The Good Life ~ Sacramento
Exploring a City with a Small-Town Feel and World of PotentialArchive for Festivals & Faires
Breaking Sound Barriers at the Sacramento Music Festival
Sunday was a lovely day, with temps around 80, tantalizing breezes, and light clouds intermittently easing the glare of the mostly sun-filled skies. And it was a perfect day to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Sacramento Music Festival!
Once strictly a Jazz-oriented weekend of live music in Old Sacramento, The Sacramento Jazz Jubilee was changed to the Sacramento Music Festival last year, now encompassing a much larger array of musical styles, genres and experiences ~ including Traditional Jazz, Country, Rockabilly, R&B, Soul, Gospel, Zydeco and Rock-n-roll.
I asked Mike Testa, Senior Vice President of Convention Sales & Business Development at the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau, if the festival will continue to get more musically diverse. “We worked hard to have a wide range of styles each day. Certainly, jazz was the style of music booked most but you found a bit of everything, no matter which day(s) you were there. We will continue to feature multiple genres of music as this festival continues to grow.” He also said the pricing should remain about the same, with $39 daily tickets and $110 for an all-days, all-events pass. In addition, 12 and younger get in free and there’s ‘youth’ discount pricing for ages 13-20, so it’s truly an all ages-friendly experience.
Old Sacramento is really such a charming backdrop for a 4-day music festival, with shops, restaurants, street entertainment, nearby hotels, and various concert venues all within walking distance. The Firehouse Courtyard was an intimate venue in a beautiful victorian garden-like setting with table service and clean, convenient restrooms. Turntable on the Green, a new venue this year with an abundance of grassy seating, was festive and set against an iconic architectural Old Town backrop. Freeway Gardens, come evening-time, always seems the place to be and the place to party like it’s 1999. But in truth, no matter where you go in Old Sacramento (and beyond), there’s music coming from the walls, dancing in the streets, and the kind of ambiance one wants to absorb and remember for a long, long time.
Next year, book your hotel room and take advantage of the free shuttle service to and from the festival. Wear comfy shoes, sunscreen and a hat, don’t forget your camera, and plot your course of fun before you go (there are several performances going at once throughout). Or, like lots of locals do, just play it by ear. The festive vibe will surely catch your coattail at some point, pulling you to a magical place and time that beckons you to immerse in some whimsical fun.
See for yourself! 2013 Sac Music Fest photos to the right~
Street-Fair Flair
A little French Quarter Flair!
So this weekend we’ll all be green with envy for those with Irish blood, or at least those able to celebrate the festive holiday, right? Whether it’s the Beer Bust this Thursday evening at Downtown Plaza, Keri Carr live at The Torch on Friday, ye Old Sacramento St. Patrick’s Day Parade this Saturday, or the St. Patrick’s Day K Street Krawl on Sunday, it promises to be a shamrockin’ good time.
But it’s not too early to plan for the following weekend – maybe a tiny trek out of town for a little festival flavor a la the California Delta?! I suggest you try the The Blue Moon French Quarter Street Fair in Downtown Stockton March 22 from 4-8pm. It’s a street fair with some New Orleans flair – including food booths with Cajun and French cuisines, live jazz bands, strolling entertainers, beads, masks and a “hurricane” of a good time. VIP Packages are $31 for 2 admissions, 2 food vouchers, 2 hurricane drinks with souvenir cups, and a $5 food pass, or General Admission is $6. http://downtownstockton.org/stockton_events_french_quarter.php
Don’t miss your chance to immerse in these rich cultural creations. It’s what life’s all about!
Soulful Sunday
The holiday season is offically here (even though the retail industry would have us believe it now starts in August). Whatever sets your heart a’glow this time of year, there’s plenty of cheer already brewing around town.
From festivals to ice rinks to cozy hangouts, SacTown’s got visions of sugarplums falling from blue trees. Why not let a little of the magic seep in and warm your weary bones starting this weekend…
Sunday, November 18
Festival of Trees: A Taste of Northern California – Enjoy this family affair with local culinary delights, auction and Childrens’ Festival. California Auto Museum, 2200 Front St., Old Sacramento. http://www.calautomuseum.org
Sacramento’s Lost Movie Houses – Watch the Alhambra, Esquire and Showcase come back to life through rare historic photos. Presented by the Sacramento Living Library at Time Tested Books, 1114 21st St, FREE. http://sacramento.downtowngrid.com/events/index.php?events_id=9188&tk=d363942c6f57ff73bc61&event_on=11%2F18%2F2012
For more of what’s happening in this winter wonderland, visit http://www.Sacramento365.com!
Random Updates
Retro boutique Bows & Arrows has moved (or at least opened another location) across from Safeway on 19th St.
Bar-by-day, club-by-night Shenanigans is neat, clean and safe to patron again!
May flowers bring June thunderstorms to the valley, so keep your umbrellas or hoodies close at hand.
The 3rd summer-monthly Sacramento Urban Collector Faire will be taking place July 16th in Uptown, 1409 Del Paso Blvd, 9am-3pm.
What’s going on in your corner of the world?
xo
There is something special about Sacramento; the rich land upon which it was built, the rivers that flow through, the bounty around it and the people who make the Sacramento area their home.
Life is good in California’s Capital City for many reasons, including climate and geography, community and amenities, nature and wildlife, and so much more. It’s hard to imagine a warmer feeling than a sunshine-drenched morning here, an easier feeling than a refreshing post-rain spring day, or a more engaging experience than a night on the town with friends or family.
There’s truly something here for everyone and every mood, for Sacramento is a shifting entity itself, with four distinct but relatively mild seasons, diverse neighborhoods and people, a ripening food and restaurant scene, year-round events and outdoor fun, and daytime and night-time adventures. Its magic is a blend of history and tradition, vision and reinvention. And there’s so much pleasure to be had here – with family and friends, food and wine, adventures and experiences – that they’re likely to create the kind of fond memories that might seem so familiar… but aren’t quite like any other.
