The circus is coming to town — but instead of trapeze artists and animal acts, this show features local craft ciders alongside big top-style entertainment, from circus-themed kids’ activities to a roller-skating clown.
Set for Saturday, April 26, at Steamer Landing, Cider Circus is a spinoff of the fast-growing natural wine gathering Big West Wine Fest.
“We love that cider is such an important and unique local product,” said Emily Weber, who co-founded the event with Nina Kravetz. “We just wanted to offer a new festival that has a different focus and give the cider makers a place to really shine.”
Cider Circus will showcase dozens of minimal-intervention ciders from Sonoma County and beyond, including North American Press, Old World Winery, Eye Cyder and Two Shepherds. The festival will have a family-friendly carnival vibe, with performances by Tumbleweed the Clown and Ears of Maize, plus juggling, face painting, music and food, from carnival fare to fresh oysters. Plus, The Floathouse will offer kayak and paddleboat rentals.
Windsor’s Tilted Shed Ciderworks is working on a new cider to debut at Cider Circus, and owner Ellen Cavalli will be pouring her famous nonalcoholic Gravenstein cider at the festival. To Cavalli, Cider Circus isn’t just a fun day out. Supporting local cider producers is a great way to help keep Sonoma County’s apple farms in business — more important now than ever, she said, as local growers face the impending departure of Manzana Apple Products, the region’s last apple cannery.
“As the Sonoma County apple community continues to experience daunting challenges, I think it’s even more crucial that the public prioritize supporting local cider producers, so that we can help keep our apple industry alive and thriving.”
Tickets for Cider Circus are $45 at bigwestwinefest.com. Starting in late April, you can also snag tickets for Big West Wine Fest, which returns to Guerneville’s Solar Punk Farms June 14-15 and typically sells out quickly. If you’re a fan of small-production natural wines, don’t wait too long to opt in.