BottleRock Napa Valley returns in September with headliners Foo Fighters, Guns N’ Roses

BottleRock Napa Valley is back, with headliners Guns N' Roses, Stevie Nicks, Foo Fighters, Miley Cyrus and Megan Thee Stallion among the more than 80 acts booked in September to revive the North Bay’s largest music festival after a 27-month hiatus brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

For host city Napa and surrounding Wine Country, the three-day live music, food and drink extravaganza is the biggest summer entertainment event so far scheduled as the region begins to reopen.

Usually slated for Memorial Day weekend, BottleRock was pushed back three times amid the pandemic — first to October 2020, then to May 2021 and finally to Sept. 3-5.

“We’re thrilled to be bringing live music back to the Napa Valley this fall, arguably the most beautiful time of the year in Wine Country,” said Dave Graham of BottleRock Napa Valley in a news release.

Founded in 2013, BottleRock in years past has drawn crowds to the Napa Valley Expo fairgrounds of up to 120,000, including fans from across the nation and world.

The headliner announcement Monday comes amid increasing optimism about the nation’s post-pandemic reopening but also as lingering uncertainty hangs over big events that have been off-limits for more than a year.

The return of NASCAR to Sonoma Raceway in June is likely to prove the most significant early test of how such plans play out. And many aspects of public life could be far less restricted by September.

Still, this year’s edition of BottleRock is likely to be a tall challenge for festival organizers, who are betting on the momentum behind reopening, the pent-up demand in tourism and leisure spending and their ability to draw in new and past fans.

“We are happy to reward our loyal fans with a lineup that once again features a wide variety of genres, combining legendary performers with up-and-coming bands and some of the most talked-about artists in the world,” Graham said in the statement.

This festival puts food and drink on a center stage, as well, showcasing renowned chefs and rising food stars alongside celebrities and performers.

Details on what’s in store for the Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage are set to come at a later date, organizers said.

Guns N’ Roses (BottleRock Napa Valley)
Guns N’ Roses (BottleRock Napa Valley)

Some of the artists who were set to perform in 2020 are slated to return this fall. They include Miley Cyrus and Jimmy Eat World. Others are marking their return to Napa, including Foo Fighters, who headlined back in 2017.

Multi-day tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. PDT on May 20 at BottleRockNapaValley.com. The 2021 BottleRock Napa Valley daily lineup will be announced May 24, and single-day tickets will go on sale May 27.

Three-day general admission goes for $369 per person, while three-day VIP tickets are $849 per person.

All existing tickets purchased for the postponed festivals are valid for the September dates, and those holders have been notified of their options. Fans who want to pre-register can visit BottleRockNapaValley.com.

You can reach Staff Writer Mya Constantino at mya.constantino@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5220. On Twitter @searchingformya.

Correction: This story has been updated to correct the lineup; Red Hot Chili Peppers will not be playing this year’s festival.

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