Walnut Creek's Art and Wine Festival, a longstanding tradition spanning four decades, is undergoing significant alterations.
Walnut Creek, California - After four decades, the Walnut Creek Art & Wine Festival is shifting locations for the 2025 season. Instead of Heather Farm Park, the event will move to Civic Park and the surrounding Civic Drive corridor while Heather Farm undergoes construction for a new Aquatics & Events Center.
The festival, now in its 42nd year, will retain its usual schedule, with admission remaining free for all ages. It will take place on Saturday, May 31, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Sunday, June 1, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Attendees can expect over a hundred artist and maker booths showcasing ceramics, jewelry, photography, and handmade toys. In addition, the festival will feature a craft-beer garden pouring East Bay favorites, as well as a wine pavilion highlighting wineries from Livermore Valley, Lodi, and the Sierra Foothills.
Live music will be provided by two stages, booked by the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce, and roaming entertainers will add to the lively atmosphere. A shaded Kids' Zone and food trucks offering everything from lobster rolls to lumpia will cater to young festival-goers and hungry patrons.
Organizers anticipate a large turnout, with tens of thousands of attendees expected.
Civic Park, located next to the Walnut Creek BART path, will be easily accessible via transit, bike, or ride-share. Limited street parking is available in the downtown core, and the city will open the Lesher Center, Broadway Plaza South, and City Hall garages for a flat weekend rate. ADA parking will be available on North Civic Drive.
Road closures will affect portions of Civic Drive, Locust Street, and Arroyo Way from 6 a.m. Saturday until 10 p.m. Sunday, with through-traffic advised to detour via California Boulevard.
This relocation to downtown Walnut Creek has several advantages. It provides easy access for visitors via the BART, encouraging more people to attend the festival. The new location will also funnel visitors into downtown and support local businesses and restaurants. Plus, Broadway Plaza is just a few blocks away.
While this move is temporary due to construction at Heather Farm Park, it could potentially become the festival's permanent new home.
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The Walnut Creek Art & Wine Festival, in its 42nd year, will offer a blend of lifestyle and home-and-garden experiences, as it moves to Civic Park and the surrounding Civic Drive corridor for the 2025 season. Visitors can expect to enjoy a craft-beer garden and wine pavilion alongside artist booths featuring ceramics, jewelry, and handmade toys, creating an atmosphere that encapsulates both personal dwellings and leisure activities.
