BottleRock 2026 Had Dave Grohl Downing Wine and Caviar Corndogs: Recap + Photos

This past weekend, BottleRock returned to Napa Valley for its 2026 edition, offering tens of thousands of attendees a wide array of musical, culinary, and (of course) wine offerings. Led by acts like Foo Fighters, Lorde, LCD Soundsystem, Backstreet Boys, Ludacris, Zedd, and more, the three-day event had a little something for everybody, whether you’re a rocker or raver, drink red or white.

Upon entering the grounds, fest-goers were immediately hit with the sights and smells of the high-end options for grub and vino. Far from the fair food and light beer offerings typical for some festivals, BottleRock embraces its Napa setting and all of the olfactory wonder the area is famous for. Don’t get me wrong, I love a corn dog and a domestic, but it’s undeniably a fun, novel, and kind of ridiculous experience to have the option to get a corn dog with caviar on it and a glass of reserve wine instead. (As proof, the former sold out before dinnertime.) Many of the featured chefs also connected with artists on the culinary stage, leading to moments like Green Day’s Tré Cool and Fred Armisen having an impromptu drum-off while sushi is thrown into the crowd or Dave Grohl and Chef José Andrés downing carafes of wine together like they’re in some sort of boozy competition.

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While BottleRock brings the food and beverage side of itself to the forefront, it’s still very much a music festival, and one that casts a wide net. Pop, indie, hard rock, EDM, and hip-hop were all well represented. For the genre omnivores, it provides an opportunity to race between stages to get a little flavor of everything — call it a sonic flight. Diehards, on the other hand, can claim some real estate at the stage of their choice and enjoy artists of a similar ilk as they wait for the headliner.

Lorde adapted her acclaimed show for the main stage on Friday night, while opposite her, Lil Wayne, joint in hand, commanded one of the most energized crowds of BottleRock 2026. Sunday had the nostalgic talents of Backstreet Boys (who brought in a shockingly dedicated crowd) and Ludacris. Many of the standout sets, though, came on Saturday, which, if you were to ask a guy like me, was easily the most stacked day. Folk Bitch Trio’s soft harmonies sounded absolutely lovely, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts rocked the fuck out, Rilo Kiley was as solid as ever, and Busta Rhymes proved he very much still has it. Dave and the Foos then closed it out the only way they know how, ripping through hits with an infectious, joyous rock ’n’ roll spirit. 

Hidden in the lineup were also a handful of curious oddities and hidden gems. Take Sleater-Kinney and Fred Armison’s Ramones cover band, The Return of Jackie and Judy — a fun, loving, and fun-loving tribute that folks not in the know may have sadly missed out on. (They also fittingly changed the lyrics of “The KKK Took My Baby Away,” subbing in “the I.C.E. took my baby from me.”) Then, there were the reality-show-DJ-led silent discos that closed out one of the side stages: Meredith Marks of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City on Friday and DJ Pauly D on Saturday. Such sets — combined with the special stripped-down sets at the “Backstage” and VIP Village stages — gave BottleRockers the opportunity to see some truly unique performances.

And, really, there’s not much better than having a full belly and a full glass while catching some live music. For three sunny days, BottleRock 2026 offered top-tier options to check all three boxes.

Check out pictures from all of BottleRock 2026 below.