Sept. 16 at the Napa Horsemen’s Association, wild horse gentler Lesley Neuman gave a demonstration of how she works with the animals. It was an impressive show of how powerful, gentle pressure can quickly create trust between the human and the horse. Neuman was like the “horse whisperer” of fiction and film, because of her gentle technique; but in reality she was hooked up to a loudspeaker so she could describe every aspect of the procedure to the human audience. The horse's attention was on her, and seemed unaffected by the loud sound system. Neuman started by just getting into the horse’s …

It was a lively year for Napa's arts and culture community. Here are 21 images from some of the memorable events that took place around our city, from the Napa Valley Opera House to the streets of downtown Napa.

The theme was "Vintage Toys," and the mood was one of celebration as the annual lighted parade made its way through downtown Napa on Saturday night. A day of rainshowers didn't stop the parade, which has seen wetter years.

By 10 o'clock Friday morning, some Napa stores had been open for 12 hours already, with another 12 to go. Here are some shots from Napa Premium Outlets and South Napa Market Place as shoppers and staff paced themselves for a long day of stimulating the economy.

Hundreds of Napans turned out for the tree-lighting ceremony Wednesday night, the traditional start of Napa's holiday season. Were you there? Let us know!