Hey Napa,

This week, we’re pulling focus on the nationwide ICE OUT general strike and telling you how you can sign up to local rights and legal observer trainings that keep our neighbors safe. But because we contain multitudes, we’re also celebrating the 25th anniversary of Vallejo’s floorless legend (time is a thief), and going behind the scenes of a "driveway cafe" that’s hand-whisking the best matcha in town.

Let’s get into it.

January 30 is ICE OUT Day
On January 30, the movement shifts from local protessts to a nationwide general strike. The goal is to withhold labor and capital from the system: no work, no school, and no shopping. If you absolutely must spend, pivot entirely to small, local businesses to keep the dollars in the community. If you’re heading to the 4 p.m. rally at Veterans Park with Congressman Mike Thompson, keep it smart: don’t post photos of faces, wear comfortable layers, show up in groups, and if approached, remember your right to remain silent. "I am exercising my First Amendment right" is the only line you really need. See you at the park!

Medusa Turns 25: A Quarter-Century of G-Force
If you need a reason to feel ancient today, here it is: Six Flag’s Medusa is officially 25 years old. To celebrate, a local former New Tech High student recently returned to Discovery Kingdom to recreate his 1999 debut photo on the ride. While he was busy recreating the 150-foot plunge, the rest of us are busy wondering how two-and-a-half decades passed since the world's first floorless coaster made its Vallejo debut. Yikes.

Protecting Our Neighbors: A Guide to Your Rights
Napa is only as strong as the people who live here, and that means making sure everyone—regardless of status—feels secure in their skin and their home. Local laws and the U.S. Constitution provide specific protections that are easy to forget in a moment of high stress. From the right to remain silent to the reality of ICE interviews, Napa County summarized the essential Know Your Rights toolkit for our community. Whether you need this info for yourself or want to be a better ally for your neighbor, knowledge is the best defense.

This week’s shout out is to all of you. Because here’s the thing: Napa is often caricatured as a gilded bubble of mid-palate notes and perfect sunsets, but the energy during the ICE OUT protest on the 25th told a different side of the Napa story.

A crowd of several hundred traded their Sunday routines for the overpass, protesting ICE tactics before settling into a candlelight vigil for the victims of the federal enforcement actions in Minnesota. It was a somber, decidedly non-touristy moment of collective gravity. Proof that the word community isn't just a marketing buzzword for a wine club, but something people are actually willing to stand in the cold for.

03 | Legal Observer Training @ Location TBD | 6PM-830PM | REGISTER
If you’ve been looking for a way to move beyond passive solidarity, this is it. The North Bay Rapid Response Network is hosting a deep-dive training for legal observers to document and verify immigration enforcement activities. It’s high-impact, boot-on-the-ground work that requires a specific set of skills—and a personal email address (no government handles allowed). The location is top-secret until the day before for safety, which only adds to the gravity of the mission.

31 | Gutter Ball Bowling Tourney @ Napa Bowl | 1130AM-630PM | $60+ 
The 6th annual tribute to Daryl and Joe Horn, two local legends who were better at making friends than most people are at anything else.

04 | Alta Heights Dine & Donate @ The Garden | 5PM-10PM
Eat a burger, fund a school. Tannery Bend makes "giving back" as easy as ordering another round of fries for the table. It’s altruism, but with better seasoning

29 | Open Mic Night @ NVL | 6PM-730PM | FREE 
Share your poetry, prose, or that unfinished novel you’ve been "researching" for three years. Napa Valley Writers hosts; you have five minutes to prove you're the next Joan Didion.

31 | Napa County AAUW Authors Forum @ NVC Performing Arts | 2PM-4PM | $50 
A morning dedicated to the local literary landscape. It’s the perfect excuse to trade your Sunday sweatpants for some "Authors Forum" energy and find out which local titles are actually worth the shelf space.

01 | Sip & Paint @ Azur | 2PM | $85 
Try to recreate a masterpiece while three glasses deep into a Cabernet. Azur provides the canvas and the liquid courage; your living room wall will provide the final verdict.

30 | ICE OUT Rally @ Veterans Park | 4PM | FREE
oin Congressman Mike Thompson and your neighbors to demand a better system for our community. No shopping, no school, no work—just the park.

31 | Coffee for a Cause @ NV Roasting Co | 11AM-2PM | DONATE!
Grab a drip and do some good. The Roasting Co. is hosting a three-hour window where your caffeine addiction actually benefits the firefighters who spend their lives keeping this county from combusting.

31 | Can’t Look Away Screening @ Jarvis | 4PM-6PM | FREE 
The Michael Leonardi Foundation hosts a screening that aims for the heart. It’s a purposeful night of cinema for those who prefer their Friday nights with a side of civic empathy and zero popcorn guilt.

03 | Fruitvale Station Screening @ NVC Little Theater | 4PM | REGISTER 
Napa Valley College kicks off Black History Month with a screening of Ryan Coogler’s Fruitvale Station — the film that essentially launched Michael B. Jordan into the stratosphere and forced a necessary, painful conversation about Oscar Grant’s death in Oakland. Note: This is the preamble to a larger discussion on February 11th, when Oscar Grant’s mother, Wanda Johnson, visits the Performing Arts Center for a dialogue on justice and healing. Mark your calendars for both.

29 | Joyce Manor Record Release Party @ Folklore | 6PM 
29 | Tom Petty Open Mic @ Tonewood & Courage | 6PM 
29 | The Cincinnati Ambassadors @ The Fink | 730PM 

30 | Chance McCauley @ The Mansion | 6PM 
30 | JoDavi @ Jam Cellars | 8PM 
30 | Sons of Cream @ The Uptown | 8PM 

31 | Shane Soldinger & Friends @ Tonewood & Courage | 630PM 
31 | Sneak E Pete @ Folklore | 7PM 
31 | Silverset @ Jam Cellars | 8PM 
31 | The Ten Tenors @ The Uptown | 8PM 
31 | Audio Mynde @ The Garden | 8PM 

01 | Jen Freebairn & Mitch Tobias @ The Fink | 6PM 
01 | Committed Karaoke @ Folklore | 6PM

Jan 17 - Feb 15 | Napa Lighted Art Festival @ Downtown 
Jan 19 - Feb 15 | From Broadway With Love @ American Legion Halll 
Jan 29 - Feb 1 | Yountville International Short Film Festival @ Yountville Community Center 
Feb 6 - Feb 7 | Napa Asian American Film Festival @ Napa Valley College

Check out our new CALENDAR page for ongoing weekly events and themed nights at your favorite local spots!

Feb 8 | Hungry for “The Big Game”
Stateline Road Smokehouse has your party kits.
Cooked By Gio’s got your wings.
The Garden and Heritage Eats and 1331 all have a place for you to watch.

Feb 14 | Get Your V-Day Plans Locked In
V-Day Planter Workshop @ Covet Napa | 10AM-1230PM | $125 
Valentine’s Sip & Paint @ Vin En Noir | 12PM-3PM | $75+ 

Other Notables
Feb 22 | The Sinseers and The Altons @ The Uptown | 7PM 
March 01 | Napa Valley Marathon @ Everywhere | All Day | Sold Out 
May 22-24 | BottleRock @ Napa Fairgrounds 

Want to see your event in Among Locals? Fill out our Event Form!

Most people wait for a storefront before they launch a dream. Denise Fabian didn’t. Every morning, from her own kitchen, she hand-whisks ceremonial-grade matcha into a "micro-foam" that puts corporate coffee to shame. There’s no counter and no espresso machine—just a pickup window and a "now or never" hustle. This week, we go behind the scenes of Casa Fabian to look at the beauty (and the "cringe") of starting small.

Meet Azula. If the Napa County Animal Shelter had a social hierarchy, Azula would be the one everyone wants to sit with at lunch. A six-year-old Husky with piercing blue eyes, she’s managed to pull off the rarest of canine feats: being an athlete without being a try-hard. While the breed is known for having a high-octane work ethic, Azula’s vibe is more quietly confident explorer than chaotic endurance runner.

Shelter volunteers recently took her off-site to see how she handles the real world, and the report is glowing. She’s the rare Husky who is actually effortless on a leash and treats a car ride like a spa day; No coaxing, no drama, all vibes. Check her out here.

That’s it for this week.

See you at the rally!