Gay Summer Getaway: Sonoma County

Lazy Bear Week

There is so much to do in Sonoma County this summer to celebrate Pride Month and the LGBTQ+ community. Here’s just but a quick guide.

Summer kicks off in June with Pride parades and festivals throughout the county, from a long-standing tradition held at Sonoma Plaza to Healdsburg’s first festival, marking a milestone for LGBTQ+ visibility. There are a host of activities in Santa Rosa and Windsor, Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa’s highly anticipated drag brunches are not to be missed, and many wineries toast the season with special celebrations.

Here are three stand-out summer events:

Gay Wine Weekend

Gay Wine Weekend (July 18-20) in the Russian River Valley and Healdsburg wine region this year spans over three incredible fun days and consists of winery tours, winemaker dinners, a twilight t-dance, and a closing pool-party soiree.

Lazy Bear Week (July 28-August 4) in Guerneville marks the largest and most successful “bear” gathering in the world, complete with dance parties, campfires, live music, and lazy floats down the Russian River.

Russian River Pride (September 20) in Guerneville closes out the season with an event that explodes with color, music and unity in a community with long-standing roots in the LGBTQ+ community going back to the 1970s.

For more information and a full calendar of events, visit https://www.sonomacounty.com/experiences/lgbtq/