Events

February

Waterfront Crab Fest

Held in early February

Location: Waterfront Park on Front Street

916-442-8575

Crab fest is back in the tent at Waterfront Park on Front Street in Old Sacramento. Plenty of all you can eat fresh hot cooked crab, pasta, salad and anti-pasta, spirits, dancing and entertainment from 5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

March

Festival Italiano

Held in late March

Location: Dante Club

916-359-0618

A fun-filled evening of good food, wine and entertainment, including a delicious Italian dinner, door prizes and an Italian auction.

Women's History Day

Held in late March

Location: Old Sacramento

916-558-3912

Join the Old Sacramento Living History Program re-enactors as they demonstrate what life was like for women in the late 1800's as they struggled to make their mark. Witness sufferance rallies, protests and other scenes featuring the struggles that women faced.

April

Steam-powered Excursions

Held April – October

Location: California State Railroad Museum

916-445-6645

Regular steam-powered excursion trains depart Saturdays and Sundays on-the-hour 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. from the Central Pacific Freight Depot and Public Market in Old Sacramento. Climb aboard the Museum’s Sacramento Southern Railroad every weekend for a relaxing 40-minute, 6-mile roundtrip ride on the banks of the Sacramento River.  Experience the sights, smells, and sounds of a real, working steam locomotive as it pulls vintage passenger coaches and converted freight cars along a former Southern Pacific Railroad branch line.  

Sacramento Valley Scottish Games & Festival

Held in late April

Location: Yolo County Fair Grounds

916- 557-0764

Traditional Scottish Competitions that began more than a century ago. Three days of fun and games including sheepdog trails, tug-o-war, bagpipe bands, fiddling, harping and vendors peddling Scottish wares.

Annual Festival de la Familia

Held in late April

Location: Cal Expo

916-443-6223

An annual celebration of Latino culture featuring luscious food, live entertainment and lots of fun.

May

Annual Designer Showcase House

Held in early – mid May

Location: In Sacramento's Sierra Oaks neighborhood

916-437-1649 The Junior League of Sacramento presents its Annual Designer Showcase House.  

  Sacramento County Fair

Held in early May

Location: Cal Expo

916-263-2975

Exotic petting zoo, children's hands-on activities and thousands of exhibits.

Senior Games Sacramento Sports Classic

Held in mid May

Location: Varies throughout Sacramento

916-277-6046

Interested in participating in competitive sports? The California Senior Games Sacramento Sports Classic is an annual event that offers athletic competition for adults age 50 years and older. The games are a multi-sport event for men and women patterned after the "Olympics" and held at various locales throughout the Sacramento area. There are 20 various sporting events offered such as, archery, basketball, bowling, cycling, race walk, rowing, soccer, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Competitors from all over Northern California participate each year. The Senior Games offers something for everyone's skill level and interest. 

The West Coast Brewer's Festival

Held in mid May

Location: Sacramento Miller Park

The West Coast Brewers Festival celebrates the significance of California, Washington and Oregon in the development of the Micro Brew industry.

Jazz Jubilee

Held in late May

Location: Varies in Sacramento

One of the world's largest traditional jazz festivals presents more than 125 bands from around the world and across the United States each year on Memorial Day weekend. In addition to the best traditional jazz, the festival includes several other jazz-related music styles such as big band, barbershop, blues, gospel, Latin jazz/salsa, swing, Western swing and zydeco.

June

Pony Express Re-Ride

Held in early June

Location: Old Sacramento

916-558-3912

Pony Express riders gallop west across the historic Pony Express Trail of 1860 - 1861 and end their 1,966 mile route in Old Sacramento at the Pony Express.  

Juneteenth Celebration

Held in mid June

Location: Granite Regional Park

916- 808-7739

A Celebration of Freedom. Thousands  gather at Granite Regional Park for a festive day of entertainment. Juneteenth begins with a Friday night Gospel concert, followed by Saturday in the park and The Black Rodeo on Sunday at Cal Expo.

July

Renaissance Faire

Held mid July – mid August

Location: Stafford Lake Park, Marin County

415-897-4555

The wildly authentic pleasures and colorful pageantry of a lusty Elizabethan country fair are brought to vivid life by the Heart of the Forest Renaissance Faire, bursting with high spirits and ancient seasonal traditions.

Sacramento French Film Festival

Held in mid July

Location: Crest Theatre

916-453-1723

Dedicated to celebrating the present as well as the history of French cinema by showing new French films as well as rarely seen French classics. Since its inception, the Festival has also involved the Sacramento art community by including short films from Sacramento filmmakers in its selection and original artwork by a Sacramento photographer in its posters.  

Annual Strauss Festival of Elk Grove

Held in late July

Location: Elk Grove Park

916-714-2527

Features elegantly costumed dancers and professional symphony musicians. The setting is a grassy knoll at the edge of a lake surrounding a small island in Elk Grove Park.

Bridge to Bridge Waterfront Festival

Held in late July

Location: Waterfront

916-808-7777

The most fun on the river without a boat. Visitors enjoy a weekend in Old Sacramento of watercraft displays and activities featuring antique boats, personal water-craft races, high-performance power boat rallies, U.S. Coast Guard safety and rescue demonstrations, and much more.

Eppie's Great Race

Held in late July

Location: Held along the scenic American River Parkway in Sacramento, Rancho Cordova and Folsom. 916-875-6640

One of the world's oldest triathlons:  Run - 5.82 miles. Bike - 12.5 miles. Paddle - 6.35 miles.

August

California State Fair

Held in late August – early September

Location: Cal Expo

916-263-3000

Big name entertainment, thrilling rides, exciting midway, irresistible food; oodles of events and fun for the whole family make The State Fair a popular event.

September

Gold Rush Days

Held in early September

Location: Sacramento

916-264-7777

The excitement of the California Gold Rush is brought to life during Sacramento’s annual Gold Rush Days festival, held over the Labor Day Weekend.

Annual Greek Food Festival

Held in early September

Location: Sacramento Convention Center

916-443-2033

One of the most prominent heritage festivals in Sacramento, this celebration is devoted to the traditional foods, entertainment and displays of the Greek community.

Grape Escape

Held in mid September

Location: Crocker Park

916-808-7777

Sacramento’s Annual Capital Regional Wine & Food Celebration takes place at Crocker Park.

October

Fall Harvest Festival

Held most of October

Location: Old Sacramento

916-558-3912

Old Sacramento brings the popular Halloween Festival back, “Fall Harvest Festival.” This annual event promises Halloween-themed fun, train rides and family entertainment on weekends to usher in fall.  

Festival of Cinema

Held in early October

Location: Crest Theatre

Created in 1995 to showcase the talents of local and international filmmakers, the Festival of Cinema is the community's premiere film arts showcase and a centerpiece for the arts in Northern California.

Sacramento International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival

Held in early October

Location: Crest Theatre 916-319-2348

Sacramento Fall Home Show

Held in early October

Location: Cal Expo

The show is held at Cal Expo and is the place to find hundreds of home and garden products and ideas.

American River Salmon Festival

Held in early October

Location: Nimbus Fish Hatchery, Lake Natoma

916-358-2884

The Annual Festival takes place at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery, Lake Natoma. Watch them go back in the river and experience their dramatic return!

Annual "Magic of Kids" Family Festival

Held in early October

Location: Sacramento City College

916-576-3300

Features free activities, magicians, music, dance, theater performances, law enforcement and fire department displays and educational demonstrations.

November

California New Car Show

Held in mid November

Location: Cal Expo

916-263-3000

Car enthusiasts have plenty to celebrate when they get a look at the new and innovative cars at Cal Expo.

The 28th Annual Northern California Model Railroad Show

Held in mid November

Location: Placer County Fairgrounds

916-772-7502

The West's Premier Model Railroad Show!

Harvest Festival

Held in mid November

Location:  Sacramento

800-321-1213

One of the largest arts and crafts show on the West Coast.  Attendees can meet and buy directly from America’s top artisans, enjoy entertainment and satisfy their taste buds with delicious festival cuisine.  

America’s Largest Christmas Bazaar

Held in late November

Location:  Cal Expo

503-282-0974

Cal Expo has 300+ booths, filled to the brim with selections galore for Christmas gift giving.

December

Annual California International Marathon

Held in early December

Location: Sacramento

916-983-4622 A 26-mile, 385-yard point-to-point road race, a 4-person Marathon Relay Challenge, a 2.62-mile maraFUNrun/Fitness Walk and entertainment are included at this exciting event.  

Heritage Holidays

Held early – late December

Location: Old Sacramento

916-558-3912

This annual event promises magical holiday cheer to all who visit Old Sacramento. For the two weeks leading up to Christmas, merchants have extended holiday hours. Stroll the beautifully decorated boardwalks and historic buildings featuring thousands of white lights.

New Year’s Eve Fireworks Celebration

Held on New Year’s Eve

Location: Old Sacramento

916-808-7777

The City of Sacramento celebrates the New Year on the waterfront in Old Sacramento. Along with two fireworks shows, the event features live music, food and drink vendors, a children’s stage hosted by top entertainers and live performances from local acts.

Arts and Entertainment

Sacramento Ballet

1631 K Street

Sacramento, CA 95814

916-552-5800

Call for performance schedule

Don’t miss the latest spectacular season.

Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra

3400 3rd Ave.

Sacramento, CA 95817 916-732-9045

Call for performance schedule

Sacramento Opera

3811 J St Sacramento, CA 95816 916-737-1000

Call for performance schedule

Sacramento Opera has been a Guild, a Committee, an Association, another Guild and finally the Association of today.

Sacramento Theatre Company

1419 H Street

Sacramento, CA 95816

916-443-6722

Call for performance schedule

Enjoy Broadway in Sacramento.

Sports

Sacramento Kings

Professional Basketball

Games played at the Arco Arena One Sports Parkway Sacramento, CA 95834 916-928-0000

Season runs October - April