Napa Valley Genealogical Society upcoming events

Join Us: Special Interest Saturday! (16 May 2026)

Sat, 16 May 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Special Interest Saturday

Topic: Colonial America

Members: Head over to the NVGS Library on May 16 from 1 to 3 pm for our first-ever Special Interest Saturday! Map

At this fun event you'll be able to:

Hang out at the NVGS Library with new friends and old
Explore our Library's Colonial America resources, both in the stacks and online
Get help with your Colonial America research
Take a copy of our new Colonial America Finding Aid

RSVP requested, but not required

RSVP'ing helps us plan effectively

CLICK HERE

then click the Register button

Special Interest Saturdays is a new member benefit, created just for you. Our aim is to hold these about once a month, focused on a specific topic.

Mayflower at Sea postcard, from Wikimedia Commons

Program: Genealogy Unplugged - When Offline Records Are the Best (21 May 2026)

Thu, 21 May 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Genealogy Unplugged:

When Offline Records Are the Best

Presented by James M. Baker, PhD

Using case studies, we'll discover methods of using the best offline records to give a more effective balance to our research. Offline records may include newspapers, books, property, church, government, and other records.

Members: FREE! (no need to register)
Non-members: $5 donation — Please register to pay

Mr. Baker has been an active genealogist for the past 15 years. He specializes in German, Midwest US, American research, and DNA.

He has written articles for the National Genealogical Society (NGS) Magazine, the NGS Quarterly, and Der Blumenbaum, the journal of the Sacramento German Genealogy Society. He is a former Certified Genealogist (CG.

He has presented classes and webinars to many genealogy groups including National Genealogical Society, Southern California Jamboree, and Legacy Family Tree Webinars.

Mr. Baker earned a PhD in sociology and social psychology from the University of Utah. He is retired from an aerospace and business management career.

Round Table: Using FamilySearch Full-Text Search (1 Jun 2026)

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Using FamilySearch Full-Text Search

Host: Sue Ziemski

Join us to share your experiences of using Full Text Search, a popular FamilySearch tool.

What is Full-Text Search? FTS uses AI to read and interpret text directly from document images, which allows you to search billions of historical records that FamilySearch hasn't indexed yet.

Members and Friends: You're welcome to join us at our monthly round table! Each month, we choose a theme to spark the conversation, then gather on Zoom to have a great time sharing our tips, tricks, and stories.

Program: Grandma Said What? (18 Jun 2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Grandma Said What?

Gathering and Verifying Your Family’s Oral History

Presented by Sara Cochran

We will define what oral history is and talk about strategies to interview your family. Then we'll go through the process of verifying a family story!

Members: FREE! (no need to register)
Non-members: $5 donation — Please register to pay

Sara is a full-time professional genealogist with over thirty years of research experience. Her research has taken her to nearly every state in the USA and Ireland. She especially enjoys breaking down brick walls, discovering the stories of black sheep ancestors, and helping individuals preserve their photographic legacy.

Sara holds a Boston University Genealogical Research Certificate, a Bachelor’s Degree in Library Science, and is an alum of the ProGen Study Group. She is a member of DAR and other lineage societies, the Association of Professional Genealogists, and the Genealogical Speakers Guild.

You can find her online at TheSkeletonWhisperer.com.

Visit NVGS at Napa Farmers Market (20 Jun 2026)

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Visit NVGS at Napa Farmers Market

Next Chance: Sat, Jun 20

Join NVGS at another great Farmers Market!

Once again, Napa Valley Genealogical Society will host a booth at the Saturday Farmers Market in downtown Napa. We'll be there four Saturdays in 2026.

Get free resources
Ask questions
Chat with people who love family history!

Pick up your favorite fruits and veggies.

Swing by our booth and say hi. Bring a friend or two!

Jun 20, Aug 22, and Oct 24 — Only 3 chances left
8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Napa Farmers Market, 1100 West St, downtown Napa
Map It

Hope to see you there!

Round Table: Our Revolutionary War Ancestors (6 Jul 2026)

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 18:00:00 GMT

Our Revolutionary War Ancestors

Host: Sue Ziemski

Do you have ancestors who fought in the American Revolution? What research did you do to uncover their stories? We want to hear all about them!

Members and Friends: Join us at our monthly round table! Each month, we choose a theme to spark the conversation, then gather on Zoom to have a great time sharing our tips, tricks, and stories.