Worth Mentioning – August 14, 2025
Imagine Yountville Grant Applications Opened
The Yountville Community Foundation has opened the application period for the 2026 Imagine Yountville Grant program. The foundation will host an orientation meeting on Thursday, Aug. 14, at 5:30 p.m. at the Yountville Community Center.
The Imagine Yountville Grant Program is offered through financial sponsorship from the town of Yountville, which created the fund within the foundation to distribute the money through a granting program that will benefit the residents of Yountville.
The TOYCF Imagine Yountville Grant Program will fund projects that are accessible to and benefit the public at large with the goal of improving the quality of life for Yountville residents. The minimum grant amount is $2,500 and a maximum amount of $20,000 per year. Funds cannot be used to benefit a specific person or a for-profit entity. Matching funds are suggested but not required. Eligibility does not guarantee funding. The board of directors will review grant applications and is the final decision-making body in making grant awards. For more information visit www.toycf.org.
Vine Transit expands Route 29-BART service
Beginning Saturday, Aug. 16, Vine Transit will expand its Route 29 Napa-BART Connector to include Saturday service, offering nine round trips between the Redwood Park & Ride in Napa and the El Cerrito Del Norte BART station.
The direct route will provide riders an affordable and sustainable way to explore the Bay Area and aims to improve regional connectivity, reduce traffic congestion and support both residents and tourists who rely on transit. The expansion will make it easier for residents to plan a car-free day in San Francisco or the East Bay or access the San Francisco and Oakland airports via BART.
It is made possible through a partnership between the NVTA, Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the County of Napa. It will operate as a pilot program from August 2025 through June 2026. Both Vine and BART use Clipper Cards.
For more information, call 707-251-2800 or visit: https://vinetransit.com/vine-transit-expands-route-29-bart-connection-with-saturday-service/.
Boys & Girls Clubs’ ‘Big Night’
The Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Helena and Calistoga will host the annual Big Night live auction and gala on Saturday, Aug. 16. An online auction will be open to everyone for bidding from Friday, Aug. 8 to Sunday, Aug. 17.
The Big Night is the local organization’s biggest annual fundraiser. Proceeds support after-school programming, summer enrichment camps, mental health retreats for teens navigating trauma and anxiety, and pay for a staff college and career counselor at the Calistoga and St. Helena Teen Centers.
The Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Helena and Calistoga support more than 1,500 youths. The free programming provided by the nonprofit makes it possible for children and teens to heal, dream big and realize their potential.
Those who have not received an invitation but would like to attend the gala and live auction event can email Steve Martin at [email protected] for more information.
The online auction will feature one-of-a-kind experiences, buy-ins and Napa Valley wines. To view auction items, visit: https://bgcshc2025.ggo.bid/bidding/package-browse/.
County seeks Climate Action Plan input – Aug. 20 in Yountville
Napa County residents are invited to review and comment on the Regional Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (RCAAP) draft, which is now in the public review stage.
Through the planning process, the county’s six jurisdictions are advancing regional efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate-related risks. The draft proposes strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in key sectors, such as building energy use, transportation and waste management, while also addressing climate-related risks like extreme heat, wildfire smoke and severe weather.
Public comment is open through Sept. 30. During this period, residents are encouraged to review the plan and submit comments online or attend one of three upcoming in-person
Open House workshops.
Workshops are Wednesday, Aug. 20, at the Yountville Community Center from 6 to 8 p.m.; Thursday, Aug. 21, at the American Canyon Public Library from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, Aug. 27, at the Napa Main Library from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
To review the RCAAP draft, provide feedback or learn more about the upcoming events, visit: https://climateactionnapa.konveio.com/.
Atlas Home Health Opens
Founded by longtime healthcare leaders and Napa locals, Aaron Starfire, JD, and Robert Okin, MD, Atlas Home Health has opened to provide at-home health care in Northern California. The company is focused upon a personalized approach to recruiting and matching caregivers with patients.
“We don’t just care for people—we elevate their quality of life,” said Starfire, founder and CEO.
Atlas Home Health specializes in long-term home care, offering a full range of services—from memory care and complex disability support to transitional recovery after hospitalization.
“Our mission is to uplift individuals and enrich lives through customized, compassionate care,” said Starfire. “Whether a client needs daily assistance, chronic disease management or specialized memory support, we craft care plans that reflect their unique routines, preferences and values.”
For more visit atlashomehealth.com.
Mentis Youth Mental Health Festival
The third annual Mental Health Festival will take place on Saturday, Aug. 23, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mentis Wellness Campus in Napa. The free event is for ages 12-19 and will include wellness activities, mental health resources, creative workshops, mindfulness exercises, snacks and a raffle drawing.
In collaboration with more than 20 local organizations, the festival will offer teens a safe and engaging space designed to support emotional wellness, self-expression and connection.
For more information or to register, visit: https://tinyurl.com/8wtra96y/. The Mentis Wellness Campus is at 1272 Hayes St., Napa.
Between Logic and Light at Sofie Gallery
Sofie Contemporary Arts will hold an opening reception for its new exhibition, “Between Logic and Light: Material and Meaning in Abstraction,” on Saturday, Aug. 23, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Calistoga.
The free reception is open to the community and will feature live music by local musician Sharon Hedlund as well as light refreshments and wine.
Guest-curated by Startup Arts’ director and artist, Ray Beldner, the exhibition, on display through December, explores both abstraction and conceptual concerns, as well as a broad range of 2- and 3-D media. It includes works by six artists including Calistogan Arminee Chahbazian as well as Beldner, Delbar Azari, Jamie Bruson, Fernando Carnauba and Cynthia Sumner.
Ranging from carved stone and translucent sculptural installations to geometric painting and layered collage, the works examine the dynamic intersection of form, process and meaning. For more information, visit www.sofiegallery.com/ or call 707-942-4231. Sofie Contemporary Arts is at 1407 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga.
PUC Paulin Center Open House
Pacific Union College’s Paulin Center for the Arts (PCA) will host its annual open house and school year kick-off on Sunday, Aug. 24, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Paulin Center in Angwin.
The informational session and mini recital will take place at 1 p.m. in Paulin Recital Hall. All in the community are invited to attend the free event.
The open house is designed to give the community a chance to explore PCA and to build community between PCA families and set expectations for the school year which begins on Sept. 1. Attendees can socialize, meet teachers, tour Paulin Hall, try new instruments, register for private lessons, enter to win prizes, including a free lesson on the instrument of their choice. Instruments available for instruction include cello, piano, guitar, viola, violin, voice, trumpet and French horn.
PCA is a nonprofit community arts program offering private music lessons and performance opportunities for musicians and artists of all ages and experience levels. For more information, visit paulincenterarts.com/, or email [email protected]. Paulin Hall is at 1 Angwin Ave., Angwin.
Explore the universe at Napa Yard
A new program, Profs and Pints, debuts on Monday, Aug. 25, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at Napa Yard in Napa.
At the presentation, “The Universe as Never Seen Before,” guests can learn about the latest discoveries made by NASA’s High Energy Astrophysics missions and gain perspective on the universe, a place where supermassive black holes tear apart stars in distant galaxies, jets of particles stream out of smaller black holes and supernovae explode with the light of a billion suns.
Leading the conversation will be Lynn Cominsky, award-winning emeritus professor of physics and astronomy at Sonoma State University and veteran researcher with NASA’s high-energy astrophysics missions. Cominsky spent more than 25 years as a scientific co-investigator with NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope and the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory missions.
Advance tickets cost $13.50 plus processing fees, and tickets at the door are $17, or $15 with student ID. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit:
https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/profsandpints/-napa-universe/. Napa Yard is at 585 First St., Napa.
Submit an Art Piece for the Napa Lighted Art Festival 2026!
The 2026 Napa Lighted Art Festival is now accepting Call for Artists submissions. The festival will be held Jan. 17-Feb.15, 2026, in downtown Napa and the Oxbow District.
The festival is sponsored by the city of Napa’s Public Art Program
Submit your design by Sept. 1. For more information and to submit, click HERE.
Yountville Arts – Free Movie in the Park: “Bottle Shock” with Bo Barrett
Yountville Arts is presenting “Bottle Shock” in Veterans Memorial Park on Friday, Sept. 5 from 8 to 10 p.m. Bo Barrett from Chateau Montelena is set to participate, and Stags Leap and Grgich Hills wineries will pour tastes prior to showtime.
Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs, a picnic, beverages and friends. Pets are not allowed. Popcorn and traditional movie snacks will be available for purchase. Veterans Memorial Park is at 6465 Washington St. in Yountville.
Tickets are free but registration is required to assist in planning. Sign up for free tickets here: https://mynorthbaytickets.com/events/movie-in-the-park-bottleshock
Rianda House Alzheimer’s Walk
Rianda House is holding a one- or three-mile Alzheimer’s Walk on Saturday, Sept. 6, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Yountville Community Park.
The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest fundraiser for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. The walks are held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, calling on participants of all ages and abilities to join the fight against the disease.
Become a member of the Rianda House team by visiting www.alz.org/napavalleywalk/ and searching “Rianda House.” Yountville Community Park is at 2900 Lincoln Ave., Yountville.
New Grand Jury complaint process
Nineteen Napa County residents have been empaneled to the Napa County Civil Grand Jury, and an additional five residents were selected as alternates for a term that runs through June 2026.
The grand jury is responsible for investigating and reporting on the operations, accounts, and records of local government officers and agencies. Grand jurors also have the power to investigate citizen complaints about local government.
The grand jury recently made the citizen complaint process easier to use. Previously, complaints were filled out on a printed form and mailed or emailed to the grand jury. The new online form streamlines that process by eliminating the redundancy of printing and sending via the new digital format. The complaint forms are available in English and Spanish. For grand jury reports and more information, visit: www.napa.courts.ca.gov/general-information/grand-jury/.
For additional questions, contact the Napa County Superior Court Executive Office by phone at 707-299-1110 or by email at [email protected].
Design a Street Banner for Napa Día de los Muertos 2025!
The city of Napa has opened a call for artistic designs for street banners in celebration of Día de los Muertos. Up to 15 designs to be showcased in downtown Napa. This is open to artists of any age and background who live in Napa or Solano counties. Artwork must be related to or inspired by Día de los Muertos. Questions? Email [email protected]
Submit your design by Sept. 19. For more information and to submit, click HERE.
California Coastal Cleanup Day
Thirteen sites across Napa County are participating in California Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, Sept. 20, from 9 a.m. to noon. In Yountville, the Cleanup Day location has not yet been announced. Register for free, however, and you will be notified of the site.
Coastal Cleanup Day is coordinated statewide by the California Coastal Commission and local partners including the county’s six jurisdictions, Napa County Resource Conservation District, Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, Napa Recycling, Napa Valley Paddle and Napa Valley CanDo.
Upon arrival at a local site on Cleanup Day, check in with the site captains, verify liability forms, get materials and collect waste within the site boundaries. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own gloves, trash grabbers and buckets, but supplies will also be provided.
Volunteers should bring a water bottle and sun protection and wear sturdy shoes, long pants and layers appropriate for the weather.
For more information about the Cleanup Days across the county or to register to attend, visit: https://naparcd.org/events/cleanup2025/.
Connected Horse at Sunrise Horse Rescue
Sunrise Horse Rescue in Calistoga is partnering with Connected Horse and Providence Healthcare to provide free workshops this fall to people living with memory loss and their care partners. Workshop dates are Tuesdays, Sept. 16, 23 and 30, and Wednesdays, Oct. 8, 15 and 22.
Connected Horse coordinates horse-guided workshops for people living with dementia and their care partners. Programs provide innovative equine-assisted sessions that inspire connection and engagement and improve the lives of those impacted by dementia and their care partners.
At the workshops, participants will experience the connection, calm and communication that being with horses can bring. Sunrise Horse Rescue is a nonprofit horse sanctuary that rescues abused and neglected horses. The organization is dedicated to saving horses and providing them with forever homes.
For more information about the workshops, or to register, email Melissa Gerard at [email protected] or call 707-815-6258. Sunrise Horse Rescue is at 1400 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga.
