For seemingly all of time, vintners in Napa and Sonoma have used wine dinners to show off the fruit of their labors. The problem is, wine dinners tend to be stuffy and boring—that is, unless you wisely choose those with fire dancers, drone shows, and snowstorms that happen on cue.
We’re not making this up.
The aforementioned options are part of the wild and wacky TOWN dinner series (short for Traveling Off-Season For Wine Night). The idea grew out of a conversation a few years ago between friends and winery proprietors Arthur Murray, co-owner of Flambeaux Wine (1333 Jack Pine Rd., Healdsburg), and artist Alexander Harris (who goes by A3l3xzand3r), co-owner of The Harris Gallery Art & Wine Collection (320 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg).
"Seven Deadly Sins" TOWN dinner at the Montage Healdsburg(Kim Carroll)
Since the inaugural 2023-2024 season, they’ve planned more than a half-dozen themed dinners that have included multiple community businesses and wineries, along with a laundry list of smile-inducing theatrics such as Muay Thai fighters at the “Thai-ing a Bow on the Holidays” dinner at Khom Loi (7385 Healdsburg Ave. #101) in Sebastopol. Pegasus turned up (okay, a white horse wearing wings) at the “Banquet of the Gods” themed shindig at Montage Healdsburg (100 Montage Way, Healdsburg). And last March, TOWN pulled off a surprise drone show in the skies above downtown Healdsburg.
Season three of TOWN kicks off February 28th, promising a blizzard of antics from a duo that’s flipped the wine dinner model upside down and gained a dedicated fan club while doing it.
“I think it’s bigger this year than last,” says Murray. “It just keeps getting bigger.”
Three dinners are on tap in Healdsburg this winter and spring. Themes range from “Snowed In” on February 28th at Harmon Guest House (227 Healdsburg Ave.) to “On Tour,” April 17th at the True West Film Center (371 Healdsburg Ave.) to “World’s End” on May 22nd in the wine cave at Thomas George Estates (8075 Westside Rd.).
“The reason I keep doing this is simple,” says Harris. “I love watching people lean in, let go of expectation, and share a night that feels surprising, immersive, and [that] creates a genuine memory.”
The TOWN dinner "Banquet of the Gods" featured a pegasus.(Dana Rebmann)
Details on the dinner escapades are always kept a bit on the down-low, but for those wanting more, there are clues (and laughs) to be found on Instagram @towndinners. And in some cases, dinner themes like “Snowed In” give you a sense of what the wind might blow in—and how to dress accordingly. (Maybe dig out that cute fuzzy hat and scarf? Photo opps will be plentiful.)
Then there’s April’s “On Tour” dinner at True West Film Center. TOWN’s taken the quintessential dinner-and-a-movie pairing and aimed for the stars. The night will feature a special screening of Almost Famous with a Q&A session by the classic flick’s writer and director, Cameron Crowe.
The dinners have always been designed for guests to have fun, but with each season, the amount of excitement within the hospitality community seems to grow. This year’s series will see what might be the most guest wineries involved to date, including names such as Vérité, Taittinger, Aldina Vineyards, Robert Young, A. Rafanelli Winery, Leo Steen Wines, Thomas George Estates, and more. Healdsburg restaurants taking part include Asahi Sushi & Kitchen, Bistro Lagniappe, Guiso Latin Fusion, Dry Creek Kitchen, The Parish Café, Tisza Bistro, and Costeaux French Bakery. Jason Pringle, formerly the executive chef at Montage Healdsburg, and chef Ryan Fancher, executive chef at Harmon Guest House sister property, Hotel San Luis Obispo, will also have a hand in the action.
Prices range depending on the dinner. Tickets for “Snowed In” are $300, whereas getting into the dance party afterward is $100 or $50 with a cash bar. Tiered pricing is also expected for April’s “On Tour” dinner and a movie at True West Film Center.
// Keep tabs on ticket sales on the TOWN website at towndinners.com
TOWN's Spaghetti Western dinner involved a bank robbery(Dana Rebmann)
