WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA — One of Walnut Creek’s signature Spring traditions is almost here.
The 43rd Annual Walnut Creek Art & Wine Festival returns to Civic Park on Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7, bringing live music, food vendors, local artists, beer, wine and family activities to the heart of downtown.
The free festival runs from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday at Civic Park, 1375 Civic Drive.
For longtime locals, this is one of those events that feels like the real start of spring and summer in Walnut Creek. The Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau says the festival has built a loyal following over more than four decades and draws more than 30,000 attendees from around the Bay Area.
What You’ll Find This Year
The festival is set to include the classic Art & Wine mix: arts and crafts vendors, commercial booths, festival food, wines, a craft beer garden, continuous live music, a Kids’ Zone and children’s activities.
It is also a reminder of how much the festival has changed in recent years. Many longtime attendees still associate Art & Wine with Heather Farm Park, but the event is now centered at Civic Park, putting it within walking distance of downtown restaurants, garages, shops and the Walnut Creek Library.
Besides, Heather Farm is being totally torn up and redone in many ways in a massive project, so it’s not the best setting for a festival this year!
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Two Stages of Live Music
This year’s music lineup is spread across two stages over both days.
Saturday’s East Stage lineup includes Michelle Lambert, Tom Rigney & Flambeau, Aja Vu and Pride & Joy SF. The West Stage lineup includes the Spencer James Blues Band, Aidan Moore, Chris Estes and Jinx Jones & The KingTones.
On Sunday, the East Stage is scheduled to feature Mercy and the Heartbeats, Touch of Class and Neon Velvet. The West Stage lineup includes Chris Estes, Matt Bolton and the Spencer James Blues Band.
Food, Wine and Beer
The festival menu has a little bit of everything, from tacos and paella to smashburgers, doughnuts, teriyaki, soft serve, kettle corn and seafood.
Named vendors on the festival menu include Alex Tacos, Coastal Paella, Holey Donuts, Kabobs2Go, Nuna’s Grill and Prime Seafood, P&B Smashburgers, Pacific Catch, Pizza Lovers, Sonoma Teriyaki and Uncle Mike’s Giant Bad Ass Sausage. Food trucks listed for the event include 1333 Mobile Dining, Carter’s Canolis, Chicken and the Farm, Pretzel Bros and Fire & Slice Pizza.
For adults, the drinks side includes a wine lineup with California reds, chardonnays and sparkling wines, plus prosecco, rose and sauvignon blanc. The craft beer garden is set to include breweries such as Altamont, Headlands, Epidemic, Calicraft, Side Gate, Morgan Territory and Barebottle Brewing Co.
General admission is free. The Chamber has also been selling pre-sale drink packages that include two drink tickets and a wine glass or beer mug.
Getting There
Organizers are strongly encouraging visitors to think beyond downtown parking. (This will be hard, as people in the 925 spend a lot of time thinking about parking.)
The Chamber says the festival is “BARTable,” with attendees able to take BART to either Walnut Creek or Pleasant Hill and catch a free shuttle to Civic Park.
Free parking is also listed at both BART stations for festivalgoers using the shuttle. At Walnut Creek BART, the listed free parking area is the North Garage, Levels 2-4. At Pleasant Hill BART, it is the basement level and floors 3-7.
There will also be free supervised bike valet parking on both days. Visitors using rideshare can be dropped off in front of Civic Park. Downtown parking garages are another option, but organizers note that downtown parking is metered and rates may vary.
A Big Weekend for Downtown
With Art & Wine now taking place at Civic Park, the festival also brings a large wave of foot traffic directly into downtown Walnut Creek.
That could make the weekend feel busy around Civic Drive, Broadway, Main Street and nearby parking areas. It also gives visitors an easy excuse to turn the festival into a downtown afternoon: browse the booths, hear a band, grab food in the park and then walk to a nearby restaurant, coffee shop or dessert spot.
For families, the biggest draw may be the simplest, in that this is a free outdoor festival, in a central location, with enough food, music and kid-friendly activity to make it an easy early-summer outing.
