Melissa Etheridge at Mondavi
When folks think about visiting the Napa Valley, visions of great wine, informative tours, fun wine tastings, and great food immediately spring to mind. Of course, all that is valid. The Napa Valley is one of the most visited sites in California, and those thoughts should come to mind. The setting is gorgeous with a vast array of grapevines dotting the landscape. Mountains surround the valley, which is only 30 miles long and 5 miles across at the widest point. The beauty is undeniable.
But it’s good to remember that there’s also a lot of great entertainment in Napa Valley. We were recently reminded of that when we attended a Melissa Etheridge concert at the Robert Mondavi Winery, as part of the winery’s summer concert series during July. The concert series also included performances by such notables as the Wallflowers, Phillip Phillips, Lyle Lovett, and Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue.
On the night we attended, we enjoyed a dinner in the vineyard followed by Melissa’s concert in an open air theater accompanied by quality wine! The weather was perfect, the dinner was excellent, and the crowd was relaxed and very friendly — sharing an appreciation for both the wine and the entertainer. It was a great opportunity to meet new people and enjoy the rocking sound of Melissa, who delivered on all of her hits and sang for two hours. It was an outstanding event!
This is just one of the wonderful entertainment experiences in the valley. Great music and performances abound in the area. This weekend, Mary Chapin Carpenter is performing at the Uptown Theater. This is a small and cozy venue in downtown Napa that has wonderful acoustics. We have explored other entertainment as well with performances at the Lincoln Theater in Yountville, where Garrison Keillor was on tour. These specific performances may not be your choice, yet good talent and shows are a regular occurrence in the valley. BottleRock is another example – now a recurring event and that alone is a three-day, multi performer event.
Your visit to the valley can include great entertainment when you come. Here are some venues to explore the next time you plan a trip.
Uptown Theatre in Napa
Napa Valley Conservatory Theater
Napa Valley Performing Arts Center at Lincoln Theater (We also saw Lilly Tomlin here in addition to Garrison Keillor)
These are just a few of the cultural and music venues that afford you entertainment when you are visiting. There is much to keep you entertained in this beautiful valley.
Enjoy!
