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!

Pizza can be ordered by texting Corralitos Pizza and will be delivered to your table about 40 minutes later. Also, Chubby's Tacos will be parked outside the winery and available starting about 6:30 pm. They make killer Quesabirria tacos.

For this week (Thursday, March 13th) special trivia event, we are covering Ron Howard! It's his birthday and we want you to brush up on his movies, interviews, and all things related!

Make reservations at bit.ly/evwevents to see Touch’d Too Much AC/DC Tribute Band at El Vaquero Winery.

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

Get your reservations at bit.ly/evwevents early, they sold out last time!

Don't miss this unique wine tasting weekend event! Our 2025 San Francisco Wine Chronicle Entries were a huge success and where the wines are not all readily available for the tasting room, we have made it possible for a limited time. This is also a unique event where you are able to do a wine tasting during a show! While you can join us for regular tasting hours for the special tasting, we want to encourage everyone who frequents our music shows to try our newest winners! The tasting will be four wines and 2 oz pours. The tasting is free for members and one guest (but please note, the cover charge is still $10 per person at the door during music) and for non-members, the tasting is $15 each. Along with this exciting tasting opportunity, we will also be selling limited quantities of bottles to go. For our 2022 Gold Winning Cab Franc, 2022 Silver Winning Pinot Noir and 2022 Silver Winning Cabernet Sauvignon, the limit is two bottles per person to purchase.

Make reservations at bit.ly/evwevents to see our favorite Americana/Swamp Music Band and KPIG favorite 8Jeffrey Halford and the Healers.

"Jeffrey Halford delivers a uniquely American melting pot of roots, blues, rock and kick-ass pop. Take some Southern soul, add a heap of Texas storytelling, a dash of Bay area's free-wheelin' spirit /liberal spirit/literary leanings/seedier side, then throw in some desert sunshine and dirt, stir with an architect's eye for detail and durability and you got yourself an idea of why Paste magazine once named him to their Ten Most Influential Artists of The Decade. Halford, with the Healers, makes some of the best records today — a beautiful and dark journey through America — like a great vinyl record."

$10 cover at the door (100% to band) and SPECIAL SF Chronicle award winning wine flight.

Make reservations at bit.ly/evwevents to see Old School Rock Band Stormin Norman and The Cyclones as they celebrate the release of their latest CD and the return to El Vaquero Winery after their first appearance and sell out here last year.
The band features:
Stormin Norman Louis- Rhythm Guitar & vocals
Ken Kraft - of SNAIL (Santa Cruz Famous Band in the 70s) fame & White Album Ensemble-Lead guitar & vocals
Jojo Fox - Bass & vocals
Jim Hannibal- Saxophone Extraordinaire
Scott Kail - Drums
The new CD features 8 great new Norm Louis originals plus 3 of your favorite covers.
BY THE WAY - KPIG has chosen "Road Trip," the new release from Stormin' Norman and The Cyclones for their Fresh Pork Chops: Week of November 18th, 2024.
Cover $10, Reservations recommended at bit.ly/evwevents

HeART Haven is back with a new creative design event! Join us in the winery on March 30th from 12-2 PM for a Floral Hoop making event. This is an 18 and up event that will include all the needed materials along with step by step instructions from your talented hosts. El Vaquero Winery will be offering wine by the glass or bottle while you craft and feel free to bring in your own food or enjoy some on the on hand tasty snacks. This event does require reservations in advance so visit the link to secure your spot! https://hearthavenevents.com/products/artistic-floral-hoop-event

Mark your calanders for the return of Big Bad Wolf on Friday, April 4th from 6-9pm!
Hailing from Aptos, in Santa Cruz County, California, Big Bad Wolf howls with a special off-the-beaten-path brand of tasty and danceable blues-based classic rock from groups and artists like Creedence, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Steely Dan, Jon Hiatt, John Fogerty, The Hollies, and many more. A party with The Big Bad Wolf is always a high octane, rip-roaring good time. Jefferson's John Fogerty vocals are spot on!

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 bit.ly/evwevents.

Make reservations at bit.ly/evwevents to welcome back the Ripatti Rose Band for an INDOOR show.

“Amazing hard rocking band from Santa Cruz with shredding guitars and bass and three great vocalists. Alisha Ripatti covers vocals from Led Zeppelin to Heart with gusto!” - Bob Prikazsky (EVW Reviews)

Led by guitarist/vocalist Dylan Rose, this band features vocalist Alisha Ripatti, Keith Wieland on drums, David DeSilva on bass, and Jocelyn Olson on keyboards. 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 Food by Mattia Pizza. Cover is $10, reservations are highly recommended at bit.ly/evwevents.

Make reservations at bit.ly/evwevents for the return of The Radio. Last falthey played one of our wine club parties and kept folks from 21 to 90 Dancing all party long!

The Radio is a a 1990s (and beyond) rock cover band. Their goal is to play songs that get folks moving, having fun, and patronizing your business.

Some of our songs are:

Take Me Out – Franz Fedinand
Good – Better Than Ezra
Someday – The Strokes
Here Comes Your Man – Pixies
Are You Gonna Go My Way – Lenny Kravitz
Beverly Hills – Weezer
Creep – Radiohead
What's Up – 4 Non Blondes
My Own Worst Enemy – Lit
The Middle – Jimmy Eat World
Basket Case – Green Day
Man in the Box – Alice In Chains

Make your reservations today for the upcoming Rasquache Liberation Front show at bit.ly/evwevents Their last 3 shows at El Vaquero Winery have SOLD OUT.

Get ready for an exhilarating night of dance as the Rasquache Liberation Front (RLF) graces the stage at El Vaquero. Brace yourself for dance floor liberation with the RLF’s soulful blend of salsa, cumbia, Tex-Mex, and original tunes, infused with a touch of blues.

With seasoned veterans who've shared stages with icons like Los Lobos and Willie Nelson, the RLF will captivate you with musical prowess, delivering soaring melodies, sweet harmonies, and infectious rhythms honed alongside musical legends. Drawing from a rich array of Latin influences including Buena Vista Social Club, Flaco Jimenez, Eddie Palmieri, and Fito Olivares, the RLF's unique sound blends seamlessly with rock and blues, forming an irresistible concoction of Chicano music.

Make reservations at bit.ly/evwevents for the return of FUSE at El Vaquero Winery.

If you like the Joint Chiefs, you’ll love FUSE! In addition to Don Caruth, the lead man from the Joint Chiefs, FUSE includes all star musicians Ted Welty (from SPUN, Loco, etc.), Rob Ouse (Locomotive Breath) and Ryan Price (Mokili Wa). FUSE is a great vehicle for these guys to cut loose and enjoy some of their favorite music outside of their standard gigs…and they do it so well!

From Bob: Fuse is readily one of the best 5 bands in Santa Cruz and also one you’ll frequently see the crowd giving a standing ovation too, pretty cool!

Make your reservations at bit.ly/evwevents for the Alex Lucero Band at El Vaquero Winery starring the winner of the 2023 and 2024 Good Times Best Local Solo Artist and Band award The Alex Lucero Band.

Alex Lucero might have grown up in “The Cowboy Capital 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 in 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.

Make reservations at bit.ly/evwevents to see great Country/Blues with Sharon Allen and Dusty Boots Saturday.

From Bob: Sharon Allen has the distinction of drawing more musicians in her audience than any other musician at El Vaquero Winery. That says a lot about how many people love Sharon and her band!

Sharon Allen is a veteran performer from Santa Cruz who delivers her Americana with a filling blend of her own songs and favorites. Every song is delivered with her sweet voice and persona. Sharon has gained respect from radio and audiences as she weaves between genres she knows well; folk, country and blues.

To help Sharon bring a toe-tappin’ swinging good time is her band The Dusty Boots, all seasoned musicians who can bring you to your feet or pull at your heart strings. The Dusty Boots are: Mike Mongiello/guitar, Jerry Bradley/bass and vocals, Jim Hannibal/saxophone, Charlie Joe Wallace/steel guitar, and Jimmy Norris/drums and vocals.

Her past collaborations include The Back Alley Band, The Firebirds, Sherry Austin and Henhouse and currently The Dusty Boots. They have shared stages with notables such as B.B.
King, Etta James, Robben Ford, Lonnie Mack, Elvin Bishop, Jesse Colin Young, Laura Love and Paul Thorn.

Make reservations at bit.ly/evwevents for Jefferson’s Revival at El Vaquero Winery – 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. Close your eyes… and believe your ears, they sound just like the real thing.

Make reservations at bit.ly/evwevents to welcome Sweet Voodoo back to El Vaquero Winery.

Sweet VooDoo is a solid band of seasoned players bringing super danceable rock-n-funk-n-jams to the party. The voodoo that WE do will get you moving, grooving and singing along to a mix of epic hits and rare gems from the deep vault of all-time greats like Aretha, Hendrix, Zeppelin, Santana, Joplin, and many more. We’ll rock the house and tickle your funky bone with a tight rhythm section, a shredding guitarist, and a dynamic leading lady… come check out the show!