VinOlivo closes successful olive festival

The Sonoma Valley Olive Festival went out with a bang on Friday night with a large crowd clinking glasses at the sold-out VinOlivo event. The annual bash showcasing the best of Sonoma food and wine is the culmination of the three-month festival honoring Sonoma’s “second crop” – the olive. Sonoma’s first crop was not in short supply, either, considering that VinOlivo is produced by the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance.
SVVGA sold 565 tickets for the event and had about 15 walk-ups. In total, more than half of the guests were visiting from out of town. Twenty-four restaurants participated, as well as 48 wineries, compared to 33 wineries last year.
The Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau coordinates the festival, which includes several signature events, as well as promotions and smaller tastings and events throughout the month sponsored by local hotels and businesses.
“Our goal is to make sure that when people think of going out for a holiday weekend, that Sonoma Valley is top of mind,” said Wendy Peterson, executive director of the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau.
The festival kicked off on Dec. 6 with the traditional “Blessing of the Olives” at Mission San Francisco Solano off the Plaza, ramped up with “Martini Madness” on Jan. 9 and offered visitors another hook with the “Feast of the Olive” on Jan. 24. The Olive Festival is now in its eighth year.
“I think it’s now really reaching its stride,” said Peterson.
The goal is for the festival to attract attention and raise the profile of Sonoma as a destination. Promotions included a radio campaign and the bureau hosted some 30 representatives of the media with personalized itineraries. The festival was mentioned and covered in in-flight magazines, in Sunset and Via, as well as in numerous Bay area media outlets.
“From the historical blessing of the olives to crazy martini madness to Don Landis giving lectures on olives to ‘Spit the Pit,’ there’s something for everyone,” said Peterson. “It seems to have captured the imagination.”