The following is the June 4 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.
Let’s get this week’s Cultural Capital going with news that broke yesterday on the festival front: GoldenSky Country Music Festival is returning to Discovery Park in 2027 after going silent for two years. Not only is GoldenSky back on board, but it’s now slated to run in 2028 and 2029 as well.
Could this mean the wider festival market is rebounding? Along with GoldenSky pausing, Sacramento’s also seen the loss of the R&B-flavored Sol Blume festival at Discovery Park in recent years. We’ll stay on top of this topsy-turvy festival world, so stay tuned.
In smaller concert news, I’m still in my feels from last week’s concert at Amatoria Fine Art Books. Abridged by PBS KVIE partnered with the Midtown shop to put on a live, intimate show with a literary touch. Rituals of Mine performed a musically and emotionally riveting set. If you missed it, don’t worry — cameras were rolling. More soon.
There are still a few tickets left for the next collab, when the team will welcome local folk duo Åna Tri. If you dig Sacto-style music in an especially cozy setting, this is your spot.
For now, let’s keep the good times moving and grooving. This week we’ve got a surf music extravaganza, an epic record swap and toy show, dueling artists in Elk Grove, an Italian festival and more.
Grab your wetsuit and let’s go!
Want to discover more events across the Sacramento region? Check out Abridged by PBS KVIE’s new searchable events calendar.
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In your inbox every Thursday, Abridged's entertainment newsletter from Chris Macias highlights things to do in the Sacramento region.
Hang 10 with surf rock masters
The details:
- Café Colonial, 3520 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento
- 7 p.m., June 6 (Saturday)
- $15
Sacramento’s about to transform into “Surf City U.S.A.” The nearest ocean breaks might be down in the Bay Area, but bands will be riding a mighty musical wave at Café Colonial for “Capital City Surf Clash III.” The festival brings headliner 3LH from the Pacific Northwest with The Greasy Gills from Oakland, along with local surf rockers The Me Gustas and DangerForce 5.
Surf music has been a fixture of the River City for decades. In 1963, the Beach Boys recorded a live album, “Beach Boys Concert,” at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium. The surf rock scene of the 1960s was boosted locally by such bands as The Jaguars and The Avengers. That torch of surf music was carried through the years with The Tiki Men, who were fixtures of the local indie-rock scene in the 1990s, along with The Pyronauts and the in-your-face punk approach from ¡Las Pulgas!
This third installment of “Capital City Surf Clash” features a spectrum of surfy sounds. Though the genre is known for its primarily instrumental and reverb-soaked tracks, 3LH is the rare surf band to use vocals.
“In some circles that would be a bit taboo,” The Me Gustas guitarist Onedin “Odi” Giraldo said in an Instagram direct message. “But I love how surf music has influenced other genres. Some folks don’t even know that it’s surf behind some of their favorite tunes!”
Load up on choice vinyl and toys
The details:
- CLARA Studios, 2420 N St., Suite 110, Sacramento
- 10 a.m.-4 p.m., June 6 (Saturday)
- Free entry
Let’s say you wanted to score an early pressing of the “Beach Boys Concert” album listed above. The Midtown Record Swap would be a perfect place to start digging. It’s dubbed as “Sacramento’s biggest vinyl records show,” with thousands of albums, cassettes and CDs comb through. And if you want to nerd out on pop culture even more, the Midtown Toy Show will be held simultaneously in the Annex at CLARA.
Splash up your weekend with murals
The details:
- Old Town Plaza, 9615 Railroad St., Elk Grove
- 4-8 p.m., June 6 (Saturday)
- Free entry
There’s a whole lotta painting happening in Elk Grove this week. The “Paint the Grove” mural festival is underway, with local artists transforming city walls into works of art. It all comes to a head Sunday at Old Town Plaza, where painters will break out their wild styles and vie for bragging rights in a local artist battle. Food trucks, a DJ and art displays will also be on hand as you check out the competition.
Savor a day of Italian culture
The details:
- Lodi Grape Festival Grounds, 413 E. Lockeford St., Lodi
- 10 a.m.-4 p.m., June 7 (Sunday)
- $15, children 12 and under free with adult
Mangia! Whether or not you can trace your family history back to Lombardi, Italy, the Festa Italiana at the Lodi Grape Festival Grounds is ready for your appetite and sense of fun. Feast on signature Italian foods, play rounds of bocce or salami toss and learn more about the Italian heritage that’s been part of Lodi for more than a century.
More events you won’t want to miss
- Timeless soul with Booker T. Jones at The Center for the Arts in Grass Valley on June 5.
- Take it from “93 ‘Til Infinity” as Souls of Mischief headline Concerts in the Park at César Chávez Plaza in Downtown Sacramento on June 5.
- Film screening of “El Pachuco: From Zootsuits to Lowriders” at the Crocker Art Museum in Downtown Sacramento on June 7.
- Check out the classic rides at Cruisin’ Wednesdays in Folsom on June 10.
Before I go,
I wanted to sign off by giving a quick shout out to the folks behind River City Marketplace. They work tirelessly to support the local artists and creative types with their series of makers markets in the region. Look for their latest event, DOCO Summer Makers Market, on Saturday in the main plaza next to the Golden 1 Center. Come hang out while supporting small businesses and their one-of-a-kind goods.
Keep in touch at christo916@gmail.com. See you next week!
Chris Macias is a regular contributor, writing Cultural Capital for Abridged.