Walnut Creek Art & Wine Festival: What Families Should Know
The East Bay's start-of-summer weekend: 200-plus artisan booths, two stages of free music, a craft beer garden and a Kids' Zone, free to walk into. It runs the first weekend of June at Civic Park downtown — not Heather Farm Park, which it left in 2025.
Season: Early June · Updated October 21, 2026 · refreshed weekly
- Official page: walnut-creek.com (Chamber of Commerce)
- Where: Civic Park, 1375 Civic Dr, Walnut Creek
- When: First weekend of June — 2026's 43rd edition ran June 6–7
- 2027 dates: Not announced
- Cost: Free admission and free concerts; food, drinks and shopping are pay-as-you-go
- Getting there: Free Park & Shuttle from Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill BART
Where it is now: Civic Park
Since 2025 the festival has set up at Civic Park, 1375 Civic Drive at North Broadway, while Heather Farm Park builds a new aquatics center. The new footprint is flatter, more compact and more walkable than the old one.
- Lawns and mature trees give you shade and blanket space the old fields did not
- Downtown restaurants are close enough to duck out to and come back
- Treat the venue as year-to-year while the Heather Farm work runs
What is there, zone by zone
Two stages run free music all weekend — Saturday noon to 8pm, Sunday noon to 6pm. A Kids' Zone keeps the small ones going between booths.
Kids' Zone
The family anchor: children's activities, plus a festival train in recent editions — the small, cheap thrill that buys parents another hour of browsing.
Who it's for
Under-10s, and the adults who want to see the booths
The two music stages
Continuous live music all weekend, included with walking in.
Know before you go
- Early-afternoon sets are the family-friendly window
Who it's for
Anyone — the concerts cost nothing
Artisan booths
More than 200 makers, and the reason a lot of people come at all.
Who it's for
Browsers with an hour and a plan for the kids
Skip if
You are pushing a stroller through the Saturday afternoon peak
Food booths
Festival standards, sold booth by booth.
Know before you go
- Lines peak 12:30–2pm, so feed kids early or late
Who it's for
Everyone, just not at 1pm
Wine and the craft beer garden
Long pours of California wine and a craft beer garden for the grown-ups.
Tickets
Tasting prices are not published in advance — bring a card
Who it's for
Adults; this is the half of the festival kids skip
Getting there without parking pain
Do not hunt for downtown parking on festival weekend. The free Park & Shuttle runs from both the Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill BART stations.
- Free supervised bike valet if you roll in on the Iron Horse Trail
- Ride-share drop-off is at Civic Park itself
- Downtown garages fill by midday Saturday if you drive anyway
No dated listings yet.
Exact dates land here automatically once they hit our catalog — we refresh weekly from 550+ Bay Area sources. Check the official site above, or sign in for picks tuned to your family.
Would you like a personalized local event newsletter?
Tell us what you like, and get a free weekly email of hand-picked local events from 550+ Bay Area venues:
Festivals · Kids' classes · Craft workshops · Live music
- Personalized event feed based on your interests, city, and age groups.
- Weekly event picks delivered to your email inbox.
- Search and filter the full event catalog.
How it works
Create your free profile
About a minute. No payment required.
Tune your picks
Choose ages, interests, and nearby cities.
Get your weekly shortlist
Fifteen event picks for you.
Explore the full list
Browse the complete local catalog anytime.
FAQ
Is it still at Heather Farm Park?
No. The festival moved to Civic Park, 1375 Civic Dr, in 2025 while Heather Farm Park builds a new aquatics center.
Does it cost anything to get in?
Admission and the concerts are free. You pay for food, for wine and beer tastings, and for anything that follows you home from the 200-plus artisan booths.
Which day is better with kids?
Sunday. It ends earlier and stays calmer, while by late Saturday afternoon the beer garden crowd sets the tone. Early afternoon is the family window on either day.