August is hot in Healdsburg—both literally and figuratively. Temperatures regularly hover right around 100 degrees, necessitating shade and water throughout the day. Local activities and happenings are amazing at this time of year as well, keeping locals and visitors alike on their toes. This August brings with it a host of diversions to mark on the calendar. Here, in no particular order, are some of the ones that have piqued our interest.
If it’s August, it’s time for Project Zin, an annual fundraising event hosted by Chef Charlie Palmer at Bricoleur Vineyards in Windsor. This year’s gala, Aug. 18-19, is the thirteenth annual, and the shindig raises money for Down Syndrome Connection Bay Area. The event pairs some of the region’s best zinfandels with food from some of the county’s top chefs, including Palmer himself. Get your tickets before they’re gone!
Texas style is the star of the show at Goodnight’s Prime Steak + Spirits, a new steakhouse on the Healdsburg Plaza. The restaurant, which opened August 4, offers a beef- and bourbon-heavy menu designed to replicate the experience one might get in an upscale Texas steakhouse. The restaurant is the latest local offering from Bill Foley, who owns Chalk Hill Winery in Healdsburg and the National Hockey League Champion Las Vegas Golden Knights. (Foley actually brought the Stanley Cup to Healdsburg for opening night.)
Wine lovers and food-and-beverage industry insiders swear by Maison Healdsburg, a new-ish Healdsburg wine bar specializing in rare wines from California. The bar, located just off the roundabout near Lo & Behold, also is stocked with hard-to-find craft sake, craft beer from all over the state, and Champagne. Owners Evan and Jade Hufford and Ryan Knowles have created a vibe without pretense, a place where everyone is welcome. Maison Healdsburg also offers 30 wines and sakes by the glass—a list that is growing every month.