Healdsburg may be small, but it plays large on the cultural scene. Put differently, especially in summer, for a town of 11,000 people, Healdsburg always seems to have a lot going on. As the weather warms up, the calendar of local events and openings gets filled with exciting moments to celebrate around town. Here, in no particular order, are three happenings over the next few weeks that have piqued our attention.
The oldest watering hole in the Dry Creek Valley reopened for the season earlier this month, and The Bar at the Dry Creek General Store is looking better than ever. The bar is legendary for serving as the backdrop for local business deals; hit it during Happy Hour and you’re likely to see winemakers and grapegrowers talking shop even now. For the full DCGS cowboy or cowgirl experience, sidle up to the shelf opposite the bar and grab a saddle stool. In terms of libations, options are mostly limited to beer and wine, though the bar does offer a small cocktail menu.
June is Pride Month across the country, and there are several ways to celebrate the local LGBTQIA+ community. On June 5, the City of Healdsburg will be hosting its annual Pride Flag Raising in front of City Hall at 530 p.m. The ceremony will be followed by a march to the Plaza. Santa Rosa will host its 38th annual Pride Parade on Sunday, June 3. This parade meanders about a mile around downtown, and is a great opportunity to show support or witness some of the diversity of the local queer population as groups file by.
Healdsburg Jazz Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and the event will bring together some of the biggest names in music right now. The shindig runs from June 17-25, and will bring together luminaries such as NEA Jazz Master Dianne Reeves, 2023 Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal Album Grammy Award-winner Samara Joy, percussion maestro and Healdsburg Jazz artist-in-residence John Santos, and more. With ticketed and free community concerts—including one in the Plaza on Juneteenth—the Festival will have something for everyone.
