Call me late to the party or whatever, but I am just now discovering the Oxbow Public Market. I mean, I know it’s been there — I attended the opening night event and went a half dozen times after that — but I never appreciated it as a place to go without a specific agenda in mind.

Things started to change several months ago, when my wife and I first rented kayaks from Napa Valley Adventure Tours, located there. During high tide, that’s a great place to launch, as some days you can go upriver past Trancas Street, where the river is completely different than it is downstream. If it’s low tide, no worries — Paul, the owner of Napa Valley Adventure Tours, and his guys are very helpful. They will take the kayaks to Kennedy Park for you. If the tide goes down while you are out, they will pick you up at Kennedy. You don’t have to worry, just kayak and enjoy the river. Call Napa Valley Adventure Tours at 259-1833.

Anyway, one day we decided to have lunch after kayaking. She wanted a salad from Pica-Pica. I like their food, but I felt like having something else that day. I walked to Rotisario, where what turned out to be a delicious chicken plate with rosemary potatoes and salad called out to me. We not only each got what we wanted, then we got to sit outside on the patio. After lunch? A cookie for her from Model Bakery and ice cream for me from Three Twins. It was perfect.

Then, in a flash of brilliance (OK, that’s my opinion) I stopped at Kanaloa to see if we might want some seafood for dinner. I got a piece of picture-perfect fresh salmon and an unexpected recipe from Bistro Don Giovanni’s. I stopped at the market and bought fresh, local, organic produce, and we had an amazing meal (once again, Chef Smith’s opinion, but I think I’m right about this one).

That experience has changed everything for me. I now buy as much produce and fish at the Oxbow Public Market as possible, get all my spices from Whole Spices, and brew teas from Tillerman Tea. Plus, there’s Anette’s Chocolates, Model Bakery, Taylor’s Refresher. I’m probably preaching to the choir now, but if you haven’t checked it out, I mean really checked out the Oxbow Public Market, go sometime, preferably when you are hungry. Take your shopping list along.

Free food!

That might be a crass way of looking at it, but after the chef demonstrations at Chefs Market, attendees get to enjoy a sample of the foods prepared and the accompanying wines they. On July 9, Michael Vaughn from Kanaloa Seafood will be the demonstrating chef at 6:30 p.m., followed by Miguel Sanchez from the Oxbow Wine and Cheese Merchant at 7:30 p.m. Both will feature wine from the Oxbow Wine and Cheese Merchant.

Circle the date

The Main Street Reunion Car Show is Aug. 15, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in downtown Napa. More than 400 pre-1976 cars will be on display. This one was a huge hit last year — don’t miss it.

Happy Fathers Day to the dads out there. See you downtown!

Craig Smith is the executive director of the Napa Downtown Association. Reach him at 257-0322 or craig@napadowntown.com.