‘Tis the Season: Holiday events in Sacramento
Posted by Sherezada on Nov 25, 2009
Though you’ll find more palm trees than pine trees in Sacramento, the California state capital gets into the holiday spirit with cool events for revelers of all ages.
From carnival rides to choirs at the Capitol, the city is brimming with holiday cheer from late November to early January. Even better, many of these events are within walking distance of the Sacramento Hostel.
Holiday Activities
Midtown Ice Skating Rink
November 20 - January 18
20th Street between K and J streets (12 blocks from the Sacramento Hostel)
Admission: $8 / $5 Children (12 and under). Skate rentals are an additional $2.
For the 2009-2010 winter season, Sacramento’s ice skating rink moves from downtown to midtown. The rink is open daily rain or shine, so dust off your cold weather gear and get ready to hit the ice. More info
Carnival of St. Rose
November 27 - January 3 (closed Christmas Day)
St. Rose of Lima Park, 7th and K streets (6 blocks from the Sacramento Hostel)
Admission: $7 for 2 hours / $6 Children and Seniors
For five weeks, Sacramento’s St. Rose of Lima Park is transformed into a festive winter fair: the Carnival of St. Rose.
Open daily, the carnival features a 30-foot Ferris wheel, classic carnival and arcade games, and food vendors. In the spirit of the season, the carnival also incorporates live entertainment, a gingerbread house chef challenge, a craft fair, and charity events. More info
Christmas Memories at the Historic Governor’s Mansion
December 5 and 12
Governor’s Mansion State Historic Park (6 blocks from the Sacramento Hostel)
Admission: $6 / $4 Youth 6-17 / Free for children 5 and under
Visit the Governor’s Mansion State Historic Park to celebrate "Christmas Memories" with lavishly recreated period decor and costumed docents. Let yourself be transported back in time to the very place where 13 of California’s early governors and their families lived, spent Christmas seasons, and shared holiday traditions. In addition to the period decor and activities, Santa and Mrs. Claus are making a special visit to meet with the little ones and be available for photographs. Visitors can also have professional-quality photos taken against elaborately decorated holiday backgrounds for $3 each. More info
Fairytale Town Winter Wonderland
December 5-6 and 12-13
Fairytale Town, William Land Park
Admission: $5 / Free for children 2 and under
Sacramento’s Fairytale Town is a nonprofit park dedicated to promoting the imagination, creativity, and education of children. For two weekends this December, Fairytale Town gets into the holiday spirit with Winter Wonderland, an evening event celebrating winter family festivities and traditions from around the world. The park will be aglow with twinkling seasonal lights and holiday decorations, making a festive environment for live entertainment, arts and crafts activities, seasonal vendors, a visit from Father Christmas, and more. Additionally, Fairytale Town offers an admission-free day on December 24. More info
Live Performances
Theater of Lights
Thursdays - Sundays, November 25 - January 3
Old Sacramento (7 blocks from the Sacramento Hostel)
Admission: Free
The Theatre of Lights brings history to life through a narrated show of lights, sounds, and visual effects. The 10-minute light show takes visitors back to a time when the beloved poem "The Night Before Christmas" was first introduced in Sacramento in 1857. More info
California State Capitol Holiday Music Program
California State Capitol Museum (5 blocks from the Sacramento Hostel)
November 30 - December 23
Admission: Free
From flute choirs to accordion ensembles, Victorian quartets to bell ringers, guests to the State Capitol enjoy a variety of free holiday musical entertainment as part of the Capitol’s annual Holiday Music Program. Visitors will experience different musical presentations each day in the Capitol Rotunda, which is decked with glowing decorations and vintage floral arrangements. More info
The Nutcracker
Community Center Theatre (8 blocks from the Sacramento Hostel)
December 10-13, 18-20, 22-23
Admission: $15-$68 / $15-$31 Children (12 and under)
A beloved holiday tradition, the Sacramento Ballet’s rendition of The Nutcracker includes more than 200 costumed characters dancing to Tchaikovsky’s classic score, performed by the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra. The performance also includes 500 child extras — in roles from Teeny Tiny Mice to swirling Candy Canes — making it the largest cast of children in any Nutcracker production in the world.
Opening night marks the 500th performance of The Nutcracker under artistic director Ron Cunningham, and features three ballerinas sharing the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy. More info
New Year’s Festivities
New Year’s Eve Fireworks
December 31
Old Sacramento (7 blocks from the Sacramento Hostel)
Admission: Free
Ring in the New Year on the waterfront in Old Sacramento. Enjoy family-friendly entertainment — including live music and street vendors — while you stroll the wooden sidewalks of Sacramento’s historic district. The centerpiece of the festivities are two fireworks shows, held at 9 p.m. and at midnight. More info