Events & Activities

Artist Matt Bult displays his acrylic, graphite, and watercolor series at the Elliott Fouts Gallery in October.

Growing up Patti Garcia had only one doll, she called him Tony. He was her best friend in a world of little materials or possessions. She left Tony behind when her parents moved to the USA and even though she was gifted with many new toys, her doll was still her best toy. She since has left dolls and other playthings behind and has found a new meaning for these creatures. Dolls capture a time of innocence, a time of simple games. But they also have a mystery about them, “they have been misunderstood in a world of suspicion”, says Garcia, they have a sense of the past, an almost eerie and scary feel of souls living in them. This is what captivated her when she first started to photograph them. She has now been shooting images of dolls for more than ten years. They all live in a box, no one has seen them, only Patti finds them as treasures to her collection. “I would like to share these images with the rest of doll enthusiasts and artists who can see what I see” shares Garcia. She captures images that evoke emotion and allow the viewer to go back into their own time of simple memories.

This year’s fine art photography exhibit includes a number of rare and valuable prints as well as newer works by regional artists. Some of the prints have been in Viewpoint's collection for years, donated by the original photographers and rarely make an appearance except for special occasions such as this. The exhibit presents a unique opportunity to view a wide range of fine art photography spanning over 50 years.

A closing auction for this exhibit will then give guests a chance to enjoy an elegant affair including appetizers, luscious desserts, wine, and beverages.

Do you shiver in delight from things that go bump in the night? Kennedy Gallery has just the show for you! Sacramento artists present their Halloween-themed work from the whimsical to the outright disturbing.

The Kennedy Center is over 20 resident artists and three air-conditioned floors of open studios -- that's 4,500 square feet of exploring and fun! Your favorite art destination in the heart of Midtown’s entertainment district and Second Saturday Artwalk will feature a full-service, no-host bar on 2nd Saturdays.

In this quietly gripping play, we meet Darja, a Polish immigrant living in New Jersey. With a steely determination, Darja makes her way in this foreign world and fights for the things she loves, most notably her son.

Filled with warm humor and tremendous heart, Sweat tells the story of a group of friends who have spent their lives sharing drinks, secrets, and laughs while working together on the factory floor. But when layoffs and picket lines begin to chip away at their trust, the friends find themselves pitted against each other in a heart-wrenching fight to stay afloat.

“Keenly observed and often surprisingly funny - but ultimately heartbreaking - the work traces the roots of a tragedy with both forensic psychological detail and embracing compassion. Ms. Nottage…is writing at the peak of her powers,” The New York Times.

In a career that took flight in 1985 with commercial and critical acclaim, guitar virtuoso Stanley Jordan has consistently displayed a chameleonic musical persona of openness, imagination, versatility, and maverick daring. Be it bold reinventions of classical masterpieces or soulful explorations through pop-rock hits, to blazing straight ahead jazz forays and ultramodern improvisational works—solo or with a group -- Jordan can always be counted on to take listeners on breathless journeys into the unexpected.

Every Thursday, two improv teams enter the ring but only one leaves victorious. Each week, the audience votes to see which team wins the "fabulous" prize package, the chance to defend their title the following week, and the right to contribute to the Cage Match Trophy.

Check out the Comedy Spot bar for awesome local and seasonal beer selections!

With their second album, Kin Sonic, Jupiter and Okwess transcend the Congo's Unexplored musical heritage and dive into a pool of modernity. Openers for this event are The Jack Moves.

Grammy Award-winning musician Laurie Lewis is internationally renowned as a singer, songwriter, fiddler, bandleader, producer, and educator. She was a founding member of the Good Ol’ Persons and the Grant Street String Band and has performed and recorded since 1986 with her musical partner, mandolinist Tom Rozum. Laurie has twice been voted IBMA's Female Vocalist of the Year and has won the respect and admiration of her peers.

Since her debut in 1986, Laurie has recorded nearly 20 albums in a number of musical formats. Her latest album with her band the Right Hands (Tom Rozum, Brandon Godman, Patrick Sauber, and Sam Grisman), The Hazel and Alice Sessions, was nominated for the Best Bluegrass Recording Grammy in 2017.

Suppose that life exists in a multiverse -- a set of parallel existences that contain infinitely different futures. The possibilities in our lives are, quite literally, endless. Every possible event that could happen, does happen, in one universe or another. And if two lovers meet -- are drawn together in every version of existence -- every possible happy ending and heartbreak that could befall them, will.

Marianne, a physicist, and Roni, a beekeeper, meet at a party. They hit it off, and go for a drink. Or perhaps they dont. They go home together, or maybe they go their separate ways. Perhaps Marianne is engaged to someone else, perhaps Roni is. Perhaps they come together and their love story can finally take root and grow, or perhaps it will be tragically cut short. Nick Paynes beautiful play, Constellations, explores how even the smallest change in our lives can dramatically alter the course we take. It is a spellbinding exploration of love, science, quantum theory, and infinite possibility for heartbreak or for hope.

Note: This play is recommended for audiences Ages 14+.

The career of the Colorado-based artist has already seen him break through jam and bluegrass scenes, play stages from The Fillmore Auditorium to Red Rocks Amphitheater and outdoor events like Telluride Bluegrass Festival and Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, among many others. But with the launch of his solo career in 2014, Austin is now building on the foundations of previous ventures while honing his own sound and charting new courses.

Shop local, support art, handmade goods and small businesses of Sacramento. River City Marketplace will be hosting over 100 vendors on October 20th at Fremont Park. Enjoy live music and local bites while you shop, and see what Sacramento's talent has to offer.

River City Marketplace is designed to present the Sacramento region’s best artists, makers and small businesses in a setting that creates an enjoyable and memorable experience.

Join Friends of Sutter’s Fort and California State Parks for their annual Haunted Fort events -- a fun, family-friendly event that allows you to explore Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park after dark!

Stroll the weathered courtyards and storied rooms of Sutter’s Fort by moonlight for fun opportunities to learn more about history. Docents dressed in historic attire will be waiting for you at interactive stations throughout Sutter’s Fort, ready to share their spooky and disturbing stories from pioneer life in the 1800s.

Plus, the B Street Theatre will be back with an all new, original eight-minute play inspired by the history of Sutter’s Fort!

Grammy-nominated JD Souther has penned countless hits for the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Roy Orbison, James Taylor, Don Henley, George Strait, Trisha Yearwood, Brooks and Dunn and found success as a solo artist. This led him to being inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in 2013 and becoming one of the most celebrated songwriters of his generation. On his latest studio album, Tenderness (Sony Music Masterworks), Souther creates a perfect balance of understated jazz with the ineffable pop narratives that have been the backbone of much of his greatest work. His classic albums John David Souther, Black Rose and Home by Dawn have been released as expanded reissues (Omnivore Recordings).

“When I was young, the artists that I really admired were the ones who always found a way to keep making music and expressing themselves,” Matthew Sweet says on the occasion of the release of his 13th solo album Tomorrow’s Daughter. “To me, those guys were the real artists, and I’ve tried to hold on to that attitude in my own work.”

The seasoned singer/songwriter/producer/multi-instrumentalist is currently in the midst of a personal musical renaissance that’s seen him produce some of the most compelling and ambitious music of his three-decade career.

Openers The Nickel Slots also perform.

Treasure Island returns to the B Street stage on Capitol Avenue! This beloved adaptation is back with new twists, exciting explosions, and your favorite characters.

Note: This Family Series show is recommended for Ages 7+.

Beulah is the title of John Paul White’s new album, his first in nearly a decade, a remarkably and assuredly diverse collection spanning plaintive folk balladry, swampy southern rock, lonesome campfire songs, and dark acoustic pop. Gothic and ambitious, with a rustic, lived-in sound, it’s a meditation on love curdling into its opposite, on recrimination defining relationships, on hope finally filtering through doubt.

Opener Jessica Malone also performs.

"If there's a choir in heaven, someday the exquisite vocalist Karrin Allyson will lead it. She's such an otherworldly talent that the creator probably already has her on heavy rotation," said The Houston Press. Well, no worries, mate, Karrin Allyson will be part of this earthly choir for a very long time. But she is moving on, after a jam-packed career with Concord Jazz — thirteen albums, four Grammy nominations, and a recent self-produced holiday album, Yuletide Hideaway that won four stars from Downbeat. In May of 2015, as part of a new agreement with Motema Records, Karrin heads back into the recording studio for a very intimate look at the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein.

For Karrin, who actually played Nelly Forbush in a production of South Pacific as a teenager this album is a return. “I've been all around the world musically, from bop and bossa and chanson to blues and singersongwriters. And now, I feel like coming home. I find myself powerfully drawn to the world of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Why? Well, the tunes for starters, gorgeous melodies, near perfect lyrics, music that begs to be sung. Music filled with innocence, optimism, a confident can-do response to any problem, an appealing wiseguy humor, a sense that we all belong together on this wonderful planet. So, Rodgers & Hammerstein in very spare, honest settings — just a singer, telling the story with two masterful partners, the magisterial pianist Kenny Barron and the superb bassist John Pattituci, underlining and extending.”

Friends of Sutter’s Fort invites you as world-renown light artist Gerry Hofstetter illuminates Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park as part of a 50-state art project “Light Art Grand Tour.”

Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park is the only illuminated historic site in California selected for the Light Art Grand Tour, joining other iconic landmarks such as Mount Rushmore and Mount Vernon.

During the illumination, Mr. Hofstetter will project approx. 20 larger than life images on the white walls of Sutter’s Fort during the course of just one hour. The illuminations will take place on the exterior walls, and visitors are welcome to view the illuminations from the grounds of Sutter’s Fort. You will not want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime light art experience at Sutter’s Fort SHP!

Blazing soul-blues rocker Tommy Castro’s musical roots run deep. As he unleashes his high-energy music to fans all over the world, Castro is inspired by the sounds he absorbed while coming of age on the rough and tumble side of San Jose, California. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, this was Castro’s home turf -- his stomping ground. It was a place where the street-tough Chicanos and the counter-culture hippies came together to drink, smoke, laugh, party, and listen to tunes -- the hippies with their blues and rock, the Chicanos with their soul music. Mixing the blues-rock he loved and the soul music he heard blasting out from the lowriders cruising the streets, along with the socially conscious message songs of the day, Tommy’s own sound was born. He honed his guitar playing to a razor’s edge on the city’s competitive bar scene, where he learned how to capture an audience with his intensely passionate vocals, stellar musicianship, and dynamic performances. Almost every major rock and soul act, from Ike & Tina Turner to Janis Joplin to Elvin Bishop to Taj Mahal, toured through the area, and Castro was at almost every show. He saw John Lee Hooker, Albert King, and Buddy Guy & Junior Wells at the same local blues bar, JJ’s, where he often jammed, dreaming of one day busting out.