Join us for a fun Thursday evening of trivia, tacos, wine, and good friends. Host and Americana songwriter/musician Michael Gaither hosts this weekly event starting at 7 PM each Thursday. Typically, 60-80 regulars and newcomers join us for the fun and the chance to win one of three bottles of wine. There’s no cost to play, and no reservation is needed.

The topic and associated hints are posted each week on the Instagram and Facebook accounts of El Vaquero Winery and Michael Gaither. The game consists of 20 questions related to the week’s topic, including five video questions and five audio questions. If you’re confident in your answers for the video and/or audio questions, you can play Double or Nothing. Michael may even perform a couple of live songs!

Chubby's Tacos will be parked outside the winery and available starting about 6:30 pm. They make killer Quesabirria tacos.

THIS WEEK: May 8th we will be celebrating (a bit late) May the 4th be with you! We are having a side game of a costume contest! Best costume wins a surprise item and of course 2nd and third place will receive a smaller but still great prize! Check out Michael's Instagram for clues and hint!

It’ll be a rocking good time. They’re comin' up around the bend with a heavy dose of CCR and John Fogerty hits and rarities. Jefferson's Revival is a Creedence tribute band composed of three veteran musicians who perform regularly in the Santa Cruz area. If you like CCR and want a rocking good time, come catch Jefferson's Revival. Jefferson Hancock's voice is excellent for John Fogarty and CCR! $20 cover at the door, goes 100% to the band!

🌸 Celebrate Mother's Day in Style! 🌸
Join us for Jett & Rose’s Mother’s Day Party & Pop-Up Shop on Saturday, May 10th from 11AM–3PM at El Vaquero Winery (next to Jett & Rose)!

✨ Shop local makers
📸 Snap a photo with your loved ones by Erica Carrol Photography
🎟️ Enter our raffle to benefit Monarch Services

Featuring: Basil&Olive, Brilliant Stones Jewelry, Farm Cat Marmalade, Jules Street Boutique, and more!

Come sip, shop, and celebrate the amazing women in your life

Just in time for Mother’s Day weekend, Sweet Voodoo is bringing the groove to El Vaquero Winery for a night full of good vibes and golden-era hits!

No costume needed—just come ready to dance your butt off to the BEST hits of the golden-era of rock! We play classic covers and mashups from the psychedelia of the late 60's, through the shredding EPIC rock of the 70's and all the way into the best of the 80's; Journey, Blondie, Zeppelin, Jimi, Aretha, Stevie and More!! We’ll get your body moving and your spirit soaring —just come as your fabulous self and bring your best dance floor energy!

As the “Mark Twain of American songwriting,” John Prine was one of the most celebrated singer/songwriters of his generation. A master storyteller, his work is often witty and always heartfelt, frequently offering a sly but sincere reflection of his Midwestern roots, writing about the lives of ordinary people in a remarkable and perceptive way.
You are invited to spend an intimate evening with the acoustic duo “Diamonds in the Rough” featuring Jim Rosenberg and Paul Logan as they perform a sweeping assortment of John’s many masterpieces. From “Sam Stone” and “Illegal Smile” to “Summer’s End” and “When I Get to Heaven” as well as the in-between, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry and most likely even reconsider just how you view this goofy ‘ol world we live in.

By the way, you may have already enjoyed a Jim Rosenberg performance. Jim is the lead vocalist for the “Not So Young” Neil Young Tribute band which has sold out each time they’ve played at El Vaquero Winery. Riot BBQ will also be offering a special Mothers Day Menu! So so your mother the hassle of cooking at eat at the show!

Local musicians agree, these guys are great, they sound just like Bon Scott era AC/DC, just close your eyes and believe your ears.

We're rolling out the red carpet for an epic Summer Kickoff Wine Club Party, and you're on the guest list!

It's the British Invasion!

Get ready for two days of nonstop fun with back-to-back live bands, mouthwatering British fare, and classic desserts that'll transport you straight across the pond.

But that’s not all…
We’re revving up the experience with a classic car show right in our parking lot – a perfect pairing for the tunes and wine!

🎟 Your Perks:

FREE entry for you + one guest
$25 for each additional guest
Includes wine tastings, live music, delicious food, and party games!

Music will be from Eyes like Lanterns on Saturday and Edge of the West on Sunday! Both bands are highly requested and locally known, if you haven't seen them it's a MUST!

We're rolling out the red carpet for an epic Summer Kickoff Wine Club Party, and you're on the guest list!

It's the British Invasion 🇬🇧

Get ready for two days of nonstop fun with back-to-back live bands, mouthwatering British fare, and classic desserts that'll transport you straight across the pond.

But that’s not all…
We’re revving up the experience with a classic car show right in our parking lot – a perfect pairing for the tunes and wine!

🎟 Your Perks:

FREE entry for Wine Club Member + one guest
$25 for each additional guest
Includes wine tastings (16+ wines), live music, delicious food, and party games!

Music will be from Eyes like Lanterns on Saturday and Edge of the West on Sunday! Both bands are highly requested and locally known, if you haven't seen them it's a MUST!

About The Band:

Eyes Like Lanterns is an Indie-Americana act originally formed and based in Chico, CA. Founding member and vocalist/guitarist Joshua Cremer grew up in the Sacramento area, immersed in the indie/hardcore scene, before studying music at Chico State. Now, he seeks to bring a fresh sound to the Northern California folk-rock scene by blending indie-rock influences with folk storytelling, creating a new twist on a timeless genre.
​
Eyes Like Lanterns has played over 500 gigs at various venues and events across the country. With soulful lyrics and catchy melodies, E.L.L. offers something for music lovers of all ages and genres. Their music has been featured by the North State Symphony, and they have performed at numerous venues, including bars, coffee shops, cruise ships, private events, festivals, and breweries. They are also an established entertainment vendor at wineries and resorts throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains and Bay Area.

We're rolling out the red carpet for an epic Summer Kickoff Wine Club Party, and you're on the guest list! It's the British Invasion 🇬🇧

Get ready for two days of nonstop fun with back-to-back live bands, mouthwatering British fare, and classic desserts that'll transport you straight across the pond.
But that’s not all…
We’re revving up the experience with a classic car show right in our parking lot – a perfect pairing for the tunes and wine!
🎟 Your Perks:
FREE entry for Wine Club Member + one guest
$25 for each additional guest
Includes wine tastings (16+ wines), live music, delicious food, and party games!

Music will be from Eyes like Lanterns on Saturday and Edge of the West on Sunday! Both bands are highly requested and locally known, if you haven't seen them it's a MUST!

About The Band:
​
Edge Of The West is not just an ensemble, it's an adventure - a group quest. In the last few years the band of intrepid explorers has toured relentlessly, playing wild and remote destinations, as well as in big-city markets throughout the Western US. They have featured players such as Lacy J Dalton, Buddy Cage, Robbie Hoddinott, Barry Sless and Jerry Miller, they've opened shows for Lukas Nelson, David Nelson Band, Hard Working Americans, the Wood Bros, etc, and have played myriad festivals and club dates including top Bay Area venues such as Terrapin Crossroads, The Catalyst and Sweetwater Music Hall. And the band has honored their heroes with special tribute shows to the Grateful Dead, New Riders of the Purple Sage, and a tour commemorating the great Gram Parsons - including a party for Phil Kaufman the Road Mangler - AT the notorious and sacred Joshua Tree Inn.

Guitar, vocals: Jim Lewin (Todd Snider, Great American Taxi, Lacy J Dalton)
Bass, vocals: Bill Laymon (Jefferson Starship, New Riders of the Purple Sage, David Nelson Band)
Keys, vocals: Ken Margolis (The Choir, Bo Diddly)
Drums, vocals: Marty Carpenter (Freddy Fender, Lacy J Dalton)
* we also often feature these additional members of the band:

Make reservations at reservations.elvaquerowinery.com for Salsa Night with Flor de Cana.

A decade ago, when locals Flor De Caña were just getting started, there were several traditional Latin bands. Nowadays, most Latin bands are fusing in other elements like ska, reggae, electronic and hip-hop. Flor De Caña, however, stays true to the sounds of authentic Cuban son and cumbia.

Enjoy an evening of friends, dancing, delicious food by SNB Food Truck (great burgers, fries and sandos) and wine and beautiful music by Flor De Caña. $10 Cover at the door, great food truck food and award winning wines.

Reservations ARE REQUIRED and available at reservations.elvaquerowinery.com

Make reservations at reservations.elvaquerowinery.com to welcome back the Ripatti Rose Band for an outdoor show.

“This is a great rocking band with amazing guitar work by Dylan Rose and David De Silva on bass, drums by Keith Wieland and three great vocalists. Alisha Ripatti and Joscelyn Olson’s vocals cover a broad vocal spectrum beautifully from Fleetwood Mac to Heart to Led Zeppelin” - Bob Prikazsky (EVW Reviews)

Rooted in the Santa Cruz music scene, this talented lineup can traverse rock, blues, soul, funk, and everything in between. Be ready for a rock and roll show!

We’ll have award winning wines by Alex and delicious food from a local food truck. Cover is $10, reservations are highly recommended at reservations.elvaquerowinery.com

Tom Ralston is well-known among Santa Cruzans for his creative and innovative concrete work spread throughout the county on major public projects and private residential projects. He began singing and playing piano before he was 10 and currently leads a 15-member group that plays a mixture of rock, soul, jazz and his own original music. The full 15 piece band performs once a year, but for this special performance at El Vaquero, Tom breaks down the big band to six musicians: Tom on vocals and keys, Daniel Vee Lewis on bass, Gary Regina on saxophones, Bob von Elgg on guitar, Paul Tarantino on baritone sax and flute, and Mike Shannon on drums.

Sign up for weekly emails at elvaquerowinery.com/events to get the earliest notice of reservation availability, near April 25th.

Find out more about The Tom Ralston Band at their website tomralstonmusic.com

🎸 An Unforgettable Night of Music — For a Great Cause! 🎸

JAMES DURBIN (Solo)
with special guests Climbing Trees (Opener)

Join us for an intimate evening with James Durbin, Watsonville’s own American Idol finalist, as he takes the stage solo to deliver powerful vocals, raw energy, and heartfelt songs. Opening the night is local favorite Climbing Trees, setting the tone with their soulful, acoustic-driven sound. Our favorite food truck, Pana Food Truck will be serving amazing arepas through out the show!

Enjoy incredible live music while giving back to our community’s future. We are 100% certain this show will sell out so book ASAP!

"Back in 2010, Christopher Carr and several other local musicians that would eventually make up local band Ancestree Reggae were just roommates. Everyone came from different backgrounds, but the one thing they had in common was a love for reggae music. It’s this connection that was the impetus for the band.

“We have songs in multiple languages,” says bassist Carr. “We’ve always been trying to communicate how things are better when we can come together. It’s a message of unity.”We’re kind of a beautiful spectrum of cultures, backgrounds and identities. We’ve had players from Mexico City, we’ve had players from Brazil. We’ve had players from Isr"

Please join us in welcoming back our favorite local Reggae band, Ancestree. We’ll have award winning wine and delicious Mexican food by Chubby’s Tacos. Reservations are recommended at reservations.elvaquerowinery.com

Broken Shades is a classic blues band that has been entertaining folks in the Bay Area, Santa Cruz and Capitola for years. Their extended band includes:

Rich Cowan - Guitar and Vocalist
Jewl Sandoval - Blues Harp and Vocalist
Spencer Ellison on Drums
Doug Mancini or Bass

Make reservations at reservations.elvaquerwinery.com to catch them.

Make Reservations for SPUN at El Vaquero Winery at reservations.elvaquerowinery.com

SPUN is one of the top cover bands in the Santa Cruz/SF Bay Area including some of the best local musicians: Patrick Buonsante (lead vocals/guitar), Ted Welty (guitar/vocals), Daniel Vee Lewis (bass), and Andy Ziker (drums/vocals).

Members of SPUN have performed with or opened for: Smashmouth, Third Eye Blind, No Doubt, Train, Jason Bonham, The Beat Farmers, REO Speedwagon, Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers, The Tokens, & Mother Hips, to name a few.

As the name suggests, SPUN spins a mix of cover tunes: rock, reggae, blues, dance, & country. SPUN also has a selection of original material to bring to the table.

SPUN takes the music seriously (but not themselves) with three-part harmonies and precise instrumentation. It's all about the audience having a good time.

$10 Cover, Reservations are recommended at reservations.elvaquerowinery.com Award winning wines and food by Tacos El Jesse.

Make reservations at reservations.elvaquerowinery.com to welcome back the Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash from Austin Texas to El Vaquero Winery.

Described by Rolling Stone as "pure Americana heart and soul", The Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash are the voice and vision of songwriter Mark Stuart. Since forming the band in 1995, he's performed with most every major artist in the Country and Americana music community. Stuart was personally given permission to use the band's name by Johnny Cash himself. He was also honored by the Man in Black with an invitation to record songs at Cash's own home in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Two other iconic music legends, Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, were also early believers who were instrumental in helping Stuart get his start.

“Pure Americana heart and soul…heavy, toe-tapping shuffle rhythms, adroit and stylish steel picking, and guitar work that approximates a train chooglin' down the track full steam ahead.” - Rolling Stone

“Makes you remember why you liked Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings and Marty Robbins, not to mention Bastard Sons’ adopted dad.” - New York Post

We’ll have award winning wines and a delicious local food truck. Cover is $10 at the door. This band sold out quickly last year so we suggest you mak

Make reservations for an enchanted evening of music from a double bill of excellent women musicians, “The Buck Ups” with Christie McCarthy and Patti Maxine and “Coyote Moon” with Lizzy Smith, Patti Maxine and Alison Steele.

A bit about the Musicians:

Christie McCarthy:
American singer-songwriter Christie McCarthy is on a mission to open hearts and minds with her deep lyrics, striking vocals and catchy songs. A soul poet who delivers a fresh take on a ‘70’s vibe, McCarthy has been compared to the likes of Brandi Carlile, Natalie Merchant, Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, and even Bob Dylan. Christie’s written, recorded and produced six full-length records, won several songwriting awards, landed on some high profile compilations (one with Norah Jones and Dianna Krall, and another with Dave Matthews, and placed songs in movies and TV. .

Patti Maxine:
Lap steel virtuoso and vocal stylist, Patti Maxine has become a household word in Santa Cruz area as well as Hawaiian circles. A musical Swiss army knife, she handles a variety of styles with ease, sliding gracefully from Hawaiian to swing, from R&B and rock, from blues to jazz and back again. She has played with countless bands, established and up-and-coming musicians and visiting Hawaiian players. Audiences love her incredible musicianship and unique vocal interpretation along with her comfortable and fun stage presence, and undeniable oneness with her music.

Coyote Moon:
This all star bluegrass sound band integrates the talents of Patti Maxine with exceptional vocalist and banjo playing Alison Steele of “Sugar By The Pound” and fiddler extraordinaire Lizzy Smith of “Whiskey West” and “Swell City Opry”.

Reservations are highly recommended and available at reservations.elvaquerowinery.com Cover charge at the door is $10. There will be award winning wine and delicious food from a local food truck.

This group fills the dance floor and keeps it filled like no other!

The B-Movie Kings have been together for almost 25 years, playing classic rock dance music and watching audiences dance and enjoy their favorite songs.

The band has always been a local fan favorite playing at The Crow's Nest, The Catalyst , Sandbar, and the Cork and Fork. THERE WILL BE DANCING, LOTS OF DANCING.

Alex Lucero might have grown up in “The Cowboy Capitol of The World”, but don’t let that fool you. Despite being brought up in a very “country” esque environment in small town Oakdale, Ca, Alex actually grew up listening almost exclusively to the soulful music of the 60’s & 70’s. Artists such as, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Van Morrison and Stevie Wonder have played a huge part of his musical influences and overall feel.

Alex Lucero & The Live Again Band have received incredible response across Northern California being played regularly on multiple radio stations and on permanent rotation on the well known KPIG 107 “oink” 5. With the steamrolling effect of success in late 2019 and 2020 (pre-pandemic), Alex and Band plan to continue their touring across California promoting their brand new album entitled “Opportunity”.

Most of Alex's shows sell out quick, so use the link below to reserve your spot!

One of the most respected and renowned guitarists in music history, Albert Lee has worked with The Everly Brothers, Eric Clapton, Emmylou Harris and The Crickets over his long and illustrious career. The British-born country-rock artist started his career during the emerging rock 'n' roll scene of sixties London, when he swapped bands with the likes of Jimmy Page and Chris Farlowe. After moving to the U.S. and assimilating himself into the country music scene, Albert quickly garnered a reputation as one of the fastest guitar players in the business. He recorded a number of solo albums, and won a Grammy in 2002 for his contribution on 'Foggy Mountain Breakdown'. He continues to tour today, and plays his signature Ernie Ball Music Man Guitar.

Reserve a table at reservations.elvaquerowinery.com to see The Anthony Arya Band at El Vaquero Winery. The opening band will be Last Planet (their Instagram is @lastplanetband)

The Anthony Arya Band is a San Francisco Bay Area Americana rock group fronted by nationally award-winning songwriter and NBC’s The Voice contestant Anthony Arya. Their soulful melodies and raw energy ignite the stage with electrifying roots rock.

Originating in Santa Cruz, California they were crowd favorites playing major festivals in the area, including the Redwood Mountain Faire, Capitola Art & Wine Festival, and the Seaside West End Celebration. Anthony has released three albums of original music winning multiple awards - International Songwriting Competition Finalist, Bluebird Golden Pick Winner, Telluride Blues Challenge Finalist, and International Acoustic Music Awards Finalist.

We’ll have award winning wine and delicious food from a local food truck. $10 Cover at the door, reservations are highly recommended at reservations.elvaquerowinery.com