What's New in Napa Valley 2024

Spring 2025 – From Budbreak to Prime Outdoor Wellness

Come awaken your senses in Napa Valley during the season of renewal. From the whisperings of vineyard bud break and scenic wild blooms to the return of outdoor hiking and biking, to pop-up art exhibitions and performances alongside Mustard Season–plus, plenty of time to soak in spa culture and mineral hot springs–Napa Valley shines as a springtime retreat.

As the rain begins to quiet in March and midday temperatures rise to 65°F in April, Spring in Napa Valley is cozy yet crisp. By May, you’ll be experiencing the first hints of everlasting Napa Valley sunshine, and 360-degree “forever green” views.

Alive & Well
On the Arts Scene
New in Food & Wine
Music Festival Preview

Napa Valley – Alive & Well

Whether you’re coming for a bucket-list marathon like the Napa Valley Marathon on March 2 or Napa Women’s Half Marathon on April 27, seeing Napa Valley’s rolling hills speckled with vibrant mustard blooms will never disappoint.

If you’re getting your ‘spokes’ wet in cycling, take a guided bike ride, offered by several local companies. Olabisi Winery and Vine Trail Adventures offer an award-winning “Ride with a Winemaker” tour, where guests go for a customizable bike ride with esteemed winemakers and learn about various aspects of winemaking and viticulture.

The five unique towns of Napa Valley are more interconnected than ever before, thanks to the newly constructed walking, biking and pet-friendly paths brought to life by the Napa Valley Vine Trail. Once completed, the trail system will connect 47 miles from Vallejo to Calistoga. In the meantime, enjoy its paths through Napa to Yountville and its newest 8.2-mile Calistoga-to-St. Helena stretch. Views include Napa Valley's finest vineyards and the majestic oaks of Bothe-Napa Valley State Park.

Spring is a great time to walk in the steps of Napa Valley’s historic settlers, with several popular Napa Valley hiking trails, including the History Trail which takes you through pioneer cemeteries, manzanita tunnels, and landmark wineries.

Adventurous and experienced hikers can enjoy Mount St. Helena Trail, Oat Hill Mine Trail, and Table Rock Trails – part of the 5,200 acres that make up Robert Louis Stevenson State Park. This mountain is the spot where Stevenson, author of Treasure Island and Kidnapped, spent his honeymoon in 1880 with his wife, Fanny Osbourne.

Prefer the open road? The annual Napa Valley 750 motor tour and culinary experience returns this April at Harvest Inn, when vintage sports car enthusiasts gather for stunning scenery and exclusive winery experiences.

Wellness is a year-round aspiration in Napa Valley that flourishes in the spring – and spa therapy is one of the most popular wine country ways to wind down. Discover unique spa rituals like the Talisman massage at Spa Alila in St. Helena, the Deep Release Therapeutic Session at Halehouse Spa at Stanly Ranch, The Tree House Bath Experience at Spa at Meadowood Napa Valley, and The Veuve Massage at The Estate Yountville’s new Spa Rendez Veuve, which incorporates gold shimmer massage oil and a gold collagen eye mask inspired by the famed Veuve Clicquot Champagne.

Walkable Art Exhibits and Cultural Events

Valley-wide artists usher in Mustard Season with Napa Valley Mustard Celebration events from January–March, with exhibits, experiences, and events in American Canyon, the City of Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga to celebrate Napa Valley’s “season between seasons.”

The celebration features live art demonstrations, outdoor pop-ups, and gallery exhibitions, with signature events such as St. Helena’s Mustard Celebration Day, Yountville’s “Find Your Art” exploratory art walk, and the grand finale at CIA at COPIA on March 29–30, showcasing 100 local artists, wineries, breweries, restaurants, and more.

The 8th Annual Yountville Int’l Short Film Festival (YISFF) returns January 30–February 2, offering 20 dedicated screening blocks, filmmaker Q&A sessions, and VIP wine tasting events.

The Napa Valley Museum of Arts & Culture, “The MAC,” opens its new flagship location in St Helena, sharing the space with a café, Under-Study, from the PRESS restaurant team. The MAC will launch with the national touring exhibition, Julia Child: A Recipe for Life – a vivid interactive look at the life and legacy of an American culinary and broadcasting pioneer.

In addition to public art displays and museums, art abounds across Napa Valley’s wineries, including Hess Persson Estates, HALL Wines, Markham Vineyards, Jessup Cellars, St. Supéry Estate Vineyards and Winery, Mumm Napa and more.

Napa Valley College welcomes the Napa Valley Asian American Film Festival this February, celebrating Asian and Asian American achievements through film and creative media.

Napa Valley StreamFest, an immersive celebration of streaming content including podcasts, series, films, and live recordings, comes to downtown Napa this spring. The event will include an appearance from Les Garland, industry visionary and co-founder of MTV, who will receive the inaugural Les Garland Legendary Award.

Also in April, SIP (Songwriters in Paradise) returns to Napa, offering performances from acclaimed songwriters at Harvest Inn, Alpha Omega Winery, and Whitehall Lane.

New in Food & Wine

The reimagined Napa Valley Restaurant Month returns January 6-February 2! What used to be a week-long program now spans a full month, highlighting the unique culinary experiences across Napa Valley's five distinct towns of American Canyon, the City of Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga.

Passionate fans of truffles welcome Napa Valley Truffle Season with a variety of adventurous truffle hunts and dining experiences, including a “Dig” and “Truffle Lunch” at Raymond Vineyards, Wild Mushroom Forays, and La Toque’s Annual Truffles & Wine Dinner – the latter two being part of the annual Napa Truffle Festival.

Azur Wine Lounge welcomes an exclusive Sushi Motos Ramen pop-up in February. Enjoy a curated menu of artisanal ramen and small bites in a chic, cozy atmosphere.

Oxbow Public Market adds pop-up, Sumo Dog, mid-spring. As the latest “Chef-in-Residence," Sumo Dog is an original hot dog concept from Morimoto Napa’s opening executive chef Jeffrey Lunak, who returns to Napa to launch a spin on the American hot dog redefined with Japanese ingredients. The residency will span multiple months.

St. Helena's annual food and wine competition, bASH: Appellation St. Helena, returns this April with plenty of tasting stations, held at the historic barrel room inside the CIA at Greystone.

Visitors can get the first taste of summer atop a Napa Valley peak with the 30th Annual Taste of Howell Mountain, featuring wine tastings, food pairings and auctions at Charles Krug in St. Helena.

Live Music Season Preview

Napa Valley’s season of sound starts with Live In The Vineyard Goes Country which celebrates its 7th year in April. This private music, food & wine festival is the first of its kind, pairing exclusive access to today’s hottest musicians with Napa Valley’s most revered winemakers and chefs.

May welcomes music fans for a variety of festivals, including Napa Valley’s famous BottleRock Napa Valley, La Onda, and the Napa Valley Jazz Getaway.

BottleRock Napa Valley returns May 23 – 25th with rocking headliners including Green Day, Justin Timberlake and Noah Kahan. More than 75 bands will perform on five music stages over Memorial Day weekend.

Breakthrough festival La Onda returns with the hottest Latin musical acts spanning several genres, including regional Mexican and its various sub-genres. Headliners include Marco Antonio Solis, Banda MS, Pepe Aguilar, Carin Leon, and Grupo Firme. This year’s two-day event runs May 31-June 1.

The 12th Annual Napa Valley Jazz Getaway, held at the Grand Reserve at Meritage Resort on the Blue Note Napa Stage, welcomes 3,000 guests to experience Brian Culbertson, Boney James, Sheila E. and more at its beautiful outdoor venue.

Andrea Bocelli comes to Charles Krug Winery as part of A Weekend in Napa in June. The multi-night, curated experience will feature sunset performances and daily experiences throughout the region.

Festival Napa Valley returns in mid-summer, offering a wine country stage for live music, dance and culinary experiences at iconic wineries, resorts and estates. Expect performances from the Versailles Royal Opera and LMR Jazz Opera, a screening of Disney’s Fantasia accompanied by a live orchestra, the return of signature food event Taste of Napa and more.