In June, rainbow flags ripple across the vineyards and towns of Sonoma County, a region that is known not just for its food and wine but also for its embrace of LGBTQ+ culture.
Pride Month festivities are underway, and across the county, chefs, winemakers and community groups are hosting dinners, wine tastings and other culinary extravaganzas to celebrate and advocate for the LGBTQ+ community.
Looking to join the party and show your support? Here are some standout events to check out this month.
A toast to inclusivity, visibility
In 2008, Gary Saperstein founded Out in the Vineyard, a Sonoma-based event company aimed at cultivating inclusive experiences in Wine Country. At the time, few in the local wine industry considered the LGBTQ+ community a key demographic. That has changed significantly.
According to Professionals With Pride, Sonoma County’s LGBTQIA+ Chamber of Commerce, the region is home to the second-largest population of LGBTQIA+ households in the United States.
Saperstein, a longtime hospitality professional, now organizes year-round events that raise funds and foster a greater sense of community. This year’s lineup of events has included “Martini Madness” at the Lodge at Sonoma and the 15th annual “Trashion Fashion Runway Show” at the Sonoma Community Center, where participants model garments made from recycled materials.
In May, the Out in the Vineyard Pink Sonoma Rosé Wine Fest at Viansa Winery in Sonoma combined food, wine and drag performances. Earlier this month, the organization helped organize the Sonoma Valley Pride Festival at Sonoma City Hall and the Plaza.
Upcoming events
Next, Out in the Vineyard heads to San Francisco on June 14 for the 5th Annual Pride Wine Fest at The Academy, an LGBTQ+ social club in the Castro District. Participating wineries include Healdsburg’s MacRostie Winery and Geyserville’s Mercury Wine. Chef Chad Carlstedt of Classic Culinaire will provide hors d’oeuvres.
“This year — maybe more than ever — Pride means something deeper,” said Saperstein. “We’re living through a time when our rights, our identities — especially those of our trans friends — and even our existence are being challenged.
“Coming together as a community is where we find our joy, it is where we regain our power and resilience,” he added.
Details: Fifth Annual Pride Wine Fest, The Academy, 2166 Market St., San Francisco, academy-sf.com. Tickets are $87.13, including service fees. More Out in the Vineyard events here: outinthevineyard.com.
Cloverdale’s first Pride week
In northern Sonoma County, the charming small town of Cloverdale will host its first official Pride Week with three days of programming on June 12, 13 and 15.
The celebration begins with a “Pride Happy Hour” from 3-6 p.m. June 12 at The Beet Restaurant and Wine Bar, where owners Andrew Radabaugh, Alessandra Ziviani and Kristi Shehan will offer discounts on the global wine and food menu.
Guests will then head over to the Cloverdale Performing Arts Center for a 6 p.m. reception and a screening of the 1994 cult drag film “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.” Tickets are $25, including wine, light bites and the film.
“Pride means honoring the strength, joy, and resilience of our queer team members who help make this place so vibrant,” said Radabaugh of The Beet. “We’re proud to be a space where everyone is welcome, supported and celebrated — especially on our Friday night dance floors where the beats are loud and the love is louder.”
On June 13, the town’s regular “Friday Night Live” street fair and summer concert series at the downtown plaza will feature a live performance by Banda Pacifica from 7 p.m., followed by one of the epic dance parties at The Beet, with drinks and DJ hits. Admission is free, and the kitchen stays open until midnight (or later).
The week concludes on June 15 with a “Drag Bingo Brunch” from 1 to 4 p.m. at La Tequila Restaurant. Tickets are $40 and include two bingo cards. Foods and drinks will be sold separately, with proceeds supporting the renovation of the The Cloverdale Arts Alliance Art Gallery.
Details: The Beet, 116 E. First St., cloverdalebeet.com. Cloverdale Performing Arts Center, 209 N. Cloverdale Blvd., cloverdaleperformingarts.com. Friday Night Live on the Downtown Plaza, 112 Broad St., cloverdaleartsalliance.org/fnlmusic. La Tequila Restaurant, 134 N. Cloverdale Blvd., mexicanrestaurantcloverdale.com
Soup as solidarity
One of the month’s most heartfelt gatherings may be the Queer Soup Night from 3-6 p.m. June 22, to be held The Punchdown Bottle Shop + Wine Bar in Sebastopol.
Launched in 2017 by Brooklyn chef and cookbook author Liz Alpern in response to Donald Trump’s 2016 election, Queer Soup Night has grown into a nationwide grassroots network centered on community care, solidarity and support — especially at a time when the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized groups face increasing threats.
Sonoma County’s first Queer Soup Night is being organized by chef Preeti Mistry, a James Beard Award nominee and former “Top Chef” contestant, and award-winning chef Leah Scurto of PizzaLeah in Windsor.
The concept is brilliant in its simplicity: The chefs serve as hosts for the evening, serving comforting soups to anyone craving a “culinary hug.” Money raised from “suggested donations” benefits Positive Images, a Sonoma County LGBTQ+ youth nonprofit . (Donations will be accepted at the door on a sliding scale, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.)
There is no RSVP required for this event, but guests are encouraged to bring their own spoon (or BYOS).
Details: The Punchdown, 6770 McKinley St., Suite 130 (in The Barlow), Sebastopol, 707-827-3483, pdne.ws/4jHXtqe
At Martin Ray, a flag raised high
Every June for the past 16 years, a rainbow flag has flown from the tall water tower at Martin Ray Vineyards & Winery in northwest Santa Rosa. It has become such a powerful presence and a tradition so central to the winery’s identity that it inspired Leslie Mead Renaud, director of winemaking, to join the team “six harvests ago.” She was drawn not only to the winery’s beautiful property and elegant wines, but, perhaps most importantly, to its inclusive ethics, she explained.
“I’d driven past the place for years, and always thought that it is so cool that they actually do that (raise the rainbow flag high each year),” she said. “Someone has to climb all the way up the water tower.”
The winery is owned by Courtney Benham, who also leads the CMB Family of Wines. Each year, a member of the Benham family raises the rainbow flag.
“It’s a symbol of who we are as a winery and as members of the Sonoma County community,” said Benham. “(It is) a sign of inclusion, respect and allyship with the LGBTQ+ community … We’re proud to continue creating a space where everyone feels seen, supported and celebrated.”
Upcoming events
Through Aug. 2, Martin Ray will host its “Pizza at the Winebar” series every Saturday, offering Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza, wine and salad in the garden courtyard. Tickets are $18 (plus a $1 Tock fee) and include a splash of wine and a salad, with pizzas and additional wine available for purchase à la carte. It can be family-friendly, too, with custom tickets for guests under 21 years old. Reserve a time at 11:30 a.m., noon., 1:30 p.m., or 2 p.m.
On June 28, the winery will host its “Pride & Pizza” party, with $10 from each $30 ticket benefiting Positive Images.
Details: Martin Ray Vineyards & Winery, 2191 Laguna Road, Santa Rosa, 707-908- 8993, martinraywinery.com