The Abridged version:
- The Sacramento region knows how to celebrate the holidays, with plenty of events to mark the season.
- Stroll for Christmas lights, hit a local ice rink, warm up with a holiday cocktail or head to the foothills for cherished events.
- You can also see live holiday performances at the state Capitol and Old Sacramento.
Stroll for Christmas lights
As Christmas nears, the sidewalks in the Fab 40s in East Sacramento overflow with families. It’s a classic scene, with horse carriages and strings of white lights. The holiday cheer stretches over several blocks from 40th to 49th Street, between J Street and Folsom Boulevard.
If you’re looking for a shorter walk, head over to the Elmhurst neighborhood for Candy Cane Lane, near 53rd and S streets. This small, but mighty, collection of holiday lights is a favorite for younger kids, who can run through tunnels of lights while taking in fun character scenes.
Looking for Christmas inflatables? You’ll find them in Natomas, where Rockmont Circle dazzles with lights and inflatables for Rockmont Lights. Park at Westlake Charter School to begin your walk, ending at the community Christmas tree on Java Court.
Just don’t forget the hot chocolate.
Hit the ice rink
Sacramento may not get snow, but there’s plenty of ice in the region.
In Folsom, skate in circles around a historic railroad turntable in the heart of the city’s festive historic district. The Folsom Historic District Ice Rink is open daily through Jan. 19 – including on Christmas Day, with “Rudy’s Christmas Party at the Rink.”
In Sacramento, the Downtown Ice Rink is in full swing near the Golden 1 Center. It’s open Tuesdays through Sundays, including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
New this year, the Downtown Roseville Ice Rink opened a synthetic ice rink in Vernon Street Town Square. You can skate daily through Jan. 4, except for Christmas Day.
Warm up with a holiday drink
Bars around Sacramento are full of Christmas spirit right now, with several offering holiday-themed drinks and festive decor.
The Snug on 15th Street is hosting a Christmas pop-up through Jan. 4, with drinks like a Snowball Old Fashioned and a Blitzen Barrel. Its sister restaurant, Butterscotch Den, is also hosting a pop-up with “Miracle on Broadway.”
Bottle and Barlow on R Street is featuring “Rudolph’s Wrap Up Menu” with drinks like Powdered Toast Snowman and Hot n Buttered Rumdeer.
If you like your holiday drinks a little more tropical, The Jungle Bird on J Street is celebrating “Sippin’ Santa” through Jan. 4 with several rum drinks in cheerful mugs.
And if you’re looking to stay warm on foggy nights, Karma Brew on 16th Street has a cozy atmosphere and hot holiday drink menu.
Watch the Theatre of Lights
People flock to Old Sacramento during the holidays to shop for gifts, admire the 60-foot Christmas tree and ride the Polar Express from the California State Railroad Museum (tip: next year, snag tickets early in September before they sell out).
But one of the biggest draws to Old Sacramento is the free Theatre of Lights performance.
The 20-minute live-action play takes place on the rooftops of K Street, lighting up the surrounding buildings. It’s a retelling of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” with an Old Sacramento twist.
With appearances by St. Nick and Jack Frost, the spectacle is an annual Sacramento favorite. It runs through Christmas Eve.
Head up to the foothills
In the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, valley residents head up to the foothills for two holiday events with a historic tie: Victorian Christmas in Nevada City and Cornish Christmas in Grass Valley.
The final events will take place this weekend. Starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, Cornish Christmas transforms Mill and Main Streets in Grass Valley into a marketplace with carolers, live music, hot cider, old-fashioned treats and marketplace shopping. The event honors the city’s Cornish heritage that dates back to the Gold Rush era.
In Nevada City, carolers wearing Victorian attire will share good tidings during the final Victorian Christmas celebration on Sunday, starting at 1:30 p.m. There are artisan vendors, fiddlers and jugglers, hot roasted chestnuts and, of course, Father Christmas.
Visit the state Capitol
This year’s Christmas tree at the California State Capitol is 67 feet tall, decorated with 10,000 LED lights and 200 ornaments created by adults with developmental disabilities.
The interior of the Capitol is just as festive, with free lunchtime live holiday music performances through the Capitol Holiday Music Program.
The musical performances run on Dec. 19, 22, 23, 29 and 30.
Watch the sugar plums
It doesn’t get more classic than the “Nutcracker.” The Sacramento Ballet performance runs through Dec. 21 at the Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center.
Dancers are accompanied by the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera, and many Sacramento families make this an annual holiday tradition.
Go for a hike
If you’ve had your fill of Christmas fun, gather up the kids and grandparents and take them on one of these seven easy hikes in the Sacramento region — including local favorites like Effie Yeaw Nature Center and the Cosumnes River Preserve.
If the fog is obscuring the sky in the valley, head up into the foothills near Auburn, where you can break above from the fog line. Cronan Ranch has easy trails where the whole family can soak up the sun.
Christina Salerno is the Director of News Visuals for Abridged.