Sacramento’s Cinco de Mayo celebrations branch out this year with Mexican music, tequila tastings, full-on fiestas, of course the requisite drinking & dancing events, and even a few options for the non-drinking crowd. In addition to the events included in this article, discover even more options in the round up below, and don’t forget to head over to Sacramento365.com's Holiday Event section to check out the whole shebang. Ay-yi-yi! Foodie focus: 5th Annual Tequila Festival: Zocalo, Thurs 6pm-9pm This year features six different tequila distilleries: Siete Leguas, Herencia Mexicana, Fortaleza, Avion, Seleccion, and Tres Agaves. Hosted by Joe Anthony, Jimmy, and Ernesto. And, for aficiona

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

I have fun venturing out amongst crowds of people I don't know. It's a fun-behind-the-lens-interaction experience. For the third year of Mardi Gras in Sac I was once again on a mission. It did tske patience finding a parking spot in Old Sac - lots of folks were out looking for fun. Some were costumed up.  My camera started clicking around 8pm in Old Sac: YESTERDAYS NEWS BAND kept folks dancing.   Headed east to the Sutter District and found things were starting to get interesting from 10pm on: I was treated especially nice by the young man, far left in photo above, at the entrance to Centro. More Mardi Gras fans kept on a' coming.

If you're a cyclist in the Sacramento Midtown area, you're aware of the shortage of bicycle racks  when it comes to locking up your ride  at a restaurant or favorite watering hole. If your destination is the 2700 block of J Street, you'll soon have a new place to secure your faithful metal steed. Gina Rossi, artist and Midtown resident also known as the "bike rack girl," has taken on a project to create a community bicycle station to house 12 bicycles and incorporate a few of the businesses within the 2700 Block on J street including Mosaic Hair Salon, Harlow's, Red Lotus, Bar West, j27 Gallery and Centro. The bicycle station is sculpture comprised of six different statues. Each statue wi

Cinco de Mayo celebrations are just around the corner, and Sacramento has its tequila bases covered. Made from the blue agave plant, tequila is a beverage whose journey to the table is not a speedy one. The agave plant must grow in the soil for 10 years, enduring drought, wind and pests, and, once harvested, must mature for an additional five years. But thanks to area restaurants, Sacramento won’t have to wait quite so long for a taste of the sweet spirit. In the coming week, there are plenty of opportunities in Sacramento to grab a margarita, check out a tequila tasting or indulge in the pairing of traditional Mexican cuisine and fine tequila. ZÓCALO For the chance to sample boutiqu

Despite resident complaints from previous festivals, last-minute scrambling for permits, and tow-away zones on almost every residential street surrounding, Midfest 2009 turned out to be a success. The free two-day festival, held at Midtown’s Marshall Park, was a collision of art, food and entertainment and offered entertainment for all ages. “[Midfest] was held in a great location and wasn’t too crowded. I really like that it went on the whole weekend and there were so many different types of entertainment for everyone,” said Nikki Carlson, a stylist from Land Park’s Artisan Salon who attended Midfest. The festival was sponsored by the Midtown Business Association, who manned many of th