Some people like to whine that there's nothing fun to do in Sacramento. As for the others, well, they're too busy having fun to give that philosophy much credence.

Take Chris and Margaret Minnick. During the 9-to-5 hours, they call themselves owners of a midtown-based Web consulting business, which, all things considered, isn't the most colorless gig in town. But last year, the couple helped launch the enterprise known as the Sacramento Institute of Fun, and their new job titles couldn't be cooler if they tried.

Who wouldn't like to have a business card that reads "Chief Fun Officer"?

Among all the other things it can and will be, the Sacramento Institute of Fun is an organization dedicated to the development, art and reality of fun. The project began when the Minnicks' partner, Jeff Schwarzschild (he's the Chief Entertainment Officer, by the way), realized the need for a place where Sacramento locals could enjoy themselves, meet other interesting individuals and learn new things – all the while with wine glasses in hand.

Wine, it turns out, is the common denominator of all Fun soirees, and the institute regularly hosts its events at Revolution Urban Winery, where Chris Minnick cut his vintner's teeth making wine from an overzealous grapefruit tree growing in the Minnicks' backyard.

"I had way too much grapefruit, and it was just another fun thing to do," says Minnick, whose happy-go-lucky system of logic is all but infectious.

In conjunction with Revolution Wines and several other good-natured local businesses, the Sacramento Institute of Fun has already hosted a handful of educational events, with each class demystifying a different topic, such as jazz music or art appreciation. It's not all fun and games, either: SIF aims to support local artists and cultural institutions, and the organization donates a portion of each event's proceeds to its respective topical home.

In December, SIF partnered with local jazz musician and composer Adam Jenkins for a class called "How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Groove," in which wine-sipping attendees listened to a live jazz quartet, taking frequent breaks to dissect the various beats and sounds, examining the roles of each musician in a Q&A environment.

This ain't no ordinary classroom, either. The evening's syllabus always allows for plenty of wine and socializing time, and although their food offerings can verge on the gourmet, the organizers have worked to create an atmosphere that's relaxing and unpretentious.

"We try to keep it very informal," says Chris Minnick. "With things like jazz, we want to get people really excited, and it's not uncommon for someone to ask a completely insane question. More often than not, it's one of us asking that question."

Hilarious anatomical inquiries are likely to proliferate at tonight's SIF event, an exploration of the health benefits of chocolate and massage. The guest speakers include massage therapist Bassil Kamas and local baker and blogger Kristy DeVaney. Besides learning some compelling factual information they can later use to dazzle strangers at cocktail parties, attendees will taste three different chocolate dishes and enjoy chair massages throughout the evening. And, of course, there will be wine.

In a world where night life is becoming increasingly synonymous with the nightclub, the Institute of Fun is teaching its denim-clad disciples how to unwind and meet new friends without having to cup their ears and take turns shouting over bad music.

"I love Sacramento," says Margaret Minnick, who, aside from her duties as Chief Interesting Person, makes and distributes "I ♥ Sac" buttons. "In bigger cities, the entertainment is more predictable, or you have to be more wealthy to enjoy it. Here we have a lot of people doing do-it-yourself types of activities."

It turns out that the only materials necessary for DIY fun are the willingness and desire to have it. "People used to tell us that it's really hard to get people to leave their houses in Sacramento," says Margaret Minnick. "We've discovered that as long as you organize the event, they will come."

Past SIF classes have been well-attended, and as more fun-seekers join the party, the seminars are frequently selling out.

"We've gotten some really great feedback so far," says Margaret Minnick. "People have told us they've always wished there was something like this happening in Sacramento. Apparently we're not the only ones who thought it would be fun."