Have wanted to do a wine/vineyard run for a while. I have to say that I am very disappointed with…read morethis one! 1. Signed up for this event at an expo in SoCal. 2. Was led to belief it was partly in a vineyard, by the rep. 3. 10k medals on display were larger than 5k medals. In reality this year they were the same small size. 4. Runner's on Saturday were treated like second class citizens compared to Sunday's runners. The Sunday runners had a lot more at the end of the race related to snacks. They also had fresh strawberries and blueberries with their pancakes. I almost feel this was a bait and switch by the guy who sold us on this event.

This has to be my most favorite half marathon, I'm falling in love with Santa Rosa even more, and…read morethis running event has increased that loving feeling! Whoa that loving feeling! Thanks to the event organizers for putting on the most well organized running events that I've ever participated in, from the Pre-race Expo to the Post-race Expo. It's a smaller race (~2,000 runners), with the staggered starts-Full Marathon (6AM); Half Marathon (6:30AM); and 5K Downtown Run (7:15AM). Early starts, but necessary given how hot it can get in the area during summertime. Here are my Top 10 reasons to run: 1) Pre-race Expo at DeLoach Winery, one of the major sponsors. Enjoy free tasting too, and all Full Marathon participants get a bottle of wine with their Expo schwag. 2) Expo Schwag - All Men get a Lululemon bag of schwag and Women get a Macy's drawstring backpack of schwag that includes healthy foods and coupons. 3) Nice running jacket for all Half and Full Marathon participants; tshirt for 5Kers. 4) Cool spinner medal for all Half and Full Marathon participants. 5) Beautiful Course - Starting/ending in downtown, the course is so scenic as you pass through the wine vineyards and creeks, and underneath the trestle bridges. It's a flat, fast course, with road markers to help navigate. 6) Volunteers & Spectators - from parking attendants to the helpers passing out the water and gatorade, to the family and friends along the course. Such positive and motivating energy, especially when nearing the finish line. I saw one marathoner fall so close to the finish line, and the claps and cheers got even louder for him, willing and encouraging him to get up and finish! 7) Boston Qualifying event - Some serious runners here who run Fulls at 3 hours! 8) Plenty of porta-potties - From near the start/finish line and all throughout the course. Waits no more than 5 people deep, and no longer than a few minutes. 9) Post-race Expo at Julliard Park. Participants get free beer, coffee, and pancakes,oh and refreshing watermelon, too! Aside from the vendors like Zico coconut water and PowerBar, there's live music and even bounce houses for the kids. Special bonus seeing Snoopy and Charlie there for a short time, and got a pic with my beloved Snoopy too! I was a tired, yet happy camper! 10) Sponsored by Blood Centers of Pacific, the Marathon partners with some amazing local organizations from Open Table (providing outreach and services to the community's homeless), as well as the Weight Loss for Warriors in partnership with the Navy SEAL foundation, and One Team One Fight in honor of the 31 heroes that died August 6th, 2011 when their Chinook helicopter was shot down in the Wardak Province of Afghanistan. There were 31 runners wearing t-shirts in honor of each of those who had fallen, and funds raised will go to programs that support surviving families of all military heroes that have been killed. A few other tips -- Register early as the it sells out. This is becoming an increasingly popular running event! Also, be sure to book hotels early! This year's marathon happened to be on the same weekend as the Mensona Kennel Club Dog Show. All hotels in Santa Rosa were fully booked, and even in neighboring city of Rohnert Park. Thanks Santa Rosa Half! I'll definitely be back! Cheers and go get your run on!

I ran this race a couple of weeks ago and had a great time. Well-organized, great volunteers, great…read moreprizes (you can win wine instead of medals!), & a lovely (if somewhat hilly) course. Quite reasonably priced at $65, with the option to register in groups of four for a discount. I would totally run this race again & am planning to run the Wine Country Half in October, which is put on by the same group. You can read my detailed race report at http://sfroadwarrior.blogspot.com/2012/05/race-report-windsor-green-half-marathon.html

What a beautiful park with things to do for everyone! Play structure with lots of variety for young…read moreand big kids, train, carousel and horse rides! Felt like we didn't have enough time with all the things to do and will be back. If making a trip with kids to Sonoma make this a stop for sure!

This is a great park for families. There is a nice play area that has many different activities for…read moreall ages. They have po ore rides, a train ride and a carousel. That also rent out paddle boats and canoes. There are many hiking trails that hook up with a spring lake and Andel park so you can walk as far as you want. It's a great place for birthday parties as well. Many tables. Parking is rough sometimes on a busy weekend.

Ahhh, Harmony Fest - you are definitely an experience…read more Winged men women and children. People with tails galore. Dirty, loving hippies. Free samples of Honestea and chocolate. Bins set up for Compost, Landfill and Recycling (although I think most of the compost heap wasn't actually compostable...oh well) The smell of weed, nagchampa and people at every turn. Awesome art, fun vendors, crazy-one-of-a-kind clothing and jewelry. My only complaint is that for a Festival that supposedly boasts loving the environment, being sustainable, and being host to people who are eco-friendly and emotionally evolved - there sure is a lot of trash everywhere. Can't people pick up after themselves if they love the earth so much? There are trash bins everywhere...walk your barefooted self over to one and voila...done and done. This year Lauryn Hill was the driving force for me to come and I have to say...she was late and did her mic-check and volume levels for the first 10 minutes of the show... mmm not impressive. She sang some old school stuff at a very fast pace, probably to get through her set, which as stated before - was late. I was hoping I'd get to hear more from her vocally... you know, like super wailing some of her emotional, righteous sh*t... All in all though - Good Festival. I'd def go again.

2010 - the lineup was not so great. But still fun. 2009 -…read moreAMAZING lineup!! I have been to several Harmony Fest's and all have been fun. Some better than others due to lineup's. But all in all, nice to have such a fun Fest in Santa Rosa.

LOVED everything about our visit here!…read more Nitro City Racing is such a gem I didn't realize was so close to home. Very family friendly and inexpensive for such a big race track. There was a lot of open seating to relax while my son did his races and lots activities we enjoyed after his races with the arcade and axe throwing. While my son was racing I enjoyed the arcade and walked around the venue. The space is huge! Nitro City did a great job with the space. I'm looking into having my kiddos next birthday party here! Yes, they do parities too!! Staff was beyond helpful and friendly. Such a cool and unique place for the kiddos and family to have fun! 10/10.

Horrible from go!. I had reservation but did not start first race until 50 minutes after. They…read morewere not busy/ The place was filthy, bathrooms disgusting. Trash overflowing everrywhere. Do not waste you time or money. Place is going downhill fast. Cars broken, had to be pushed off track.

Great crowd, good food, nice band & great beverages served in awesome souvenir glasses! Love…read morehaving cool events in our little town of Cotati

I really wish I can say it was better but if I'm being honest watching the yodeling contest was the…read morebest part of our time there. They have you buy a glass to use for beer so I got the glass boot 20 Oz and the beer total was $38 and then $17 to fill it up with another beer. Way too expensive. The food was decent. Chicken wings were my favorite thing I tried. Also got the German donuts but were uncooked in the middle. Glad I finally went but I would be ok with skipping them.

We are so fortunate to have this enchanting ice rink right here in our county! I've enjoyed this…read morevenue for many years--taking adult lessons, hosting parties, attending their fabulous ice shows, and skating during the holidays when the decorations are simply magical. Snoopy's Ice Arena appeals to all ages! The Warm Puppy Café is absolutely adorable and offers a nice variety of menu options. It can get busy, but it's truly a charming and delightful spot to visit.

Had the Snoopy hot chocolate and it was exactly what you want on a chilly day--like a warm hug in a…read morecup. Rich, comforting, and just the right amount of sweetness. The whipped cream on top adds a lovely, creamy texture that makes every sip even better. Simple, cozy, and absolutely satisfying!

Updating my review since the venue change to the Sonoma County Fairgrounds: as I mentioned I have…read morebeen attending this event every year since 2011! I really like the larger Sonoma County Fairgrounds space (and appreciate that parking is included), which is airy and has plenty of room for all of the vendors. I bring my own plate and stemmed wine glass every year so I can quickly pile up the cheese and enjoy it while walking around planning what I want to try next. All of the vendors are so kind and truly enjoy talking about their products. Some of my favorite cheese vendors are Beehive, Laura Chenel, and Marin French. Some of my favorite alcohol vendors are Barber Lee, Griffo Distillery, and Gowan Cider. This year I was excited that my favorite ice cream place De la Creamery was there, and I loved pairing my Mexican Chocolate ice cream with bourbon from Barber Lee.

I love cheese..... love it ... love it .... Love it ... When…read moreI saw this festival happening I made a plan to visit from LA with my husband. He loves cheese as well so we thought to make it a weekend trip to Sonoma and Santa Rosa and attend these events. The food pairing with wine at Kendal Jackson was amazing, the cheese crawl was somewhat enjoyable at the Barlow but the marketplace on Sunday was a disaster. For over an hourwe were there the lines at the cheese stations were packed. You couldn't move around or enjoy anything cause there were so many people. To have a tiny slice of cheese you had to wait at least 10 mins in line. One line after another.... Most places didn't offer any crackers or bread so imagine eating pieces of cheese without any pairings. After a few stops I was feeling nausea already. I couldn't enjoy anything so my husband and I left very disappointed. I did purchase a few cheeses, jams, honey and spices. Probably that was the best part about this event. Maybe I had very high expectations reading about the festival and getting too excited for it. But seriously it was not worth taking a trip from LA. At least we were able to enjoy our time at the wineries and a short hike at Armstrong Redwood Park.