Spectacular fireworks, entertainment and large crowd (as well as the blue moon), bring the New Year in during Old Sacramento's festivities. Here's some moments:                               SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

You may have already heard the New Year's Eve ball drop is off for this year. Norm Alvis of Edaddywarbucks.com, which co-sponsored the drop last year along with Paragary Restaurant Group, asked both the city and the Downtown Sacramento Partnership to pay a third of the estimated $100,000 for a ball drop. Neither agreed, so the event was canceled. One celebration that might compare to the spectacle of last year's celebration, which drew an estimated crowd of 12,000 to 20,000 people, is a city-sponsored event in Old Sacramento. Organized by the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau, the celebration will feature live music, food and drink vendors and perhaps most importantly, a firewor

The hottest spot for a New Year's Eve celebration is aboard the Empress Hornblower in Old Sacramento. They will have two fireworks cruises on New Year's Eve for the 9:00pm and 12:00pm fireworks at Tower Bridge. The first is a Dinner Gala cruise from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Enjoy the fabulous buffet dinner, open standard cocktail bar, including after dinner liquors and house champagne, festive New Year's Eve party favors, pre-boarding photograph and live DJ entertainment for dancing. The second is a Midnight Cocktail cruise from 11:00pm to 1:00pm. Enjoy delicious hors d'ouevres, free flowing house champagne with a no-host bar for all other beverages, festive New Year's Eve party favors, pre-boa

Three juveniles, ages 14 to 15, cased then robbed the fireworks stand on the corner of 47th Ave & 44th St. in South Sacramento Friday just after noon. A Sheriff helicopter orbited the area around the school where the juveniles were last seen breaking apart the large package of fireworks they had just stolen from the fireworks stand hosted by Parkway Swim and Tennis. Public address announcements were made from the helicopter stating to people in the neighborhood: "we are looking for three felons who just stole a large red package of fireworks…" This was the largest package of fireworks offered and is considered a "block party" set that sells for $600. The helicopter spotted the torn apart

With so many ways to show your patriotism, there will be no excuse to be blue in Sacramento this weekend. Daytime Fun on the Fourth Annual East Sacramento Parade Parade begins: 10 a.m. Route: Walking 41st and 42nd streets at M Street in red, white and blue. Pyrospectacular at Cal Expo What: Independence Day fireworks celebration When: Gates open at 4:30 p.m., fireworks begin around 9:30 p.m. Where: Cal Expo. Guests should use the East Gate, located at the intersection of Exposition Boulevard and Challenge Way, as the main entrance to the event. Enter through the D Lot parking area. Highlights: Largest-scale pyrotechnics display in the area’s history; music and dancing in the Grandstand