Sonoma County’s Gay Wine Weekend returns after a two-year hiatus to bring more boozy brunches, wine tastings, parties, and more!
Pack your bags and get ready to celebrate Sonoma’s famous Gay Wine Weekend! From the July 15 -17, guests can experience Sonoma County in a truly remarkable way, filled with activities, community, and of course, world-class wines. Running from Friday through Sunday, the weekend has a packed itinerary that includes everything from winery tours to pool parties and a drag brunch. Here’s a closer look at some of the best events going on.
Friday – Winemaker Dinner
Image courtesy of Sonoma Gay Wine Weekend
Seven wineries will be putting on extravagant dinners that perfectly pair their delicious food with fantastic wines. One of the many choices includes a meal at Layla at MacArthur Place. There, diners can enjoy a sophisticated Mediterranean-inspired dinner made from locally-sourced ingredients. The dinner will feature wines from Three Sticks Wines.
A new addition to the dinner lineup this year is being hosted by Williams-Sonoma, who is crafting an entirely plant-based meal, the first one in Gay Wine Weekend history. The meal will be paired with vegan wines from Knights Bridge Winery. For a full list of dining options, click here.
Saturday – Twilight T-Dance
Twilight T-Dance (Photo courtesy of Sonoma Gay Wine Weekend)
Held at the beautiful Chateau St. Jean Winery, the annual Twilight T-Dance is the must-attend event of the weekend. Watch the sun set beyond the rolling hills of Sonoma, all while dancing, drinking, and eating with a diverse community of guests from around the world.
A VIP reception takes place at 5:30 pm, featuring the culinary delights of Chef Chad from Classic Culinaire, and then, at 6:30, the party begins. Complete with a dancefloor, disco ball, and LA’s own DJ Ryan Kenney, the T-Dance is a uniquely enjoyable event. Throughout the night, food trucks will be on-site and a collection of Sonoma wines will be offered.
Sunday – Drag “Recovery” Brunch
Guests enjoying the weekend (Photo courtesy of Sonoma Gay Wine Weekend)
After a night of dancing and drinking, wake up for some brunching…and more drinking at the Sunday drag “recovery” brunch. No Sunday is complete without brunch, and what better way to pep up after a long night than with the help of some hilarious drag queens?
Taking place at the Lodge at Sonoma from 10 am – 1 pm, the brunch is a great way to share stories from the weekend, eat delicious food, enjoy a few mimosas. Leading the brunch will be San Francisco’s prized queen, Ruby Red Munro. Best of all, the brunch will also have a wine auction, with proceeds benefiting Face to Face, a Sonoma nonprofit dedicated to fighting against HIV/AIDS.
