Intimate. Friendly. Creative. World-class. Giving. Accessible. Inclusive. Progressive. Welcoming.
We could list dozens of words and phrases to describe our Wine Country home of Healdsburg. The truth: Mill District has been here nearly a decade and we’re still uncovering the depth and breadth of the spirit of this great city, and what it’s like to live in what locals call “The Burg.”
Let’s start with camaraderie, as it goes well beyond friendly waves at stop signs, on the Plaza, or in local grocery stores. It’s engrained in the fabric of the community. And it’s always without judgment. To kick off Pride on June 1, Healdsburg raised a Progress Pride flag to honor its LGBTQIA+ residents. This multicolored flag will fly on all city-owned flagpoles this month.
Next, consider the creative greatness our town inspires. Sure, singer Phoebe Bridgers recently escaped to Healdsburg to write new songs, but locals are practicing similar forms of creative genius every day.
This out-of-the-box thinking is on display daily at Craftwork, our co-working space on Center Street.
It’s also front-and-center among some of the independent businesses that our residents have cultivated here, from Noble Folk Ice Cream + Pie Bar to Amy’s Wicked Slush. Hello Alice, one of our most exciting local businesses, just received more than $20 million in funding to provide microloans to BIPOC small business owners across the country.
Summer in Healdsburg is particularly wonderful, with recreation on the Russian River, and two farmers’ markets every week. By this time next summer, Tuesday night concerts in the Plaza will be back, as well—those are great opportunities to picnic al fresco, meet neighbors, and jive to live music.
Between galleries downtown, studios, and the inimitable Oliver Ranch up in Geyserville, we’ve got a vibrant art scene—one that grows with each season.
Local artist Alice Sutro just wrapped an installation of 22 line drawings inside the Harmon Guest House.
Philanthropy is a huge part of the Healdsburg experience, too. Our friends at Corazon Healdsburg bend over backward to make sure nobody in the community goes hungry, and that our Latinx brothers and sisters have ample opportunities to succeed. Similarly, the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Sonoma County foots the bill for equality in healthcare coverage to all.
Further change is on the horizon. Independent of the Mill District project, two other major development projects are currently underway in Healdsburg: the rehabilitation and expansion of two beloved city parks, and the construction of a new mixed-use neighborhood at the north end of town.
What’s more, Congressman Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, announced earlier this month that more than $13 million from the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure may be slated for the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) Healdsburg Russian River rail bridge rehabilitation project, huge news for connecting our community with others in the North Bay.
Those of us who’ve been here a while like to think of Healdsburg as a big, bold, and beautiful small town. We’re deep. We’re diverse. We’re a delightful place to call home. And we keep getting better.
