It wouldn’t be summer without the Novato Festival of Art, Wine & Music on the horizon. This is the 31st year the event has been presented by the Novato Chamber of Commerce. Some 75,000 people attend the annual affair, featuring more than 200 arts and crafts booths, a premium wine garden, food vendors, microbrews, a children’s area, and fun for the whole family.
The free annual festival is set for Saturday, June 14, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, June 15, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Spanning two miles, the event continues along Grant Avenue downtown between Redwood Boulevard and Seventh Street. It is anchored by two stages — one at each end. This year Hopmonk Tavern will be sponsoring theSeventh Street location and will be presenting many of the acts that have been gracing their nightclub stages since it opened.
Headliners will include: Eric Martin from Mr. Big, Afrolicious, with its funky electronic sound and Volker Strifler, well-known blues guitarist. Other big headlining names include: Crystal Bowersox, Megan Slankard, Jazz Mafia, Lacy J. Dalton and Frobeck.
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Also see Stefanie Keys, The Deadlies, Jesse Brewster, Sol Horizon, E Minor & The Dirty Diamonds, James Harman, Steep Ravine, Lumanation, CCB, One Grass Two Grass Red Grass Bluegrass, Steve Seskin & Sinclair, Keeley Valentino, Brittany Bexton and Amy Wigton.
Find something for everyone inthe family at the vendor booths, including a wide assortment of jewelry,outdoor garden art, surf signs, soap, fairy dresses, custom wine glasses,paintings and photography, dog and cat bandanas and frisbees, and all sorts of clothing including Aloha shirts, yoga clothing and more.
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A selection of wineries will pourtheir varietals including Vina La Playa. Jacuzzi will be sharing a 2012 Barbera(red), 2011 Primitivo (red), 2012 Arneis (white), and 2012 Giuseppina (whitechardonnay. Cline will have its 2012 Marsanne Roussanne (white) and 2012 Cashmere (red). CambridgeCalifornia Cellars will pour a 2012 Cambridge Meritage, 2012 CambridgeChardonnay, 2012 Cambridge & Sunset “Grass Cutter” and a 2013 Cambridge& Sunset “The Clippings”.
Locally brewed beer from Moylan’s Brewery will also be available. The purchase of a commemorative wine or beerglass for $6 is required to drink the alcoholic beverages purchased at thefestival. Bank of Marin, Marin Roto Rooter and Moylan’s Brewery are sponsoring the 2014 commemorative glasses. Natural margaritas donated by Laughing Glass Cocktails will be available near the Redwood Stage.
New to the festival food scenethis year is formaggio — a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich. If you haven’theard the grilled cheese has earned a new ranking as one of the most popularfoods being puffed up to an elegant sandwich. Other menu choices will include:turkey legs, hamburgers, chicken skewers, fried rice, crab cake sandwiches, lobster rolls, hand-dipped gourmet corndogs, Philly cheese steaks and sausages.To wet your thirst non-alcoholic alternatives will include: Italian ice, smoothies, lemonade and more. Whole Foods will be serving fresh juices andcoconut water.
Tons of fun for the young onescan be found at the Smiling Turtles Kiddies’ Park sponsored by Novato Pediatric Dentistry. New this year is a giant pirate ship. The popular Water-Ballerzwith giant balls children can roll around in return after a stellar start last year. There will also be a train ride, a rock wall, motorized mini racecars, agiant slide, multiple bounce houses, a puppet show, dunk tank and more.
The chamber is always looking for volunteers to assist with the event. Volunteers can sign up and pick their ownshift online by clicking the volunteer tab on the festival website. They will receive a free T-shirt, as well as two commemorative glasses from the chamber’s vast collection from past years.
Sponsors include: MarinIndependent Journal, Moylan’s Brewery, Hopmonk Tavern, Xfinity, Bank of Marin,Publicity by Shelley, PG & E, Hennessy Funds, All American Printing Services, City of Novato, State Farm Insurance, Marin Roto Rooter, Laughing Glass Cocktails, Cabernet Corp and CCK Accounting.
For more information about themusic line-up, or to volunteer, go towww.novatoartwinemusic.com. For more information, call 415-897-1164. Also find the festival on Facebook.
MUSIC SCHEDULE
HOPMONK STAGE
SATURDAY, JUNE 14
10 - 10:45 a.m. ONE GRASS TWO GRASS RED GRASSBLUEGRASS
Old timey, new timey, good timey, California Bluegrass -onegrasstwograssredgrassbluegrass.com
11:15 a.m. - noon - CCB
Bay Area heavy hitters perform powerful R&B covers and originals
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. LUMANATION
Marin County’s own energetic reggae rock band
2 – 3 p.m. STEEP RAVINE
Bay Area acoustic folk and bluegrass quartet with sweet harmonies
3:30 - 4:30 p.m. JAZZMAFIA
Powerful ensemble combines jazz, hip-hop, soul, R&B and more
5 – 7 p.m. AFROLICIOUS
Legendary SF based ten piece Funk, Disco, Afro-Beat, electronic,organic, dance, party band
HOPMONK STAGE
SUNDAY JUNE 15
11 a.m. - noon JAMES HARMAN
Gifted guitarist from Novato combines tasteful melody withelectric jazz-fusion
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. EMINOR & THE DIRTY DIAMONDS
Country-rock with banjo, crying steel guitar, and a large dose of general mayhem
2 – 3 p.m. SOL HORIZON
Named "best world/reggae band" at 2010 NORBAY Awards; movesyour feet and inspires your mind
3:30 - 4:30 p.m. MEGAN SLANKARD
San Francisco-based alternativefolk, rock singer and songwriter, selling more than 30,000 albums, performed live with members of Train
5 – 6 p.m. VOLKER STRIFLERBAND
Exceptional guitarist from Robben Ford’s band, combines blues, with innovative explorations into rock, jazz, and Latin rhythms
REDWOOD STAGE
SATURDAY, JUNE 14
10 – 11:15 a.m. BRITTANY BEXTON
Nashville country artist from Novato sings with a bluesy edge
11:45 – 12:30 p.m. AMYWIGTON
Performing Joni Mitchell hits
1 – 2 p.m. STEFANIE KEYS
Original folk rock with some Janis Joplin thrown in
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. THE DEADLIES
KOFY TV’s house band (fun,surf punk)
4 – 5 p.m. FROBECK
Powerful hard-driving funk-rock
5:30 – 7 p.m. CRYSTAL BOWERSOX
From American Idol fame, original blues, country, folk and rock
REDWOOD STAGE
SUNDAY, JUNE 15
10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Keeley Valentino
Soulful infusion of folkand pop
Noon - 1 p.m. Steve Seskin & Sinclair
Grammy-nominated songwriterperforms with rising pop star and guitarist
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Jesse Brewster
Original rock and American delivered by local singer-songwriter
3 – 4 p.m. LacyJ Dalton and the Dalton Gang
Country American starperforms her hits including Black Coffee
4:30 – 6 p.m. EricMartin
Billboard number one artistperforms hits from his solo career and Mr. Big catalog
