Casino Royale deals Yountville residents a night of their own
More than 285 people gathered on Aug. 21 for the annual Residents Bash, which transformed the Yountville Community Center into a casino-themed setting, complete with casino tables, dealers, showgirls, live music, food and wine.
Attendance was up from last year, according to Yountville Parks and Recreation Director Samantha Holland, who said the event typically draws between 250 and 275 residents.
Unlike many annual events in Yountville, the tickets for the Residents Bash are exclusively for people who live in town.
“We started this event for the town’s 50th anniversary as a way to celebrate with the people who live here,” Holland said. In a town that welcomes visitors from around the world, she said the Bash is an opportunity to turn the attention toward residents of Yountville.
“We all know and mostly love sharing our community with visitors,” she said. “We embrace the role Yountville plays in making the experience special for our visitors, so the Residents Bash is something we do just for those who live in town.”
Beyond the fun, Holland said the evening gives residents an opportunity to visit with neighbors and make new connections.
“It is just one small way we ensure our residents know how important they are to this community,” Holland said.
A new theme is selected for the Bash each year, with past celebrations including a Luau, Roaring ’20s, Barn Dance, Disco, an Under the Sea Prom and last year’s Sock Hop. This year’s Casino Royale theme was the brainchild of Parks and Recreation staff member Stacy Diaz.
Holland said that her team bounces ideas around while also seeking input from regulars who participate in Community Center classes and programs. After Diaz suggested Casino Royale, “we ran with it,” Holland said.
The Parks and Recreation team created most of the decorations in-house, while Full House Casino Events provided the casino tables, dealers and showgirls, and the Balloon Man of Concord provided balloon décor.
The Jay Silverheels Band, a longtime Residents Bash favorite, returned to perform for the 11th year. “Our crowd loves them, so we keep having them back,” Holland said.
Oak Avenue Catering, whom Holland credits as “wonderful to work with,” partnered to provide the food, while nine wineries and tasting rooms participated in the evening: Etude Winery, Trefethen, La Cave Wines, Peju, Grgich Hills, Hope & Grace, Stewart Cellars, Mark Herold Wines and Stag’s Leap Winery.
The Residents Bash is one of three annual events, along with Mardi Gras and Yountville Art, Sip & Stroll, that requires the department’s full-time team to be all-hands-on-deck. Holland credited Garrett Kuehle, Stacy Diaz, Rose Lopez, Katelyn Huss and Taylor Solis for helping bring the evening together.
“They are so positive, hardworking, creative and dedicated to Yountville,” Holland said. “It makes me very proud.”
Among Friday’s crowd were several residents attending the Bash for the first time, including a couple who happened upon the event and stopped to ask what was going on. “They had no idea but said they would be back each year,” Holland said. “They were so excited.”
While Yountville is widely known for the events, restaurants, wineries and experiences that attract visitors, Holland said the majority of Parks and Recreation programming is developed with residents in mind.
With the exception of Yountville Art, Sip & Stroll, other events such as Movies in the Park, the Summer Music Series, the Halloween Block Party, Tree Lighting and Mardi Gras are planned for Yountville residents, she said, although nonresidents often participate.
“Special events like these are low cost or free and accessible to everyone, creating an opportunity for everyone to participate,” Holland said. “It is an important way of creating space for our community members to come together.”
Holland has previously described the Residents Bash as her favorite event to produce, and that hasn’t changed. For her, much of the appeal is seeing how residents respond to the event, many of whom dress in theme.
“I just love how our residents look forward to this event and they talk about it for weeks afterwards,” she said. “I love seeing their smiling faces and how they all dress up and just the overall vibe of the night. It just feels really good.”
“I do really love this event,” Holland concluded. “My team really ran with it this year as I was focused on other things, and I felt a little left out” she added, with a laugh.
Holland said the immediate feedback has already been positive with comments like, “It was so fun,” “You guys did such a great job,” and “The card tables and theme were so fun.”
After years of producing the event, Holland said the formula for a successful Residents Bash has become pretty clear. “They want a fun theme, good food and good wine. If only I could control the weather,” she added. “They don’t want it to be that hot.”
Samantha Holland and Iren Jenny photos:
