vegetables, adorned fruits and vegetables and painted pumpkins.
Animal Exhibits & Shows 8:00 ARBA Sanctioned Rabbit Show (Wilford Ring) – Rabbits on display 9:00 Llama Show (Lyttle Cow Palace) - Llamas on display
Live Music 11:00 -7:00 Tom Leps & the Harvest Stompers Dixieland Band (strolling) 2:00, 3:30, 4:45 Blue Moon party band (Park Stage)
Stomping Grounds (NEW) Sweet Lil’s – Bringing farm life to you. Watch chicks hatch, pet a baby animal or try milking Sweet Lil, our amazing faux cow. There will be all kinds of barnyard youngsters with their moms and fun activities to participate in or watch at Sweet Lil’s Farmery. 11:00 –6:00 Barnyard Scramble Kids Activities (all free!) 11:00-6:00 Classic Car Display The Redwood Empire Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America 12:30 Scarecrow Building Contest We provide everything you need to build a scarecrow. 1:30 Cow Milking Contest 4:30 Scarecrow Un-Building Contest It’s a race to take apart the scarecrows!
Around the Grounds 10:00 – 5:00 Free Wagon Rides 10:00– 7:00 Food and Wine Country Shopping with Craft Vendors 11:00–5:30 Haunted Room (under the Racing Grandstand) 3:00 Llama Parade
Showcase Café Noon – 7:00 Preserved & Baked Food Contest entries on display (cakes, cookies, pies, pickles, jams, vinegars and more). (NEW) 11:00 – Culinary Competition Saturday, October 6: Sonoma County’s Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich Cook-Off. Professionals and amateurs will compete, in separate categories, to see who can create the best grilled cheese in Sonoma County using locally grown ingredients.
Chef Demonstrations 2:00 Dustin Valette, Dry Creek Kitchen (Healdsburg) 3:00 Mairin Rossi, Costeaux French Bakery (Healdsburg) 4:00 Michael Kennedy, diVine Pizza (Healdsburg) Also on display are entries from our local professional and amateur Preserved & Baked Food Contest.
Hall of Flowers 10:00 -7:00 Wine Country Shopping Start your Christmas shopping early, visit more than 150 arts and crafts booths in the Hall of Flowers. Vendors will be selling many Wine Country products.
Grape Stomp Stage Noon, 1:00, 3:15, 4:00 and 5:00 Qualifying Grape Stomps All Ages ($30 team entry fee) 2:00 Great American Pumpkin Toss Pumpkin tossing for distance and trophies!
Kids Area Noon – 4:00 LEGO Building Contest We provide the LEGO’s, you create a masterpiece. All ages welcome. Sponsored by The Toy Works. 4:15 Mummy Wrap! Your group wraps one of your own up as a mummy!
(NEW) Pumpkin Stage 11:00 – 5:00 Pumpkin carving, crafts, games and fun 1:15, 2:45 and 5:30 Kent Family Magic Circus 12:30 – 2:30 Easy Bake Bake-Off We provide the Easy Bake Oven and everything you and your team needs to bake a cake. Not a contest—just for fun! Ages 5 & up.
The Village 1:00-5:00 p.m. Harvest Microbrew Beer Tasting Enjoy your favorite brews, poured by Lagunitas Brewing Company, while listening to live music. $15 for a souvenir pilsner glass and four taste tickets. Additional tastes $3 each.
Apple Building 10:00 – 7:00 Smell the aroma of hundreds of apples on display, then step into the courtyard to view the Men’s Garden Club’s giant pumpkins and sunflowers, Sonoma County Beekeepers display, business and family farm displays, scarecrows and more!
Beekeepers Demonstrations & Honey Tasting 12:30 & 2:30 Garden Courtyard
7:00 p.m. Grounds Close (Grand Tasting continues until 8:00 p.m.)
Sunday – October 7, 2012
** Schedule subject to change without notice. Please check with the information booths or online regarding changes.
10:00 a.m. Buildings and Grounds Open
Grace Pavilion Noon-5:00 Wine Tasting $15 for a souvenir glass and four taste tickets; additional taste tickets are four for $10. More than 150 wines served by our local wineries poured by the ounce (ticket sales end at 4:45 p.m.)
Garden Courtyard Noon – 5:00 Chocolate & Port Pairing $4 per paired taste. Enjoy this special pairing in the Fair’s Garden Courtyard
(NEW) Bark Park (Previously Redwood Theater) 12:30, 2:45, 4:15 K9 Comets 1:00, 3:00 & 5:00 Cheesy Beer School (Advance Registration Required) The new cheesy beer school will include a Lagunitas “short course” using five popular microbrews, paired with local cheeses. Attendees will experience aromas of the beers’ ingredients, and then taste the brews while experts describe how it all comes together. The courses will run for 20 minutes and each session will be limited to 30 participants and is free with Fair admission. 1:30 Harvest Dog Dash – Advance Registration Required
Garrett Hall – Expanded Sonoma County Marketplace 10:00 -7:00 Retail Wine & Food Sales Your chance to purchase the award-winning wines at great prices. 10% off individual bottle purchase, 15% off 6-11 bottle purchase, 20% off case purchases. Taste samples of local food products. Shop for gift baskets. Wine shipping is available.
Finley Hall 10:00 –7:00 Art Show and Sale Free with fair admission. Art celebrating the beauty of Sonoma County will be judged, displayed and offered for sale. Also on display are table settings, floriculture and potted plants.
E.C. Kraft Building 10:00 –7:00 Local Arts and Crafts Everything from wine art to country crafts and campsites, from holiday handicrafts to decorated lunch boxes. Come in and see all the agricultural and horticulture exhibits including dried fruits and nuts, the tallest and heaviest vegetables, adorned fruits and vegetables and painted pumpkins.
Hall of Flowers 10:00 – 7:00 Wine Country Shopping Start your Christmas shopping early, visit more than 150 arts and crafts booths in the Hall of Flowers. Vendors will be selling many Wine Country products.
Animal Exhibits and Shows 1:00 Llama Show (Jamison Ring) – Llamas on display 1:00 Sheep Dog Trial (Lyttle Cow Palace)
Stomping Grounds (NEW) Sweet Lil’s Farmery– Bringing farm life to you. Watch chicks hatch, pet baby animals or try milking Sweet Lil, our amazing faux cow. There will be all kinds of barnyard youngsters with their moms and fun activities to participate in or watch at Sweet Lil’s Farmery. 11:00 – 5:30 Barnyard Scramble Kids Activities (all free!) 11:00-6:00 Classic Car Display The Redwood Empire Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America 12:30 Scarecrow Building Contest We provide everything you need to build a scarecrow. 6:00 Scarecrow Un-Building Contest It’s a race to take apart the scarecrows!
Around the Grounds 10:00 – 5:00 Free Wagon Rides 10:00– 7:00 Food and Wine Country Shopping with Craft Vendors 11:00–5:30 Haunted Room (under the Racing Grandstand) 12:00 Llama Parade
Live Music 11:00 -6:30 Tom Leps & the Harvest Stompers Dixieland Band (strolling) Noon, 1:15 Santa Rosa Junior College Evening Jazz Big Band (Park Stage) 2:30, 3:45 and 5:00 Lost Dog Found swing (Park Stage)
Kids Area Noon-4:00 Do It Yourself Craft Contest – for all ages 2:30 Mummy Wrap! Your group wraps one of your own up as a mummy!
Grape Stomp Stage Noon, 1:00 and 3:00 Qualifying Grape Stomps All Ages ($30 team entry fee) 2:00 Qualifying Kids’ Grape Stomp Sponsored by The ToyWorks Open to ages 13 and under; $30 team entry fee. 5:00 World Championship Grape Stomp Finals
Showcase Café Noon – 7:00 Preserved & Baked Food Contest entries on display (cakes, cookies, pies, pickles, jams, vinegars and more). (NEW) 11:00 – Culinary Competition Sunday, October 7: Sonoma County Quesadilla Cook-Off Professionals and amateurs will compete to see who can create the best quesadilla in Sonoma County using locally grown ingredients.
Chef Demonstrations 1:00 John Lyle, Chosen Spot – Pop Up Dinners 2:00 Erika Garcia & Michael Kennedy, Tamales Demo 4:00 Shawn Barrera & Michael Kennedy, Fish Tacos Demo
(NEW) Pumpkin Stage 11:00 – 5:00 Pumpkin carving, crafts, games and fun 12:30, 2:45 and 5:30 Kent Family Magic Circus 1:00 Giant Pumpkin Weigh-In Come and watch these giants get weighed and judged for a top prize of $1,000. 2:00 – 4:00 Easy Bake Bake-Off We provide the Easy Bake Oven and everything you and your team needs to bake a cake. Not a contest—just for fun! Ages 5 & up. 3:30 Grape Expectoration (Spitting) Contest Distance grape spitting—all ages welcome!
Apple Building 10:00 Apples on display 6:00 APPLE SALE
Garden Courtyard 11:00 – 4:00 Varietal Apple Tasting Smell the aroma of hundreds of apples on display, then step into the courtyard to view the giant pumpkins and sunflowers, bee display, business and family farm displays, scarecrows and more!
Beekeepers Demonstrations & Honey Tasting 12:30 & 2:30 Garden Courtyard
7:00 p.m. Buildings and Grounds Close
** Schedule subject to change without notice. Please check with the information booths or online regarding changes.
Thanks to our sponsors:
American Ag Credit, Alaska/Horizon Airlines, Sonoma Winegrape Commission, Sonoma County
Original description: “sonoma mtn vineyard with mayacamas mtns in background, sonoma co calif USA” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Vintners, Bottle Barn, Wine Country Shipping, NorthBay Biz, Clover Stornetta, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Garton Tractor, Comcast, G & G Market, and Urban Tree Farm.
Resort on Friday night where I met many of the legendary winemakers. The food was outstanding!
a broad array of bold wines. Have some Nero d’Avola as you watch a movie in the Greco-Roman Theater at the annual Taormina Film Festival. Spend the weekend at the luxurious San Domenico
Campania is another outstanding Vino con Vista destination. The smoldering volcano that destroyed Pompeii and Herculanuem generated fertile volcanis soil for growing grapes, lemons and olives. Pallagrello Nero, Aglianico, Biancolella and Fiano grapes are used to produce sumptuous wines in this region. Sip some Lacryma Christi del Bianco or Flanghina wine from your lounge chair at the beach or on your splendid terrace in the Amalfi Coast. This region produces plenty of limoncello.
