The following is the Oct. 9 extended edition of Cultural Capital, an arts and entertainment newsletter written by Abridged contributor Chris Macias. Want it sent directly to your inbox? Sign up here.
Anyone else recovering from an Aftershock “bangover” – that is, a sore neck and shoulders from too much headbanging? The four-day festival was an epic way to ring October in, and the good times are just beginning.
This week, we’ve got great picks for film, jazz, a generations-spanning skateboard contest, local beer celebrations and Mexican lucha libre wrestling.
Let’s get to it!
Cheer for the country’s best slalom skateboarders in Fair Oaks
The details:
- Winding Oak Drive and Yarrow Court, Fair Oaks
- 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Races start at 9 a.m.), Oct. 11
- Free
Of course, a neighborhood named Rollingwood is the perfect scene for a skateboard contest. On Saturday, more than two dozen skateboarders will race in the Gold Rush Classic, hitting speeds up to 35 mph while weaving through cones. The contest is organized by the N-Men, a Sacramento skateboarding crew that’s celebrating its 50th anniversary and is the subject of a recent award-winning documentary.
The skaters span more than a half-century in age, including 74-year-old Jamie Hart of Sierra Oaks, a downhill skateboarding pioneer who once had his own bubble gum card. At the age spectrum’s other end is 17-year-old Leiola Kahaku, the reigning 2024 U.S. Slalom Skateboarding Junior Champion. Also racing is 66-year-old Judi Oyama, an inductee in the Skateboarding Hall of Fame and Women’s Slalom World Skateboard Champion in 2003.
“It’s really cool skating with some of the first riders to do it, and they’re still doing it well,” said Kahaku, in a call from her San Jose home. “They show you can start when (you’re young) and keep doing it a long time. I’m stoked to be part of it.”
Hart looks forward to rolling with his beloved skateboard community as spectators cheer along a hilly stretch of Winding Oak Dr. Last year’s event drew about 300 people, who watched from the sidelines as skateboarders whizzed by them.
“It’s always been about the adrenaline,” said Hart, in a phone call. “Now, it’s the pride of still being able to do it and influence the younger skaters. I’ll always love the sport.”
Dig into some popcorn and ‘A Place Called Sacramento’
The details:
- Crest Theater, 1013 K St., Sacramento
- 6 p.m. doors open, Oct. 11
- $25
And now, from skateboarding to the silver screen. The premiere of “A Place Called Sacramento” will be held on Saturday at the Crest Theatre, with short films that spotlight our River City. The event, sponsored by Access Sacramento, helps budding filmmakers turn their scripts into a 10-minute movie. Workshops, equipment lending and mentorships help make the film come to life. In terms of film, it doesn’t get more 916 than this.
“A Place called Sacramento is a year-round community film training program,” said Donna Girot, executive director of Access Sacramento Community Media, in an email. “In these last 25 years, over $1.5 million in volunteer labor has expanded and educated our creative communities’ skills as a grassroots foundation to our county’s creative economy.”
A spooky night of theater with a notorious figure
The details:
- 1616 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento
- 7:30 p.m. Oct. 10-Nov. 1
- $20-$25; matinees on Oct. 19 and Oct. 26 are sold out.
Dorothea Puente is one of the infamous characters to come from Sacramento, a landlady and convicted murderer who killed tenants at her F Street boarding house and buried them in the backyard. But is there more to the story? “Dorothea Puente Tells All!” at Big Idea Theatre brings this infamous true crime tale to the stage, attempting to show the audience she was wronged and how we’re all prone to exploitation. Yikes!
Get ready to rumble with Lucha Libre in Natomas
The details:
- South Natomas Community Center, 2921 Truxel Rd., Sacramento
- 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Oct. 11
- Free
In Mexico, lucha libre wrestling is more than opponents trying to pummel each other while sporting decorative masks. It’s closer to a form of acrobatic theater, usually in a tag-team wrestling format, with good-versus-evil storylines that are fun for a family outing. See all the high flying action up close on Saturday at Natomas Mania III and root for your favorite luchador.
Raise a pint for Black brewers
The details:
- 3514 Broadway, Sacramento
- 4 p.m. – 9 p.m, Oct. 11
- $65.87 – $145.90
Peoples Beer Fest is billed as the largest celebration of Black brewers in California. Oak Park Brewing Co. will be the hub of the festivities, with beer tasting, live music, art and vendors on Saturday. Admission includes unlimited tastings of beer, wine and cider and a lot of community fun. A weekend pass also gains entry to the National Black Brewers Association (NB2A) Rare Beer Tasting at Urban Roots on Friday among other perks. Power to the Peoples (Beer Fest)!
Get in the groove with beatniks and be-bop
The details:
- 521 First St. and 500 First St., Davis
- 1:45 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., Oct. 11
- Free
The Davis Jazz Beat Festival is back after a six-year hiatus, and they’re ready to make the John Natsoulas Gallery feel like San Francisco’s Vesuvio Café all over again. Performances include Ted Fontaine Trio with Dr. Andy Jones, Davis’ former poet laureate, reading Allen Ginsburg’s “Howl” in honor of the poem’s 70th anniversary. More music and finger snapping continues across the street at Davis Commons, with tunes from the UC Davis Jazz Band Combo, the Jimmy Toor Trio and more. Beret and soul patch not included.
Before I go …
Thanks again for all the tips! If there’s a Sacramento-area event or artist that you think we should check out, drop me a line at christo916@gmail.com.
Now, it’s time for another hot pack to soothe this “bangover.” See you next Thursday!