8 spooky Halloween festivities in Sonoma Valley

Spooktacular Sonoma — trick-or-treat around the Plaza

The City of Sonoma and Experience Sonoma invite neighbors to trick-or-treat around the historic Sonoma Plaza on Monday, Oct. 31 between 3 to 5 p.m.

Wear a fun costume, visit the historic Sonoma Plaza, and check into the Visitors Center, located at 453 First St. E., then walk to participating businesses around the Plaza, say trick-or-treat, and have fun!

This event is for families with children 10 and under (though they won't be checking IDs...)

Ghost Train Boogie — a HalloWINE party

Fan favorite and the ultimate HalloWINE country monster mash is back again at Cline Family Cellars.

Dress in your Halloween best (yes, they mean costume party) and gather on the railcar deck for wine, bites, music and more. The “ultimate Halloween thrill ride,” this party is going to be off the rails.

The event is set for Saturday, Oct. 21, from 7 to 10 p.m. at Cline Family Cellars, located at 24737 Arnold Drive. Tickets cost $75, and can be purchased at clinecellars.com.

Halloween Marquerade at Buena Vista Winery

Buena Vista Winery is hosting an evening brimming with enchantment and intrigue at its Alice in Wonderland-inspired Masquerade Party.

Embark on a whimsical journey as you follow the elusive White Rabbit into the depths of the rabbit hole, where an extraordinary world of fantasy and wonder awaits. The winery’s mesmerizing Wonderland is a realm where curiosity is not just encouraged but celebrated, where the bounds of imagination are gracefully shattered. Here, the seductive rhythms of vibrant dance music beckon you to take the floor.

Delectable treats, accompanied by our most exquisite Buena Vista wines, await to tantalize taste buds. This evening boasts an unforgettable fusion of magical moments, fantastical experiences and boundless joy.

The event is set for Saturday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m. at Buena Vista Winery, located at 18000 Old Winery Road. Tickets cost $125 per person, $100 for members. Learn more at buenavistawinery.com.

Sebastiani Theatre’s Halloween Decorations Open House

The Sebastiani Theatre invites you to a special drop-in Halloween Decorations Open House on Saturday, Oct. 21, between 3:30 and 7 p.m.

Once again, the community can enjoy the amazing and artistic Halloween decorations created by that gifted, mega-talented “decorateur extraodinaire,” Susan Bellach.

Susan Bellach, along with her assistants Armando & Maria, have truly transformed the Sebastiani Theatre into a magical Halloween spectacle featuring, in the entryway, a spooky Halloween tree decorated with various Halloween creatures and lights and, in the lobby, a miniature Halloween Village and much more. Don’t miss the spooky musicians and the rattling, lighted-up skeleton!

The entire Theatre, including the concession area & restrooms are aglow with lights & decorations specifically selected and gorgeously arranged by Susan Bellach, a most multi-talented and generous-hearted person who has been decorating the Theatre for both Halloween and Christmas for the past many years, using many decorations from her own personal collections and outdoing herself every year.

Whenever Susan is awhirl with decorating at the Sebastiani Theatre, the best advice to all present is, “Don’t stand still, or too close or Susan will decorate you!”

The public is invited. All are welcome to experience this unique Halloween décor! Admission the Halloween Open House is free (Donations are always welcome). Drop by to enjoy free refreshments, including popcorn, cookies and apple cider. The Sebastiani Theatre is located on the Plaza in Sonoma at 476 First Street East.

This fantastic Halloween Open House display can be seen both after the first of four Witchie Poo Extravaganzas (starting at 12:30 p.m. under separate admissions of $15 for adults & $12 for children 12 and under and seniors, and prior to the showing of Hocus Pocus after the Open House at 6:30 p.m., under separate admission of $8.

Visit sebastianitheatre.com to learn more.

Mod-Podge pumpkin decorating at Dutcher Crossing Winery

Dutcher Crossing Winery, Sonoma's hidden gem with award-winning wines, has an exciting new experience “add on” to tasting reservations: mod-podge pumpkin decorating.

For just $30 per person, guests will be supplied with one pumpkin, pressed dried flowers, and the mod podge to create a masterpiece for fall decor.

Dutcher Crossing Winery is located at 8533 Dry Creek Road. Visit dutchercrossingwinery.com to learn more.

Haunted Drive through at Sonoma Valley High School

The Sonoma Future Farmers of America is setting up a haunted drive-through experience at Sonoma Valley High School, located at 1800 Denmark St.

The convenient scare is slated for Saturday, Oct. 21, from 7 to 10 p.m.

The event will support the organization, which promotes and supports agricultural education for local youth.

Canine Costume Contest & Pumpkin Patch at Larson Family Winery

Join Larson Family Winery resident Wine Dogs and bring your pooch by for our annual Canine Costume Contest on Sunday, Oct. 29. It’s a perfect pre trick-or-treat activity for the whole family.

Have a howlin’-good Halloween with prizes for best doggie duds and enjoy the parade showcasing everyone’s costumes. Pet owners and families are encouraged to dress up to complement their dog’s costumes.

Prizes for the contest winners include:

1. First Place: The winner will receive an exclusive "Circle M" membership, granting access to special wine club perks and exclusive events throughout the year.
2. Second Place: The second-place winner will be awarded a magnum of our finest wine, a testament to the quality and craftsmanship of our winery.
3. Third Place: The third-place winner will receive two complimentary wine tastings, allowing them to savor the exceptional flavors and aromas of our wines.

Check In will begin at 10:45am. The parade and judging will commence at noon. Guests are encouraged to make a morning tasting reservation to secure a table to enjoy all the creative and kooky costumes in the parade.

The winery’s back pasture has also been turned into a Pumpkin Patch, perfect for pickin’ and photo ops.

Pumpkins will be available to purchase for all Larson guests during tasting room hours, Thursday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October, or until the pumpkins run out.

Contest is free to enter, and entry forms are now available and on our website at larsonfamilywinery.com.

Pronzini Pumpkin Patch

Pronzini Farms invites visitors to play in, on and around a good number of rides, games and objects. Though you will find the obligatory bounce houses, many of the other offerings have an agreeably DIY quality to them, like the tube slide, a row of plastic tubes kids can slide through from the second story level of what looks like an old western saloon. Unlike the bounce houses, that’s something you just can’t buy in a store.

A number of other attractions require paid admission in the form of punches on a Pronzini Pumpkin Patch punch card, which visitors can buy at the front counter. One 25-punch card costs $31.25, two are $56.25 and four are $106.25. Twelve punches will get you entrance to the Haunted Trail, while eight punches gets you aboard the train to the Western Village. Other punch-paid attractions include the John Deere tractor ride (three punches), the Mega Slide (one punche), the Tube Slide (one punch), the bumblebee bounce/slide (one punch) and the Goliath slide (one punch).

Food is available on weekends at the Cowgirl Cafe, serving barbecue dishes on the deck overlooking a pleasant pond, the tree farm sloping up the hill in the distance. Sunblock is advised as this is a mostly shade free property, though there are tented areas, including a picnic spot, where one can step in out of the sun.

Pronzini Farms Pumpkin Patch is located at 3795 Adobe Road, and is open Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. -to 6 p.m. The cost on weekdays: Adults $5, 12 and under free; weekends: Adults $10, kids 3-12 $5, 2 and under free. Parking is free. Visit Pronzinifarms.com for more.