by Louisa Hafstader
This Labor Day week is packed with arts activities–many of them free, from foreign film in St. Helena to Napa’s annual River Festival, complete with symphony and fireworks. Our picks, starting tonight:
For movie buffs, the St. Helena Library is the place to be on the first Wednesday of each month, when the library’s ongoing film series presents an independent or foreign film that has been featured in a film festival but has not yet been widely released in theaters. Sept. 2 it’s “Somers Town,” an award-winning tale from the United Kingdom about an unlikely friendship between two rootless teenagers in London. Show time is 7 p.m. at 1492 Library Lane, St. Helena; www.shpl.org, (707) 967-2805.
Thursday is bluegrass night in Napa, where the Pizza Hut at 3150 Jefferson St. hosts a weekly jam session from 7 to 10 p.m. The atmosphere is casual, the music is free and the pizza is hot. (707) 318-1913.
This Friday, and every first Friday of the month, Napa’s Wandering Rose arts network hosts an open mic from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Napa Valley Roasting Company, 948 Main St. at First in downtown Napa. Wandering Rose is a group of younger Napans, including students and recent college graduates, who are working to create a more vibrant pop, indie and experimental arts scene in the valley. Their open mic events attract songwriters, poets and even dancers; spectators are welcome and admission is free. Find out more about the group and its events at www.wanderingrose.org.
Saturday, Sept. 5, from 1 to 7 p.m., is your next-to-last chance until next year to take part in the First Saturday Calistoga Stroll. This monthly celebration includes free live music from bands stationed along Lincoln Ave, Calistoga’s downtown strip; wine-tasting tickets are $25 for two, available online at www.calistogavisitors.com or, on Sept. 5, at the Calistoga Visitors Center, 1506 Lincoln Ave. Need more info? E-mail alyson@calistogachamber.net or call (707) 942-6333. The final Calistoga Stroll of 2009 is set for Oct. 3.
Sept. 6 marks the 17th annual River Festival in downtown Napa. The free festival runs from 4 to 9:30 p.m. in Veterans Memorial Park & Amphitheater at Main and Third streets. The Napa Valley Symphony, Napa High School Marching Band and other musical acts will entertain as vendors sell food, wine and other beverages. More than a dozen local artists, chosen by jury for the annual Open Studios tour later this month, will be on hand to show and discuss their work; after nightfall, a fireworks display will light up the sky. www.friendsofthenapariver.org, (707) 815-2207.
Labor Day brings a double dose of New Orleans royalty to the Napa Valley Opera House: Legendary “Gris-Gris” man Dr. John teams up with the Neville Brothers for an unforgettable Labor Day celebration. Tickets to the 7 p.m.
show are $95 and $110; www.nvoh.org., (707) 226-7372.
Tuesday evening — every week, year-round — is the time to drop by the Oxbow Public Market on First Street for the popular Locals Night, from 5 to 8 p.m., when families and friends from around the North Bay gather to hear live music and sample specially-priced menu items from the market’s many food and beverage purveyors. 610 First St., Napa, www.oxbowpublicmarket.com.
These are just a few of the arts events enlivening the Napa Valley this week. For more, visit the Master Arts and Culture Calendar at the Arts Council Napa Valley Web site: www.nvarts.org.
