Sonoma Ghosts

"SONOMA GHOSTS - True Stories of Sonoma's Haunted History" is selling well in the US, but doing even better in the UK.

Why is this?

I have made an effort here to promote the book, and Amazon has given me excellent placement and atwo very nice websites, but in the UK, where I have done no marketing at all, the book is flourishing.

Is this because we are a predominently "Christian" country, where our sacred writings in the King James Bible forbid conversations with the dead; whereas English history, going back so much farther than Christianity, allows for, and even condones to some degree, spiritism?

What are your thoughts on this?

The Promenade Ghosts

by Carla Heine

Sonoma Vintage Festival and its traditions are always on the last weekend of September. It is a special celebration, and in Sonoma it has changed over time, just as we all do.


In the early years it was a really rowdy three-day event; half drunken orgy, and half drunken brawl. The birth rate jumped by as much as 80% nine months later, and nobody worried too much about it if the new baby had blue eyes, or red hair. You may think I am kidding, but one of my English papers in high school was on this very subject, and I studied the birth records of the era. The birth rate jumped 80, I repeat, 80 percent.


Vintage Festival was called "The Blessing of the Grapes", and it comes after "Crush". In Sonoma Crush is when the grapes have been brought in from the vineyards and are crushed. It is a big deal, and if you aren't from here, or you just moved here, don't bother to plan anything during Crush, and if you do give a party, don't be surprised if people don't come. It's nothing personal.


In fact, if  you want to get out of anything in August and September, just lay low, and everyone will assume you?ve disappeared because, after all, it?s Crush. Everybody disappears for Crush.


The original Vintage Festival kick-off party was the Sonoma Spanish Ball. There were two main events, one for the vineyard owners, and one for the vineyard workers. The owners footed the bill and all the food and drinks were on the house. It was a way to say thank you to the people who brought in the harvest of grapes.


There would be mercifully short speeches and then management, Los Patrons, would stay for a brief drink and then they were expected to withdraw, so people could relax and enjoy the food, drink, music, and dance.


Another, more sedate party was held for the vineyard owners with music, food, dancing, and, of course, wine.


Saturday there was a parade, with bull and bear fights in a wood arena built for the purpose at the corner of First Street East and East Spain.


The Spanish Ball evolved into the Black and White Ball, and then into the Red and White Ball. They migrated over to Saturday night. But in the 1800's people went to bed early on the Saturday night of Vintage Festival, because people were expected to attend church services on Sunday morning at which the harvested grapes were blessed. And this was a sober event.


They still had the Promenade when I was a girl in th1960's, and a teen in the 1970's, and it somehow got lost in the shuffle with the influx o0f Newcomers in the 1980's, but there are still those of us who honor the tradition.

On Saturday afternoon, after the Spanish Ball, or the Black and White Ball of the previous evening, the ladies would take out the trunks and hat-boxes that belonged to their aunts, and mothers, and grandmothers, and prepare their oldest and best dresses for the Promenade.


Ribbons were ironed, petticoats pressed, feathers and straw hats steamed. Dainty leather shoes with delicate heels and pearl buttons were polished. The men dressed in their best evening clothes, and sometimes the clothes of their fathers, uncles, and grandfathers, and at sunset, shortly after dinner, people in Sonoma stepped out for The Promenade.


Gentlemen, young and old, walked around The Plaza counterclockwise. Ladies, young and old, walked clockwise around The Plaza. They began The Promenade at sunset. The Men with their walking sticks; the ladies with furled parasols. They talked quietly, viewed the special window decorations in the stores and businesses that fronted The Plaza, and nodded each to the other. When the stars came out everyone went home.


Ostensibly.


This was an especially exciting night for young adults. It was one of the few opportunities to view young people of the opposite gender who were not of your class, or social circle. And, for once, it was tolerated if one were to flirt a little with the eyes.


The most fascinating aspect of this annual Promenade was that it was not at all unusual for people to see the ghosts of deceased family members, business people, and friends at this event. It was almost expected.


Was the Vintage Festival Promenade really a haunted event? Or did people see the nieces and nephews, the grand-daughters and grandsons, in the clothing of their deceased loved ones, and note the family resemblances through rosy wine-colored glasses that may have been a little out of focus? Or do  our loved ones come closer to us as we touched their treasured garments, and stir the dust of old talcum, spice, and perfume?


Whatever the case, there are those who still walk The Promenade at sunset after dinner on the Saturday of Vintage Festival. The Plaza merchants still decorate their windows for the event, and we walk by to look, and talk, and nod.  Men and women walk arm in arm together nowadays. Our costumes lack the charm and style of those days now so long gone.

Some of us in Sonoma still undertake that twilight tradition. and some of us dress up for the event in the spirit of those who walked before us. Sometimes we exchange a nod across the sidewalk, or a passing glance across the century, as we make the Plaza Promenade among the spirits of Sonoma's past particiopants.