Festival History

In 1983, the very first Novato Chamber of Commerce Art and Wine Festival saw three wineries, 100 art and food booths and a few thousand neighbors. It was an extraordinary undertaking by dedicated volunteers and Chamber staff and was the Chamber's major fundraiser of the year. Most volunteers were members of the Chamber and Novato-based service clubs.

In the early years,

• Novato Youth Center provided babysitting at the Novato Parks and Recreation Center
• Elks Club members barbecued hamburgers and the Rotary Club provided sno-cones, popcorn and hotdogs
• Soroptomist Club of Novato sold children's toys
• Premium Wine Tasting included a cheese tasting and a champagne bar in Druid's Hall
• Novato Police had a Breath-o-Meter handy for Festival goers to check their blood alcohol content before driving home
• Boy Scouts volunteered to help keep the streets clean
• Wine glasses cost $2 and tasting wine cost $1.25