BottleRock Napa Valley

Great energy, stages decently spread. The food is so central and generally good, accessible as passing from one stage to another. Gates/security were managed well and better bathroom situation than other festivals though the shared sinks weren’t reliable.

I was shocked at this event. Ground were clean. No trash on the ground. They brought in astroturf everywhere. Tons of food vendors and lots of vendor activities (roller skating). The bands were a wide range of genre. Exiting is in local neighborhoods and everyone is cooking. Every house has homemade cooking for sale. Security was spot on! There were police everywhere. You felt safe! Bravo bottlerock. See ya next year!

Good option for a festival if you like to be standing up all day and night, when the good bands come in. The facility is ok and well put together, but if it’s too hot there’s no shade unless you pay for the VIP ticket the involves a tent. They sell snacks and wine inside, parking is a nightmare so is better to get the special busses that they arrange from the bay to here.

Had a really great time, for a girls weekend at La Onda this past weekend. Definitely looking forward to making it a yearly trip. The place is very well organized and they made sure to keep it clean.

Paterwalk Napa exceeded every expectation and created an unforgettable evening! The music was simply mesmerizing – a blend of soulful melodies and lively rhythms that set the perfect tone for a relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere. The live performance added so much charm, making the night feel magical. The wine selection was impeccable, showcasing some of Napa’s finest offerings. Each glass was a journey of exquisite flavors and aromas, expertly paired with the menu. Whether you’re a seasoned wine connoisseur or just someone who loves a good glass of vino, you’ll be blown away by the variety and quality here. The food? Absolutely divine! Each dish was beautifully presented and bursting with flavor, clearly crafted with love and top-quality ingredients. From appetizers to desserts, every bite was a celebration of culinary excellence. The ambiance, attentive staff, and overall experience make Paterwalk a must-visit in Napa. It’s a place that truly knows how to blend great music, exceptional wine, and outstanding food into a perfect symphony. I can’t wait to return!

Food and drinks are kinda pricy. I'll strongly recommend taking your own water bottle to use the water stations.

Always a great festival to see multiple bands and different music genres.

Loved every minute of this incredible event. So much talent on stage! 🤩 I’m a podcast producer (Brave Moon Podcasts) and I’m ready to see live podcast shows in the lineup next year! 👏 Tips: VIP is the way to go! Even better would be skydeck! It’s also amazing to watch performances at the VIP village stage. Bring a hydration pack and stay hydrated. Parking in VIP Lot D is worth the price (if you’re traveling from out of town). Enjoy the street tacos on the way in (our on your way out).

By far the best musical festival I have ever been to. It's super pricey and I can only really handle one day (energy wise), but their line up is always fire and the location is everything. It always falls on Memorial weekend, so definitely have a day of recovery to follow. I love their layout and that all the stages are pretty close walking distance to one another. They have 7 stages - 3 smaller ones, 2 large ones with the bigger names/headliners, 1 VIP only stage, and 1 Culinary stage. Honestly - the headliners are great, but the past couple years the small stages have been magical. You get more up close and personal and get to discover up and coming artists or enjoy some throwback hits. I even got the opportunity to experience some of the artists coming out and performing in the crowd (2023-Thee Blessed Souls and 2014-LaRussell). 2022 was my first year and I believe I got to see about 4 artists...I was mainly there for the headliner 21 Pilots. I went with a couple friends and we were all trying to figure out the layout and not bouncing between stages too much. It was great though and I knew I'd wanna return. 2023- I went more prepared...looked up the Bottlerock Playlist on Spotify and got to know some more of the artists. I think we saw a total of 8 artists with Lizzo as the grand finale. It was another great fest experience. 2024- Bottlerock Playlist (by the specific day) on repeat weeks before and I went with my boyfriend and friend (first timers)....I missed my OG Bottlerock crew, but I knew I would be in a familiar place that I love and I got to basically lead the pack and decide our whole schedule. We fit in 8 artists and this time even got to see the Culinary stage where a chef cooks with a celebrity. I got to see BBQ pitmaster Rodney Scott and T-pain making some tri tip. More bouncing around to try to catch as many artists as we could, but it was cool. Weather has been pretty perfect each year. It does get cold so I recommend bringing a jacket. Also bring a blanket for the early concerts and get a locker to store it and any merch or other stuff later. Also- one of the things that make this my favorite is that the bathrooms are a step above port-o-potties and have flushing toilets and lighting at night (most of them). I highly recommend the shuttle service. They have them from a few major cities. We take it from Sacramento (last couple years pick up and drop off has been Capitol Park Rose Garden) and it costs about $50-60 per person round-trip. There are lots of Food and drink options there, but again pretty pricey, so pregame and have lunch before arriving to cut the cost a little. I have tried Grilled cheese, spam musubi, fancy flavored donuts, churro and they were all pretty good. I also splurged this year and got a plastic carafe of pinot gris from the wine garden which comes with 2 glasses and they all say Bottlerock on them so I look as it as a souvenir too ;) $75 for that and about 4-5 drinks. Also bought my first piece of merchandise- a BR trucker hat. Stoked to show it off. Yes - Bottlerock will be a for sure thing for me each year. Boyfriend and friend loved it too, so we will return.

My wife's and my first music festival ever. We stayed in town and took an Uber there and back, which was pretty easy. The food choices were overall pretty good if a little on the pricier side. We went Sunday 2024 and liked many of the acts--The Offspring was the best especially with Ed Sheeran joining by surprise! Bathrooms in the VIP area are nice. There weren't too many wasted people and a very diverse audience. The paella was the best thing we ate. Bring a see through backpack for your stuff. Get there early so you can see the smaller acts which are a lot more fun. Also, listen to the Spotify playlist the week or two before to know who you want to see!

The good: ADA was incredible. I can't thank them enough. The shuttle, the sitting area, the bathrooms were so welcome. The organization of this festival was outstanding, the food was spread out so no long lines. The stages were spread out so no major sound bleed. Lots of security to help keep lanes moving. A blanket area that had dividers to avoid being trampled. The kids had the own spot to play. The lockers were awesome. It was easy to find. Locks worked. The staff Tim and Brian were helpful. The merch was divided into 2 spots. The water refill stations were easy to find and access. Swag vendors were limited. VIP had their own concerts. They had another stage where artists played an additional show. Bleachers for general admission. Lots of picnic tables to eat and drink. Silent disco was so great to watch. The astroturf made it so much cleaner. Staff in ADA was so kind and compassionate to everyone. I appreciated the sparkling water options. The bad: The culinary shows were hard to hear and see. It's a great idea but it's cramped in the current space. Tshirts for larger people sell out too fast. Please order more. Get your merch on Friday if you want anything. It will sell out by Sunday. We had done really great food and some bad food. Empanadas, açaí smoothie, paella great. Apple pie and chicken larb were not good.

We had a blast attending the 10th anniversary of BottleRock this past Sunday. We found free street parking in the early afternoon, about a 10-15 minute walk away on Silverado Trail, worth saving $50-60 on event parking fees. General admission entry lines were about a 15 minute wait to go through security. Inside, there were so many food stations to choose from, including famous names like Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream and El Porteno empanadas, as well as noodles, burgers, tacos, fried chicken, paella, mac n cheese, hawaiian food, and of course, pizza! We got dinner from La Pizza Co. $14 for a giant slice bigger than the plate, loaded with melted cheese and delicious toppings, pretty good deal... unlike lunch from the Grilled Cheese stand earlier in the day, a tiny grilled cheese sandwich with cheap tasting ingredients, around the same cost as that pizza, not a good deal. For drinks, the only place we found canned soda (and other random items) was at a booth called the Ranch Market General Store. All of the Beer, Wine, and Spirits tents had just that, alcoholic beverages, plus liquid death water, flavored sparkling water, and red bull. We tried the Kentucky Maiden and Owen's Cosmojito, and they were alright. The cocktails at Hendrick's Gin bar had a lot more flavor (strawberry sundance and cucumber lemonade). There were several areas with picnic tables for seating, partially covered/shaded, but we lay our mat down to eat, relax, and enjoy the music throughout the day at the Jam Cellars Stage area, which seemed to be divided into two sections (standing guests near the stage at the front half of the lawn, blankets and mats spread out in the back near the food and drink tents). Of course, VIP's elevated along the sides. Of the performers, my faves were Sheryl Crow, The National, and the headliners Red Hot Chili Peppers. I've seen RHCP before, a decade ago, at Outside Lands in SF, which is very similar an event as BottleRock, but their performance this past weekend was more impressive than I remember (we enjoyed this one up close near the stage). The sound quality and lighting for the show were pretty good as well. Other spots worth checking out, besides the live music, are the Wine Garden, Spa, and Silent Disco. Shirt shops had constantly long lines and ran out of a lot by late afternoon. The Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage was cool. We watched the Voltaggio Brothers cooking and plating with Wu Tang Clan, Warren G, and Amirah Kassem on stage. And the entrance for Monkey Shoulder Port-a-party may be deceiving, the long line is not to use the restroom (rather it's another club space with drinks and music). The actual restrooms are near a corner of each stage. I never waited more than a  couple minutes to use the restroom (just walk to the far end), the porta potties were clean and flushable, with a wash station constantly being refilled with soap and paper products. I guess we got pretty lucky, perfect comfortable weather all day on Sunday, not too hot, nor too cold. And yes there were a lot of attendees, but the waits for food/drinks were reasonable and manageable compared to the many festivals I've attended. And the only real crowds we encountered (like literally touching strangers) was in the standing area in front of the stage during the headliners performance, which is expected if you choose to be up there. So overall, we had a great experience, and for multiple concerts in one place on one day (or weekend), you definitely get good value for your money.

Music was great! We went for Stevie Nicks but bought the 3 day pass. Parking is outrageously expensive and in short supply. I recommend getting there early and finding street parking. Next time we will only go with VIP because of the full sun. It gets way too hot and VIP is shaded.

This is a fun event, but I'm giving ot a lower rating because it's a rip off. They charge an insane amount of money for a one day ticket. Then they have the nerve to charge $45 & up for parking! Then a single beer is $14. I'm definitely not cheap, but that's price gouging. Thank goodtgat we bought packs of tissue as there was no toilet paper in the port a potties there. There were no shuttles to get to & from the venue so we had to park at a shopping crnter a little over a mile away then walk to & back from there The good thing is that security was all over the place. We literally stiod next to security there. Thank goodness that we did. One weirdo pervert jad the nerve to hatass my friend. Lucky for her I have zero fear when it comes to dealing with assholes. This guy came up right behind her & he tried to put his arm around her back. She took some edibkes so she was a bit out of it, lol. I did too but my tolerance level is insane, lol. Anyways, she wasn't aware of what was going on so I intervened & said, no, don't touch he. He ignored me so I took his arm & removed it from her back, lol. I then said, back off right now before I get security to kick you out! He then looked at me & walked away, lol. My friend thanked me frim saving her from an ugly pervert later multiple times, lol. Rude! I hate lame ass touchy feely guys who try to take advantage of vulnerable women. I suggest maybe eating somewhere near the venue as the food there last year didn't impress me & I think $30 was spent on food last time This time we ate around McDonald's that was 11 miles away in tbe Target center, lol. There's also an In N Out there with a very long line, a Taco Bell, a McDonald's, Applebees & a Black Bear diner nearby there. We saw Stevie Nicks this time & looked & sounded amazing! We had a great time there!

I always wanted to go to Bottle Rock once for the experience, and I'm glad I did. It is for sure pricey, period, end of story. I bought the 3 day tickets the day it was released online and was so excited. Hotels were crazy expensive. The Inn we stayed at was the same price as the Westin Hotel- which was all booked out, everywhere was booked out. We spent 1200 a night so we didn't go to our third day of Bottle Rock- it just wasn't worth it. Food at Bottle Rock was like Fair or Carnival food. The chicken tenders were dry and they charged $16 for two pieces of chicken and fries that were cold. Traffic is super crazy, have to walk there or you will be stuck in traffic forever trying to park. The way to go is on a bus for sure! Spending this much for a music festival, at least have better food. Very disappointed. Coachella and Outsidelands were waaayyy better experiences overall.

We went back this year for the first time since 2017 and it's still such a great festival in so many ways but it seemed waaaay more crowded than before. Especially during the late afternoon/early evening on Saturday. Trying to get through to the main stages, restrooms or the main food court area was shoulder to shoulder at some points. Ooof... a bit anxiety inducing for me. Once we got wherever we needed to be things felt a little bit better but it was really packed, IMO. I would be fine with just a little less people. Definitely had to wait in lines for the port-o-potties this year also, but at least they lit them at night this time. TP, soap, water and paper towels never ran out either. Lines to get into the venue itself were also long, with a lot of people trying to cut in... (stop it people)... but moved relatively fast. Would be faster if folks read the rules about clear bags and prohibited items before coming. Food lines were also a little long but mostly moved fast as well. Same with merch, though they were sold out of both t-shirts I would have wanted and it was only 2pm. Disappointing. Aside from the inevitable challenges, it's still a fun festival with a relaxed overall vibe. There were some irritated/irritable people as always but by and large everyone is there to have a good time. Most people (staff and attendees alike) are polite, friendly, smiling, and helpful with only the occasional sourpuss. For snacks this year we tried El Porteño empanadas and they were outstanding. We also had Gerard's Paella again which is still solid. Boyfriend also had a grilled cheese and some ice cream later in the day and he said they were just ok. So again, YMMV. Some things are good and some are not. I also noticed less (and more generic) beer options this year which was kind of a bummer but maybe I missed something. Food prices are high but again, thats to be expected. Sound ranged from good to great. For example, for as chill as Leon Bridges music can be the sound was outstanding for that enormous field. Clear, clean, and crisp....and at sunset combined with beautiful weather it really made for the perfect California afternoon. His set was absolutely a highlight for me. Video seemed out of sync for Lizzo's set unfortunately, but the sound was great and she's amazing of course. Had us dancing and loving life all the way in the back! I also like that they staggered the headliner end times so you didn't have everyone leaving at once. Last but not least, we took the official bus this year with friends from San Jose. It worked out well overall but again, not without a challenge or two. On the plus side it was great to not have to worry about driving, easy to find the busses, and there was a restroom and overhead storage for your belongings. On the downside, communication was challenging with the bus company in that I had to send multiple emails over multiple days to get a question answered. They also did not have my boyfriend's name on the ride list but thankfully I had printed the tickets just in case. And although there was a bathroom onboard, they did not stock it with toilet paper. So, as with anything, preparation and anticipation of potential snafus is key. Thanks to all the folks who put in the time and effort to pull a festival of this magnitude together. It's no easy feat I'm sure, and it goes pretty smoothly all things considered. See you again soon, Bottlerock.

Loved this event. So well organized and great food . Went from gates open to lights out all three days!!

This is for 2024 BR GA only. Paid around 400 for a 3 day. They need to improve the bathroom situation at the main stage. You don't get to enjoy the jam pad, Pacifico porch or other sitting areas due to there is a VIP special bracelet that is not available for general admission. They need bathroom hooks so you can hang your purse up. They need to have a better system for getting food in the food area. They have all the lines that extend into the walking paths and it's very difficult to walk through. Don't even t think about sitting down to eat. The benches are packed. Getting out of the venue is dangerously difficult. I would recommend vip if you can afford it.

It's hard to review a music festival since music tastes are so subjective! One person's "this is my jam!" can easily be someone else's "nails on a chalkboard!" So with that in mind, I will say that BottleRock features artists and bands from so many different genres of music that everyone is sure to find something they like, or even discover new artists and bands you didn't even know about before! I've been to BottleRock 7 times, and every single time has been amazing and so much fun! Of all the music festivals I've ever been to (and I've lost count), BottleRock is far and wide the best one of all! They just have it down like a well-oiled machine. From the setup, the layout, the lineup, the food, drink, merch, spa, silent disco, security, using the App to plan your day (yup, they even have their own app!), and everything in between (and there's A LOT!), we keep coming back because we have THEEE BEST time every time! Sure it's pricey, and with the various tiers, you can go from single day general admission to 3-Day to VIP to Skydeck to Platinum, depending on how much dolla-dolla-bills you wanna drop! But from a bit more budget-friendly standpoint, if you like at least 2-3 of the artists or bands in a single day, you can think of it as paying for 2-3 separate concerts, only it's all in one day, and you not only get the music, but all the amazingness that is BottleRock Napa! This festival has the best food and drink offerings of any festival in the world...well, because NAPA! From some of the best restaurants in the country to world-renowned wineries, you get to taste it all while getting to watch some incredible live music in a beautiful place. Simply put: BottleRock ROCKS!

Bottle Rock Napa was AMAZING! We flew in from Raleigh to attend this year and it was one of the best experiences of my life, especially considering the amazing wine, food, and most importantly some of my bucket list musicians. It still feels like a dream! We had GA tickets for Thursday - Sunday and so glad we did! It would however be cool to get VIP one day though, as they seemed to have a lot of amenities/comfort. Let's start with the atmosphere. Such a fun vibe, happy people, and surprisingly nobody too drunk or obnoxious - ha! Even as it got later, people behaved, which is always nice. Many decent sized portable bathrooms so the lines were never too long. My only complaint is as the day/evening progressed, they were often out of toilet paper. Other than that, a good amount for the amount of people at the festival. There was a rule of no plastic disposable water bottles which was great, bring your own and refill your water at the water stations which were everywhere. Security, EMS, and people constantly cleaning to keep the place clean. One thing that I loved is that even though we were not VIP, there were many "indoor" areas. If you buy their wine, you can hang out inside, get fun fake tattoos, do a photo booth. Super cute. A lot of areas with trees, tents for eating and hanging out, so a bit of shade. Luckily, it wasn't too hot during the day when we were there! It gets chilly at night so be sure to bring a sweater! On to the food and wine! There were so many food options - had to be at least 50! We tried a few different items throughout the weekend and were impressed by them all! From some of the best pizza I have ever had, to dumplings, to Hawaiian noodle bowls and Kimchi beef bowls. Everything was delicious. The wine was amazing too, although incredibly expensive. It was probably between $13-$40 for a 5 ounce pour. Either way, it was nice to have so many options! Music time - this was by far the best part. Some of my bucket list musicians were at Bottlerock! Kygo and Vance Joy for the win! They were truly phenomenal live and this was a dream come true! It was also great to see Metallica, Pitbull, Twenty One Pilots, Pink and a few more. I think the staff did a great job at choosing stages for the musicians, except for Pitbull. He should have been at a bigger stage. We could hear him but could not see him at all, and that's the only show that I feel felt "dangerous" due to so many people and no room at all. Other than that, this experience was magical! I highly recommend Bottle Rock and can't wait to see the lineup for next year! Such a great, and pretty chill music festival!

The dude and I came to Bottle Rock Napa Valley on 9/5/21, as the day before was my older sisters birthday! She wasn't too happy I got to see Hot Girl Meg and the Foo Fighters along with Jack Harlow and Jimmy Eat World and she didn't on her bday weekend! Sorry sis! Anywho, we arrived about an hour before opening and it took about 45 min to find parking. Parking was easy to find and we actually parked pretty close to the venue about less than half a mile. I was so princess excited as this was our first festival to attend since the Pandemic. As a fully vaccinated couple we needed - EVERYONE needed to be fully vaccinated or show negative test within 48 hours. They had testing centers around the premises of Bottle Rock. They did a THOROUGH check of our vaccine cards and had to be 14 days out your last shot so they weren't playing! Also upon enter they checked bags and wand you down. Make sure you bring ID as they checked everything!! We didn't have anything on us so we weren't worried and it was a breeze. We also got our 21 and older bracelets too. I got so many princess compliments for my princess outfit which was funny as the dude styled me so that warmed my heart that the dude has good taste in fashion! A lot of the Bottle Rock Peeps were so friendly and it was fun mingling with wine junkies! I was such a BUG to the dude as I can't tolerate the heat at all and it was a HOT day. There was minimal shade :( so that was tough as I was so princess exhausted and needed to take several breaks as the heat was terrible. We did find some shade and relaxed for about 2 hours while drinking Keto One cocktails- Fresh Watermelon drink was out of this world!!! The dude loved it. The dude liked his Rum Mai Tai which I wasn't a fan of. None of us got WINE haha we were so into the cocktails. I ate ice cream and pizza perfect princess food which I was so hungry that I didn't even take a picture of the pizza but it was good! I barely walked away from the dude as he was in line getting a snack and I was fan GIRLIN about Michael Villaggio I got hit on with in seconds of taking two steps away from the dude which we thought was hilarious! Evening was my time to shine as I was not heat drained and it was cool! It was nice to see Meg Thee Stallion as her performance was awesome and I become a HOT Girl that night!! Didn't realized I liked her that much but she is Black, talented, young and beautiful so sending her all the support! The dude LOVED it of course with all the twerking haha We did see some of the Foo Fighters maybe about 2 or 3 songs as they had those two headliners going on at the same time!! That would be my ONLY complaint :( like why! We wanted to see Meg and Foo Fighters why make us pick like that Bottle Rock! Maybe that's a good problem to have !! I love to dance. No matter where I am, I will dance if a good tune is on which good tunes were on all day! Probably why I was so exhausted from the heat. Overall, there was ample seating, beautiful decor and lively entertainment. I seriously love the culinary stage as 98.99% of my TV time is watching cooking shows and learning who the upcoming Chefs are! So it was awesome to see a few familiar faces in public. I wanted to meet Guy Fieri so bad :( but he was lost in the crowd haha Anyways the dude and I would like to make it a tradition to come out to Bottle Rock the dude made sure I was pampered all day and put my needs before his which was so thoughtful (he held my princess umbrella at times I couldn't, put up with all my princess shenanigans haha he is a TROOPER). See you next year Bottle Rock!

This was our first time at Bottlerock and our first time taking our kids to a music festival. We had the absolute time of our lives!! We purchased general admission 3 Day passes. This event was advertised as a family friendly event and there were definitely some great amenities for families. For anyone with a wagon or stroller and children age 6 or under, you entered in the ADA/Family line. This line was wider to allow for strollers and wheelchairs, plus extra staff to help search bags and strollers. Having this line made our entry into the event smooth and the line was shorter than general admission. As soon as we entered, there is a Little Rockers zone where kids can get face paint, tinsel and glitter in their hair, spray on (wash out) hair color, temporary tattoos, and more. There were also art projects for the kids, a drum circle and clean port o potty's just for families with young kids. Friday was very calm, there were great bands playing and it was super easy to move around the event. My kids loved rocking out to Metallica with us! It was such an epic moment to share together as a family. We enjoyed some really good food (tri tip tot-chos anyone?) and cocktails. The lines were super short earlier in the day and not too overcrowded in the evening. My only complaint was that the bathrooms were literally overflowing by the end of the day and it was hard find a decently clean one to use. If you plan to attend with kids, I definitely recommend Friday as your best day to come. Saturday was extremely crowded from the get go, security was being super strict and had changed some of the rules for what was allowed in without any notice, and a lot of people were being turned away. It was a bit longer of a wait to enter because of this, but eventually we made it in. Lines were much longer and it was a little more difficult to move from stage to stage, but we still enjoyed ourselves. My daughter and I love P!nk, so we headed over to the culinary stage to try and see her. We came early and we're able to make our way to the front. P!nk saw my daughter's homemade shirt asking her daughter, Willow, to be friends and chatted with her from the stage. It was truly an amazing moment that we will never forget! Sunday was the final day and the headliners were P!nk and Luke Combs! We were really wanting to see both shows, but unfortunately they were on at the same time. With this being the most crowded day of the event (sold out!), it was pretty difficult to move from stage to stage. We decided to watch P!nk because she's our absolute favorite. Her performance did not disappoint! Her daughter sang with her on stage, she had an amazing set list and her encore performance was fire! Who else flies through the air, into the crowd, at Bottlerock?! Epic weekend, a great family experience. We can't wait to come back next year!

This was my first Bottle Rock. I had a blast. There was so many food options and beverage options. There was five stages plus the culinary stage going on all day. You get to pick and wander around the festival. So you can plan out your day if you want to. The Foo Fighters were the main act on Sunday and tore the house down. They were amazing to say the least. I will be back.

Great entertainment venue, one problem is with helping the businesses and traffic around them. Bottlerock needs to make sure the the Nearby businesses can get to their destinations safely , I was told this morning that I could not go to my place of business because I did not have a pass. Not one person ever came to my company to tell us this or to give us these passes. We have been dealing with this problem since the started and it needs to be addressed .

This festival rocked. This festival has really attracted some great artists and was a blast to attend. All the amenities were plentiful where you didn't have to wait long to get any food or drink. Most of the lines I saw were for the security, shops and special events. We saw some great performances by Sheryl Crow, the National, RHCP and a bit of Warren G. Great times had by a grateful bf.

We did a one day pass for my family of four. This day was very fun!! But this was the most expensive thing we have ever done in 24 hours.. with lodging and tickets and food and a few drinks our total for one day was around 1600$ which to me seems crazy. I could of taken my family on a week long cruise to Mexico for this!! They also over charged our Venmo for numerous items... the venue was nice great artist but you had better be a Dr. Or lawyer to take your family for the whole weekend..

This was my first Bottlerock experience so I was not sure what to expect except music, a lot of people and a lot less money in my bank by the end of the weekend. That about sums it up actually. We decided to take the festival supported shuttle for all 3 days to avoid the nightmare of parking and traffic that I knew would be the case for the small town of Napa and our local roads. I think for the service we received the value in the shuttle was there for sure and if I did the festival again I'd probably do the bus again. Probably. My biggest gripe is that gates opened at 11:30 each day but we never got into the festival before 12:30. The first day the driver got lost and looped us through Sonoma so we didn't get there till almost 2!! How do you hire bus drivers that don't know where they are going?!! Onto the festival, the music was great! Good variety to choose from and we definitely explored some new talent and were able to shake a tail feather throughout the weekend. My highlights not in order; Billy Idol, Earth Wind & Fire, Silverado Pickups, Lake Street View, The Aces, Moonalice, Snoop Dog, Bruno Mars. There was enough draw for us that we wanted to see all three days and the festival didn't disappoint. We barely spent time at the Culinary stage because it was pretty crowded and is located in the main thoroughfare between the two main stages. It's also where most of the food is, so a lot of people are also there. I would have liked to capitalize on this more but most of the time someone interesting to me was on this stage was also a cool musical act. Music won. I wish I had seen the worlds largest gin and juice though! I knew going into it the festival was not going to be cheap and since we could not bring any of our own food or drinks we were at the mercy of what's available. I gave in and enjoyed Blackbird Wines all weekend which was awesome; but some pours for other wines and bubbles got up to $21/glass that I saw. That's crazy. I liked everything we ate; nothing stands out besides The Chairman for something so delicious I need it again. Biggest complaint was all the trash. People are selfish and there were 120,000 people there so too many with their own agendas unfortunately. I cleaned up after myself but that isn't really something to boast about because everyone should. I wish the festival would educate concert goers more to bring more attention to it. They certainly had enough cans and receptacles all over to support the crowds. It's a fun event. Go, enjoy, know it won't be cheap, wear sunblock, clean up after yourself, and dance.

just a big money grab over priced shit food staff is clueless $10 for a6oz coffee $65 for a win that rivals 2buck chuck they even allowed a car dealership to fly an add plane directly over the audience during the show always great to hear air plane noise with your favorite band not going back wish I could give a galaxy of negative stars

If u wanna get yelled at for dancing then go here. Worst festival I've been do. No mosh no nothing. Music was quiet.

My first visit to Bottle Rock! Had wanted to do 3 days, but only had time for 1 and was thrilled they offered 1 day passes. Tickets: 1 day GA pass ($149). They claim they only have 1 authorized reseller for their tickets. Purchased my ticket from StubHub and learned after the fact that StubHub was not an "authorized" reseller. However, I got my ticket cheaper than what it originally sold for ($78+fees). Transportation: Took a Lyft to and from and it was smooth. Entry: Very smooth. No line and was immediately inside. Bands: House of Pain, Ben Harper, Ani DiFranco, The Shelters and TOM PETTY! Activities: My favorite hands down was the Silent Disco. Basically, they have an area that is marked off with a DJ and when you enter they hand you headphones with the beats blaring and you can totally get lost in the music. However, its odd to observe without the headphones because it looks like a bunch of people dancing silently. Culinary stage: Didn't catch any of this. Food: Excellent options. Definitely had some higher end items. Highlight was our fish tacos and fried pickles. Beer: Craft beer selections in several spots and the lines moved fast. Wine: Loved the wine tent! Wide selection, but the lines were a bit long at times. I find Coachella the mecca of music festivals, but had a relaxing great day of sun, wine, music & eats at Bottle Rock.

2019: 1st Time Festival Go-ers and Observations. So, full disclosure. I actually WON two 3 day GA passes in a local contest. Sweet and cool, 'cause I prolly would never have shelled out $300+ for individual event passes. Our plan going was to attend Friday, skip Saturday and return Sunday as we live within 12mi of the venue. The 1st thing that anyone unfamiliar with this annual mega-event must know is that it's DEF not for the thrifty or budget-minded patron. In addition to the pricey tickets, you've got $80-$100 daily parking, basic lodging @ around $400/night (think Comfort Inn quality that normally goes for $100/night), and typical jacked-up festival food prices. In short, this fest could easily set you back thousands of dollars. Not trying to scare folks away from the event, just speaking to the financials. Having said that, the vibe is right and it's a pretty cool fest to do at least 1 time in your life. We met some really cool folks, several of whom came serious distance to attend the fest (Australia, U.K., Europe, etc). It's both an international & local festival. Overall, the weather sadly didn't cooperate this year, especially Sunday. This caused us to regretfully forego Sunday's nice lineup, which included co-headliner Santana, an act I've always wanted to see. We ultimately didn't feel up to challenging the overflow crowds, traffic or chancing illness in the rain, mud, wind and generally yucky weather that day. Definitely not your typical kick-off to Summer weather this year (although Friday was admittedly perfect). Must Have Accessories for the festival: Sunscreen, blanket(s), re-usable water bottles. earplugs (?) and layer-able clothing, including a jacket for the very cool night-time temps. Leave the lawn chairs, tents, canopies, flags, camcorders and professional cameras at home, as those items are restricted from the venue. Cheapskates, tight-wads and those sold out of the show can get a decent sampling of the main stage acts for free just off Silverado Trail Rd. which runs directly adjacent to the venue. Finally, you mustn't fear large crowds and occasional jostling with same, as the fest normally packs somewhere around 40,000 people daily within the venue. Nightmare pre and post event traffic conditions. To be tried and experienced at least once in your lifetime.

I've gone to Bottle Rock every year that it's been offered. I used to live 4 blocks away and now I live about 8 blocks away. I like to buy a 3-day pass to have in and out privileges. When I get sleepy I go home and take a nap. Good -music - they seem to try to please everyone with some small acts thrown in. I'm always entertained. -shade - selling wineries always have a shady tent with comfy furniture. Good to chill. The small stage and Lagunitas stages are shady. The 'tweener stage is shady. The spa is shady. You can find a place to chill if you like. -food-the food is good! It's Napa prices - I don't find the food expensive at all for the quality and inconvenience to the restaurants -drink-so.damn.good Cocktails are good, wine is great, beer is great -intimate grounds-between-stage commute time is fine -sound dynamics-they somehow found a way to limit stage interference. I'm not a crowd fanatic but considering how close it is to my house and the caliber of music, I do like to go every year.

I think I can review this festival because I attended this festival twice. One in 2016 and this year 2018. My first year in this festival, I just got stuck in the main stage coz I didn't know any better. .I was a rookie, a newbie, or whatever you want to call it. Yes, I had a very good view of the artists ie Luminaires, Benjamins, and of course my most favorite rock band The Red Hot Chili Peppers (RCHP) baby!! But when I got there early not knowing what to expect the area I was in gets...let me get back to this...tbc

Bottle rock is a full outdoor musical, wine, and culinary experience. It's packed with people and fairly expensive for food and drink after paying an arm and a leg to get the per day entry. That being said, we have had some amazing experiences seeing our favorite bands, performers, and food network stars. There are new artists to discover and surprise visits from celebs set to perform another day or another time or just there to have the same experience as you. There is an even more elite VIP experience. Hotels really stick it to you for the long weekend, but I would hate to have to drive out to get a good deal on lodging. While in town experience the newly upgraded downtown of Napa. The city gets better and better every year. I used to cringe if I had to stay in downtown Napa now I prefer it. We always stay walking distance from the festivities. All the bars and shops prepare for the massive influx of people during the event. As with any concert there are rude or clueless people who prefer to share their smoke, and vapes directly into your face or at least general direction weather you want it or not. It's funny how hard the nation worked to get smoking out of most public places for decades, but all of a sudden half the population feels the need to smoke weed in every place possible. Obviously, I know nothing about weed or how it enhances your ability to hear great music, but eat it, vape it, or any other possible way but please don't smoke it right next to me in a crown of 100K people trying to enjoy the concert. Most of us, even most users don't want to suck in your foul smelling blunt. The festival specifically asked you not to bring weed or tobacco yet they have a place to buy it right on site and they they ask you to leave the venue to pick it up and bring it back in. "Rant over". It is great to walk up to that culinary stage and see some of our hero's from our favorite cooking shows paired with the celebrities set to play that evening. After the shutdowns the last two BottleRock concerts have resulted in the artists truly enjoying, once again, to be on front of huge appreciative crowds.

We celebrated a good friend's big birthday party at Bottle Rock this past weekend and it was AMAZING. She purchased SPG VIP tickets for Saturday and we had a TRUE VIP experience. We didn't have to wait in any lines, we had prime seating, bar bites, all drinks were included. I was THIS CLOSE to e40 during his performance, who was amazing by the way. We LOVED Snoop - he totally had us reliving our high school/college days. I may be back next year but VIP is definitely the way to go. Short to NO lines and no crazy crowds. It was an amazing experience and I will definitely return with my dearest girlfriends.

I fell in love with Bottle Rock when I first went last year to see Maroon 5. Obviously I was so excited to go this time around. I bought tickets for Saturday and Sunday, but I probably could've saved some money if I bought the 3 day pass. Saturday was probably THE BEST day for me at least because it wasn't so crowded. Lines were manageable and there was more places/spots just to hang out. Snoop, by the way, was amazing as well :) Sunday with Bruno Mars and Halsey was seriously out of control. It was WAY too crowded. I get that they want to make money but Bottle Rock definitely oversold tickets for that day. I mean if it sells out, stop selling tickets! Bathrooms were crazy, lines for food was hectic, and not too mention, food booths were sold out of food way too early! It also took almost an hour just to get into Bottle Rock...ridiculous I don't think I'm going back next year. It was too much for me this time around. Highlights: -Forge pizza is AMAZING! The cheese curds on their pizza is drool worthy. I'm coming back to Napa just to go to their restaurant. -The have sanitizing/flushing portapotties! -Excellent selection of beer.

One of the best music festivals in the Bay Area. Seriously consider splurging on VIP because it's worth every penny! Hubby got us VIP tickets for my 40th birthday so I could go see The Revivalists (who never tour on the West Coast) and Bruno Mars (who rocks). We've been to Outside Lands before but this was our first time at Bottle Rock. Drive up from Oakland was only about an hour and 30min with traffic and finding the VIP parking lot. Make sure you buy parking when you get your tickets so you don't screw yourself waiting until the last minute when they run out of festival parking. You could always park downtown and walk but there may be time restrictions on how many hours you can park so don't chance getting towed or ticketed. Once we parked, it was a quick walk through a cute neighborhood to the festival grounds. Our tickets were purchased through the Lyte ticket exchange so we picked that up at will call which was literally next to the main entrance. Be prepared to stand in line for security checks before entering. There is a whole slew of prohibited items including outside food so make sure you read up on that before packing up for the day. Don't forget an empty water bottle (up to 1L in size) so you can save $$$ on water by getting free refills at the water stations. This helps the environment tremendously too since it cuts down on waste from plastic water bottles. The festival is not too big so it won't take you forever to get from one stage to another. The best part is the massive selection of food options and alcohol. Don't be trying to diet while you're there! There are food vendors and an area with food trucks I recognize from Off the Grid at Fort Mason. We were happily stuffed by the end of the day from food and sweets! VIP section has its own separate lockers and bathrooms. If you are like me and DESPISE porta-potties then save up to spend the extra money to get in VIP. The toilets remind me of airplane toilets (minus the crazy suction) and unlike the regular porta-potties come with a flusher. There are individual stalls and the women's are separate from the men's. Thankful for that because I did not want to be dragging my pants through piss every time I needed to pee. The ladies are always much neater than the guys so I was happy we weren't sharing the same stalls. Another big plus was that we never waited long to use the bathrooms. Even when the lines got super long, they moved quickly so it was just a matter of queuing up to stay orderly but there were plenty of open stalls all day long. I think the longest I waited was 5min and that was at the very end of the night after Bruno Mar's performance. There was a shaded VIP deck but it was a ways from the main stage so we opted to just sit on the ground to be closer to the performance. We got there at around noon so there was plenty of seating to choose from. Also, they didn't oversell on VIP so even at the end of the night when Bruno Mars was closing out the show, it was not insanely crowded. People tended to be a little older and much more considerate and conscious of others as well in the VIP section. Some folks moved to stand in front of us to see Bruno Mars and the taller gentlemen of the group opted to stand behind us so as to not block me. Super cool of him because I'm really short. Overall vibe was just chill and laid back. We left our blanket many times and no one moved it or took over our spot. The bathrooms did go dark at some point midday I think maybe they were having issues with the power generator so you had to fumble through the dark while they fixed the issue but everything was back and up and running within an hour. Blankets ($30), sun umbrellas ($15) and sun block were available for sale along with Advil and other basics you might need if you forgot to bring anything. I would totally recommend this festival to anyone, especially if you like the musicians for that year's lineup. I highly suggest getting VIP if you can afford to because it elevates the entire experience so you aren't slumming it in the General Admissions section. Can't wait to go again next year!

I went General Admission all three days and had an awesome time! Great entertainment, food, drinks, and fellow Bottlerockers. I have been to many festivals and I thought this one had the friendliest crowds. The festival had a nice layout with the stages being close enough together you could split sets and far enough that you couldn't hear the other stages. I wish the stages had more design to them but they got the job done. There were several art installations throughout the venue to take fun instragram photos. The culinary stage was a cool touch, however unless you were in the first row or two forget about getting to try any of the samples. The food is located in the middle of the venue with lots of different options and a food trucks. The prices are fairly expensive but you get a lot of food and that's pretty standard for festival faire. They had a beer garden and wine on the perimeter of each stage area. Each winery had their own lounge where you could escape the heat, take a seat, play some lawn games, photo booths, and even get your hair braided. The security getting into the event was pretty casual and moved quickly. I brought a backpack with a blanket, sunscreen and empty water bottle (they have free water refill stations). I definitely recommend bringing these items because after standing and dancing for three days its nice to have a place to sit and you'll want to drink water because it's hot hot hot. We stayed at a hotel in Napa about 3 miles from the venue. Hotels book up months in advance so plan for this or get an AirBNB. We were lucky and diligently checked back daily and found a hotel last minute for a decent price. About a block from our hotel was a pick up spot for the free Napa shuttle called the Vine which we took every day and turned out being a good option for us. Leaving the festival took a little while but we knew it'd be a wait. If they keep bringing in killer headliners I will be back to rock that bottle again!

I love music festivals, but I won't be going back to Bottlerock after yesterday. I'll just list the big negatives: -Insane lines - one hour in security even at 2pm. -Way too crowded. This is the biggest negative. Dangerously so. Like, you'll want to avoid even the acts you came to see . -Long food lines. -Minimal (like set up for 12 phones) charging stations only until 8pm. 2 stars only because Snoop Dogg was great...

Day one walking in I was impressed with how well run things were. Security went smoothly. Water and sunscreen stations were a much appreciated touch. Lots of Security and Guest Services to help. We walked to the venue and were grateful for wide pedestrian lanes when exiting. The app was great and cashless bands were amazing. Overall we had a really fun event but there were a handful of disappointments. Days two and three had audio problems on multiple stages and multiple delayed sets. Three acts that were canceled without BottleRock ever sharing why. Minimal annoyances with crowds being heavier Saturday and Sunday. Frustrated to find a several of the advertised food vendors were only accessible in the VIP/Suites area. Just would have liked updates and transparency with changes and delays.

Okay Bottlerock, I have been coming since day one - but 120,000 people? That was way too many people this year. Love your music and festivities, love a reason to stomp around on my home soil, but really? Too many people this year. Either close the gates way earlier or expand. PS: I love you.

We went the first year and you could tell they had never planned for the chaos. Things have changed, they have all their ducks in a row. It was so well done and you could see the care they put into the event. I had such a good time and can't wait to go back next year. Thank you to all the planners who listen to the fans every year and keep getting better. This was easily the best bottlerock ever. My little town is way cooler now. I really hope more people give them a chance, especially locals. The price and availability of tickets can be insane but when you get there you realize how much bang you get for your buck.

So I've been to Coachella and a few other music festivals but now that I'm a little older (ahem) I'm much more inclined to steer clear of the crowds and chaos that stems from these festivals. However, I liked that 1) the focus of the festival was also on food and wine, not just the music and 2) that they didn't allow camping - which from my experience contributes to the drunk chaos at the other festivals. That said, I didn't really know what to expect at Bottlerock. First off, unlike other festivals you have your pick of 1 day or 3 day passes -which is kinda cool. We opted for the 3 day and glad we did cuz each day was different plus it allowed us a chance to explore different parts of the festival each day. The music was awesome of course - great line-up! Of course I was upset they cut off the Foos - my fav band but they did warn them I suppose. I also LOVED the culinary stage - that was actually some of the most fun I had at the festival. Seeing my fav musicians interact with my fav Chefs was hilarious! Other parts of the festival I enjoyed were the silent disco (who knew how fun this would be!) and the spa tent - so cool to be able to get a massage in the middle of the day at a festival! Parking couldn't have been easier (buy it ahead of time!) and the lines were totally do-able most of the time. Prices for food weren't cheap but not ridiculous either. Bathrooms were...meh, but what can you expect from porta potties. If I have a suggestion it's that they shouldn't allow people to put down blankets/towels in the first half of the field. All it did was cause chaos and fighting to have someone in the front row defending their blanket space when there are hoards of people crowding around. There's tons of space further back if people want to put down a blanket and it just doesn't make sense to allow that in the front.

As promised, here is a recap our 3-Day VIP experience & suggestions for a better experience b/c yeah, I've definitely experienced better! We stayed at a local B&B so did not have to deal w/ the parking / shuttle logistics others did so no comments here SECURITY: 1st Day = outrageous! TSA doesn't even screen as heavily! Everything taken out of bags, shaken / probed & an offensively obscene patdown.... just short of a cavity search. Not even kidding 2nd Day = unpacked / shook some things; minimal patdown 3rd Day = briefly peeked inside my bag then waived inside; no body contact FOOD: Not a lot for vegetarians unless you loved garlic fries - they were everywhere. I exaggerate a little but if the food maps had pointed out the veggie friendly stands, that would have been extremely helpful. Other Festivals do this & it's greatly appreciated RESTROOMS Needed more cleaning attention & the VIP restrooms were locked until Sunday which made VIP kind of pointless MUSIC Appreciated the diversity of the lineup but wished there was some entertainment between sets. There was only silence or random Toshiba / Sprint commercials CROWDS: Friday & Sunday more than manageable. Saturday was outrageously oversold, to the point of being unsafe. We left after Weezer b/c we were sick of getting trampled.....and YES, we go to a lot of festivals so we know to expect a lot of people but this was downright unenjoyable SUGGESTIONS: Providing a local Arts & Crafts area would support local businesses & provide attendees w/ a nice diversion / something to do between bands More shaded areas definitely needed ( tents ) - the venue was a flat field w/ zero shade / full sun & given umbrellas were not permitted, that sun was brutal & there was no escape! We saw Paramedics haul away 2 people for heat & that was just in our line of sight - I'm sure there were more heat emergencies Please keep to your policy of no pets - there were many furry babies there, who were *not* service animals & they were miserable - again, no shade & the music was too loud & the crowds too large for their safety. Do not schedule bands right up to the sound ordinance cutoff. I appreciate there is a sound ordinance but if the festival was scheduled for something like 11am - 7pm, this would allow headlining artists the flexibility to play a bit longer for the audience, if they wished to do so. It would also allow for more time to clear rowdy attendees, so neighbors could be assured of quiet by 10pm. *** Cutting off the sound while The Cure & Heart were still playing, was not cool! *** Adjusting the Festival times would also allow the option to see the headlining acts & still get a bite to eat at a local restaurant....b/c garlic fries for dinner doesn't cut it! Walking back to our B&B I heard many restaurants turning people away b/c it was 10:30pm & they were closing.....lost revenue opportunity! TICKET PRICES - offering same-day upgrades via FB for VIP & Platinum at HALF PRICE of what we paid for these tickets was completely bogus! Saturday saw both areas spilling over w/ people & I'm actually surprised the scaffolding didn't collapse. You seriously need to set your VIP prices once & STICK TO THEM. People purchase VIP for a reason & if that allotment sells out, so much the better for you (assured money ) & so much the better for us ( no overcrowding ) If you have room for additional VIP or want to offer upgrades - everyone pays the same price advanced ticket purchasers did! Would I purchase another 3-Day advanced VIP Ticket again? No. It's best to know the daily lineup before committing to all 3 days Would I purchase an advanced Single Day VIP Ticket again? No, unless I was sure they wouldn't be offered half-price at a later date & there were tangible perks w/ no threat of overselling Perks for VIP? Not worth the price - I suggest getting the Regular Ticket Would I consider purchasing a half-priced, VIP ticket? Maybe..... but that's the best I can do at this point. Not excited to do this again

Had a good time but they fuck you on everything that cost money. Do they really need to charge $13 for a Coors Light or $15 for a 4 ounce poor of wine? A double costs more than an entire bottle. $10 for sugar water lemonade. Etc.

They really fixed up the Napa valley fair grounds it looks really nice. Waiting for Maroon 5! We sat at a picnic table and comfortably watched the show! The food stations were impressive and there were so many choices. Gerard's paella is fantastic and the Southside food is always pleasing and fresh!! We may be back!

I have gone for two days and have yet to see a bottle rock. Very disappointing and misleading.

Yknow - despite all the other reviews, I had a really good time! I knew what I was getting myself into because I've been to a lot of outdoor concerts and festivals. Napa is HOT, there were going to be lines and food/drinks are $$$. If you go in thinking you're not going to be spending some money, then festivals aren't the place for you. I made sure to bring the essentials for the day, long maxi dress, sandals, hat and a jean jacket for sundown. I went just for Saturday, had to catch a few performances with my date (who was there for work) and be a shiny piece of arm candy. We met up with a friend and caught up a little bit, then we worked our way inside. Entrances were interesting, walked down a long residential street with driveways being used for parking (for a price, of course, smart!). We walked the whole festival, checked out each little area - food trucks, food vendors, wine vendors and free hand outs like Naked granola, yum! We danced around in the VIP areas by FOH - Dwight Yoakam, Janes Addiction and Kings of Leon. Great light show, awesome sound - and super fun set lists all around. I couldn't have had a better time - Napa, you're always fun and hopefully this festival improves with every year.

We travelled from Canada to see attend this festival. Night one Headliner Stevie Nicks (Cancelled) replaced with Chris Stapleton (Cancelled) and then was replaced with a mediocre replacement. Beers were 14 US Dollars and there was barely any shade in the park. Lineup was decent, but the Sound was below par and the food was extremely expensive. Furthermore, there were a lot of individuals getting their phones stolen at the park by pick pockets. Security was very poor. Weather was good, but this venue needs more shade and possibly some air conditioned buses.

I went with hubby for a one day GA on Saturday 5/26/19. First of all, the ground there is all uneven, thus making it very hard to walk, for people like me. Parking was a nightmare, and super expensive. Well, everything was super expensive. $10 for a lemonade filled with ice so you didn't get much lemonade, $10 for a very small glass of wine, $16 for a small burger, and so on. $40 for a simple T-shirt, $40 for parking two miles away! Basically you can count on spending at least $400 per day if you want to do Anything, like eat, drink etc. I give this festival a negative one. Also, the artists this year were pathetic! Super super disappointing. If it weren't for my favorite singer of all time, I would not have gone to this event. "Juanes", please don't ever go back there! There were mostly super young people, which is fine, but definitely not our crowd. Horrible experience and super expensive. Never ever again!!!

So many of the posts on this page are laughable... this is a summer musical festival in California. It's going to be hot, crowded, and a bit pricey. If you want to be up close and personal with your fave artist or chill at a pool cause it's hot, why are you coming here? I went to BottleRock for the first time this year and I really enjoyed myself! The lineup was good, the bathroom line didn't have a long wait, the food was good, and the atmosphere was much more chilled than drunk college kids everywhere. Here are some tips that will make your BottleRock experience better if you decide to come: 1. Stay in Napa, Sonoma, or anywhere less than 30 mins drive without traffic. Don't commute from SF, East Bay, etc. unless you are fine with over an hour wait of getting in or out. 2. Bring in an empty water bottle and some snacks. Eat before you come in so you don't pay much for food. There are a variety of food areas and most plates are $10-12. 3. This is a festival that showcases Napa meaning wine... and wine is ringing up $9-14ish a glass. 4. Sunscreen!!!! 5. If you want to be up close for an artist, come early to their set. I would have thought this was common sense but apparently it's not. Some people have waited years to see a band like the Red Hot Chili Peppers! Come early or don't complain. There are improvements that BottleRock has certainly implemented over the years which is great. However for future years, I am hoping they have more shade areas closer to the bigger stages. Regardless, thanks for the rockin' time BR!

This has been such a wonderful event in Napa. Day three is about to begin and I've loved every minute that I've been here. Very friendly and helpful staff attendants. I never had an issue getting into the venue or inside. The food and drink lines can get long but there have also been times when no one was in line. The food vendors have been amazingly delish. Things are on the pricier side but they are offering some unique dishes. There is obviously a ton of wine available for purchase as well as craft cocktails and beers. The acts: three day headliners for 2016 were Stevie Wonder, Florence & the machine, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Other performers there were Lenny Kravitz, Death Cab for Cutie, Ziggy Marley, Iration, The Lumineers and so many more. What really separated this apart from other music festivals for me was the celebrity chef events at the Williams-Sonoma Culinary stage. They paired the chefs with actors or musicians and did cool demos. Among them was my favorite, Michael Voltaggio but also on deck were Chef Morimoto, Adam Richman from Man vs Foods with a rap freestyle, and Gordon Ramsey just to name a few. Can't wait to kick Day 3 off. Happy Sunday Funday friends!

I have never been to bottle rock before and we had a blast this year. We attended one republic and imagine dragons. There was artist access, gourmet food, great drinks. The weather was just perfect. We Loved it. Imagine dragons were amazing! They nailed it. All the performances were extraordinary:) we will be back.

This was my first music festival experience and I had a wonderful time at Bottle Rock! I went to the festival knowing it would be hot, knowing it would be crowded, knowing there would be long lines, and knowing food and drinks would be expensive. However, if you have a positive mindset and prepare before arriving, none of this should phase you. I planned outfits that were comfortable for hot weather and then packed a light jacket for the cooler evenings. I brought in an empty reusable water bottle and took advantage of the free water stations to stay hydrated. I ate a big lunch before arriving each day so as not to spend as much on food. I arrived early to the sets I really wanted to see and avoided the last minute rush. I think the festival was well organized and laid out. The stages were close enough that you could hop around to see all the sets you wanted, but still spread out enough where you didn't hear music from other stages. All of the staff were very informative about policies and where things were located, and there was enough security to keep everything under control. The food stations and food trucks had their own areas and there were a lot of picnic tables to sit and eat at. I found that by 2-3pm every day, all of the tables were constantly full and all of the food vendors had crazy lines. However, staff did their best to keep the lines moving as fast as possible. Yeah, the food was very expensive ($20 burrito, $18 sliders, $20 personal pizza..) but the portion sizes were generous and everything had great flavor and sides. The wine and beer was expensive as well, but I found the few vendors that had wine for under $10 and kept coming back to those. Every vendor also had a great covered 'lounge' area with much needed shade. There were fun lounge themes that included photo booths, foosball tables, cornhole, and hair braiding. My friend and I wanted to stay at a hotel in town for the weekend. Everything books months in advance, but we were diligent in checking sites every day and eventually found a very affordable hotel in Napa a week before the festival. I highly recommend doing this and then taking the local Vine bus (free for Bottle Rock attendees all weekend) to the festival. At night when the festival ended at 10pm, a lot of people took the buses back. They hold a lot of people, but the staff did not honor the departure times at all and we were left waiting for 30+ minutes for the buses to even leave the station. However, I would probably still take them again to avoid the $40+ charges and traffic jams from parking at the festival. All in all, I had a wonderful experience at my first Bottle Rock! The lineup of artists was amazing, the Silent Disco was a fun and silly experience, the art installations were pretty and a great place for photo opportunities, and everyone - both attendees and staff - were super friendly. It was a great atmosphere and I'll definitely consider coming back again next year! :)

I went to the first Bottle Rock in 2013. It was a great experience as I got to see Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and it was truly a great time. Now, returning three years later, I went on Sunday, May 29 to see Red, Hot Chili Peppers. Well, from our location, Flea was truly Flea sized. What has happened to this festival??? How do you expect people to see the stage when you oversell the venue and there is really no chance to even enjoy the show with the 500,000 steady stream of drunks zigzagging in front of you non-stop during the performance, like a poorly designed ant farm. What a waste of money!!!!! If you want a very non-intimate pricey experience, being in the hot sun with several hundred thousand shirtless fools between you and your favorite artist, then this is your venue. I learned that if I really want to see an artist I love, it is worth the sound quality and investment to see that artist exclusively and a local venue. But the music festival is an interesting creature, if that is your bag.

Bottle Rock, like the Napa Valley itself, has been forged by disaster. Its initial festival was a financial&logistical flop in 2013; in 2014, they had streamlined things, months before the quake hit; the 2015 festival was a fundraiser of sorts, helmed by Michael Franti&Spearhead. Since people love cooking demos, and people love music, they combine both, like Macklemore cooking with Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg cooking with Iron Chef Morimoto. Bottle Rock has also been an innovator of sorts. Back in 2015, they had Imagine Dragons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wtfhZwyrcc and Portugal the Man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBkHHoOIIn8 before you heard their songs in constant rotation on the radio. Last year, they had one of Tom Petty's final concerts, and it was fun to see Maroon 5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CPYoGtI75Q rather than simply listening to them on the radio. Bottle Rock has improved over the years, they've learned from past mistakes. Parking is still an issue. This year has Halsey, Bruno Mars https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMivT7MJ41M (he'll be able to find strawberry champagne on ice, because it's what he likes, what he likes), Chainsmokers, Muse, Billy Idol as well as Earth, Wind&Fire.

We have gone to Bottlerock every year since we moved here and always have a great time. There was some misjudgment on a few acts this year. Some of the acts that were put on the biggest stage were not as popular as the acts on the next smaller stage and the crowds were out of hand. My major complaint is that there are far too few trash receptacles. They have containers with trash, composting and recycling which is great but they are few and far between, often at the periphery of the areas so many people just threw their trash all over the place. Even when people do put their trash in the receptacles, they are rarely emptied. By Sunday, it gets really disgusting. It should not be that hard to fix this problem but they never seem to figure it out.