Sonoma Sister Cities Hosts Valentine's Day Fundraiser for Ukraine's Kaniv

The event will feature a spaghetti dinner, sock hop, and live music to raise money for Sonoma's sister city facing hardship due to Russia's invasion.

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Sonoma Sister Cities Association is organizing a Valentine's Day Sock Hop and Spaghetti Feed fundraiser to support its sister city of Kaniv, Ukraine, which continues to face challenges due to Russia's ongoing invasion. The event will take place on February 14th at the Sonoma Valley Woman's Club and will feature a home-cooked spaghetti dinner, local wines and beers, and live music from the Sonoma-based band ZigZag. Proceeds from the $40 per person/$75 per couple tickets will go to the Kaniv Friendship Association to fund the city's volunteer center and provide humanitarian aid to families and refugees.

Why it matters

Sonoma has maintained a sister city relationship with Kaniv, Ukraine for years, and the community has rallied to provide significant financial and material support as the city has endured the hardships of the Russian invasion. This fundraiser event is the latest effort by the Sonoma-Kaniv Committee to continue assisting their partner city during an extremely difficult time.

The details

The Valentine's Day Sock Hop and Spaghetti Feed will take place at the historic Sonoma Valley Woman's Club, which offers ample space including a kitchen, dining hall, stage, and dance area. The event will feature a home-cooked spaghetti dinner with salad and garlic bread, as well as local wine, beer, and soft drinks. Attendees are encouraged to dress up and dance to the rock n' roll and ballads of the Sonoma-based band ZigZag. The band's leader, David Barker, has also designed the event's promotional posters.

  • The fundraiser will take place on Saturday, February 14, 2026 from 5:30 to 8:30 PM.

The players

Sonoma Sister Cities Association

A nonprofit organization that maintains sister city relationships between Sonoma, California and several international communities, including Kaniv, Ukraine.

Kaeti Bailie

Chair of the Sonoma-Kaniv Committee, which is organizing the Valentine's Day fundraiser.

ZigZag

A five-piece band from Sonoma that will perform rock n' roll and ballads from the 1960s and 1970s at the event.

David Barker

The leader of the band ZigZag and the graphic designer of the promotional posters for the Sonoma-Kaniv fundraising events.

Kaniv Friendship Association

The organization in Sonoma's sister city of Kaniv, Ukraine that will receive the funds raised at the Valentine's Day event to support the city's volunteer center and provide humanitarian aid.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Our Sonoma-Kaniv Committee is continuing to fundraise for our sister city because the four years of war have created an extreme hardship on the people of Kaniv and all small towns in Ukraine.”

— Kaeti Bailie, Chair of the Sonoma-Kaniv Committee (sonomanews.com)

“The band leader, David Barker, is also the graphic designer of all the posters we have used to publicize our fundraising events.”

— Kaeti Bailie, Chair of the Sonoma-Kaniv Committee (sonomanews.com)

What’s next

The Sonoma-Kaniv Committee hopes the Valentine's Day event will attract 100 attendees and raise $5,000 to support projects and humanitarian aid in Kaniv, Ukraine.

The takeaway

Sonoma's longstanding sister city relationship with Kaniv, Ukraine has led the community to rally behind their partner city facing immense hardship due to the Russian invasion. This fundraiser event demonstrates the ongoing commitment of Sonoma residents to provide assistance and support to their international counterparts.