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Feeling crabby? We’ve got the cure…Crab Feed Season in the Napa Valley is HERE! The Napa Valley is known for crab feeds, and locals flock to these casual, fun, ramped-up and entertaining evening affairs. Most all are important fundraisers for local organizations or schools, and many have been held for decades. Each features other culinary offerings such as tri-tip steak, pasta, clam chowder and salad. The one thing that they all have in common is plenty of, literally hundreds and hundreds of pounds of, fresh cracked crab!
Bring your cracking tools, perhaps a lemon or two, and your appetite, as crab feeds are set for nearly every weekend from now until early March. Here are a few that are on the schedule (the last weekend of the month is definitely a little crab-heavy, you may want to crab hop!). Though if you take a look around your town, I am sure that you will discover others too.
40th Annual Crab Feed Vintage High School
Saturday, January 13
The “Mother of all Crab Feeds” returns with their annual Crab and Tri Tip Dinner featuring a silent auction, live auction, instant wine cellars AND a live concert by Wonder Bread 5. Huh? Yes, that’s right – arguably one of Northern California’s hottest dance bands will play after the last crab leg has been cracked. Set for the Napa Valley Expo, proceeds benefit the Athletic Boosters at Vintage High School. Let’s go CRUSHERS, fight on! VintageBoosters.com.
33rd Annual Crab Fest Justin-Siena High School
Saturday, January 27
Justin-Siena will hold their Crab Fest on Saturday, January 27, beginning with a cocktail reception at 5 p.m. Attendees can enjoy unlimited crab, salad, and pasta in the newly renovated Clark Gym, with a live auction to support Justin-Siena Braves athletics and arts programs. A silent auction and mobile bidding adds to the festivities on the Justin-Siena campus in Napa. For more visit Justin-siena.org/support or call 707.255.0950, ext. 646, or send an email to twing@justin-siena.org.
3rd Annual Crab Feed
American Canyon High School Choir
Saturday, January 27
The American Canyon High School Choir (ACHS – which has NO funding from the school or school district, this is their ONLY major fundraiser of the year) will be holding their 3rd Annual Crab Feed on January 27 beginning at 5 p.m. at the American Canyon Community Center. Crab, pasta, bread and salad, a no-host bar, silent and live auction, dancing and performances from ACHS choir students will fill the night. Tickets and donation information can be found at ACHSchoir.com.
26th Annual Crab Feed Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley
Saturday, January 27
Boys & Girls Clubs of Napa Valley will host their 26th annual Crab Feed on January 27 at Chardonnay Hall at the Napa Valley Expo in Napa. You can sponsor or attend, and then impact the lives of literally hundreds of children in the Napa Valley. Donations are being sought. On the night of the event, there will be a silent auction, as well as a very, VERY delicious dessert auction. All to support the kids! For more about tickets or to sponsor: ThePositivePlace.org/CrabFeed.
29th Annual Crab Feed Kiwanis Club of Yountville Saturday, January 27
Held at the Yountville Community Center, this crab feed will include an all-you-can-eat crab, pasta and salad dinner served with wine. The evening will begin with a pre-event wine tasting from six of Yountville’s best wineries/tasting rooms. A no-host bar, dessert auction and live music will round out the event. Tickets are online at KiwanisYountville.com or at the Hill Family Estate Tasting Room.
32nd Annual Crab Feed Kiwanis Club of Napa Saturday, February 3
This is an enormously popular, and fun, crab feed that includes all-you-can-eat crab, incredible live and silent auction lots, a world-famous dessert auction, and exciting cash raffle prizes! DJ Dancing will wrap the evening. This one sells out every year, the Chardonnay Hall at the Napa Valley Expo is packed with what seems like just about everyone in town, so get tickets early. KiwanisClubOfNapa.org
Sons of Italy Inaugural Crab Feed
Saturday, February 10
Music will be provided by the Charlie Baker Band at this first-ever event which is set to take place at the Napa Elks Lodge. The Sons of Italy has been presenting scholarships to graduating high seniors since the late 1950s and also supports several charities including The Gary Sinese Foundation, Alzheimer’s Research, Cancer Research, Cooley’s Anemia Research, UC Davis Birth Defect Library, Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife Sanctuary and Disaster Relief Projects locally, across the United States and Italy. Attendees will be able to devour salad, clam chowder, pasta and fresh crab served by the USCG Chief Petty Officer Association that is based in Petaluma. Dancing, a dessert auction, silent auction and raffle prizes will be part of the fun too! For tickets visit NapaSonsOfItaly.org or contact Marisa Miller at 707.224.5432 ornapasonsofitaly@gmail.com.
Other crab feeds that came in at press time include the Napa Native Sons of the Golden West Crab Feed on Saturday, February 3 and the Soroptimist International of Calistoga Crab Fest scheduled for Saturday, March 3. Get out there, have fun and get cracking!