Photo courtesy of Scott Zenter

Over 60 units with more than 1,000 marchers will be featured. Irish dancers in elaborate Celtic costumes, bagpipers, school bands, military regiments, police and fire representatives, costumed marchers and a variety of cultural organizations will bring the luck of the Irish to the event. The parade draws people from all over Northern California bringing together thousands in the 28-acre historic state park. Last year more than 15,000 people turned out to enjoy the event.

All Old Sacramento streets will be closed to traffic from noon to 3:00 p.m., as several thousand people are expected to line the streets and Gold-rush era wooden boardwalks to enjoy the festivities.    A reviewing stand will be located at the intersection of Front & K Streets.

Presented by the Old Sacramento Business Association, the event is sponsored by the City of Sacramento, 96.9 The Eagle – Entercom Radio and The Shamrock Club.

The deadline for entries is Monday, March 5, 2012.

PARADE ROUTE:

• Parade forms on 2nd Street between Neasham Circle and O Street (near Crocker Art Museum)
• Parade heads North on 2nd Street to J Street Left (West) on J Street to Front Street Left (South) on Front Street
• Past the reviewing stand on Front & K Streets (in front of the Delta King)
• Left (East) on L Street Right (South) on 2nd Street back to the staging and parking area to disband

When: Every Friday Night | May 4 – July 27 | 5 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Where: Cesar Chavez Plaza | 10th & J streets

More Info: 916-442-8575

For over 21 years, the Friday Night Concerts in the Park has been synonymous with Sacramento summers. More than 400 bands have graced the Cesar Chavez Plaza stage over the past two decades including the likes of Cake, the Deftones, and Jackie Greene. Thousands of people flock each year to the free outdoor concert series making the event Sacramento’s top summer happy hour to see and be seen. Launched in 1992 with only 300 people for the first show, the Concerts in the Park has grown in popularity by leaps and bounds now attracting more than 4,000 concertgoers per week. The Friday Night Concerts in the Park 21st season kicks off on May 4 and will feature live local bands over 13 weeks. The free, all-ages shows take place at Cesar Chavez Plaza in Downtown Sacramento every Friday night from 5 pm to 9 pm starting May 4 and continuing though July 27.

Admission is FREE to this all ages show!

If your band is interested in playing at concerts in the park, contact playbigsacramento@gmail.com

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Weather

Check local weather conditions Downtown (95814) courtesy of CBS 13/CW 31.

Hotel Deal

Go ahead stay a while. Special $99 Friday Night Concerts in the Park hotel rate at the Residence Inn at Capitol Park. For reservations, call 916-443-0500 and ask for booking code: CTQO (Some exclusions apply.)

Feedback

Fill out our quick survey for a chance to win a $25 gift card to a downtown business.

Join the Downtown Sacramento Partnership and local community and business leaders for the 14th Annual State of Downtown breakfast on January 17, 2012 as we identify priorities for downtown revitalization. You’ll hear from Mayor Kevin Johnson and keynote speaker Larry Baer, President and CEO of the San Francisco Giants.

State of Downtown 2012 | Vision to Reality
With a sound strategy and unified vision, large-scale public projects have the power to transform downtown districts into vibrant city centers.

Date: January 17, 2011
Time: 8:00 – 10:00 am
Place: Memorial Auditorium • 1515 J Street

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
Larry Baer, President & CEO of the San Francisco Giants

One of sports’ leading visionaries, Larry Baer, President and CEO of the San Francisco Giants, will discuss his role as one of the driving forces behind the vision for AT&T Park and the success of its reality and how Sacramento can learn from his story. View his full bio. Read a Q&A with Larry Baer.

Click here to buy tickets

Table of 10 (breakfast included): $650
Floor Seat (breakfast included): $65
Gallery Seat (program only): $25

Or call the Downtown Sacramento Partnership at 916.442.8575

VIBE Award, presented by California Forward

The Downtown V.I.B.E. award, which stands for Visionary Innovators in Building Excellence, recognizes local leaders and champions who have contributed to the enrichment of Downtown Sacramento.  The award will be presented at the DSP’s annual State of Downtown breakfast. The winner will also be nominated as one of California Forward’s “Forward Thinkers.” Learn more about the VIBE Award.

The parade will step off at 10:00 AM, from 9^th and I Streets.  It will travel east on I Street (past City Hall) to 13^th Street, south on 13^th alongside the Convention Center, west on L Street, and north on 7^th Street, disbanding at 7^th and K Streets.  Parade announcers will be at on I Street between 9^th and 10^th in Cesar Chavez Plaza.

As always, the parade will feature marching bands, clowns, youth groups, horses, antique vehicles, and much more.  Some of the units scheduled to take part are The Natomas Night Hawks Marching Band, California Cowgirls, Just Rollin’ Car Club, Shriners’ Keystone Kops, the Sacramento Police and Fire Departments, Twin Rivers District High School Band, Pig Bowl Cheerleaders, and Macy’s Stores. Macy’s will have a Star Float and costumed star characters, a first time entry for our Santa Parade.  Sponsors include 107.9 The End, the Eagle, Sactown Magazine, Downtown Plaza, and Macy’s. The star of the parade, Santa himself, will make his appearance at the end of the parade, ringing in the holiday.

For information, please call 916-451-6200, visit www.sacholidays.com, or visit the Santa Parade page on Facebook. 

“’Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”

The classic Christmas poem comes to spectacular life for the third year in a row on the balconies and facades of Old Sacramento. Narrated by Mark Twain, this live action telling of Clement Moore’s poem will be bigger and better than ever.

Conceived and imagined by Stage Nine Entertainment’s Troy Carlson, the Raley’s Theatre of Lights brings together California’s finest talents in the field of light and sound: Sacramento Theatrical Lighting, Associated Sound and Skywalker Sound, and professional voice actor Bill Farmer (the voice of Disney’s Goofy).

The audience views the production from the center of K Street as the story is performed from the balconies of the buildings around them. As Mark Twain, himself a one-time-denizen of Sacramento, tells of the calamities – and revelry – that befell the new city in the 1850’s the sounds of the fires, floods and parties surround them as the 150-year-old building facades light up with color.

Then, Twain notes that the first Christmas edition of The Sacramento Bee included a reprint of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” and he launches into the poem, as the building across the street becomes a stage for the famous visit from St. Nick.

The newest edition of the Raley’s Theatre of Lights will have its premiere on Wednesday, November 23, following the lighting of the City Christmas Tree at Front and K Streets at 6:30 p.m. Shows will continue on Friday, Nov. 25, at 6:15 and 7:45 p.m. and every Thursday through Sunday until Christmas week when it will play every night Monday through Christmas Eve. There will only be one performance on Dec 24 at 6:15.

This free holiday program of the Old Sacramento Business Association, this year’s event is supported by Raley’s Family of Stores as its presenting partner in addition to support from the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau, Councilmember Robert King Fong, the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, and the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation, as well as Old Sacramento merchants like Evangeline’s, Steamers, Sacramento Sweets, Fat City Restaurant, Ten 22, Skalet Family Jewelers and Christmas and Co.

Drink Menu “Then…”

“The Broiler “Old Fashioned”
Whiskey Sour
Side Car
Manhattan
Presbyterian
Gin Rickey
Gimlet
Smith & Kerns
Rusty Nail
Rob Roy
Tom Collins
Daiquiri
Black Russian
Scotch & Soda
Martini
Screw Driver

12:15 pm – Legends of Flight 3D
1:30 pm – Puss in Boots: An IMAX 3D Experience
3:30 pm – Puss in Boots: An IMAX 3D Experience
5:30 Legends of flight 3D
6:30 Hubble 3D
7:30 Under the Sea 3D
8:30 Legends of Flight 3D
9:30 Born to be Wild 3D
10:30 Space Station 3D

Buy Tickets for Show

Did you know? It was 1969 when K Street was closed to cars. During that year, gas cost an average 35 cents per gallon. Neil Armstrong and the Apollo 11 crew landed on the moon. And, Nixon was President. Now, 42 years later, the City of Sacramento is opening up the street once again to vehicular traffic. Register for this free event.

Parking
Park for free at the City’s Capitol Garage located at Capitol Garage at 10th & L streets and City Hally Garage at 10th & I streets. [View parking map]

12th & K Stage
4:00 pm – Opening Ceremony & Car Parade
5:00 pm – 7even spinning all night (courtesy of blackbird. Kitchen & Bar)
5:30 pm – Butoh Dancers (courtesy of Rowena & Takashi)
6:30 pm – Smirker (courtesy of Marilyn’s on K)
7:30 pm – Mariachi Latino (courtesy of Mayahuel)
8:00 pm – Spazmatics
9:00 pm – Stage closes

Tour of K Street
Drop in these K Street businesses for special deals, menus and more:

• Esquire IMAX Theatre: 1969 throw back pricing – $2.50 movies starting at 12:15 pm 
• Ella Dining Room & Bar: Happy hour pricing from 4 pm to close
• Chops: Order two entrees and receive 30% off wines by the bottle (up to $100)
• Cosmopolitan Cabaret: $5 off tickets to Bingo, the winning musical
• Marilyn’s on K: Happy hour pricing from 3 pm to 8:30 pm
• Rowena & Takashi Salon: Blowout + makeup touch up for $30
• Westfield Downtown Plaza Ice Rink: One free skate rental with receipt from K Street business
• Tequila Museo Mayahuel: Tequila tastings in the Coa Room from 6 – 9 pm. Plus, kids under 10 eat free from Noon to 6 pm with special kids menu.
• The Broiler Steakhouse: Special classic cocktail menu from the 50′s and 60′s. Plus complimentary appetizers.
• District 30: Red carpet photographer and DJ’s spinning
• Pizza Rock: Special kids menu. Drink specials until 10 pm plus $3 specialty drinks with purchase of any pizza including Cruise Control, Rolls Royce, and Lincoln Cosmopolitan.
• Dive Bar: $3 drink specials all night including Red Light Sangria, No U Turn, Traffic Jam, Sippin Speedster and K Street Margarita.
• Cosmo Cafe: $5 cosmopolitans all day
• Crest Cafe: Free appetizer with purchase of any entree platter
• Rite Aid: $0.89 ice cream scoop
• Sun Spex: No tax on all sunglasses on November 12 including Oakley, Ray Ban, Maui Jim, Prada, Versace, Juicy Couture, Burberry, and more.
• Indivisual Eyes: Half off all prescription lenses with a frame purchase on November 12.
• Macy’s: Community Shopping Day -  Buy a $10 savings pass to help support local organizations and receive a special 10/20% off discount and $10 of a purchase of $25 or more.

K Street Scavenger Hunt
Play along on the SCVNGR app on your mobile phone for a chance to win cool stuff and discover hidden gems throughout Downtown. Here’s how it works.
• Go to your app store and download SCVNGR. (It’s free!)
• Go to Treks. Select a downtown trek.
• Visit locations, complete challenges, and earn points!
• Top 5 players on the scoreboard by November 14 win prizes from local businesses like restaurant gift cards, tickets to shows & more!

Other Events Scheduled on K Street

• Marilyn’s On K: Ten Mile Tide at 9:30 pm
• Crest Theatre: Like There’s No Tomorrow at 6 pm & 9 pm
• Cosmopolitan Cabaret: Bingo, the winning musical at 2 pm and 8 pm
• K Street Walking Tour at 5 pm
• Broadacre Coffee grand opening
• Chops live performance by blues artist Dennis James from 5:30 – 8:30 pm

Spend the night
Book a night at the Citizen Hotel and ask for the local rate of $119 on 11/12.

K Street in the News

• KFBK afternoon news with Kitty O’Neal and Councilmember Rob Fong and Trisha Flynn from Chops [November 7, 2011] Listen to audio.
• The Sacramento Bee – Cars return to K Street on Saturday [November 9, 20110] Read the article.
• The Sacramento Bee – Cars to return to K Street in downtown Sacramento on Saturday [November 10, 2011] Read the article
• Sacramento News & Review – Cruising K Street [November 10,  2011] Read the article
• News 10 - Sacramento businesses, shoppers, celebrate the return of cars on K Street [November 11, 2011] Read the article

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:
 

Buy a $10 savings pass to help support local organizations Tuesday, November 1 – Saturday, November 12 and receive a special 10/20% off discount and $10 of a purchase of $25 or more.*

Come back to Macy’s at the Downtown Plaza on Saturday, November 12, to enjoy a VIP shopping day with special events and an opportunity to learn more about our participating non-profit organizations.

* Some exclusions and restrictions apply. Ask any sales associate for details. Valid on November 12, 2011 only.