Advice to Napa as a Young Adult City: Do Not Fear New Things, Be Realistic.

     Had written a whole post about BottleRock Napa and all the things I didn't like about it. Before it was published I changed my mind. Realised that only focussing on the negative would make it a bad experience for me. Of course there are things about BottleRock Napa that will be problematic, but overall this event is going to be a spectacular showcase for the City of Napa. I have to be honest and reveal that BottleRock Napa did attempt to recruit me to be on their social media team in exchange for a multi-day pass, but I declined. What I write comes from my mind and heart, not because someone offers to butter my toast. Also, I no longer have a desire to listen to live music in a huge crowd, shoulder-to-shoulder & junk-to-trunk. Been there done that and have the T-shirts.

     Do you think that anything like BottleRock Napa would have happened ten years ago? No way. All the glitz and glamour in the press was about Napa VALLEY, not the town itself. Admitted, Downtown Napa has a ways to go, but in ten years there have been tremendous efforts to push Napa's momentum away from regressive and towards positive. Some of these changes are not going to work, but without change nothing can get better. BottleRock Napa is going to show thousands that Napa CITY is just as exciting as Napa Valley.

     This is the premiere event for BottleRock Napa. They have hired professional experts who have planned successful events in challenging locations. Organizers admit things will be crowded and navigating Central Napa may be difficult at times. They admit accommodations, parking and transportation for attendees will be crazy. They admit some businesses will face challenges they have never experienced. The organizers of BottleRock Napa are realistic. The residents of Napa can be realistic as well and plan ahead for what is going to happen.

     Several people have invested time, planning, and money to organize a music and wine event that other small cities can only dream about. A perfect location with ideal logistics does not exist in any viticulture region. The small-town Napa is quickly fading away (noticed the traffic lately?) and maturing into a small city. We can't stop it, but we can plan ahead.

     Might as well turn up the Rock-And-Roll and party while it happens.