Sonoma County: the seat of Wine Country, a rich and talented theater scene and a vibrant and knowledgeable agricultural community, all of which get set ablaze every year, putting us all in firm need of a good party. Hippies, wiccans and theologians of all walks would likely agree these are the necessary ingredients for a ritual to honor Dionysus, known as “Bacchus” to his Roman pals.
For the uninitiated, ol’ Dio (dee-oh; him/his) is the Greek god of theater, wine and fertility, and is often associated with all-around debauchery. Basically, he’s the god of parties. Rad ones. And he’s closely associated with goats for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which is his buddy Pan the satyr—picture Mr. Tumnus of Narnia, if that helps—but also likely because goats are just awesome in general.
A great nearby place to find a ton of goats is Goatlandia, a farm animal rescue sanctuary tucked into Santa Rosa’s rural reaches between River Road and the west end of Piner. Fueled by the efforts of volunteers, Goatlandia offers many opportunities for the layperson to help out with the animals. In fact, according to their website, they have a large family of highly photogenic goats, sheep, piggies, hens, ducks and more.
The Beastie Boys had to fight for their right to party; all you have to do is sign up to pet or brush a goat, and a Greek god will take care of the rest. It’s the deal of a lifetime.—ED
Goatlandia, 2336 Olivet Lane, Santa Rosa. 707.541.6216. www.goatlandia.org
