Eyes Wild Open

2015 Wine Country Optics and Nature Festival

You've got eyes like a hawk when it comes to spotting an owl of a good time. So mark your calendar and get up to wine country for the 4th Annual Wine Country Optics and Nature Festival on the Sonoma Plaza. It's free and it's a sight to see! When: Sunday, September 20, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Where: The historic Sonoma Barracks—a California Historical Landmark facing the lively central plaza of Sonoma and within easy walking distance to fantastic wineries, boutique shops, hotels, and restaurants. So what will you see? Owls and hawks and birds galore, bats and falcons and live music and more! Over 50 Northern California nature organizations will be celebrating wildlife, wilderness, and the great outdoors. Check out works by renowned nature artists and enjoy a traditional procession by the Pomo Indians. Meet the people behind WildAid and the Snow Leopard Conservancy, plus get the buzz on the Urban Bee Lab of UC Berkeley. Even Smokey Bear will be there! With so much fun and cool stuff going on, how can you focus?! Very easily, thanks to the ten world-class optics companies who manufacture binoculars and spotting scopes. Leading optics companies including Swarovski, Nikon, and Zeiss will be doing demos and letting you try their latest products. This special event is free … so come to wine country September 20 and see!

The Wine Country Optics and Nature Festival is Sunday, September 20, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the historic Sonoma Barracks & La Casa Grande Plaza (20 E. Spain St.), right across from Sonoma's historic plaza and surrounded by wineries, shopping boutiques, hotels, and restaurants. Celebrate Sonoma's good nature. There is no charge to attend this event. 

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Perles Beach Angel Island San Francisco Bay

    Secret Beach

    A hidden beach and a killer view? Those are hard to come by, but that’s exactly what you’ll get at Perles Beach on Angel Island. Bike or hike to this beautiful pocket cove.

    View
  2. Cinematic Sonoma

    Longer days. Golden light. Wildflowers in bloom. It’s the perfect moment to plan your spring escape to Sonoma for the Sonoma International Film Festival, March 25–29. No fuss. No sprawl. Just films, friends, fresh air, and that unmistakable Sonoma glow.

    View
  3. Hike Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve

    Mellow in the Marsh

    Beach, birds, ice plant popping purple flowers: That’s a hiking slam dunk! Hike about 2 miles at Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve using their easy to navigate (well-signed) Sequoia Audubon Trail.

    View
  4. A man is looking through his binoculars at sunrise at the Bayland Nature Preserve in Palo Alto

    Baylands Bird & Art Loop

    Combine an outdoor art walk and wildlife sightings at the Baylands Nature Preserve in Palo Alto. This 5-mile loop through Byxbee Park and the Emily Renzel Wetlands features striking installations by artists Peter Richards and Michael Oppenheimer—where the landscape itself becomes part of the canvas.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Tree Town

    Home to an estimated 21,000 trees and 100 acres of parkland, South Pasadena has earned its nickname: the City of Trees. This 2.5-mile neighborhood walk lets you experience its leafy canopy up close, winding through charming streets and three of the city’s beloved parks.

    View
  2. A Better Way to Baldwin

    The Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook in Culver City is one of West L.A.’s most popular hiking spots, but most visitors miss the bigger picture. This 3.5-mile out-and-back along a section of the Park to Playa Trail offers a fuller experience of this gorgeous nature park with sweeping urban views and a few artistic surprises along the way.

    View
  3. Sponsored

    Warm Up to Winter in Reno Tahoe

    2026 is just getting started, but there’s one place already rising to the top as the best for adventure and relaxation: Reno Tahoe. The awe—and ahhhs—begin as soon as you arrive. G

    View
  4. A woman standing at the pond's edge at Ernest B Debs Regional Park in Los Angeles. Trees are making reflections on the pond.

    Urban Oasis Loop

    Home to the city’s Audubon Center, Ernest E. Debs' 282-acre park features a robust network of hiking trails and surprising wildlife diversity. More than 140 bird species have been spotted here. Birdwatcher or not, this 2.5-mile route makes for a gorgeous outing.

    View