Below is additional information to assist you in planning the weekend.
There is a lot of great information in this little booklet including bios on all of our speakers as well as when they are speaking. There is a lot more than meets the eye at the Festival and this program sums it up nicely.
There are several comparable routes from the San Francisco/South Bay area to Sonoma. We suggest consulting a traffic app to check traffic before hitting the road on Friday and Sunday. If traffic is backed up from Route 101 to Hwy 12, for example, we suggest taking US 101 North to Petaluma and 116 East, then left on Arnold Drive, right on Boyes Blvd. to the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn. If possible, we recommend that you hit the road on Friday afternoon by 1:30pm at the latest, to beat the traffic heading north.
Sonoma typically enjoys sunny spring weather in early May, with average temperatures ranging from a high of 70°F during the day and as low as 40°F at night. Mornings and evenings can be quite cool, so please pack a warm sweater or jacket.
Attire for all events is business casual. All Festival presentations and breakout sessions will take place indoors. The Pavilion and breakout rooms are climate-controlled, yet temperatures can vary significantly depending on where one sits. Breakfast and lunch will be served on the lawn across from the Pavilion. Once the sun goes down, it gets breezy and can get quite cold. For these reasons, we encourage you to dress in layers, including a sweater or warm jacket, to ensure your comfort in every environment.
There are three categories of seating: Platinum Sponsor, Sponsor, and Non-Sponsor, which correspond to the color of your name badge. Ushers will be in each room to assist all guests in finding a seat. Seats may not be blocked off, saved, or claimed for the whole day or weekend.
Please be aware that Saturday night in Sonoma is a very popular night for restaurants and reservations are highly recommended. Some local favorites:
The Registration Desk is located outside the entrance to the hotel lobby, and open from 10am to 6pm on Friday. For later arrivals, Registration will be available on Saturday inside the lobby, to the left of the front desk.
Access to all Festival venues is limited to those wearing name badges. Please wear your badge at all times. Security requires that Festival badges may only be picked up at Registration by the person whose name is on the badge.
We appreciate your cooperation.
Though the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa has ample parking, how full it will get depends on how many additional events are taking place at the same time as our Festival. When space allows, guests may choose to self-park for free or at a charge for valet parking. If the onsite lots are full, guests will be directed to nearby overflow lots and then to remote lots.
A golf cart and driver are available throughout the Festival for any attendees who have mobility issues. Please mention your desire for assistance at check in, if possible. The golf cart will be located in the hotel driveway, to the right of the lobby entrance.
Our Festival bookstore partner, Readers’ Books, will have a selection of books by Festival authors available for purchase. Speakers will sign their books for you on the bookstore patio shortly after their speaking time. The book signing schedule will be published in the Festival program, on event signage onsite, and announced from the stage. A limited number of titles will be pre-signed, so unless you want the book personalized, you don’t have to wait in line.
You will find a complete schedule for the weekend here.
The safety of our attendees, speakers, staff, and volunteers is of utmost importance. We ask that you comply with any health mandates during the Festival and refrain from attending sessions if you have Covid-like symptoms. Even if it is not required, guests may wear masks if they feel more comfortable doing so. The buildings are well-ventilated, and the sessions are scheduled to allow attendees frequent opportunities to change their surroundings.
Because of the nature of our Festival, and out of respect for other Festival attendees and presenters, no children or babies are permitted inside the presentation sessions. All attendees must have a Festival pass to enter the session venues. The minimum age to attend the Festival is 16 years old.
For the comfort and safety of all Festival guests, please do not bring your pets to sessions or meals. They will not be permitted at any of the Festival events and may not be left outside the premises. The hotel has a pet-friendly policy for guests staying at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, which we suggest you discuss with the hotel concierge. Consider boarding your dogs at Sonoma Dog Camp or Vintage Kennel Club.
Sonoma Valley Authors Festival is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, tax ID 84-4846165
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