Not sure what to do during your long holiday weekend coming up? Are you dying to hear some live music from the icon herself, Stevie Nicks, and craving a bite of some gourmet food and a glass of world-renowned Napa Valley wine? If you answered yes to any of these questions, BottleRock is for you.
What is BottleRock?
The Napa-based music festival is known for hosting the industry’s most iconic music performers alongside some of the craftiest culinary creations from local eateries, from slow-roasted barbecue to fresh seafood and all the craft beers, cocktails and wines you could possibly dream of.
When and where?
The three-day long festival takes place every year at the Napa Valley Expo fairgrounds in downtown Napa during Memorial Day weekend.
BottleRock, now in its 11th year and presented by JaM Cellars, is happening May 24 to May 26, with headliners and a variety of other performances each day.
Who is performing?
This year, the festival has attracted the aforementioned Nicks to headline Friday, Pearl Jam on Saturday and Ed Sheeran to close out the festival Sunday.
Those three are leading the ticket that includes more popular artists across the weekend, like Queens of the Stone Age, Megan Thee Stallion, Maná, St. Vincent, T-Pain, Cold War Kids, Grace Bowers and over 70 other acts.
Whether your music taste aligns more with the Millennial taste, such as freestyle rap from Megan Thee Stallion, or Generation X, with jazz-folk music from Norah Jones, the festival offers an array of performers for people of all ages.
BottleRock Napa Valley will also present its Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage, which will showcase cooking demonstrations from culinary experts and chefs, such as Food Network stars Alton Brown and Aarón Sánchez who will join celebrities Stephen Curry, Bradley Cooper and Cameron Diaz. It’s a match made in culinary and celebrity heaven.
Can I still purchase tickets?
Um, have you been living under a (bottle) rock? Tickets sell out fast and presales were months ago, but there may be a few general admission tickets left.
You can check out BottleRock’s official website to purchase tickets and to make ensure that the tickets you buy are legit.
What are the rules?
The biggest rule you’ll need to make note of is the festival’s bag policy, which only allows for clear plastic bags and no backpacks. Small clutch purses and fanny packs are allowed, but they can't have more than one pocket, so leave the designer handbags at home and save them for your wine tasting tours instead. CamelBak-style water hydration packs are allowed, but the water bladder must be empty.
What’s it like to attend BottleRock?
With an expected attendance reaching 120,000 people over three days, BottleRock has grown to be one of California’s biggest music festivals that offers an authentic taste of what Napa has to offer.
No matter if you’re into the wine, the music or just there to have a good time in historic Napa Valley, there’s something to enjoy for everyone.
What’s to eat + drink there?
I promise that you won’t leave hungry or thirsty, as BottleRock is a foodie’s dream that serves up mouthwatering food and refreshing drinks from some of the top restaurants and wineries in the Napa Valley.
This year, some new restaurant additions have been added to the lineup, including chef Charles Phan’s Vietnamese restaurant, Slanted Door, as well as La Calenda, inspired Mexican cuisine by chef Thomas Keller, and Napa food truck, How You Mac’n, serving up crispy fried chicken and of course, mac and cheese. Other returning restaurants include Napa staples, such as Stateline Road Smokehouse, Ristorante Allegria and Morimoto Napa.
Lighter snacks and sweet treats will also be available for festivalgoers, including chocolate chip cookies from Brewed, frozen sorbet from It’s Always Sunny Sorbet and freshmade seasonal pastries from D.R.E.A.M. Doughnuts.
A handful of different Napa wineries will be opening an array of bottles of rose to sauvignon blanc, including Robledo Family Winery, Blackbird Vineyards and Caymus Vineyards.
Not a big fan of wine? There will be several brew spots to sip and savor a craft beer, like from Lagunitas Brewing Co., or indulge in a specialty cocktail from Hendrick’s Gin.
Nonalcoholic drinks and fresh roasted coffee will also be available.
What should I wear and what should I bring?
The weather for the weekend in Napa calls for sunny skies with a high of 74 degrees, so remember to pack your sunscreen lotion, your favorite pair of sunglasses and an empty reusable water bottle that you can fill up with water once you’re inside the festival.
The festival doesn’t offer much shade, so staying hydrated and protected from the sun will be a huge help.
Although it will be warm throughout the day, it can get a bit chilly in Napa once the sun sets, so dressing in layers will be your best bet.
A cute sundress with a floppy hat or a classic T-shirt and a pair of shorts will make for the perfect fit, but remember to bring a jacket or sweatshirt to keep you warm later.
This may be TMI, but still a lifesaver: Bring a roll of toilet paper and hand sanitizer in case they run out at the portable toilets.
Other essentials include a portable phone charger so you don’t miss the perfect photo-op of your favorite artist on stage and, beach blankets and towels to sit and relax on to avoid the itchy grass.
How should I get to BottleRock?
Traffic is going to be a struggle so be prepared. Frequent BottleRock attendees recommend that you skip driving your own car and have it be your last resort, as finding parking will be difficult.
If you are driving, plan on carpooling and arriving early in downtown Napa to find non-metered street parking. But don’t worry if you can’t, the festival offers general admission and VIP parking for purchase.
Uber and Lyft will also be providing rides to and from festival grounds, but be warned, as wait times may be incredibly long and fees may be expensive due to the high demand.
BottleRock buses and shuttles to and from the venue will also be available at many locations throughout the Bay Area for ticketholders, as well as free bus rides and extended hours of service from Napa Valley’s Vine Transit.
What’s there to do after BottleRock ends?
Not ready for the festival fun to end or just too late in scoring tickets? BottleRock After Dark concerts have you covered at the JaM Cellars Ballroom and The Garden downtown.
Each day, there also will be several before- and after-parties happening downtown. Be Bubbly Napa Valley will be hosting “BubbleRock,” a kickoff party and a series of after-parties Friday and Saturday.
If you want to skip the parties, First and Second streets offer a range of casual restaurants and low-key bars, like Wilfred’s Lounge and Cadet Wine + Beer Bar.
Wait, there’s more! Next weekend is Latin music Festival La Onda
A new Latin-focused music festival, La Onda, will take the stage a week after BottleRock on June 1 and 2, again at the Napa Valley Expo.
After residents voiced requests for a festival for the local Latino community, BottleRock organizers decided to bring two days of music from “major Latin touring artists” to Napa.
As for food, the festival will have a large selection of Latin cuisine, and will offer specialty beverages and cocktails, such as 21 Seeds spicy margaritas.
So, even after BottleRock is gone for another year, the fun will continue.