A&E

It ain’t BottleRock, and that’s a good thing. Although the Napa-based music festival shares the same initials as Healdsburg’s BloodRoot, one won’t find miles-long traffic jams, $250 tickets or caviar corndogs here—nor is one likely to find stars like Justin Timberlake, Green Day or Public Enemy. But BloodRoot has plenty of talent taking the stage: four bands over an eight-hour day of music, including one certified international star, Ziggy Marley.

“There’s a tendency among Texas musicians to sing about where they’re from and exude a sense of confidence,” Lyle Lovett said in a baritone drawl that’s as dryly understated as his sense of humor. “And I think having a sense of the place where you belong gives any soul on this earth a confidence that allows them to speak up.

The Healdsburg Jazz Festival seems as if it must be modeled after a film festival, with multiple venues offering different artists throughout the day. There are the featured events, sure–a Juneteenth Celebration, a Father’s Day Concert, headline shows at Bacchus Landing – but it’s the little gigs that count. 

The exterior parking lot of Bacchus Landing was filled with gorgeous lowriders and classics, with several food trucks off to the far side. When I walked into the interior courtyard, I found a “lowrider museum.” Many of these cars had been in actual museums and exhibits, and featured in numerous publications ranging from the car-centric to the Smithsonian.

"We want to keep arts education as a strong presence,” said Healdsburg High School art teacher Linus Lancaster. “This is what will provide more opportunities for students, families and other community members to have greater access to the arts, and more input in how public art evolves in town and connects with infrastructure and other civic projects.”

Volunteers work to remove invasive French broom from a slope of the Fitch Mountain Park and Open Space on March 8. A similar invasive plant extirpation will take place Saturday, March 15, at Badger Park to remove the giant reed Arundo donax, from 8:30am to noon. If rain cancels, those who sign up will be alerted of a new date.

Words like “visionary,” “electrifying,” “exhilarating,” “transcendent” and “breathtaking” get thrown around with abandon (by myself included) to describe much lesser films than Ryan Coogler’s Sinners. So I will try not to be overly precious in relating to you how special this movie is.

The Grand Tasting, most popular event of the Healdsburg Food & Wine Experience, is held on Saturday from 12:30 to 4:30pm, as 100 vendors of food, wine and lifestyle share their wares under the big canopy erected over the West Plaza parking lot. The location is transformed into a showcase of what Healdsburg does best: eat, drink and be merry!

Local Americana band SoloRio plays at the Ranch at Lake Sonoma from 5:30pm to sunset. The first event in the venue’s summer series, held the last Sunday of every month through September. Always a lot of community fun.... plus more events this week in Healdsburg.

Goings on around town this week and next, from May Day to the latest Raven Players production.