Your Guide to BottleRock Napa Valley

Delicious food, local wine, and some of the biggest names in music together for one long weekend in Napa Valley? Yes, please! Get excited, because the uber-popular BottleRock Napa Valley festival returns May 26 – 28, 2023 to kick off summer in style, bringing amazing live music, good food, and plenty of fun together for one epic three-day festival. Here’s what you need to know before you go.

Tickets go fast

Naturally, anything that combines live music with high quality food, craft beer, and incredible wine in the middle of Wine Country will draw crowds. And when it happens to take place over Memorial Day weekend in Napa Valley, you can bet that tickets sell out quickly. We suggest dropping what you’re doing (after reading this, of course) to purchase your tickets ASAP, as 3-day tickets have already sold out for this year’s event. (Then set a calendar reminder to check the BottleRock website later this year to see when tickets go on sale for 2024).

Planes, trains, and automobiles

Regardless of where you’re coming from, you’ll want to have a plan (in advance) for getting to and from the event, as missing your favorite band because you’re stranded would be a major bummer. BottleRock buses operate daily from San Francisco, Sacramento, Oakland, San Jose, Fairfield, Sonoma, Mill Valley, Palo Alto, and Santa Rosa. Locally, Napa Valley’s VINE Transit offers free rides and extended, late-night service all weekend, including regional express service to BART. If traveling from outside the Bay Area, you could arrive by Amtrak train or by airplane, as the Charles M. Schultz – Sonoma County Airport is right smack in the middle of Wine Country. If you do plan on driving, though, it’s wise to bring your friends with you to reduce the number of cars on the road and in parking lots. Carpooling to BottleRock is way more fun, anyways.

All-day street parking will be available in downtown Napa, and at the event there will be General Admission parking available for purchase, plus VIP parking, as well. Just note that there is no overnight parking in the BottleRock lots, so plan accordingly.

Music, music, and more music

Yes, there’s great scenery. And yes, there’s great food and drink. But let’s be honest… BottleRock is about the music. On Friday, May 26, Post Malone, Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Strings, Lucius, Bastille, and many more will perform, while Saturday finds Lizzo, Leon Bridges, Duran Duran, and Cautious Clay taking the stage, to name just a few. On Sunday, May 28, enjoy the sounds of Lil Nas X, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Struts, Sheryl Crow, Warren G… the list goes on. Check out the full line-up here.

Courtesy of BottleRock Media

Spirited Libations

This festival does take place in Napa Valley, so it’s to be expected that the wine offerings will be top-notch. Whether reaching for a buttery Chardonnay from JaM Cellars, a bubbly delight from Mumm, or an acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon from Duckhorn, the staff of BottleRock sommeliers and wine experts will be there to make sure your glass is always full. Not a wine drinker? There will be plenty of cold and refreshing craft beers on hand, as well as hard seltzer, craft cocktails, and yes, lots and lots of water!

Courtesy of BottleRock / Michael Drummon

Culinary Dreamin’

With a culinary program to match the vibrant food scene in Napa Valley, BottleRock over delivers when it comes to festival food. Expect a who’s who of Napa eateries (like La Toque, PRESS, and Morimoto) dishing up gourmet selections, while over at the Culinary Stage, renowned chefs and musical performers will team up for mouthwatering entertainment.

Courtesy of BottleRock / Tim Hans

Rest and rejuvenate… at a music festival?

You read that right — in between all that standing and dancing you can partake in foot and body massages, mini facials, and even hydration therapies at BottleRock. We promise, taking a moment to pamper yourself will make your BottleRock experience even that much more amazing.

Jam with JaM Cellars

BottleRock Napa Valley is better with Butter! Napa’s JaM Cellars is the presenting sponsor of BottleRock for the seventh year in a row, and you can bet they are bringing it. Rock out with top bands on the JaM Cellars stage or, for stripped-down sound, head over to the JaMPad for up-close-and-personal acoustic sets and chats with your favorite emerging artists. Besides music, the JaMPad will have the full JaM Cellars lineup for you to try: Butter, JaM Cab, Toast Sparkling, and the Sugar Sweet White.

Courtesy of JaM Cellars

A Sustainable Festival

Did you know that BottleRock is stiving to be one of the most sustainable festivals around? Some of their sustainability efforts include increasing compost, decreasing landfill waste by recycling cans and glass, offering refillable water stations and reusable wine glasses, and eliminating all single use plastic at the event. Cheers to that!

Courtesy of BottleRock / Julian Bajsel

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Author

Hana-Lee Sedgwick

Hana-Lee Sedgwick is a writer and editor based in Santa Barbara, California. A Certified Specialist of Wine and Sommelier, Hana-Lee specializes in all things wine, food, and travel, and her work regularly appears in publications such as The Tasting Panel, Edible, and Food & Home. Follow her on Instagram at @wanderandwine.