Sacramento Music Festival

the inviting new courtyard venue at Courtyard D'Oro; air-conditioned ballrooms at luxury hotels (Embassy, and Holiday Inn); intimate club feeling at Laughs Unlimited; below-street level experience in the Round Table Pizza Parlor, and so many more. These are all within the perimeter of Old Sacramento, an easy walk from venue to venue, so visitors can sample many of the festival's musical styles. Outdoor venues are under sun-cover yet open to fresh breezes off the Sacramento River. And for some reason (maybe 'cuz they're infused with the spirit of Old Sac's Wild West heritage), these Old Sac venues are the most popular among the thousands of party people who like to get down and crazy boogie. NEW in 2012: Courtyard D'Oro and Laughs Unlimited, two year-round clubs that will be official music venues all weekend long. Laughs Unlimited (front & back rooms) is on Front St. facing the Tower Bridge. Courtyard D'Oro is on Firehouse Alley between K & L St. Also new in 2012: Crawdad's River Cantina Stage (2nd & J St. at Pony Express). Sunday morning at the Crawdad's stage: live radio broadcast by The Wolf (101.9).

Old Sacramento Area

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Courtyard D'Oro – NEW in 2012! A great new addition, this open-air patio is shaded by the tall buildings that form a courtyard right on Firehouse Alley, across from Firehouse Courtyard. 200 cabaret-style seats; cash for food and beverages; dancing.

Delta King Paddlewheel Saloon
Enjoy special evening banjo gigs in the saloon at the aft end of the Delta King. 150 cabaret-style seats and a few at the bar; cash for beverages; no dancing.

The Depot
It was new in 2007 and turned out to be one of our most popular sites. It’s an authentic 1850s railway passenger station on Front Street between I and J streets, a rustic reminder of Sacramento’s early history. 600 theater-style seats; tickets for food and beverages; no official dancefloor.

Embassy Suites Ballroom
Ground-floor ballroom in Sacramento’s classy riverfront hotel just south of Capitol Mall and the Tower Bridge. 250 theater-style seats; cash for food and beverages; dancing.

Excursion Trains run by the CA State Railroad Museum
Kids of all ages will jump at the chance to ride on the steam-powered excursion train that leaves every hour on the hour, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guests are treated to a six-mile, 40-minute roundtrip excursion along the levees of the Sacramento River. Music is provided by the Banjo Buddies from the Sacramento Banjo Band. Tickets prices (2011): $10 adults, $5 youths (ages 6-17), ages 5 and under ride free. Or, to ride first-class in the comfy El Dorado car, tickets are $15 per person. Central Pacific Railroad Freight Depot in Old Sac (Front Street between J and K Streets).

Firehouse Courtyard
The leafy patio of the Firehouse Restaurant, home to veteran festival fans, just off Firehouse Alley between K and L streets. 225 cabaret-style seats; cash only for food and beverages; no dancing.

Firehouse Lot
Meet friends and listen to jazz in this huge venue (with sun cover) at the corner of Front and L streets. Party until 11:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday nights. 1,500 seats; tickets for food and beverages; dancing.

Freeway Gardens
Always the party place: traffic and jazz beneath Interstate 5 at the east entrance of Old Town near the tunnel. 1,500 theater-style and cabaret-style seats; tickets for food and beverages; dancing. Sponsored by DBI Beverage, Inc.

Golden Eagle Room
Cozy and intimate setting for listening and interacting with the band, it's between K and L Streets, on the 2nd Street side of the Firehouse Restaurant. 110 theater-style seats; cash for food and beverages; no dancing.

Holiday Inn Ballroom
Convenient to Old Sac, at K Street Mall and Third Street, this large ballroom is on the ground floor of the Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza. This is the place to see the all-star bands and more. 600 theater-style seats; cash for food and beverages; dancing.

John Q's at the Holiday Inn
Here’s an intimate lounge for combo-style bands and vocalists, high atop the Holiday Inn with panoramic views of Sacramento’s tree-lined streets downtown.; 160 theater-style seats; cash for food and beverages; no official dance floor.

Laughs Unlimited – 2 rooms! (One with dancing, one without)
1) Bar (at the entrance): a great place to hang out and have a drink while listening to live music; accomodates about 75 people; both tickets and cash for food and beverages; no dancing.
2) Back room: the comedy club becomes a night club with live music all weekend long; 200 cabaret-style seats; both tickets and cash for food and beverages; dancing.

Old Sacramento Streets
Strolling bands and jazz comedy where you least expect on the streets of Old Sacramento. No badge required. Enjoy the music as you meander merrily along through cobblestone streets with historic buildings and lots of fun shops to explore.

Railroad Museum
Jubilee admission includes admission to the world-famous California State Railroad Museum (and four other museums in Old Sac). Take a break from the music to browse the Railroad Museum with its magnificent rolling stock—past and present.

Riverfront Refuge
Frequent trips by the excursion train will add a horn to the front line in this shady refuge on Front Street between K and L streets. 650 theater-style seats; tickets for food and beverages; dancing.

Turntable Junction
One of the Jubilee’s legendary sites, a big tent next to the Railroad Museum. The spacious, tree-covered areas offer shade and atmosphere. 1050 theater-style seats; tickets for food and beverages; dancing.

Click here to read about the three youth band venues ("Next Generation" sites) in Old Sac., including the Family Stage, Round Table Pizza, and Delta King Dock.

Click here to read about the FIVE museums in Old Sac that will allow free admission with a festival badge.

 

• Courtyard D'Oro
  1107 Front Street
  (916) 552-2940
• Delta King Paddlewheel Saloon
  1000 Front Street
  1-800-825-5464
• The Depot
  2001 K Street
  (916) 441-6823
• Embassy Suites Ballroom
  100 Capitol Mall
  (916) 326-5000
• Excursion Trains
  Front Street (btwn. J & K St)
  (916) 445-6645
• Firehouse Courtyard
  1112 2nd Street
  (916) 442-4772

• Firehouse Lot
  1112 2nd Street
  (916) 442-4772
• Freeway Gardens
  (Parking lot right off the
  K Street pedestrian underpass)
• Golden Eagle Room
  1112 2nd Street
  (916) 442-4772
• Holiday Inn Ballroom
  300 J Street
  (916) 446-0100
• Holiday Inn John Q's
  300 J Street
  (916) 446-0100
• Laughs Unlimited
  1207 Front Street
  (916) 446-8128

• Old Sacramento Streets
  Various street corners in Old Sacramento
  (Off I-5 Freeway)
• Railroad Museum
  111 I Street
  (916) 445-7387
• Riverfront Refuge
  Between K and L Streets on Front Street
  
• Turntable Junction
  Between I and J Streets on Front Street
  

Big thanks to all of our sponsors for the 2012 Festival! Website is funded in part by the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission (SMAC)

The Festival recommends that you visit and support all the fine shops and restaurants in Old Sac all year round.