Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "california state fair"

Thursday Night Fun in Folsom

2011-07-25T18:43:34Z

Folsom’s Thursday Night Marketplace and Street Fair, for 2011, will end on the last week of July. Every Thursday from June 9 through July 28 the streets of Folsom’s Historic District are packed with visitors, musicians, performers and vendors.

Except for Thursday, June 30, when the Folsom Cattle Run took place, Sutter Street has seen thousands of visitors each Thursday as they visit and enjoy various performances.

For the past two weeks a trio of young musicians have occupied the 600 block of Sutter Street. Derek Thomas, singer, Sam Plecker, guitarist and Nolan Le Vine, drummer, make up the group called Thomas and Plecker. The Roseville band has entertained visitors for the last two weeks and will also be on hand this upcoming Thursday, July 28.

The trio attends Woodcreek High School in Roseville and has known each other a long time. I spoke to Russell Le Vine who told me a little about the boys. Le Vine is the drummer’s (Nolan) dad who does a lot of the driving for the band.

The Thomas and Plecker band was put together about six months ago but the boys have grown up together and attend the same high school now. Russell Le Vine said the boys have been having putting together about three gigs a week. During the time I’ve been attending the Thursday Night Marketplace I haven’t seen the same band play two weeks in a row and the teenage trio will be making their third appearance next week.

They’re not your typical teen band playing contemporary songs. Thomas and Plecker play wonderful renditions of songs like “That’s Life” written by Dean Kay and Kelly Gordon for Frank Sinatra or “Fever” an Eddie Cooley and John Davenport originally recorded by Little Willie John and made famous by Peggy Lee.

Besides Sinatra and Peggy Lee the trio site Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Bobby Darin, Michael Bublé, Harry Connick Jr., Johnny Mathis and Nat King Cole as influences in their music. As they performed on Sutter Street these personable young men played in front of many admirers in front of Chicago Fire and Planet Earth Rising.

As well as playing at the last Thursday Night Marketplace, Thomas and Plecker will perform at Karma Goods in Auburn on July 26 and Gelayo’s in Granite Bay on July 27 before coming back to Sutter Street Marketplace this Thursday July 28.

Another classic, that I really enjoyed, was their rendition of "Always on My Mind.” Afterwards Thomas introduced one of their more contemporary cover songs saying, “This next song, we kind of made it our own. It’s not our style but we’ve made it into our style it’s a song called ‘I Will Follow You Into the Dark.’” The Death Cab for Cutie cover song was one that the younger audience could relate to but still had a “Rat Pack” tribute sound.

As they took a break I chatted with band members for a few minutes. They gave me the location for the next couple of outdoor shows in Auburn and Granite Bay. Thomas, who is also an actor, will be performing in “Spring Awakening” at the Alternative Arts Collective Theatre.

“We met in fifth grade,” Thomas said pointing to Plecker when I asked how long they’ve known each other. He continued “Nolan and I have been long time friends going back to pre-school.” I knew they were in high school and Thomas said “We’re seniors and Nolan is a junior, so we have a couple of more years before college. “

Thomas and Plecker have discussed their future as musicians and have talked about perhaps exploring the L.A. music scene as they move on to college and beyond. Their friendship appears solid and it would be interesting to follow their career as they get older.

As the Thomas and Plecker band took their break I moved on to see what else was available at the Marketplace.

In front of the Hacienda Del Rio Restaurant, the Jahari Sai Quartet played for visitors on the 700 block of Sutter Street. People passing by were captivated by the easy sounds of the quartet. I stayed and listened to their rendition of "Baby It's You" by Burt Bacharach, Luther Dixon (credited as Barney Williams) and Mack David.

A little girl and her dad stood nearby listening to the quartet and they dedicated a song entitled “You Are My Butterfly” to the little girl.

The week before, Marcelle graced the stage area as they entertained new and old fans. Their Rhythm and Blues sound allowed passersby to enjoy some time away from the busy street to enjoy their contemporary easy listening sounds.

I watched them perform one of my favorite Sade’s songs “The Sweetest Taboo” during their set. Marcelle has been together as a band for about 8 years and appear at many venues around Sacramento and northern California.

At the corner of Wool and Sutter Street is another stage area for different acts. Perfect Sounds with DJ Ray occupy that area every week. DJ Ray plays music from the ‘70s to contemporary sounds. He also plays background music as acts perform.

Acts such as Gina’s Belly Fitness Studio performed there a couple of weeks ago and brought several dancers as they performed several dances. Gina Beck, belly dance instructor, has a dance studio in Orangevale and classes are conducted on a regular basis.

Gina Belley Dancing will join Fatima and Friends at the California Stage Fair on July 31.

The Folsom Thursday Night Marketplace has made it a point to bring entertainment that involves physical education to the Wool and Sutter Street stage. Rancho Cordova’s Technique Gymnastics has had a booth on the 600 block of Sutter Street and two weeks ago they showcased some of their tumbling acts.

Technique Gymnastics conducts kinder gym and recreational classes as well as tumbling, cheer, fitness, trampoline and other gymnastic type classes for boys and girls.

In competition, team members from Technique Gymnastics have succeeded in several competitions in the area. Several of the gymnasts performed cartwheels with two hands as well as with only one hand. Power hurdle round-offs and other drills were executed with precision as guests watched in amazement.

This last Thursday CrossFit Anywhere conducted some hard-core physical fitness workouts in front of an all age audience. You could probably work up a sweat just watching these guys. To see the type of workout drills they conducted please follow the attached video link.

Folsom’s Thursday Night Marketplace returns this Thursday for the year’s finale. If you have not seen the completed Sutter Street Revitalization with all its new and established shops it will be a great opportunity to jump on some special pricing during the event.

I highly recommend you come and enjoy the sounds of Thomas and Plecker as they perform this Thursday. Other musical and special performers will be showcasing their talents as well. Over 80 vendors will join the established merchants on Sutter Street as they continue to offer great promotions to shoppers.

Building Memories at the California State Fair

2011-07-21T03:22:01Z

The California State Fair at Cal Expo runs until July 31, and if this past weekend is any indication of its popularity, the fair will be well attended.

There is so much to see and do that you either have to start early and spend the whole day or make more than one trip to the annual fair. The State Fair offers a season pass that includes unlimited admission to the fair and the Raging Waters park.

Summer concerts, special events, featured attractions, activities just for kids, competitions, agricultural exhibits, food, wine, beer, shopping, rides, slides and “big fun” are many of the activities visitors can experience.

For over a century and a half, the California State Fair has brought delight to hundreds of thousands of guests. Fairgoers can enjoy the urban and rural diversity California has to offer.

After walking around and viewing some exhibits around the Expo Center, I made my way toward the Promenade Stage and the food court.

At the Promenade Stage, the Bambini dancers took the stage to perform several colorful Italian dances. Once they finished, I set out to find the infamous Maggot Melt. I actually did not look very hard, mainly because I told myself I was going to try one if I found the place where it was sold. I ended having some catfish and a nice cold drink.

I was told that the Clydesdales had returned to the fair, and I found the magnificent horses by the Livestock Pavilion where they had attracted a crowd of people trying to pet them. The massive horses were well mannered and stood still as kids and adults petted them and asked their handler questions.

The Cavalcade of Horses Arena included a kids’ horse play area, with a wooden horse, cowboy and cowgirl hats for photo posing, and a couple of miniature horses. The arena also had equestrian events all through the day. The stables had full grown and miniature horses, which was a popular draw.

I returned to the PG&E Center Stage for some dance, music and fashion. Several hip-hop acts performed, including Juana Blaze who attracted many fans. During Blaze’s performance, several models from Brandy At Brigandis showcased some Robin's Nest Boutique outfits.

Blaze’s performance was very animated, ending with one of her most recognizable songs, “Heart of a Woman.”

Following Blaze’s magnificent performance, West Sacramento’s River Dance Academy performed several lively dances. The dancers ranged from preschool-age to young teens, with styles ranging from hip-hop and modern dance to tap and ballet.

One of the most popular shows at the Center Stage for the last couple of years has been the Suzy Haner Hypnosis Show. Several volunteers performed some outrageous acts while under hypnosis, and Suzy Haner’s “suggestions” were very funny as those under her spell followed every instruction. The willing volunteers danced, karaoked in a made-up language and performed other quite entertaining tasks.

The Blues and Brews Stage featured Mick Martin and the Blues Rockers performing with his band. Martin is scheduled to perform Fridays through Sundays at the same stage.

The Aquaculture Exhibit featured displays from California’s Aquaculture Industry. Many of the state’s most profitable fish, such as sturgeon, catfish, bass, carp and koi, were held in tanks for guests to view. Visitors also had the opportunity to touch the aquatic creatures.

Just below the Blues and Brew Stage was a mechanical bull-riding area. Both adults and kids tried staying atop the bull for as long as they could, with the operators using wise judgment in controlling the speeds and levels. Several riders returned more than once.

My favorite events were the animal shows and exhibits. Kangaroo Joey’s Big Adventure featured Australian marsupials, including two fairly newborn kangaroos, one of which is a rare albino. The handlers were very helpful and understanding with children as they asked many questions.

The farm area brings the fair back to its roots. Kids could enjoy feeding farmyard babies and posing for the Hitching Post Pony Photos. A pedal tractor runabout allowed kids to drive a tractor and ride broom-handle horses.

I returned to the Cavalcade of Horses to view the Nu Balance Vaulters perform. They rode two beautiful horses while standing up, lying down and performing breathtaking tricks.

An annual favorite, Dianne Olds Rossi’s Magical World of Dancing Horses, also performed at the arena. The world-renowned equine celebrity showcased her horse-training abilities as her horse danced.

The last stop I made was back at the Promenade Stage for The Cheeseballs, playing classic covers from the ‘70s through contemporary hits. The dance floor filled as people got up and boogied to their favorites.

Fireworks end each night of fun at the fair. The event is fun for all ages, and there is something for everyone. It’s a great time to establish fond memories of family outings.

Neon Trees Wows Crowd at California State Fair

2011-07-20T22:01:29Z

Tyler Glenn, lead singer of Neon Trees, bounded across stage with his red motorcycle jacket flashing in the evening sun with the first notes of “Your Surrender” playing seductively in the audiences ears.

Up went his leg in a kick and up to their feet went the crowd, shouting and waving their hands in the air.

Fresh from opening for My Chemical Romance, Neon Trees made a stop in Sacramento before heading off to Indonesia for the next leg of their whirlwind tour.

Hailing from Provo, Utah, this band is making a name for themselves with their first “official” debut album Habits which came out March of last year. Featuring the singles, “Animal” and “1983” this CD with 8 tracks may be small in volume but packs quite the musical punch, with “Animal” coming in at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Neon Trees has been very busy since last year opening for such bands as Angels and Airwaves and 30 Seconds to Mars during the day
time and doing the late night talk show circuit after hours.

Even with all the non-stop traveling and tireless self-promoting, Chris Allen (guitar), Branden Campbell (bass) and Elaine Bradley (drums) along with Glenn, still take the time to sign autographs, pose for pictures and shake hands as they demonstrated Tuesday night after their concert on the Golden1 stage.

Opening with “Your Surrender”, Neon Trees kept the crowd moving and shaking through their eleven song set that included “Love and Affection”, “Calling My Name” in which Glenn evoked a little Billy Idol and “In The Next Room” that started with a tongue-in-cheek story about how Glenn once had his heart broken by the “fried kool-aid chocolate bacon girl” and how he still searching in vain for “her”.

Ending their set with “Girls and Boys in School”, Neon Trees left the stage only to come back on moments later to the ear-splitting sounds of “Encore!”

Bookcased between “Attraction” and “Sins of My Youth”, Neon Trees did a cover of Inxs’ “Never Tear us Apart”, which the crowd really enjoyed and probably would have made them bring out their lighters if it had been just a little bit darker.

With the masses chanting “I got these habits that I can not….” the concert ended, bringing the lights back on and the sounds of the fair rushing back in.

A sizeable crowd gathered back stage hoping for pictures and autographs and Neon Trees didn’t disappoint. After about a half hour the four of them came out and signed every paper and happily posed for every picture.

Seeing how much hard work Neon Trees puts into each and every concert and how much they truly appreciate their fans, one hopes that Tyler Glenn will once again meet his “fried kool-aid chocolate bacon girl.”

Fair Time - Photos

2011-07-18T05:10:55Z

I hopped on over to the Fair today in the early afternoon. Headed for the Gelato booth first thing and then just roamed around at my leisure.

Here's what I saw:

Defenders of Freedom has large vinyl postcards for fair visitors to write a personal message to military personnel deployed overseas. The United States Postal Service is a partner in this.A permanent memorial, the Cal Expo September 11 Memorial Plaza displays photos from that day and features a steel I-beam from the World Trade Center as well as a 5,000 lb. granite ball inscribed with the names of all who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.

Three rounds of the Firehouse Challenge had California Firefighters pairing up into two person teams to compete in a cooking challenge for the California State Fair Golden Bear award. In the picture below Stockton firefighter Jim Magnuson, left, steps into the cooking area of Sac Metro Fire to borrow an ingredient from firefighter Tom Chen. Sac Metro Fire won today's third round. They will be up against Woodland Fire on Sunday July 31 at 11am for the final competition.

Two large sculptures in the Fine Arts exhibit.

For information about the fair, check out BIG FUN.

Review- State Fair Maggot Melt

2011-07-17T03:20:26Z

There has been much ado in the press about one particularly odd food offering at this year’s California State Fair. Frequent visitors to ranSACkedmedia.com know exactly what I’m talking about; The Maggot Melt. It is two pieces of melted cheese on a toasted bun, with just a dash of something that one might expect to find squirming around on a piece of doggy doo-doo. I decided to try one for myself to see if it lived up to the hype.

As always, there are dozens of different food vendors at Cal Expo serving up a wide variety of specialties. However, if you want to test your courage you’ll have to find “Jungle George’s Exotic Meats and Bugs”. The menu boasts way more than just the Maggot Melt. Brave fairgoers can also sink their teeth into alligator, kangaroo, yak, beaver, python, and raccoon dishes, just to name a few. I thought it best to stick to one strange plate for the day, so I plopped down my seven bucks and watched as the grill chef prepped my meal.

Preparing the Maggot Melt hardly seemed like rocket science. Two halves of an enriched flour bun were warmed on an open grill, with two thick pieces of American Cheese to boot. Once the cheese became soft, about a dozen large and quite dead insects were placed into the sandwich in a manner which ensured with every bite there would be a crunchy larva to remind me what I had signed up for.

Besides the texture of the creatures in my meal there is sadly little more to report. The “maggots” looked more like mealworms, the type one could find in a pet store to feed to a lizard. There wasn’t any favor added from the bugs, and the bun and cheese were standard festival fare; unremarkable and cheap. The real benefit of finishing the Maggot Melt has to be the bragging rights. I posted this adventure in real-time on my Facebook account, and my friends were all aghast that anyone would pay good money to eat bugs on purpose. If I could do it again I probably would have invested my money into the raccoon or beaver, but if I did I doubt I’ve would have such a great story to share at parties.

I will share one bit of advice with any would-be Maggot Melt tasters, get a drink to wash it down. I kept finding bits of insect in my mouth until I found my way to the beer garden. The Racer 5 Ale I enjoyed afterwards complimented the melt quite nicely.

Disclosure: Disclosure: I own ransackedmedia.com.

Rockin’ it at the State Fair

2011-07-16T00:45:34Z

I had the opportunity to meet with Troy Carlson, CEO of Stage Nine Entertainment Store and Exhibit Design, the creators of probably the most impressive exhibit at the California State Fair this year. “Rock U: The Institute of Rock ‘N’ Roll,” is located in building 5. This custom designed exhibit is an interactive adventure into one of America’s greatest institutions - Rock ‘n’ Roll. Admission is free with your entrance to the fair.

According to Carlson, “This really is a mix between a museum and an Exploratorium.”

The exhibit provides attendees museum style displays such as vintage posters and photos, while also providing plenty of hands-on exhibits.

The exhibit features interactive stations covering the different origins of rock ‘n’ roll. Attendees are greeted by a “media tower” infused with memorabilia, rock instruments and gold records that tower over the exhibit. It’s quite a sight to see when first entering the exhibit.

The design focuses on three distinct ways that people have experienced Rock ’n’ Roll over the years. First up is the “The Studio Experience,” displaying highlights of the early days of the recording process. This area will feature costumed characters on the weekends.

Second is the “The Concert Experience,” an interactive multimedia display celebrating the live performance aspects of Rock ’n’ Roll, incorporating an extensive collection of rock posters, vintage wardrobes and listening stations that focus on live performances of the world’s favorite bands. I'm betting Tesla will be in there somewhere.

The third area, “The Playing Experience,” allows the audience to wander through and experience different interactive stations that allow them to play and explore the basic instruments in a rock band. The really nice part about the hands-on instrument section is the ability to play onstage or off with your own personal headphones, sparing other attendees from having to listen to the guitar- or drum- challenged.

Hands-on exhibits include:

Can you feel it?
You hear a musical instrument being played and must guess which instrument it is. You then stick your hand into a box and feel the instrument. You don’t get to see it, only feel it.

One hit wonders
A song is played and you must guess who the artist is. Trust me, when you hear the song, the name of the artist will be on the tip of your tongue, but you never quite get it.
Rainbow Records, one of the few remaining manufacturers of vinyl records, has a display of records in various stages of being manufactured. Go check out their site to see a video and learn about the record making process.
A display of all the different ways we have listened to music, including a Walkman and a working 8-track player. Carlson stated that they have a number of 8-track players as backup and they had already had to replace one. I just hope he has a two year supply!
Once you’ve completed the circuit, step into one of Sacramento’s most famous record stores, Dimple Records. Carlson said they wanted people to experience the totality of the music experience of Sacramento. To do that, he invited Dimple Records to set up a store within the exhibit. The store is complete with vinyl records and a wall filled with the history of rock ‘n’ roll.

Throughout the fair, the exhibit will feature Elvis, Buddy Holly and other impersonators. YouTube sensation Brodie Cumming is scheduled to appear July 15-17 & 29-31. Cumming will be playing the top 100 rock riffs in one take.

The California State Fair runs from July 14 through July 31.

State Fair comes to town July 14

2011-07-07T04:39:35Z

This year’s California State Fair has something for epicures, animal lovers and thrill seekers alike. With attractions ranging from maple bacon ice cream sundaes to MC Hammer, baby animals and a 60-mile-per-hour roller coaster, the State Fair aims to deliver on its theme: “The Fun Just Got Bigger,” July 14-31.

Adventurous foodies will meet their match at Jungle George’s, where they can taste alligator on a stick or sample deep-fried and chocolate-dipped crickets.

State Fair General Manager Norb Bartosik suggested that brave fair foodies check out a bizarre new addition to this year’s menu: the “maggot melt,” a protein-rich sandwich made from, you guessed it, maggots.

Those with more traditional pallets can count on finding classics like fish tacos, deep-fried Twinkies, the world’s largest burger and jumbo corn dogs, Bartosik said.

On July 21, guests with a higher-than-average corndog appetite have the chance to participate in an eating contest featuring the battered links-on-a-stick, for a chance to win $2,000 in prize money.

Once visitors have digested their deep-fried delights, Butler Amusements will have their twirling, tilting and flying hankerings covered, with rides like the 167-foot-long Windstorm Super Coaster and the upside-down, revolving Crazy Train.

For families with youngsters, there will be 20 kid-friendly rides, according to Butler Amusements representative Andrea Owen.

The Frog Hopper, a new ride this year that gently bounces children up and down in stadium-style seating, is a good ride option for young fairgoers, Owen said.

Thrill seekers will want to get in line for the Fireball, a ride that lifts passengers high into the air and then spins them for a “feeling of weightlessness,” or the Turbo Force, a whirling, 140-foot contraption that operates at a speed of 70 miles per hour, Owen said.

Old favorites like bumper cars, the Zipper, a carousel and the Scrambler return this year, too.

If you plan to go on several rides, Owen suggested purchasing a wristband that, for $35 on weekends and $30 on weekdays, will pay for itself after five rides.

After indulging in food and midway, fairgoers can check out one of the day’s featured exhibits.

The “California Golden Fairs” exhibit will offer visitors the chance to explore the course of 200 years of California fair history, traced back to its agricultural roots.

The exhibit aims to illuminate the way in which fairs embody the culture and economy of a city, Bartosik said. The exhibit will feature photos of fairs past, three-dimensional props and an antique carousel.

Music industry hopefuls can “enroll” in “Rock U: The Institute of Rock ‘N’ Roll,” an interactive musical history lesson hosted by Stage Nine Entertainment.

Rock U guests will get hands-on exposure to instruments like Fender and Ibanez guitars, Yamaha drums and a replica of the 10-foot floor piano that Tom Hanks dances on in the movie “Big,” Bartosik said.

There will be guest appearances from rock figures such as guitarist Brodie Cumming, who became a YouTube sensation with his performance of 100 great rock riffs done in one take.

Buddy Holly and Elvis impersonator Rob Ely will be on hand to serenade visitors as they make their way through the exhibit, and young rock ‘n’ roll fans will have the chance to color black-and-white versions of a rock poster drawn by German artist Alexandra Fischer, whose work mixes both ethereal and psychedelic visual elements.

Fans of last year’s animatronic dinosaur exhibit may want to head over to the “Big Bugs” exhibit, where they can get up close to 4-foot-tall, anatomically correct mechanical insects, including a ladybug, a caterpillar and a praying mantis.

The exhibit’s featured insects, including a giant locust whose wings flutter and simulate wing-generated wind, will educate visitors about entomology while being fun to watch, Bartosik said.

Stop by “Kangaroo Joey’s Big Adventure” for the chance to see animals from all around the world, like Wisk the hedgehog, Emily the emu and the exhibit’s star, Joey, a 6-month-old kangaroo from Australia.

The Golden Stage will feature artists like 1970s American rock band Blue Oyster Cult on July 15, pop legend MC Hammer on July 18 and Disney performers Choo Choo Soul on July 26, all free with admission.

During “Poppy’s Birthday Party” on July 19, mascots from the region will come out to toast the State Fair’s famous yellow bear and celebrate the fact that “Poppy never looks another year older, ” Bartosik said. There will be a huge cake served to the children in attendance.

Bartosik also recommended checking out Metal Mayhem, a demolition derby of cars and RVs, as well as the horse races and the livestock nursery, for a chance to see baby pigs, goats and sheep interact with their moms and siblings.

A fireworks display is scheduled every night of the fair and will begin at 10 p.m. For an unobstructed view, Bartosik recommended watching the show from the main gate at the top of a hill, the rodeo near Kids Park or anywhere below the food promenade.

Fairgoers on a budget have a few deals to choose from this year.

The purchase of a “100 Golden Deals” coupon book for $5 offers 30 percent off of the vendor price for many food items. The back of each coupon states the exact location of the vendor with that item, to avoid any confusion, Bartosik said.

Visit a Subway store through July 15 to receive a coupon good for free admission and a reduced-price wristband.

On kids’ days at the fair, July 19 and 26, children 12 and under get in free and are eligible for $1 rides on the midway.

Kids who participate in the fair’s Read and Ride program will get two free rides for every two books they read, a deal that last year secured 15,000 free rides for young readers.

For more information about this year’s California State Fair, check out its website.

Jim-Denny's on Man v. Food Wednesday

2010-09-29T04:03:50Z

Jim-Denny's has gotten lots of local attention in 76 years of grilling burgers and serving breakfast.

Now travelers and foodies throughout the country have a chance to learn about the little white and red diner when Jim-Denny's is featured on the Travel Channel show “Man v. Food” Wednesday night.

After finishing a batch of chicken corn chowder Tuesday morning, co-owner Patsy Lane said she's a little stressed about the show and a viewing party they're throwing Wednesday night. Lane will make food for the party, to be held from 7-10 p.m. at Butch N Nellie's, 19th and I streets. Everyone in the community is invited, Lane said.

"I'm nervous," she said.

The show will air at 9 p.m. For the episode, the show's host, New Yorker Adam Richman, samples deep-fried eats at the California State Fair before heading to Jim-Denny's. Patsy Lane was filmed in late July serving Richman her $11, two-pound omelet creation known as "The Works."

"I think I cooked that omelet 15 times" (that day), she said. "It's got everything in it — that's why we call it the works."

"It's kind of like putting the whole kitchen table in an omelet," said granddaughter Ashley Ahumada, 22. On Tuesday, she worked the front counter while her brother, 20-year-old Zachary, grilled burgers nearby.

Lane once sold advertising at The Bakersfield Californian and pitched in at the bars and restaurants she owned with her then-husband. She's also run cafeterias for companies including The Sacramento Bee and Kaiser Permanente.

Jim-Denny's was opened in 1934 by Jim Van Nort at 16th and J streets. When Van Nort moved the restaurant to 12th Street after returning from WWII, he renamed it Jim-Denny's Lunch No. 2.

Lane, her daughter Joanna Lane and son-in-law Sean Lane bought the tiny restaurant at 816 12th St. in 2005. They serve breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Saturday morning is the busiest time to try to find a spot at the worn counter. Jim-Denny's has only 14 seats inside.

On the show, Richman also visits Parker's Hot Dogs in Roseville, where he tries to eat five half-pound hot dogs on a 16-inch bun topped with four pounds of chili, fries, tortilla strips, veggies and cheese.

Jim-Denny's was included in the book "Hamburger America," one man's list of his favorite 100 burger places. Hardee's restaurants once filmed a commercial there before the Lanes bought the diner from the fourth set of owners.

A TV crew spent 12 hours filming at Jim-Denny's. The windows next to the grill had to be covered with paper to cut down on glare. The diner was packed with workers, the crew and customers lucky enough to stop by that day. Producers wanted to include regulars. But the filming had to be a surprise to avoid crowds, Lane said.

"We weren't allowed to tell anyone they were going to be here," she said.

Photos by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Cow shooting provokes protest and probe

2010-07-29T02:03:59Z

Dozens of people showed up today in a peaceful demonstration to protest the police shooting of a pregnant cow at the California State Fair.

Many say that this tragic incident could have been avoided and in fact should never have happened at all.

The cow was shot 11 times and killed Tuesday just before gates were to open in front of vendors like Carolyn Hadin, who videotaped the entire incident on her cell phone. Hadin said she has likely been permanently traumatized by the shooting and fears she will have trouble sleeping for some time.

The cow was scheduled to give birth to her calf in public view, but Jennifer Fearing, the California senior state director for the Humane Society, said
that exhibition birthing should be completely eliminated from such events.

“Expectant mothers don’t want to give birth while having people gawk at them, they need peace and quiet,” she said.

Dr. Ben Normon, the UC Davis veterinarian in charge of livestock at the fair, stated that he and his staff intended to shoot the animal with a tranquilizer gun but it had malfunctioned, forcing him to order fair police to shoot and kill the bovine.

“The problem with tranquilizers is they take 30 to 40 minutes to affect the animal,” Normon said. “Sometimes they get a little wild before they're tranquilized."

This comment has prompted many animal welfare organizations to ask the question of why didn’t fair officials just delay the opening of the gates to allow for the tranquilizer to take effect?

I asked Dr. John Madigan, an expert in emergency veterinary medicine at UC Davis, via e-mail why that option was not utilized, and he wrote: “The vet was not in charge and has no ability to control gates throughout the facility.”

He went onto say that to his knowledge there is no written or practiced procedure to deal with incidents such as these.

Brian May, deputy director for the State Fair, confirmed that there is indeed no written procedural policies in regards to animals, and that they have already reached out to UC Davis to come up with an emergency response plan for the future.

May said the cow being shot rather than sedated had nothing to do with the delay of opening the gates and more to do with the safety of the unborn calf. However, the situation was unavoidable after the cow charged an officer after being corralled a second time, and left officials with no choice but to use lethal force.

All involved said they had no desire to kill the cow but felt they were left with few options, and all agreed that it is a very sad situation that could have been avoided.

Sacramento Press Photos|Erin Haight

Erin Haight is a community contributor for the Sacramento Press

Going to the Fair?

2010-07-27T00:39:39Z

If you've been thinking you'd like to go to the State Fair at Cal Expo, best mark your calendar for sometime this week because Sun., Aug. 1 is the last day.

I've been four times since it opened and still haven't seen it all. If I start out in a not so good mood, I lighten up as I travel around the rides and booths and see all the people.

Cattlemen's Day pulled me back yesterday in the late afternoon.

The Bullfest Ride show started off with a scramble to see who could be the first to saddle a horse. Of course, the horses were not agreeable.The cowboys took it seriously. One evades a bull (below).

Standing on top of his horse, this cowboy from Mexico plays "jump rope" with his lasso.

None of the bullriders hung on for very long.

Two cowboys raced their harnessed horse wagons around the arena quickly. I could've touch the horses as they sped by.

This boy thought he was going to bungee jump but decided after 10 minutes that he really didn't want to.

The "Euro Bubble" is harder than it looks and is funny to watch.

"Street Beat" is Parkour Percussion, Urban Drum & Dance.

Young girls ride trained rescued thoroughbreds in the Calvacade of Horses arena beginning at 5pm most days.

These three kids await a judge's decision on their sheep.

The midway after sunset is a great way to experience the fair - it's cooler and the multi-colors and sound creates great fair moments. And even food tastes better, especially since it is 25% less in price throughout the fairgrounds!

Rides take on a different feel at night.

Water pours from the Windsurf ride while visitors are upside down.

Big Slides are a lot cooler at night.

For more info about California's State Fair go to: bigfun.org before Sunday, August 1.

Howie Mandel - The Real Deal

2010-07-23T22:47:32Z

Thursday night, venerable comedian and OCD-stricken performer Howie Mandel appeared at the California State Fair on the Main Stage.

After a less-than-tasteful and off-color opening act, Mandel took the stage with a rapid-fire delivery and a huge smile. Almost immediately, it was obvious that he has not lost his comedic edge even after appearing as a dramatic actor (“St. Elsewhere”), voiceover actor (“Bobby's World,” “Muppet Babies” and “Gremlins”) and talk show host and judge (“Deal or No Deal,” “America's Got Talent”).

The fair provided a delightful interpreter for the deaf, Sharon Ramsey, who was addressed multiple times by Mandel as he used words and expressions just to see how they were signed. Female body parts, flatulence and butts were all topics requiring careful signing by Ramsey, who good-naturedly added to the fun rather than distracted.

Using his frenetic pacing and ADHD-like changes in subjects, Mandel was able to keep the audience wondering just where he was going to go next. Topics included the stage set up over the lagoon, his practical jokes that got him banned from his doctor’s office and conversing with the audience about hedgehogs, parrots and the strangest objects fished from a patient's orifice in the ER.

"So, what do you want to do now?" was the segue phrase used by Mandel in making his transitions throughout his 40-minute performance.

At the end, a "hidden video" that Mandel had filmed in a Los Angeles beauty salon where he posed as a hair washer was shown on the big screens. When he returned to the stage, Mandel admitted that he didn't have a big finish to his set so he just said goodbye and walked off the stage. It was an inauspicious ending to an otherwise delightful show.

If you enjoyed this review and would like to have all of the SacramentoComedy.Com features, interviews, news and reviews delivered to your iPhone, iTouch or iPad, download the SacComedy App at iTunes.

Steven Bloom is the founder of SacramentoComedy.Com, the official guide to the Sacramento comedy scene. This website is dedicated to comedian interviews, comedian biographies and videos, and consolidation all of the Sacramento comedy events into a single comedy calendar for your convenience. You can send your questions directly to The Comedy Guy at Steven@SacramentoComedy.Com.

State Fair welcomes lots of little ones

2010-07-21T05:41:46Z

There were brand new arrivals at the Fair today - new baby piglets and a calf. Perfect timing for Kids Day today (all kids 12 and under receive FREE admission all day each Tuesday). And the human kids were entranced looking at the brand spanking new critters.

This 300 pound momma hog gave birth to six little ones early today. Their eyes were open and they were walking around the pen.

This was a typical scene of how the kids were looking at the mom and new arrivals.

Momma cow licks her new offspring as it tries to take its first steps. It got up on its hind legs several times and then had to rest.

The Livestock Nursery will continue to be busy as more animal moms are expecting any day.

And today was also First Responders Day, saluting current heroes and veterans in all branches of the Armed Forces, law enforcement and first responders. FREE Fair Admission was given to those individuals in or out of uniform with proper ID. There were special exhibits/ interactive activities staffed by representatives from these affiliations.

A girl checks out a police car from the inside.

Sergeant C. Khan, a U.S. Marine Corps Recruiter, encourages a little boy as he tries to do some pull-ups.

Volunteer Jacqueline Ball hands a visitor a carry-all bag with the American Red Cross logo on it.The American Red Cross Sacramento Sierra Chapter had some little rubber duckies dressed in military fatigues to remind folks about the service that it provides to the military members and their families, as well as Disaster Services.

This little guy performed Michael Jackson's Billie Jean in front of a huge audience.

This tall fellow caught everyone's attention.

The jungle adventure features a variety of birds, amphibians and reptiles, including colonies of alligators and large tortoises.

The mechanical bull starts out slow but by the end of the ride hardly anyone can hang on!

Turbo Jump had young ones jumping up and down and turning somersaults in the air.

The "Days of the Dinosaur" Adventure is a must see at the Fair.

California's diverse counties compete for accolades by creating original and elaborate displays showing off the incredible and unique beauty of California. The scene

above is at the Butte County exhibit. A Garden of MAGnificent Proportions gives a rural look in this scene with tall corn on the right and big sunflowers on the right.

Fair visitors enjoy a reprieve from the heat under misters in the Save Mart wine tasting pavillion.

This ball-capped guy digs in to his big slushie to cool off.

Pirate in training blast each other with water cannons in the big lagoon.

His new-found friends at the fair just can't stop burying him under kernels of corn.

These girls were part of a kid talent show.

These two are hungry and happy that food at the fair costs 25% less than last year.

The California State Fun at the Cal Expo runs through August 1. For complete information visit www.bigfun.org

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

State Fair is ON!

2010-07-15T05:35:32Z

California's State opened today, a month earlier than in the past.

Kids are home for the summer, they're hungry, bring them to the fair and feed them for less money! Plus they'll see some neat stuff.

Opening ceremonies kicked off the fair this morning. A member of the Air Force Color Guard adjusts the American Flag. Fair goers were lined up outside the ticket booths (on left and below).

Our National Anthem was sung.

Poppy the Bear listens as Norb Bartosik, General Manager/CEO of the State Fair welcomed one and all.

Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Pony Express, a historical ten day re-ride traversed the original 1,995 mile route through Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and California left from Old Town Sacramento on July 14 to the opening ceremonies of the 2010 California State Fair at the Main Gate. Letters from Mayor Bill Falkner of St. Joseph, Missouri, were carried to Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, General Manager/CEO of the California Exposition & State Fair, Norb Bartosik, and its Board of Directors and was read at the opening ceremonies.

Food, food and more food at 25% less! Unusual foods include deep-fried MoonPies and chocolate-covered bacon.

Robotic dinosaurs make lots of noise and are fun to look at and touch!

Check out the dinosaurs cousin, the 20 year old alligator! He likes to be petted.

Qjuick Sand PW won one of today's races. Racing Dates are July 14 through July 25. No Racing July 19 and 20.

A little girl had a fun time coming down the giant slide.

Stop and check our Defenders of Freedom booth.

There's lots to do and see at the fair: Animals & Agriculture, Art & Culture, Sporting Events, Stage Entertainment, Sporting Events, Special Events, Roaming Entertainment, Wine Tasting and lots more: apps.calexpo.com/fair/FairEvents/Calendar.asp

Fair officials say there are discounts of up to 20 percent on admission, rides, and parking on a limited basis on the fair website at www.bigfun.org.

Watch for more snapshots of the fair!!!

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

California State Fair opens Wednesday, runs through Aug. 1

2010-07-14T03:18:42Z

From dinosaurs to wiener dogs, lawnmower races to Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch rides, corndogs to chocolate covered bacon, the 157-year-old California State Fair has something for everyone.

With roughly 40,000 people per day running through the fair, and numerous attractions to see, Norbert Bartosik, CEO and general manager of the State Fair, promises a “Passport to Adventure.”

“It’s a new adventure every year,” Bartosik said. “The State Fair showcases what California is all about: its people. People showing off their talents, education, entertainment…It’s something you won’t find in a theme park.”

Although the fair won’t be a theme park, the Cal Expo grounds were in fact designed by Disney people—at the request of then-Governor Pat Brown. The State Fair had hopes to become “The Disneyland of the West,” said Bartosik, although budget cuts even in 1968 when it moved to Cal Expo, deterred it.

This year, the fair has made changes to accommodate the everyday family visitors. All vendor prices are 25 percent less than last year—a response to the patrons’ concerns of high prices, Bartosik said. Dates for this year’s fair have also changed in order to make sure they do not conflict with school dates.

One of this year’s must-see and brand-new events is the “Days of the Dinosaur” — an exhibit showcasing life-size animatronic models of prehistoric beasts in front of the California building. Each animal has motion sensors and moves or makes a noise when you get close enough.

Another must-see is the “Get Animated!” pop culture exhibit by Stage Nine Entertainment. Animation studios including Walt Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, Sony Pictures and others will be present to showcase items from various films. Guests will also be able to draw an animated character and participate with hands-on displays.

“Grasscar”—a two-day lawn-mowing competition—will make its debut at the fair this year in the rodeo area Saturday, continuing through Sunday.

“Imagine 60-mile-per-hour lawnmowers racing, without the blades of course,” Bartosik said.

Andrea Owen, marketing director of Butler Amusements, said there will be 64 amusement rides this year, with 17 new family rides.

Family rides are rides that accommodate both adults and children at the same time. If your children can’t meet the minimum height requirement, then an adult can ride with them. Such rides this year are the Tilt-a-Whirl, Disney Dragon (much like the Teacups at Disneyland, but a dragon) and the Chopper Hopper.

Owen’s recommendation for those looking for a thrill: The Fireball.

“It’s a thrill ride,” she said. “You get to swing high into the air and spin slowly, while you’re swinging. It feels like you’re flying.”

With all these attractions, it’s hard to squeeze it all into one day.

“You can’t see it all in one day — there’s no question about that,” Bartosik said. “We would recommend that they buy a Poppy Pack so that they can come more than once.”

A Poppy Pack includes four admissions, four rides and a parking pass for $39.95. General admission is $12 per person, with discounts for seniors and children. Amusement rides are separate. A wristband for unlimited rides costs $30 Monday through Friday. Subway restaurants have coupons for cheaper wristbands.

The fair is located at 1600 Exposition Blvd. For more information and a list of all attractions, free concerts and vendor details, visit bigfun.org.

Photos courtesy of the California State Fair.

Sacramento Kings Dance Team to Host 2010-11 Auditions July 18 at California State Fair

2010-07-13T16:51:53Z

The Sacramento Kings will host auditions for the 2010-11 Sacramento Kings Dance Team on July 18 at the California State Fair at Cal Expo.

Auditions will be open to the public and will take place on the Cal Expo Main Stage. Registration will begin at 4 p.m. and auditions will begin at approximately 5 p.m. All candidates are encouraged to visit Kings.com for additional information.

All eligible audition candidates must be 18 years of age or older by November 1, 2010 and should wear a two-piece dance ensemble with nude nylons or tights and non-marking soled shoes. Applicants should also bring a copy of their resume and a current headshot to the auditions (photos will not be returned) and enter through the main gate. Access to watch the auditions will be available for fans who purchase a ticket for admission to the California State Fair on July 18.

River Cats beat Portland to win five in a row

2010-07-09T17:25:23Z

The Sacramento River Cats edged the Portland Beavers 4-3 in Thursday night’s series opener. With the bases loaded and no outs, Sacramento center fielder Corey Wimberly singled into center field in the bottom of the ninth inning to drive in the winning run. Thursday’s victory was Sacramento’s fifth win in a row and moves the River Cats to four games behind Fresno in the Pacific South Division.

Portland took an early lead in the second inning when Anthony Contreras hit a home run to right field with two runners on base. For the rest of the game, Portland presented no threat with only one runner advancing as far as second base on a walk.

Sacramento evened the score in the fourth inning when Chris Carter crushed a homer to center field with a runner on second. Three batters later, outfielder Michael Taylor hit a solo home run to right field. The game remained tied 3-3 until Wimberly’s game-winning single in the ninth inning.

Sacramento All-Star pitcher Clayton Mortensen pitched eight innings before being replaced by Edwar Ramirez. Mortensen was briefly called up to the Oakland A’s last weekend to pitch against the Cleveland Indians. Mortensen and catcher Josh Donaldson will represent the River Cats at next week’s All-Star game in Allentown, PA.

Thursday night’s theme was California State Fair Night at Raley Field. The first 3,000 in attendance received a free ticket to the State Fair and fans were given a chance to visit a small-animal petting zoo at the field.

The view from the upper deck at Raley Field.

Right-fielder Michael Taylor at bat in the fourth inning. Taylor hit a solo home run to tie the game at 3-3.

Portland's Mike Baxter watches Taylor's home run enter the right field bullpen.

Nachos!

Clayton Mortensen pitched eight innings in Thursday's game. Mortensen will play in next week's All-Star Game.

Thursday was State Fair Night at Raley Field. The first 3,000 fans received a free ticket to the California State Fair.

The State Fair brought out a small-animal petting zoo to Raley Field.

The grounds-keeping crew breaks into a disco-dance routine.

Double-play action in the 8th inning.

Corey Wimberly at bat in the ninth inning. Wimberly drove in the game-winning run.

River Cats players celebrate their fifth win in a row. Sacramento is four games behind Fresno.

Photos by Ron Nabity.

Wine Enthusiasts Spend their Wednesday at Grape & Gourmet

2010-07-09T01:45:27Z

Cal Expo and the State Fair hosted the 15th annual Grape & Gourmet wine event at the Sacramento Convention Center Wednesday. The convention center was a perfect venue for the largest showcase of award-winning California wines in the world.

There were over 700 California wines from more than 200 wineries. Those who attended enjoyed unlimited food, wine, micro-brewed beer and music. Prior to entering the event, each “wino” received a free commemorative wineglass and wine tote to encourage sampling and purchasing.

There were approximately 3,000 guests who attended, and, surprisingly, it was not overcrowded. There were booths and booths of wineries, many with gold, silver and bronze ribbons covering their prized bottles.

A quarter of the booths at the event were Northern California award-winning restaurants handing out samples to complement the taste buds of the wine enthusiasts. Some hungry guests formed long lines for the popular red velvet mini cupcakes with sweet cream cheese frosting from Babycakes Bakery, and for the large helpings of tender rib-tip and pesto pasta from Sandra Dee’s BBQ. Many went back for seconds, and others were not ashamed to stack multiple cupcakes on their plate. Hey, they paid for it.

Some guests paid the big bucks for the $100 VIP ticket and were able to enter before the public to taste and view the State Fair Commercial Wine Competition. At 5 p.m. the doors were open to the public. Some guests were so anxious they didn’t bother to change out of their work attire.

Sacramentan Bryan Imai purchased the VIP ticket and was at the event early. He waited in the long line for Sandra Dee’s while raving about Macchia, his personal favorite winery. He never stopped smiling throughout our conversation. “I’m having a great time!”

There was not much sitting area besides a few standing tables and a couple of larger tables near the entrance. This encouraged guests to keep sampling. Once the band warmed up, the guests were not shy to hit the dance floor and dance to cover songs like “Sweet Caroline,” “Love Shack” or “Tik Tok.”

The California State Fair held a booth for guests to turn in their Grape & Gourmet admittance ticket in exchange for a free fair ticket.

It was a great turnout, and by the end of the event couples and friends were leaning on each other with wine-stained lips and smiles.

Dyke Night kicks off PRIDE

2010-06-19T06:08:03Z

Sacramento's PRIDE 2010 kicked off with Dyke Night, an evening of music and entertainment on the west Capitol steps to lead into the new location of this year's festivities on Sacramento’s Capitol Mall near between the Tower Bridge and the Capitol building.

Here are some moments:

Two women in the audience respond to the performers on stage.

Allyn Pharo and her dog Sterling.

The crowd filled the lawn in front of the west Capitol steps.

Aurora (top and bottom) played to the crowd.

Emcee and Organizer Hilary Hodge keep the pace going throughout the evening.

Tina Reynolds, Equality Action Now, gave folks an update on Prop.8.

Dancers from Hot Pot Studios (above) moved their bodies slowly to the music and react after falling down (below).

Dean Brian Baker, Trinity Church participated with C. Foster and Jovi Radtke’s “Spoken Word”.

Jace and Brando performed with the Kings of Drag.

Other performers included Der Spazm and Sappho’s Serenaders.

For a copy of the official Sacramento PRIDE program:sacramentopride.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/sac-pride-program-only.pdf

The Sacramento Pride Festival will be held Saturday, June 19, from 10 am to 5 pm along the Capitol Mall Avenue.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sacramento Pride Grows Up to Role as California's Capital Pride!

2010-06-18T07:46:57Z

With an iconic new location--Sacramento's scenic Capitol Mall, expanded marketing efforts and a growing roster of prestigious corporate sponsors and exhibitors, the 26-year-old Sacramento Pride Festival is expected to break attendance records on Saturday.

The June 19 Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., attracting an estimated 10,000 visitors and bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of economic benefit to Sacramento’s downtown area. Festival admission is $10.

After a number of years at South Side Park, the Festival will move to Capitol Mall in 2010, where a street-festival layout sandwiched between the Tower Bridge and the State Capitol dome is expected to add novelty and cachet to “California’s Capital Pride.” Adding to the buzz are headline entertainers from New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, a new high-energy Amtrak Dance Pavilion featuring popular regional DJs, and give-aways including $50 in free play at Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel, California State Fair and Village People concert tickets, music downloads from Masterbeat and more.

Featured on two live stages will be “Ru-Paul’s Drag Race” winner Bebe Zahara Benet, singer-songwriter and LOGO Channel star Joel Evan; musical comedy duo That’s What She Said (TWSS); and Kaylah Marin, whose dance remix single “On the Floor (Oh Baby Please)” hit #4 on the Billboard Club Play Charts. Local favorites include songstress Gwen McMillin, folk singer Joshua Macrae, and punk-soul-hip hop band RCWB (Rendezvous w/Cool Beans). A complete entertainment schedule is attached.

The Sacramento Pride Festival will kick off with a Pride Parade at 10 a.m., featuring State Assembly Speaker John Pérez as Grand Marshall. The parade will begin at the intersection of 7th and T streets and proceed on 7th Street to the Festival entrance at 7th Street and Capitol Mall.

An Opening Ceremony and ribbon-cutting will follow the parade at 11 a.m. on the Festival 4th Street Stage, featuring Assembly Speaker Pérez, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and other dignitaries.

Sacramento Pride would not be possible without the support of its generous corporate sponsors, including Title Sponsor Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel, Wells Fargo, Outword Magazine, Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, HP, Rainbow Pages, Regional Transit, Faces Nightclub, Barefoot Wine, Bud Light, JetBlue, WriteAway Communications Services, Infinite Entertainment, Uptown Studios, SMUD, Amtrak, CARES, Cheer SF, California State Fair, Power of Two Promotions, Lumens Light + Living, Safeway, IKEA, Sacramento News & Review, Curve Magazine and SF Weekly.

Sacramento Pride is produced by the volunteers and staff of the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center and proceeds support Center programs and services, including youth services, adult discussion groups, HIV support services, transgender support services, a free weekly legal clinic, gathering space for local community organizations and more. For more information about Sacramento Pride, visit www.sacramentopride.org.

$10 Buys Big Value at Sacramento Pride

2010-06-06T23:01:29Z

Let’s face it—a sawbuck just doesn’t go very far these days. But thanks to generous corporate sponsorships and a year's worth of robust volunteer effort to build the event, Sacramento Pride is shaping up to be the best value of the region's summer festival season!

Sacramento Pride Festival, Saturday, June 19, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., will be held at Sacramento’s scenic Capitol Mall for the first time this year. To go along with its exciting new location, Pride's volunteer organizers are bringing in new attractions, star-power entertainment, and excellent swag--all for the price of a $10 admission ticket.

Here is a list of the top 10 added values for guests attending Sacramento Pride:

1) $50 Casino Bucks from Sacramento Pride Title Sponsor Jackson Rancheria Casino and Hotel
Don’t throw that Pride Festival ticket away! Printed on the reverse side is your coupon for $50 in free casino play at Jackson Rancheria. (Offer only applies to new customers, who are not currently members of Jackson’s Dreamcatcher Club®. However, Jackson Rancheria has been so touched by the support of the LGBTQI community that EXISTING club members may submit their tickets for $25 in free Casino Bucks!)

2) 10 Free Music Downloads from Masterbeat
Look for volunteers wearing Masterbeat T-shirts at our new high-energy Amtrak Dance Pavilion. They’ll be handing out Masterbeat cards good for 10 free music downloads at https://www.masterbeat.com to the first 1,500 visitors!

3) Free California State Fair and Village People Concert Tickets
Hightail it over to the Amtrak Dance Pavilion anytime you hear the DJ spin a Village People tune. Pride Sponsor California State Fair staff will be handing out free passes to the Fair and to The Village People (Y-M-C-A!), in concert at Cal Expo Tuesday, July 27.

4) FREE Logo Goodie Bags to the First 5,000 Guests
Collect your reusable, souvenir Pride Goodie Bag at the gate, and use it to collect your SWAG from our fabulous array of Festival sponsors and exhibitors.

5) Star Entertainment Line-up at 2 Live Stages
“Ru-Paul’s Drag Race” winner Bebe Zahara Benet. Musical comedy duo That’s What She Said (U-Haul: The Music Video). LOGO Channel star singer-songwriter Joel Evan. Billboard Club Dance Chart recording artist Kaylah Marin. Dreamy sister duo Karmina. Cast members from Steve Silver’s “Beach Blanket Babylon.” And lots of local favorites, including Cheer SF, Sacramento Sirens Cheer Elite, Cheer Sacramento, and Folsom Cheer Elite; vocalist/activist Cooper Rae; singer-songwriter Gwen McMillin; folk singer Joshua Macrae; A Church For All Gospel Choir; Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus; Downtown Diva Danielle; Taryn Thru U; Rusty Nails… we could just go on and on. Check out the official Sacramento Pride Program in the June 10 issue of Outword Magazine for a complete entertainment listing, or visit http://sacramentopride.org.

6) Amtrak Dance Pavilion
You asked for more fun, more excitement, more chance to dance the day away! We heard you! Sacramento Pride Sponsors Amtrak and Infinite Entertainment, along with One DJ Nation, will provide you with a diverse mix of high-energy dance music all day long. Our line-up of guest DJs includes DJ Gabriel, DJ Lurid, DJ Clay and Sacramento’s own Jammin’ Jo.

7) Kidzone and Carnival
Bounce houses! Face painting! Arts, crafts, games and family-friendly fun! Staffed as usual by the wonderful folks at Sierra Forever Families.

8) Entertainer Meet-&-Greets and Merchandise Signing Opportunities
Several of our performers will be on hand after their stage performances to mix and mingle with our Pride guests. Have your picture taken with Bebe or Joel. Or purchase a TWSS CD or Pride T-shirt to have the girls sign! Celebrity signing areas will be announced from the 4th Street and 6th Street Stages.

9) Skip the Lines!
For the first time this year, you can purchase your Sacramento Pride Festival admission tickets and drink tickets online. Just go to http://sacramentopride.org and click on the Store link. Buy four tickets online, and you will receive a free 24 x 36-inch collectible poster, mailed to you with your tix in a tube.

10) The Priceless Opportunity to Make a Difference in Your Community
Sacramento Pride is produced by the staff and volunteers of the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center, and your $10 Pride Festival admission is the primary source of funding for Center programs and services throughout the year. Those include youth programming, HIV support services, transgender support services, adult men’s and women’s discussion groups, free weekly legal clinic, free or low-cost meeting space for community organizations and much more. Many Center services are not available anywhere else in Northern California outside the Bay Area. Your attendance on June 19 is a contribution that will make a difference in our community, all year long!

Sacramento Pride Reinvented

2010-05-09T00:45:50Z

This is not your daddy’s Sacramento Pride!

Sacramento Pride is making big changes in 2010, all aimed at transforming the annual regional celebration of LGBT culture and accomplishments into an event worthy of its new tagline, California’s Capital Pride.

The list of changes begins with the day-long Pride Festival’s move this year to Sacramento’s Capitol Mall. The Festival will be held Saturday, June 19, from 10 am to 5 pm. Sandwiched between the State Capitol dome on the east and the golden spans of the Tower Bridge on the west, the Festival’s move to the scenic city gateway is intended to raise visibility and emphasize the important role of the LGBT community in Sacramento and statewide.

The Festival’s move from Southside Park, where the festival has been held for the past several years, to Capitol Mall has been warmly received by city officials, who awarded the event an $8,100 City of Festivals Grant for the first time this year. “Sacramento’s LGBT community is essential to making this city a great place to live, work and play,” said Councilmember Ray Tretheway. “The State Capitol and Tower Bridge will be the perfect backdrop as thousands of people from throughout the state and nation gather to celebrate our capital’s annual pride festival.”

Also new in 2010:

An amped-up entertainment line-up, featuring several nationally-known acts as well as a robust slate of local talent at two stage locations. Entertainers confirmed to date include:
-- Season 1 winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Bebe Zahara Benet
-- Recording artist Kaylah Marin, whose dance remix hit “On the Floor (Oh Baby Please)” currently is #4 on the Billboard Club Play Charts
-- TWSS, or That’s What She Said, an L.A. musical comedy duo perhaps best known for the YouTube sensation, “U-Haul: The Music Video”
-- Singer/Songwriter Joel Evan, whose new hit single "Storm" is taking the dance clubs by storm.
A new Sacramento Pride Parade route, featuring a symbolic route reversal, beginning at 10 am at Southside Park (where it used to end)and ending at the entrance to the new Capitol Mall Festival grounds.
The high-energy Amtrak Dance Stage, made possible by a generous sponsorship from Amtrak.
An all-new Dyke Celebration. Scheduled for Friday evening, June 18, at the State Capitol West Steps, the event will feature a twist on the traditional “Dyke March” with a festive line-up of musical, dance, Drag King and spoken-word performances. Participants of all genders are invited to join the celebration of unity and equality.

Sacramento Pride 2010 will have the support of the largest number of corporate and non-profit sponsors in the history of the event, beginning with Title Sponsor Jackson Rancheria Hotel & Casino, Outword Magazine, Wells Fargo, The Hewlett Packard Company, Regional Transit, JetBlue, Barefoot Cellars, Safeway, Rainbow Chamber of Commerce of Sacramento, Rainbow Pages, SMUD, Amtrak, California State Fair, Uptown Studios, IKEA, BudLight, Lumens Light + Living, Infinite Entertainment, WriteAway Communications Services, Power of Two Promotions, CARES, Sacramento News & Review, and Cheer San Francisco. Outword Magazine publisher Fred Palmer, sales and marketing agent for Sacramento Pride, has been instrumental in attaining most of the event sponsors.

As always, Sacramento Pride is produced by volunteers and staff of the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center, and proceeds support Center youth services, HIV support services, programs for transgender individuals, gay men and lesbians, a free weekly legal clinic and other services critical to the health and wellbeing of the LGBT community.

For more information, visit http://sacramentopride.org, or follow Sacramento Pride on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.

'End of Summer Fest' canceled

2009-09-03T21:52:50Z

Promoter Jerry Perry confirmed with The Sacramento Press Wednesday that the remaining three shows scheduled for End of Summer Fest have been canceled. According to Perry, the first two shows did not draw nearly enough people, resulting in a loss of money.

In fact, the shows were about 2000 people short for the event to even break even, Perry said. "Attendance was about half of what I call 'break even,'" he said. "[During Concerts in the Park] there were times when we had over three times as many people."

As a last ditch effort, Perry tried to relocate Friday's show featuring The Secretions to Old Ironsides, but the band declined the offer. The Secretions, a Sammie Lifetime Achievement Award-winning punk band who have been together since 1991, were to headline the show.

Secretions' fans, also known as "Secretins," can still catch the band this Saturday night when they will be premiering their music video for "Back in the Day Punk." Click here for information on the all-ages show at the Shire Road Club (5525 Auburn Blvd.), which also includes Aroarah, Flip the Switch, The Phantom Jets and DJ Rob Fatal.

"I can't continue to lose money [because] attendance is down," Perry said. He noted that the California State Fair is going on at the same time, but the State Fair has also been suffering from low weekday attendance.

Perry originally thought the low attendance on the first End of Summer Fest show was due to the show being held on a Furlough Friday. But last week's show lost money due to a low turnout as well, he explained.

"I'm surprised that even a free event wouldn't draw a crowd," he said. "I don't know what it was -- the State Fair, furloughs, hot Fridays [or if] people thought the event was over."

Perry confirmed that he will definitely continue Concerts in the Park and End of Summer Fest next year, but he plans to make some changes. Though he did not specify changes, he explained that Furlough Fridays are supposed to end by June 2010, and that may drive up attendance.

The Nickel Slots, who were scheduled to headline next week's show (Sept. 11), are still scheduled to be playing next week at Old Ironsides as part of a CD release party for their self-titled debut album. Fans can celebrate the album release and view opening bands King Cab and Golden Shoulders for $7 (click for details).

Jackpot, scheduled to headline the Sept. 18 show, currently has no shows or other upcoming performances scheduled.

The Sacramento Press was an official media partner with End of Summer Fest.

Photographs credit Sonny Mayugba. Photographs: Kai Kln headline the inaugural End of Summer Fest show.

Ya gotta go to the Fair!

2009-08-27T23:32:55Z

Photos | Kati Garner

State Fair Gets Weird, Wild and Wacky

2009-08-21T02:57:27Z

The 156th annual California State Fair will open its doors Friday.

The fair has evolved steadily since its inception, and this year is no different. Among old favorites, this year's run will feature many new exhibits and attractions. The theme of the fair is Weird, Wild and Wacky, and the zone by the same name is the center for most of the new attractions.

The new events at the Weird, Wild and Wakcy Zone (WWW) include an exotic bird show hosted by professional bird trainer Nancy Kobert, a fire pixie performance featuring fire eating, breathing and dancing and the Optical Oddities & Illusion show that will focus on the wonders of human perception. Las Vegas magician and "Master of Variety" Will Roya will perform his one-man show daily at the WWW and PG&E's Solar Stage, which will not only provide power for the other stages in the zone, but also bake cookies for kids.

Also in the WWW is the Floriculture -- A Garden of MAGnificent Proportions, where attendees can experience what life would be like if they were the size of a bug.

"The Floriculture is something we have every year, but we attach a new and different exhibit to it each time," said Norb Bartosik, CEO and general manager of Cal Expo. "The entrance of the Garden will be set up like a giant magnifying glass that makes everything larger than life."

"You also don't want to miss Candy Nation," Bartosik said. "It's an exhibit that gives a walk-through history of American candy, and there's a 20-foot-tall rock candy mountain people can walk on. Just something to satisfy everyone's sweet tooth."

Butler Amusements Inc. is the new carnival operator at this year's Magnificent Midway, which will offer three of the rides from Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch.

"We had to get them after our old ride contractor had prior commitments in Pomona," Bartosik said. "The owner of Butler actually bought the rides last year. We felt we would do something special to honor Michael."

The three rides are the Balloon Samba, which simulates a hot air balloon, a swing ride called the Wave Swinger and the Jeep Ride, which gives riders the experience of driving in a 4 x 4 vehicle.

Bartosik also added that the first 5,000 people through the fair's gates every Friday will get a ticket to ride one of the rides for free.

The tractor pull will make its first appearance in 20 years at the fair. "We figured since our theme this year is Weird, Wild and Wacky, it would be a good time to bring it back," Bartosik said. The event will take place on the first Saturday of the fair at the Miller Lite Grandstand and will feature supercharged tractors competing by pulling weights.

As for other live performances, Frank Olivier will host his "Twisted Cabaret" at 4, 6 and 8 p.m. daily. The show is a wild mix of vaudevillian comedy including juggling, magic and knife throwing.

"He puts on an incredible show, and it will probably be some new material and classic stuff," Bartosik said. Olivier's show is known for its large cast of characters, mostly played by the star himself. Mimes, psychics, yoga masters, cross-dressers, pickpockets and whatever else Olivier decides to add in are sure to amaze the audience.

The lineup for concert performers is as diverse as it has been in past years. David Cook, winner of American Idol's seventh season, will kick off the festivities on opening night of the fair. The Beatles cover group The Fab Four and MC Hammer are among the other dozen acts set to perform during the fair's two-and-a-half-week run.

"There will be something for everyone who comes in," Bartosik said. "I know I've walked through the park five times now, and I still haven't seen everything!"

For more information, visit bigfun.org