Sacramento’s heart beats loud this fall as the city bursts with live music, vibrant culture and plenty of foodie festivals highlighting the region’s talent. Don’t miss this year’s “Behind the Barre” performances, showcasing a fusion of dance, music and visual artistry in an unforgettable outdoor production at The Red Museum, while longtime punk band Bastards of Young unleash their first full-length album in nine years at Old Ironsides.
Midtown porches transform into makeshift stages for Sac PorchFest’s 10th anniversary raising funds for Mustard Seed School, and Mariachi Bonitas fills Woodland skies with soaring harmonies and punchy brass melodies from a live pollinator farm. For beer lovers, the California Brewers Festival pours 31 years of tradition, and global flavors meet local roots at the debut Farm-to-Fork at Terra Madre Americas festival. Experience all of this and more below while planning your outings this season.
Music
Mariachi under the stars
Friday, Sept. 5: Mariachi Bonitas de Dinorah Klingler is rewriting the story of mariachi. Created in 2020 by accomplished singer and musician Dinorah Klingler, this all-female ensemble brings both tradition and innovation to a genre long dominated by men. With powerful harmonies, sharp-skilled instrumentation and undeniable stage presence, Mariachi Bonitas infuses every performance with emotion while celebrating heritage and paving a bold path forward.
See the eight-piece band as part of the Live at The HIVE fall concert series in Woodland this fall. As California’s largest honey and mead tasting room, The HIVE offers a unique, farm-to-fork oasis complete with a pollinator habitat, craft beverages and a honey-inspired seasonal menu. You’ll definitely want to come for the mariachi, but you’ll also enjoy taking in the lovely outdoor setting as a magical backdrop for this evening of live music. The Hive Kitchen & Tasting Room, 1221 Harter Ave., in Woodland; doors at 5 p.m., music at 6 p.m.; pay what you can, $0-$20; all ages.
‘I just wanna dance right now’
Friday, Sept. 12: If you’re ready to dance through the darkness, post-punk band Provoker stops by Harlow’s on their Mausoleum tour in support of their third album, “Mausoleum.” The Los Angeles-based, three-piece, who originally formed in the Bay Area, is the brainchild of guitarist Jonathon Lopez and vocalist Christian Crow Petty. Along with bassist Wil Palacios, their newest album leans into their strengths: a blend of shadowy post-punk and alluring soulful pop.
The first single, “Another Boy,” feels like it could’ve been on a crush’s mixtape in the ’80s, while their music video for the title track “Mausoleum” embraces melancholy as it tells the story of a girl haunted by her dead lover and the prying eyes of paranormal investigators. The group recently performed at Cruel World Festival in Pasadena, joining other legendary new wave and goth rock icons such as New Order and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Provoker is joined by synth-pop group Choir Boy and electro-industrial punk band Touching Ice. Harlow’s, 2708 J St.; doors at 7 p.m., music at 8 p.m.; $26.40; all ages.
Porch sessions
Saturday, Sept. 20: For its 10th anniversary, Sac PorchFest once again transforms Midtown’s tree-lined Boulevard Park neighborhood into a series of intimate stages, where past PorchFest favorites return to entertain from various stoops, including the Flop Haus, home of the very first performance in 2015.
Expect sets from homegrown standouts like Be Brave Bold Robot, The Sugar Pushers (resurfacing from their crypts, just in time for fall) and Scott Elliot Ferreter, who performed at the very first PorchFest. This free, volunteer-run event doubles as a fundraiser for Mustard Seed School, supporting Sacramento’s unhoused youth. To chip in, look for the MC carrying a red ice box as the official donation bin. Sac PorchFest, various porches between 21st and I streets in the Boulevard Park neighborhood; noon; free; all ages.
Bastards of growth
Friday, Sept. 26: Sacramento punk band Bastards of Young return with “Old Growth,” their first full-length album in nine years, officially out on Sept. 19, reflecting 18 years together while honing their raw, melodic grit blended with a late-’70s post-punk edge. Since forming in 2007, the original lineup: Nick Ripley (vocals/guitar), Patrick Hills (guitar/vocals), Sean Hills (bass/vocals) and Wyman Harrell (drums) has remained intact, crafting songs that balance punk urgency with deeply personal storytelling.
Patrick Hills describes the new album as “DIY therapy,” a way to unpack life’s demons alongside close friends, while Sean Hills notes that much of the material was written pre-pandemic and recorded at Earthtone Studios, run by his brother Patrick. Bastards of Young say “Old Growth” is best experienced all at once, in the order it’s presented. It’s an album they feel honors the band’s past while embracing who they are today. Joining the album release party are friends and fellow Sacramento bands The Blessing and Half Pint. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St.; doors at 7:30 p.m., music at 8 p.m.; $19.74; 21 and over.
Culture
Art in motion
Friday, Sept. 12-Saturday, Sept. 13: Capital Dance Project presents its 11th annual production of “Behind the Barre” at The Red Museum — an immersive evening of dance, film, live music and visual art. Each performance pairs CDP’s choreographers with local musicians and artists to create seven brand-new works, introduced by short films from longtime collaborator Natalie Manning that reveal the creative process behind the collaborations.
This year’s partners include visual artists Amber Rankin, Taner Paşamehmetoğlu and Vicente Guerrero, with live music by Colby Damon & Kyle Coffman, Beti Masenqo, Pomegranate Sunday and Jean Judith Zeta Javier. The evening also features a maker market and local brews from New Helvetia Brewing Company before performances begin. The Red Museum, 212 15th St.; maker market, libations and music, 6:30 p.m., performances, 8 p.m.; $30 for hillside picnic seating, $60 for riser seating; all ages.
City of brews
Saturday, Sept. 13: Tap into 31 years of hoppy goodness at the California Brewers Festival organized by the Point West Rotary Club. Sip your way through golden lagers, hazy IPAs, tart sours, crisp ciders, and even sake, with pours from Bike Dog, Fieldwork, Humble Sea, Lazy Dog, Jackrabbit and dozens more. Pair those suds with flavor-packed bites from Drewski’s Hot Rod Kitchen and California Street Tacos, cheesy slices from Pizza Lovers, and to cool things down, pop by Snowie Cali Valley Shaved Ice for a hydrating sweet treat.
Beyond the brews, this festival is also a fundraiser with 100% of proceeds donated toward Sacramento-area youth organizations. So join the “Beer Mile Relay” fun run, sing along to tunes from the DJ booth, catch mural painters in action and browse the artisan marketplace, all to support great causes. Organizers remind guests to enjoy the bevy of frothy offerings responsibly — just remember to keep it safe with $12 designated driver tickets. Kids 11 and under are free and this event is also dog-friendly, so grab your tasting glass and toast to Sacramento’s longest-running beer fest. Discovery Park, 1000 Garden Hwy.; VIP entry, noon-4 p.m.; general admission, 1 p.m.-4 p.m.; $14-$79 and ages 12-20 should purchase a DD ticket for $12; all ages.
Taco takeover
Saturday, Sept. 20: Sacramento’s ultimate taco takeover is back The Sac Taco Fest: Battle of the Taco, organized by the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, transforms Del Paso Boulevard into a fiesta of flavor, music and culture. Sample sizzling creations from dozens of local taqueros — from Tacos.916 to Doña Mari Concinita — and cast your vote in the People’s Choice competition to crown Sacramento’s supreme taco.
Attendees can escape the sun by cooling off in the beer garden or the CervezaLandia pop-up, then enjoy sweet treats, art vendors and community booths. The entertainment lineup includes live music, DJs, a special performance by Dance on the Edge and crowd-favorite competitions like the Chihuahua beauty contest and taco eating faceoff. Sac Taco Fest is family-and dog-friendly, and honors Latin culture by serving up some of the tastiest bites in the city, wrapped in warm corn tortillas. Del Paso Boulevard, entrance closest to Hawthorne and Del Paso; 4 p.m.-9 p.m.; $12.51 for general admission, $161.90 for VIP and children 5 and under are free; all ages.
Global flavors, local roots
Friday, Sept. 26-Sunday, Sept. 28: Sacramento’s culinary scene shines with the debut of Farm-to-Fork at Terra Madre Americas, merging the city’s annual Farm-to-Fork Festival with the U.S. edition of Slow Food’s Terra Madre Salone del Gusto — one of the world’s largest food events, held every other year in Turin, Italy, celebrating local, sustainable food crafted by hands-on purveyors.
The festival features food and drink tastings from across the Americas and demonstrations with culinary luminaries Alice Waters, Jeremiah Tower, Crystal Wahpepah and Sean Sherman. Guests can also enjoy a pop-up restaurant offering an intimate three-course tasting experience curated by regional and visiting chefs. Attendees can cruise by the Enoteca, a wine tasting room featuring selections from around the world, along with artisan vendors, educational panels and interactive workshops. Outdoor festivities surrounding the convention center include even more Farm-to-Fork-friendly vendors and live music headlined by The War on Drugs, Spoon, The Golden Cadillacs, DJ Lady Char and more. SAFE Credit Union Convention Center, 1400 J St.; daily entrance times vary, for more information visit here; free to enter; all ages.
This story is part of the Solving Sacramento journalism collaborative. This story was funded by the City of Sacramento’s Arts and Creative Economy Journalism Grant to Solving Sacramento. Following our journalism code of ethics, the city had no editorial influence over this story. Our partners include California Groundbreakers, Capital Public Radio, Hmong Daily News, Outword, Russian America Media, Sacramento Business Journal, Sacramento News & Review and Sacramento Observer. Sign up for our “Sac Art Pulse” newsletter here.
By Steph Rodriguez
