Old Sacramento’s streets are once again dirt, and about 150 volunteers are dressed in their best 1850s fashion as the area reverts back to its rich history for Labor Day weekend. Visitors can rumble down the streets in a horse-drawn carriage, refresh themselves at the Stinking Tent Saloon, pan for gold and then gamble away their findings at one of the more lecherous tents in the frontier tent city that sprung up overnight in front of the Sacramento History Museum on First and I streets. “I think it’s really important for people now to know about the history that was happening right here in that time period,” said Janessa West, public programs coordinator for the Historic Old Sacramento F

Rick Spencer Concert at Gold Rush Days, Sunday Sept 5, 4 P.M., Old Sacramento “Tent City” Stage SCHS is proud to sponsor a public historic music program by historical troubadour Rick Spencer, followed by a 5 PM performer reception/discussion (for SCHS members only) in the Eagle Theater. Rick is known internationally for his work as a historian, researcher, singer, songwriter and performer of music in the American folk tradition. Some of his musical selections for this event will include campaign songs written for the 1856 Presidential campaign of John C. Fremont, early California explorer, one of the first two Senators from California, and the first Presidential candidate fielded by the f

It was a sea of cut-off shorts, cowboy hats, and overalls at Capitol Mall on Sunday afternoon for Country in the Park 2010. KNCI 105.1 managed to turn the intersection on Capitol Mall and Fifth Streets into a country music venue for the day. The gated-off intersection was filled with an estimated 11,000-12,000 country music fans, making this year one of the biggest in it’s 11-year existence, according to Mark Evans, program director at KHTK and KNCI Sacramento. Due to budget cuts Gibson Ranch, where the concert is normally held, was unable to rent out the park to KNCI this year. The singing of the national anthem and “God Bless America” with help from the crowd kicked off the day on a h

A group of six gathered at Old Sacramento’s Trail Mix store Sunday morning to hear author and avid outdoorsman Jordan Summers teach the workshop, “Leave no trace.” “Leave no trace” consists of seven principles to promote responsible outdoor recreation. “It allows you to preserve the resources of which no more is being made,” Summers said. The back country was the focus of the workshop. Summers said the first six-mile stretch of a wilderness area is considered front country. Past that is considered back country. He said five times more people visit front country than the back country. Summers has been a hiker and active in the outdoors since his childhood in Virginia. He has lived in Ca

A study to map out a streetcar route linking Sacramento to West Sacramento is expected to start this fall, according to city Transportation Department spokeswoman Linda Tucker. More than $400,000 in funding has been set aside for the study -- $310,000 from federal grant funds obtained earlier this year and $90,000 from local transportation funds, said Azadeh Doherty, a principal planner in the department. The current plan for the streetcar includes a path in West Sacramento, but does not lay out a route in Sacramento. Under the most recent plan, the streetcar would run from West Sacramento City Hall, across Tower Bridge and stop in Old Sacramento at the foot of the bridge. The city will

The city of Sacramento is back at the drawing board — literally — on its efforts to set up a streetcar connecting to West Sacramento. A new study to plan the streetcar route in Sacramento has received $310,000 in federal grant funds. An additional $90,000 from a local source will help pay for the study, according to a July 27 report from the city’s Transportation Department. The City Council signed off on the new funding Tuesday night. “What we’ll be doing now is looking now more broadly at the best routes for that system on the Sacramento side,” Councilman Steve Cohn said Wednesday. In the most recent plan, the streetcar would run from West Sacramento City Hall, across Tower Bridge an

We seem to take our citizenship for granted and we expect all the liberties and rights of our constitution. Today a group of 10 children were presented with certificates of U.S. citizenship. The event took place at the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum. The Children’s Oath Ceremony included one child each from the countries of China, Vietnam, Singapore and Poland. Pakistan, Mexico and the Philippines each had two new citizens. The small Schoolhouse Museum was packed with the new young citizens as well as family members and friends. The ceremony began at 10 a.m. and various members of the media were in attendance. The site of the event was chosen by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Ser

Comedian Bob Saget told The Sacramento Press he has a reputation for visiting the California State Railroad Museum while inebriated. Pablo Francisco joked that he would impersonate a Sacramentan by using a heavy Latino accent and calling the Hells Angels to kick someone's ass. Jamie Kennedy, on the other hand, said he didn't know enough about Sacramento to make a joke about it, but he respects the city for having genuine comedy fans. "The audiences really like to laugh up there," he said. "People go to San Francisco, and they go to Santa Barbara, but Sacramento gets neglected, and I think it's a good place to see comedy." Thursday and Friday night, Kennedy will bring his multifaceted ap

Café Americain is celebrating summer with three bashes next month. The Old Sacramento restaurant is throwing parties for Bastille Day on July 10, the grand opening of Sacramento's first "speakeasy" on July 16 and a Summer Bohemian Ball on July 17. Owners Mike and Natalya Wahba said they want to turn their champagne and caviar house at 1023 Front St. into the place for Sacramentans to revel in fine food, decadent drink and all things passionate. "It's all about passion for life, for arts, for food, for entertainment," Mike Wahba said. "That's the standard we want to set." Fire dancers, the Sacramento Opera, Corti Brothers' owner Darrell Corti and the owners of Sterling Caviar will join

 Looking for an explosive way to spend your Fourth of July? Well, look no further. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best Fourth of July events in the Sacramento area. Sacramento Cal Expo will once again host an Independence Day Celebration sponsored by Coca-Cola and Miller Lite at the Miller Lite Grandstand near the East Gate entrance. The festivities will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a performance from Mick Martin and the Blues Rockers. State Fair mascot Poppy will also be there to entertain the crowds. Cal Expo’s media partner, radio station 107.9 The End, will provide music to the spectacular fireworks show, starting at 9:30 p.m. Parking for the event is $10, and general admission to

Parents looked closely and children's eyes widened as Northern California Bats' founder Corky Quirk used two live bats to educate in Old Sacramento Saturday. Quirk brought a Mexican Free-Tailed bat and Big Brown bat to Trail Mix, a store selling outdoor merchandise and projects for children and adults. About 40 children, parents and adults attended the event, and about 20 more trickled in after to see the bats. "It went really well with standing room only," Quirk said. "People were really quiet, which really surprised me, but they stayed a long time, which says something to me." Quirk said she wanted to help people understand the importance of bats, what they do for the environment and

Unsuspecting visitors to Old Sacramento this weekend were confronted with a man named Dr. Cornelius Poindexter claiming to sell miracle elixirs saying that they cure everything from measles to hair loss. “The cream, when applied to the skin, removes unwanted freckles, warts, boils, blemishes, carbuncles, what-cha-ma-goofers and thing-ma-bobs…whatever you wish to remove,” Poindexter said. “It’s a remedy for alcoholism, and it also cures terminal illnesses.” “It even cures baldness!” Poindexter shouted to a bald shopper. “I can grow hair on a rock!” Poindexter quickly disappeared, however, when an older man in a yellow scarf and wide-brimmed hat appeared, claiming to be Charles Crocker hi

Things will get a little batty in Old Sacramento Saturday when Trail Mix and a wildlife rescue group team up to educate people about bats. Corky Quirk, founder of Northern California Bats, will bring live, wild bats to help dispel some of the myths about these nocturnal creatures. She will also teach people about the benefits and habits of the mysterious winged mammals in a presentation from 1-3 p.m. at Trail Mix, a store selling outdoor merchandise for kids and parents at 116B I St., across from the California State Railroad Museum. Thousands of bats roost in the nooks and crannies of the city. In summer, a colony of 150,000 to 200,000 bats live under the Yolo Causeway and may be seen f

How low can you go?! Advance tickets for coveted “Old Sacramento Underground” tours are available now and can be purchased online at www.historicoldsac.org. Given Old Sacramento has the distinction of being the only city in California to raise its streets and interest is high in the new offering, additional tours have been added to meet the expected demand.   Coordinated by the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation (HOSF) and in partnership with the City of Sacramento, California State Parks, Old Sacramento Business Association and participating merchants and businesses, these educational and entertaining tours of the underground in Old Sacramento will be available Thursdays through Sundays

Against the backdrop of Old Sacramento's historic architecture, participating Old Sacramento businesses will celebrate local art, wine, music and food every Second Saturday, 4-7:00PM. I have always considered Second Saturday to be a Midtown event. However, over the years I have also heard a growing number of complaints that Second Saturday was becoming less of an art walk and more of a party. Now Old Sacramento businesses including the Artists Collaborative Gallery, Cafe Americain, Delta King, Fat's Catering, Firehouse Restaurant, Skalet Family Jewlers, Steamers Bakery and Cafe, Taylor's Art and Soul, and Ten 22 have teamed up to bring "Art and Wine" to those who may be disenchanted with

Our mission at Practical Cycle is to make cycling more practical for everyday people. To better serve this purpose, we have decided to expand our product line in an effort to make cycling more affordable. Practical Cycle is now proud to offer 3G Bikes starting at only $189. The world is shrinking and today's highly competitive, rapidly changing global economy demands that we quickly adapt to the marketplace and embrace change. As a small business, we feel that one of our greatest strengths is our flexibility and ability to think on our feet. Over the past few months we have learned that many people simply cannot afford a Made in USA Worksman or Pedego Electric Bike. (Probably because th

The River City Shooting Gallery is set to open its doors for tourists and locals looking for an old fashioned shoot-em-up good time when visiting Old Sacramento.   SACRAMENTO, CA (June 1, 2010) As the economy seems to be recovering, the owners of The River City Saloon in Old Sacramento have decided to keep building on the fun theme they brought to Old Sacramento by opening a new venture called The River City Shooting Gallery. Over the years, Sean Derfield has always felt that the Old Sacramento area was missing one thing: an old west themed saloon with a family friendly shooting gallery for the many tourists and families that visit the area. But after realizing that his saloon, that ope

(Click on image above to see a larger view) Warmer weather welcomed the thousands of guests at the 37th annual Sacramento Jazz Festival and Jubliee this weekend. Sponsored by the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society, the Festival brings together a variety of musical styles, including traditional jazz, Zydeco, blues, Latin jazz and swing music. Over 2,200 volunteers work together to support the Festival. Photos by Ron Nabity

Snapshots from Saturday and Sunday at the 37th Annual Sacramento Jazz Festival & Jubilee   Sam Rocha, string bass and tuba,  Blue Street Jazz Band  accompanies the group as they played gospel music Sunday morning.   Sacramento's MICK MARTIN and THE BLUES ROCKERS Mick Martin, vocals and harmonica Jimmy Pailer, guitar Kyle Roland (above and below)  Drummer Bruce Pressley tunes his drums as a fan blows cool air. Kyle Roland was discovered by Mick Martin at the Jubilee four years ago at the ripe old age of ten as he was playing along on his harp during one of Mick's shows. Mick heard him and had him come up on stage to play along and was taken aback not just at hi

Lloyd Meadows of Zydeco Flames strums his washboard while playing in the Riverfront Refuge this afternoon during opening day of the 37th Annual Sac Jazz Festival & Jubilee. A musician rolls her contra-bass on the pavement on the way to her next gig.   The guitarist (above) of Tom Rigney and Flambeau gestures to the crowd while playing in the Firehouse Lot. Rigney plays the electric violin (below). The Fulton Street Jazz Band plays to a full house in the Firehouse Courtyard. Bob Ringwald, pianist, started his jazz band in the 1960s and played at the first Sacramento Jazz Festival known then as the Dixieland Jubilee. Bob Sako plays the fugelhorn (below). Darrell Fernandez on