October is here, which also means it’s the onset of ARTober—Sacramento’s celebration of National Arts & Humanities Month. Throughout the month the public can experience and participate in more than 150 art events, performances and free family activities, including exhibitions, poetry slams, art festivals, concerts, musicals and plays. This week features: Opera at the Crest: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, at the Crest Theatre “Opera at The Crest” will feature the "best of the best"—popular and favorite arias, duets and ensembles taken from the top 10 most popular operas voted on by Sacramento Opera patrons this summer. Selections will be performed by six acclaimed singers who will be appeari

Have you seen the line-up for this year’s Sacramento Electronic Festival? It’s chock full of electronic artists of all varieties, well known and upcoming, spanning three days--May 3-May 5--taking over both Harlow’s and the Momo Lounge. Founded in 2010, SEMF’s third year promises to be bigger and better than ever. Sacramento365.com sat down with SEMF co-collaborators Adam Saake and Clay Nutting to find out the behind-the scenes scoop. How did the Sacramento Electronic Musical Festival get started? Adam: It’s a grassroots festival and even though we’re approaching year three we are in no way, shape, or form even done building the foundation of this thing. We try to keep that in mind, try to

The Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society (STJS) is the organization behind the annual Memorial Day Weekend Jazz Festival, which is reinventing itself this year as the “Sacramento Music Festival.” Executive Director of STJS, Vivian Abraham, explains that the event has gone through many name changes over the course of its 39 year run. Beginning as the Dixieland Jubilee, it morphed into the Jazz Jubilee, and then to the Jazz Festival. Despite these changes, Abraham says, “We still found people telling us they did not attend our Festival ‘because I don't like that kind of music.’” And so, last year, the decision was made to change the Festival’s name, reflecting a focus on multiple genres of m

A group of college friends conceived of an idea based on a passion: produce concerts that give back to the community. Formed in 1999, Concerts 4 Charity (C4C) obtained official 501(c)3 nonprofit status in 2002, and has since expanded from its humble beginnings in Worcester, Massachusetts to several locations across the country, following the initial founders as they dispersed after graduating. Along with Worcester, chapters are now present in Portland, Maine; Ashland, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; and Sacramento, California. The Sacramento Chapter, run by founding member Clay Nutting, focuses on causes he is devoted to: music, arts education, and supporting the local music community.

Sacramento is coming alive this weekend for St. Patrick's Day! To build upon the great round-up of events included in this article, here are a few more to consider for this Saturday. Block Parties & Pub Parties: -St. Paddy's R Street Pub Crawl: R Street Corridor (14th-15th Streets), Sat Noon-1am Come celebrate St. Paddy's Day at your favorite R District bars: R15 Bar, Ace of Spades, Burgers & Brew, and the Shady Lady. Enjoy a performance by The Cheeseballs, drink specials, and Irish grub at all locations. -St. Paddy's in The Sutter District: The Sutter District, Sat Noon-1am Come celebrate St. Patrick's Day at your favorite Sutter District bars: Ink Eats & Drinks, Blue Cue, BarWest, Mon

The 2011 Banana Festiva will celebrate art, culture, music, diversity, heatlh and wellness, going green with composting and food. The array of food this year will be a Banana Spitacular line up!!! Menu Banana Snow Cones Frozen mashed/blended bananas with or without strawberries (ice cream consistency) Plantain Chips (Packets) Fried Plantains Frozen Banana dipped in chocolate and nuts Banana Tortilla Dessert Long Banana Lumpia Banana Cotton Candy Green Banana Ice Tea Banana Strawberry Smoothies Jollof Rice with plantain Banana Taffy Banana Pies, Tea Cakes, Cookies, and Banana Pudding Banana Mango Salsa and Banana Mango Soup Banana Tempura Banana Tamales Banana Fritters Banana Pop Corn Gr