Community Activities

A non-arborist's adventure through "The City of Trees"

2009-10-18T19:14:27Z

Even though autumn had its official start three weeks ago, I had my first foray into fall on Saturday's tree tour through my own neighborhood Arden Park, hosted by the Sacramento Tree Foundation.

The tree tours were started over five years ago by longtime Sacramento Tree Foundation member Fran Clarke. It was Clarke's goal to make the community aware of the many spectacular trees found in Sacramento.

Eighteen resident citizens, from 2 years age to retired, gathered at La Sierra Park for an informational walk-about with Sacramento Tree Foundation stewardship coordinator Luanne Leineke.

"The trees are not only beautiful, they play important roles in our community," Leineke said. "They help clean up pollution. The leaves attract particles of pollution so people don't breathe them in. They also provide shade which helps lower the ambient air temperature which is especially important in a hot location like Sacramento."

Before the mile-and-a-half walk began, each participant was handed a detailed brochure and map entitled "The Magnificent Trees of Arden Park." The handout illustrated the location of 51 mostly deciduous, "leaf-losing" trees spread out over a many-mile radius.

"This particular tour is best done on a bike," Leineke said as the tour started. But there were plenty of trees to see on an abbreviated walking tour.

Starting out in La Sierra Park, we admired the blue atlas cedar with its dominant pyramidal shape, viewed two sickly looking Black locusts and learned to differentiate between a variety of oaks, including the Southern Live oak, the valley oak and the pin oak.

"Oaks have very lobed leaves," Leineke informed us. "But the pin oak's leaves are very lobed and it has crunchy, vertical bark."

This educational adventure continued into the neighborhoods as we ventured down Los Molinos Way, up El Sur Way and over on Castec Drive. Lieneke has an extensive knowledge of hardwood trees and worked hard to inform our group about proper care for a tree, average tree maintenance costs (approximately $9 a month per tree), pruning techniques and basic plant biology. We made special note of the planting differences of east-west streets that strive for shade and the more open north-south streets.

Leineke emphasized planning ahead when choosing a shade tree for your yard. She stressed that consideration must be given to the eventual size of the tree and the importance of a healthy root system.

"Wet soil is not healthy for most trees," Leineke warned. "With wet soil, there is not enough oxygen in the soil for the tree to stay healthy."

During our walk, we stopped to appreciate many trees, including ginkgo, elm, tulip tree (yellow poplar), tupelo — which was starting to get some of its intense red fall color — Southern magnolia, liquidamber and the redwood. Perhaps the most stunning tree on the tour was the wide-branching blue oak that caused many participants to exclaim, "Just beautiful!"

We also learned about the "shade history" of the Arden Park neighborhood. Historically, many streets were lined with the graceful Modesto ash; however, because of its susceptibility to mistletoe and anthracnose (a hardwood tree disease), many of these trees have been removed and replaced with more stable shade providers such as the London plane.

"How do you tell a London plane from a sycamore?" questioned one participant.

"By its balls," answered Lieneke, jokingly referring to the soft brown seed balls that hang from the branches in two-pair clusters. Lieneke indicated that sycamore's seed balls form in clusters of three to five.

Four additional tree tours will be held throughout the fall season and will highlight a variety of community settings. All tours are free and open to the public. The tours begin at 10 a.m. and conclude by noon. Further information can be found on the Sacramento Tree Foundation's website.

The Tree Tours schedule:

Oct. 24: American River College, meet at the administration building, 4700 College Oak Dr.

Oct 30: River Park Community tour, meet at the shopping center, 5493 Carlson Dr.

Nov. 7: Capitol Park tour, meet on the east steps of the Capitol

Nov. 14: Sacramento State campus, meet near the bus stop at the J Street entrance

Rhythm and Ribs rocks Raley Field

2009-10-04T02:10:56Z

"The smokehouse is open — keep on smoking," boomed a low voice from a vendor at Smokehouse Specialties, one of the six rib teams participating in the seventh annual Rhythm and Ribs festival this weekend at Raley Field.

"We do a lot more than just baseball," said Nick Lozito, coordinator for the Sacramento River Cats Baseball Club. "We try to use the stadium year-round, especially after the baseball season has ended, to host fun family events, like Rhythm and Ribs."

The Rhythm and Ribs festival, sponsored by the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, pits regional rib teams against each other for a chance to win the People's Choice Award of tastiest ribs. Festival-goers can sample ribs from Joshua's Ribs, Smokehouse Specialties, West Sacramento Elk's Lodge, Addicted to Rub, River Cat Ribs and My Brother's BBQ.

The competition is fierce and each rib concessionaire works hard to impress the crowd and make their food extraordinary.

Ron Nelson knows what he wants in a good rib. "The meat has to just fall off the bone," said Nelson as he polished off some ribs from My Brother's BBQ. "It has to be tender. And the sauce has to be good."

But different rib enthusiasts are looking for a variety of tastes. Friends Angela Johnson and Clarissa Alderete could not agree on what sauce flavor was tops. "I go for the smokey-flavored ribs," Johnson said. "No, the spicy ribs have a delicious flavor, " Alderete countered.

Some fans are die-hard loyal to their favorite rib joint. "Joshua's are the best!" proclaimed April Mack, five-time festival-goer. "They are smokey and the meat just falls off the bone."

After sampling the fares, attendees can cast one vote for their favorite rib joint. The rib champion of the People's Choice Award will be announced on Sunday at 2 p.m.

All food and beverage at the event is purchased with food voucher tickets. A single food voucher costs $1. A variety of "rib specials" are available, including a three-bone rib sampler for six tickets, half a rack of ribs for 11 tickets, and a full rack for 20 tickets. For an additional cost, patrons can purchase a rib meal, which comes with a choice of sides such as potato salad or red beans over rice. The non-rib lovers also have a wide selection of barbecue items including pulled pork sandwiches, turkey legs and grilled corn on the cob.

Throughout the festival, 12 West Coast bands will be providing high-energy entertainment. Most of the acts are tribute bands, including Stung (a tribute to the Police), The Rising (a tribute to Bruce Springsteen), Joel: The Band (a tribute to Billy Joel) and Caravanserai (a tribute to Santana).

"I am looking forward to seeing all of the groups," George Gosling announced. "But Caravanserai is, no doubt, one of the best groups of talented musicians that will take the stage, period. They have been together for 12 years and just seem to improve each year."

Friday night, the bands were not a tribute to any certain artist but rather to the best pop and rock music of all time. Savannah Blue opened the event with a revue of Southern rock to get the crowd in a down-home country mood. It's Only Rock & Roll drew a group of classic rock lovers to the stage and brought out the rock star in everyone as they took a musical tour through rock'n'roll. Livin' In The USA finished the night with a compilation of music honoring the United States. All of the bands focused on entertaining the audience and keeping the crowd singing along to the well-known lyrics.

"The music is fun," said attendant Lydia Wbarra. "It adds to the flavor of the event."

For a full list of musical groups and performance times, click here.

In addition to the tasty eats and thumping beats, there is plenty to keep the whole family entertained. Kids of all ages flock to the Interactive Kid Zone, which includes bounce houses, slides and obstacle courses. There are also several craft vendors and local retailers with a wide variety of items for sale such as rhinestone-studded denim skirts, purses, sunglasses, fudge, flavored nuts and espresso. And sports fans can breathe easy: The Miller Light Sports Tavern featuring flat-screen TVs with surround sound and a full bar, will be showing football both Saturday and Sunday throughout the day.

The Rhythm and Ribs festival will continue Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. There is a $5 entrance fee, and children 12 and under are free. Parking at Raley Field is $8.

Return of the Reptiles

2009-09-24T04:14:34Z

Reptile enthusiats unite. A cold spell is headed toward Sacramento in the form of 3,000 cold-blooded reptiles arriving at the Sacramento Convention Center for this weekend's 12th Annual Sacramento Reptile Show.

A wide variety of reptiles will be featured at the event, including snakes, monitor lizards, geckos, chameleons and alligators, along with some non-reptilian species like frogs, salamanders and insects.

The first reptile show came to Sacramento in 1998 as a 10-vendor event held at a local hotel. Since that time, the show has grown tremendously and now features 3,000 reptiles, 80 vendors — with 40 professional reptile breeders along with suppliers and educators — and boasts an attendance near 10,000.

Popular vendors include LLL Reptile and Supply Co., Inc., Reptile Depot, and Amazing Blue Reptiles, who specialize in breeding top-quality panther chameleons.

Throughout the day, there will be five lectures that highlight different reptilian topics, such as leopard geckos, iguanas, alligators and rainbow boas. The "Wild Things" educational presentation is interactive and will provide a hands-on opportunity to interact with an alligator.

Reptile aficionados Jeremy and Angel Epstein of Upscale Reptiles and Pets To Go started the Sacramento Reptile Show as a way to promote their reptile breeding and to educate potential reptile-owners on how to properly care for their pets.

"We thought we could make our event better than other reptile shows," Jeremy Epstein said. "This event is highly successful because the crowd is entertained and the vendors are satisfied with the population we bring in."

The Epsteins began their adventure with reptile raising when Angel was presented with a pair of corn snakes for her birthday.

While Jeremy was skeptical at first, his love and interest for reptiles grew, and within a year they owned a collection of 50 reptiles. As their menagerie expanded, so did the associated expenses, so the Epsteins began breeding their snakes and lizards and traveling to reptile shows across California.

Currently the Epsteins own more than 200 reptiles. Their plethora of creatures contains boas, pythons, Colubrid snakes, skinks (members of the lizard family) and other lizards. Jeremy's favorite animal is the Acantharus monitor because it is so active and has a personality and vivaciousness that other reptiles do not exhibit.

Proper animal care and education have always been important to the Epsteins, so they incorporate educators into this event, such as the Northern California Herpetological Society. These educators answer any questions the public has specific to reptiles.

"When you become a pet owner — whether for a dog or a reptile — you gotta know what you are getting into," Jeremy Epstein said. "An owner must have knowledge and the proper tools for the animal to have a great life."

The show also functions as a sale. Reptile lovers and newcomers will be able to meet breeders, gain knowledge on reptile care and purchase a pet of their own.

"Nearly 1,000 attendees take a pet home," he said.

A wide variety of pets will be for sale, from starter reptiles such as corn snakes or leopard geckos in the $25 to $30 price range, all the way to $20,000 bull pythons with unique coloring. However, native species, and venomous or imported animals are not for sale.

The event will run 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Reptiles will be shown in Exhibit Halls C-E of the Convention Center, 1400 J Street. Adult admission is $16 for two days and $10 for one, and admission for children ages 6 to 12 is $10 for two days and $6 for one. Children 5 and under are free.

For more information, visit upscalereptiles.com or call (916) 808-5181.

Photos courtesy of Upscale Reptiles.

Sacramentans get a peek into the past at SOCA's annual historic home tour

2009-09-21T05:58:35Z

Many would agree with Reine Thibeault when she says, "I like to get a glimpse into other people's lives. It's fun."

That's just what Sacramentans had a chance to do at Sunday's Sacramento Old City Association's (SOCA) 34th annual historic home tour in Midtown's Boulevard Park neighborhood.

More than 300 history hunters visited 7 seven restored homes on a self-guided walking tour that featured architectural, interior design and landscaping highlights of the mostly Craftsman-style homes.

Craftsman design was popular from the end of the 19th century to the early part of the 20th century. The movement emphasized handmade over mass-produced and was in large part a reaction to the Industrial Revolution. The style incorporates locally handcrafted wood, glass and metal work that is simple and elegant. Common architectural features include exposed rafters, decorative brackets under eaves, front porch extensions under the main roof and low-pitched roof-lines.

Homes on this year's tour included 2130 H St., owned by Vincent and Donna Bezdecheck; 2117 F St., owned by George and Dorothy Niesl; 2401 H St., owned by Stephanie Tucker; 1822 G St., owned by Mary Marks and Janet Seaman; 2111 F St., owned by Peter Keat and Mariam Davis; 627 22nd St., owned by Hal and Liz Edmonds; and 2211 G St., owned by David Philipp and Joe Concannon.

Since many of the homes were subdivided into multiple units in the 1940's and 50's, most of the homes on the tour have undergone restoration that used period construction techniques and Craftsman details. Each home on the tour was unique and highlighted a wide variety of Craftsman-style structures, including a bungalow, a home with Prairie-style elements and a Shingle style, characterized by shingles, with a steep A-frame second-story gable.

Particular details in some houses made a lasting impression.

Linda Dressel praised the back yard of 2130 H St. "It was amazing. It had a wonderful waterfall and koi pond."

The organizer of the home tour named his standout.

"The most unique feature I noticed was the original figurine lamp on the newel post at 2401 H St.," said Clark Mildenhall.

For some,a strong historical interest brought them to the event.

"I can feel the children who lived in these homes before," said Jeanne Molineaux.

"When you open the door to an old house, you see the same things people have seen for over 100 years," said Cynthia Torres. "I love the connection with the past. The living room at 2211 G Street is so warm and inviting. The spirits seem to speak to me here."

The Boulevard Park neighborhood, which is bounded by 16th and 24th streets and B and I streets, always has been a thriving neighborhood with a rich history. Even though the neighborhood is more than a century old, it was a late developer in Sacramento's history.
In 1859, Sacramento became the permanent home for the state fair and, in 1860, legislative funds were allocated for the construction of a trotting park, known as Union Park Racetrack. This racetrack, along with an agricultural pavilion, constituted the new state fair grounds. Many famous Sacramentans, including Charles Crocker and Leland Stanford, raced their trotting teams on the track. The last state fair at the Union Park Racetrack was in 1904, and in 1905 the Park Realty Company purchased the land and subdivided it.

To maintain the parklike quality of the up-and-coming neighborhood, plants were placed in median strips down 21st and 22nd streets. It is these medians that many people connect with the Boulevard Park district today. Houses in the neighborhood come in a combination of styles. Colonial, Classical Revival and Prairie School were among those represented.

The goal of the Boulevard Park Neighborhood Association is to help neighbors, ensure the area is safe and clean and to preserve historic housing.

In addition to the home tour, there was a street fair in the median of 21st Street between F and H streets featuring artisans selling stained glass, quilted fabric and original paintings. Home improvement specialists were on hand, including Burnett & Sons, a local shop that specializes in historic restorations, as well as representatives from the Sacramento History Archives and CLUCK - Champion for Legalizing Urban Chicken Keeping.

The Sacramento Capital A's Model A Club parked their beauties throughout Boulevard Park. Each home on the tour had one to two cars out front with the owner available for conversation.

Lynn Phinney, a 15-year member of Capital A's, was there with his 1931 Sports Coupe Model A with rumble seat, which he has named "Old Glory." "I take her out about two times a month and also when I go to my aerobics class," Phinney said. "All the girls want a ride in the back seat, but don't let my wife know that!"

SOCA, the host of the event, is a volunteer organization started in 1972 to encourage Sacramento citizens to stay in the central city. It promotes public awareness of the historic and cultural resources of the city and advocates for policies that ensure a quality urban environment that is respectful of Sacramento's historic buildings and neighborhoods.

"We are about preservation and planning," said board member Guy Guarige.

"The greenest building is one that is already built," chimed in Mildenhall.

The home tour is SOCA's primary fundraiser. "It allows the club to show how wonderful these old houses are," said Kay Knepptrah, 25-year member. Each year the home tour features different historic homes of Sacramento. "Very few homes have been repeated on the tour," Knepprath said. "But some houses are so unique that people like to see them over and over again."

Photos of homes are courtesy of Randy Lum.

Beer connoisseurs unite at the California Brewers Festival

2009-09-21T05:40:55Z

The 15th annual California Brewers Festival descended on Discovery Park on Saturday. The venue was perfect for brewers and beer lovers to share a variety of microbrews. Against a picturesque backdrop of the Sacramento and American rivers, more than 3,500 people enjoyed a day of plentiful beer, barbecued oysters, Mexican food, garlic fries, tri-tip sandwiches, and the thumping beat of popular cover songs by local bands Utz! & the Shuttlecocks and Velvet Tongue.

"We 'heart' Brewfest!" proclaimed friends Kerry Alires, Cassandra Ramsey and Luke Poffenberger, two-year veterans of the festival that's put on by Point West Rotary Club. "The music, the beer, and getting to try a variety of brews is awesome," said Alires.

The festival featured award-winning, handcrafted beers from eight distributors, including Markstein Beverage Co., DBI Beverage and Saccani Distributing Co., and 56 brewers who offered samples of more than 150 beers.

"There are a plethora of brewers represented, both local and international," said Don Levin, Point West Rotary member. "Many breweries return to the event every year. We treat them well, so they continue to come back."

Returning brewers included Full Sail Brewing Co., Kona Brewing Co., Redhook Ale Brewery and Widmer Brother's Brewery. There also were many breweries that were new to the festival, including Magner's Irish Cider, Primator Premium Lager, Primo Brewing & Malting Co. and Victory Brewing Co.

"I am excited about visiting the Alaskan Brewing Company booth," said Cori Badgley, publicity manager of the festival. "I am from Juneau so I want to show my support to my hometown brewery. I am also excited about all the cider companies in attendance."

With so many ales to choose from, many patrons had a hard time deciding what their favorite brew was.

"All of them," Levin said. "I like a variety of beer. No particular variety or brand stands out to me. For me, it's all about beer. If it ain't beer, it ain't good."

Mike Centro, festival co-chairman, agreed. "I don't have a favorite beer. I taste different beers every year. I try to get around and really expand my beer-tasting palate."

But for some, loyalty to their favorite brewery ran deep. Brian Smith and Jeff Fletcher pronounced Mendicino Brewing Co. in Ukiah, the festival's best brewer. "I like all their brews, but Eye of the Hawk is the best," Smith said.

"My favorite is the Red Tail Ale," Fletcher countered. "I am slightly disappointed that they didn't bring it to this event for others to try."

It was Tera Mackey's first Brewers Festival. "The Hefeweizen was really good," said the Sudwerk fan. "But it's the atmosphere of the event that is great. I love the freedom of trying so many new things."

Many festivalgoers came looking for niche or craft beers and foreign brews that are difficult to purchase locally. "People gravitate towards unique beers," Levin said.

Tickets to the event were $25 in advance, $30 at the gate. The price included 10 tokens, each one good for a 4-ounce sample. Additional tokens cost $1.

The Brewers Festival also featured a professional beer judging competition. Sponsored by the Gold Country Brewers Association, it included 13 categories and best of show. The judging was done on August 15 by judges trained through the Beer Judge Certification Program. Categories included amber ales, light ales, specialty beers, American pale ales, English pale ales, India pale ales, stouts, porters, lagers, wheat beers, brown ales, fruit beers and strong ales.

Central California breweries were overall crowd-pleasers in the competition. Sudwerk of Davis took first place in best of show with its Helles European light lager. Other best of show winners included Firestone Walker Brewing Co.'s Pale 31 American pale ale and Sacramento Brewing Co.'s India pale ale.

The California Brewers Festival is the Point West Rotary Club's largest fundraiser and most of the proceeds go to local charities, with a focus on children's charities. For the past several years, The Assistance League of Sacramento has been the primary beneficiary of this event. The Assistance League of Sacramento is a volunteer organization that focuses on community service. The funds support the philanthropic program Operation School Bell, a project that addresses the need for new school clothing and supplies for economically disadvantaged children. The program, which started in Sacramento in 1995, serves 34 schools in four districts.

Last year's festival raised more than $30,000.

Hidden treasures abound at the Sacramento Antique Faire

2009-09-14T04:43:55Z

What's old is new again at the Sacramento Antique Faire, an outdoor antique and collectible marketplace held the second Sunday of every month from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Three hundred antique dealers from the Northern California area and as far as Washington and Oregon arrived early Sunday morning to display a wide variety of antiquarian items and interior design inspirations. Many of these vendors attend the Sacramento Antique Faire on a monthly basis. With nearly 3,500 visitors to the fair each month, each vendor has ample opportunity to find a seasoned collector or amateur enthusiast eager to purchase a one-of-a-kind treasure.

Quality items for sale included fine art and jewelry, pottery, china and glassware, garden accessories, textiles and furniture. There are also several items geared toward those looking for something to spice up their interior design schemes, such as painted furniture, the perfect dining table, early-era plumbing fixtures, delicate glassware, French porcelain and wrought iron for the garden.

A wide range of Sacramentans, old and young alike, attended the fair. They were able to buy items from the $5 price range, such as vintage clip-on earrings, all they way to top-of-the-line antiques for several hundred dollars, like hand-blown glass lamps from Italy. There were also several people purchasing niche items such as original Star Wars action figures still in the original packaging and Victorian-era buttons to add glamour to items in their current wardrobe.

Throughout the day, delicious food and drink was served up by local eateries including Kettle Cornucopia, Mocha Motion and Pepperhead Ed's. The early risers were treated to a breakfast of hot brewed coffee, espresso drinks, melt-in-your mouth pastries and zesty breakfast burritos. The afternoon attendees enjoyed a choice of tri-tip and sausage sandwiches, burritos, chicken kabobs, corn dogs and kettle corn all cooked to order.

The Sacramento Antique Faire was started five years ago by Marylon Rose, an avid antiquer. "I started it because I love antiques," she said. "There are many old, beautiful things and I have an appreciation for the craftsmanship used to create them. I thought this would be a good way for shops to increase their foot traffic and to be able to show to a large number of people."

Many of the antique vendors, including Gary Ogren, of Ogren's Auctions in Lodi, have participated in the fair since the beginning. "Antiquing is in our blood," he said. "We continue to come to the Sacramento Antique Faire because Marylon listens to what the vendors and the buyers want and she takes input from everyone."

Only antiques and collectibles are sold at the fair. No reproduction or craft items are available. "The fair has a good reputation among seasoned collectors for quality buying opportunities," Rose said.

From Ogren's experience, the most popular items people look for are old oil- or gas-related signs from gas stations. "They are a guy thing," he said. "We like to collect that sort of stuff."

The Sacramento Antique Faire is located on 21st Street between X and W streets in Sacramento. Admission to the event is $3 and children under 16 and parking for the event are free.

BBQ and beer to benefit local Boys & Girls Clubs

2009-09-11T01:51:41Z

This Saturday, September 12, Rubicon Brewery and the Northern California Brewers Guild will present the 4th annual Midtown Community Festival to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento.

"This will be a fun-filled day of food, music and games where attendees will get a great feeling of being part of our community," Rubicon owner Glynn Phillips said. "I'm hoping everyone comes out for a plate of ribs and a pint of beer to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento."

The festival will include live performances by four local bands, fun games and activities for kids including a climbing wall and a jump house, raffle prizes and a walk-a-thon.

There will be a wide variety of food available, all donated by local merchants, featuring spicy pork ribs and barbecue from Rubicon and green and red tacos from Mulvaney's B&L Restaurant. Mulvaney's executive chef, Patrick Mulvaney, says green and red tacos are based on the cuisine of the American Southwest and are made from locally grown green chilies and tomatillos.

Mulvaney is excited to participate in this year's event because, "My philanthropic pattern has been geared towards helping children. The Midtown Community Festival is a unique event. Everything is donated, so 100 percent of the money raised goes to the Boys & Girls Clubs, which is very inspiring."

Also returning to the event is the ever popular Beer Garden, which features beer and wine tastings from 12 area breweries and wineries including Rubicon Brewery, Lost Coast Brewery, Two Rivers Cider Company, Revolution Wines and Madroña Vineyards.

Phillips started the Midtown Community Festival four years ago. "I wanted to give back to the youth in California and our community," he said. "And also to give back to the people who support my business (Rubicon Brewery)."

He said he hopes the proceeds from this event will allow the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento to continue to provide an outlet for local youth to participate in a variety of programs.

Boys & Girls Clubs have been serving children across America for over 100 years with the mission "to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens." Boys & Girls Clubs focus on five major program areas including: education and career development, sports, recreation and fitness, character and leadership development, health and life skills, and the arts.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento was started 12 years ago by Fred Teichert when he realized that Sacramento was the only capital city in the country without a Boys & Girls Club. The club is open to all youths ages 6 to 18 who live in the Greater Sacramento area.

It offers activities every Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 7 p.m. that include homework help, computer training, visual arts, cooking, and sports. There are currently 12,733 registered members in the Sacramento area. Membership is $12 per child for the school year, which runs from September through June.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento has several fundraisers throughout the year. Judy McCurry, the Boys & Girls Clubs administrative coordinator, said she is excited for the Midtown Community Festival.

"It is a low-key event that is a lot of fun. It gets our name out to the community and gets a lot of community members involved in our organization," she added. In the past, the festival has raised $12,000 to $14,000 for the organization, and McCurry said they hope to earn $15,000 this year.

This family-friendly fundraiser will take place in front of Rubicon Brewery on Capitol Avenue between 20th and 21st streets from 1 to 6 p.m. Entrance to the event is free, but there is a charge for food and drink. Beer Garden tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate.

For more information or an application to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento, call (916) 392-1350, visit a club location or go online.

Photos are courtesy of midtowngrid.com.