What to know before heading out to BottleRock Napa Valley

Nick Vides, Tony Moeckel, Michael Combs, Sean Young, and Peter Morales • May 25, 2023

BottleRock runs from Friday, May 26 through Sunday, May 28 in Napa.

A star-studded line up is descending upon the North Bay as the 10th annual BottleRock Napa Valley runs from Friday, May 26 through Sunday, May 28. Smashing Pumpkins, Post Malone, Lizzo, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Lil Nas X headline the three concert days. As the festival’s countdown begins, here are some new rules and tips to enjoy your time BottleRocking in Napa Valley.

Cash? That’s a thing of the past. Bottlerock has eliminated the use of paper money while on-site. Only debit or credit cards will be accepted while you dance and sip on local wines. Festival goers can link their wristband to a Venmo, Paypal, credit or debit card on BottleRock’s website here.

Backpacks, everyone needs one for a festival to carry around merch and blankets. This year, backpacks that are clear plastic, vinyl, or pvc are allowed, but must be no larger than 12″x 6″x 12″. If you planned on using your old school backpack to carry your accessories, you need to change your plans. Small clutch purses and fanny packs are allowed on site, but they must have only one pocket.

Worried about missing your favorite artist perform or anxious about navigating your way around the festival? Don’t be. The Bottlerock app will be your companion throughout the entire three-day event. Use the app to plan your schedule, navigate the festival crowds and find various restaurants and wineries. You can download the Bottlerock app on iPhone or Android.

Key items to bring to the festival are sunscreen, water, blankets and GoPros. While it is predicted to be a cloudy weekend, sunscreen is still a must if you don’t feel like soaking up too much of the sun while listening to Sheryl Crow on Sunday. Only non-aerosol sunscreen will be allowed inside the gates.

Another key to enjoying any long festival is to stay hydrated. While the weather will be in the mid-70s all weekend, staying hydrated is important while sipping on Sonoma and Napa Valley wines throughout the day. Festival goers can bring in a reusable water bottle or CamelBak as well and refill at the many Kaiser Permanente hydration stations. Hydration packets like Liquid IV or DripDrop are also advised.

About the Contributors

Nick Vides, Photo-Editor

Nicholas “Nick” Vides (he/him) Is a seasoned breaking news reporter dedicated to making sure every shutter click of his camera captures a moment worth sharing. Nick's itch for chasing fires has kept him busy over the past seven years, covering every major fire event in Northern California from the Paradise Fire to the Caldor Fire. Nick currently splits his time as a photojournalist with The Oak Leaf and as a Contract Photographer with The Press Democrat. He has more than nine years of experience with photography, has been director of photography for multiple short films with the SRJC Media Arts Center, directed numerous student-led broadcasts with his Media 19 class, and interned for The Sarah and Vinnie Show on Alice 97.3. In the little free time left, he works for Highway 12 Winery in Sonoma, California as a Cellar Hand.

Tony Moeckel, News Editor, Reporter

Tony Moeckel (he/him) is in his third year at SRJC and returning to The Oak Leaf for his third semester. He enjoys covering football, basketball and baseball for the Bear Cubs. He aspires to be a professional sports journalist or sports broadcaster.

Michael Combs, Intern

Michael Combs (he/him) began taking natural resources management classes at Santa Rosa Junior College to pursue his love of nature and the environment but has shifted toward journalism so he can share those passions with the world. Besides the environment, Michael also likes to write about politics, social justice and mental health. He has a bachelor’s of science in neuroscience and mammalian physiology from the University of California, San Diego, and hopes to get back to his roots with more science journalism as well. In his off time Michael likes to read, write and hike as often as possible in beautiful Sonoma County and beyond.

Sean Young, Co-Editor-in-Chief

Sean Young (he/him) is in his ninth semester at SRJC and third semester at The Oak Leaf. He plans on finishing an associate degree in communications and journalism this spring. Sean lives in Sebastopol and spends his free time listening to his vinyl record collection, practicing bass guitar and writing for The Oak Leaf. He hopes to continue to a 4-year college after graduating from SRJC to work towards a bachelor's degree in communications and journalism.

Peter Morales, Editor

Peter Morales is in his fourth semester reporting for The Oak Leaf and working towards a journalism degree, with his sights on San Francisco State. He hopes to take more photos of general news as well as sports. His dream is to one day accomplish something with his life, and cause as many problems to the status quo through storytelling and photography. "Who knows, maybe I'll destabilize a government or two before my mid-life crisis."