Your Sacramento weekend guide: Festivals, markets and Mud Factor returns
You’ve made it through another week —now it’s time to celebrate. The Sacramento Bee has yet another guide to an activity-filled weekend outdoors guaranteed to leave you tired and happy.
As we settle into the first weekend in October, prepare a family-friendly Saturday filled with pumpkin carving and Halloween costume contests, or get the entire family out on a mud course in Elk Grove that’s guaranteed to leave everyone wanting two showers. Or maybe you want to stay away from the mud, lace up your shoes and join the Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Health Sutter Park.
More events are happening this weekend than you probably can fit on your calendar so check out what a weekend in Sacramento can offer below and pile on as many stops as you can.
Friday
Visit the Sacramento Greek Festival
616 Alhambra Blvd, Sacramento
After a one-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the Sacramento Greek Festival is back for its 58th annual Greek Fest. The all-outdoor event will celebrate food, wine and the culture of Greece.
The Greek festival will kick off Friday from noon to 10 p.m. and pick back up on Saturday from noon to 10 p.m.
Cost: $0-$2
Kick-off the weekend right at Oktoberfest
6300 Fountain Center Dr., Citrus Heights
Jump into your lederhosen, dust off your bier stein and practice your yodel for the 10th annual Descor Builders Annual Oktoberfest from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The 21-years-and-older event benefits Stanford Sierra Youth and Families with an evening of brews and food at the Citrus Heights Community Center.
Cost: $40
Take in the scenic views at the Big Crush Harvest Wine Festival
Friday through Sunday
Join the members of the Amador Wine Country in celebration of the wine grape harvest. Visit each of the Amador Wine Country’s more than 45 participating wineries during a weekend of creative food, wine parties and live music from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Cost: $15 to $90
Saturday
Enter a pumpkin carving contest at Folsom Pumpkin Fest
214 Orange Blossom Circle, Folsom
Get in the spooky spirit at the first annual Folsom Pumpkin Fest. The free community event will celebrate the Halloween season with a Jack-o-lantern contest, costume contest, art stations, photo booth and raffle prizes from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
To enter the pumpkin carving contest, carve your pumpkin at home and drop it off at Bunny Park, the event location, between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. Decorating with battery-pack lights is optional, but candles aren’t allowed.
Cost: $0
11070 Bradley Ranch Rd., Elk Grove
Mud Factor, an obstacle mud run course, is set to arrive at Bradley Ranch Winery in Elk Grove on Saturday at 10 a.m. with adult and child courses. Obstacles include a water slide, border, halfway house, cargo climb and wire crawl to name a few.
cost: $45-$65
Visit an eco-friendly art market
1020 Front St., Sacramento
Spend a fall morning outdoors filled with eco-friendly products, jewelry, furniture and upcycled items at the Atrium Fall Eco Market Upcycle pop starting at 10:30 a.m. Watch artists create on the spot or get involved with family-friendly activities.
But don’t forget to grab a cup of locally brewed Kombucha while you’re there.
Cost: $0
Lace-up your shoes and join the Walk to End Alzheimer’s
400 Ballpark Dr., West Sacramento
Join and donate to the Carlton Senior Living Sacramento Enhanced team in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. The event, which is hosted by the Alzheimer’s Association, starts at 8 a.m. at Sutter Health Park.
Rev your engine at CruiseFest on Fulton Ave
Fulton Ave, Sacramento
Watch hundreds of eye-catching custom and classic cars cruise up and down Fulton Avenue between El Camino and Marconi from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the 10th-anniversary CruiseFest on Fulton Avenue. The event, which benefits the California Vehicle Foundation, is set to offer food trucks, music and a beer garden.
Register your car for a fee or enjoy a Saturday afternoon as one of the 10,000 anticipated spectators.
Car registration cost: $40 to $79
Sunday
Buy something odd at The Bizarre
R Street, Sacramento
Watch the R Street Corridor transform into the Bizarre, an open-air market for eccentric local vendors, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m between 11th Street and 14th Street.
Cost: varies