Here are Sacramento-area events canceled due to the coronavirus spread in California
School events, classes and other local community events in the capital region of Northern California have been canceled in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Sacramento, Placer and Yolo county officials have shifted their efforts from containment of the virus that causes the respiratory illness COVID-19 to mitigation. That means they no longer recommend isolation or quarantine for people exposed to someone with COVID-19, and they now will focus on reducing the risk to populations at the greatest risk of dying.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said that organizers throughout the state should cancel or postpone events with more than 250 people. He said smaller gatherings should keep people 6 feet apart to avoid spreading coronavirus.
Here is a list of the events that have been canceled or postponed because of the coronavirus spread.
(This list was last updated at 9:30 a.m. Friday, March 13)
Crocker events, Second Saturday
Sacramento’s collaborative arts celebration, held on the second Saturday of each month, has been canceled this coming weekend “due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease),” said in a statement by “The Art Lady,” D. Oldham Neath.
“Art has traditionally been a hands-off experience, and while local galleries and museums have shut down their receptions and public events, many will remain open for visiting during normal business hours,” Neath wrote. “This means while you are off work, or children are out of school, you have the opportunity to view art at a distance from crowds and enjoy a family cultural experience.”
The Archival Gallery, Arthouse on R, CLARA ballet, Elliott Fouts Gallery, Errant Phoenix Productions Pence Gallery (Second Friday), Sacramento Fine Arts Center and the Sparrow Gallery have canceled this week’s Second Saturday activities.
The Crocker Art Museum has canceled all events, programs and classes through the end of March.
Neath says it is the first time in nearly 30 years that galleries have closed for Second Saturday.
Cal Expo Boat and RV Show
The Boat and RV Show at Cal Expo, which was scheduled to start Thursday and run through Sunday, has been canceled, along with larger events scheduled there through the end of March, according to a news release. There was no indication whether the Boat and RV Show will be rescheduled.
“We remain in a constant state of assessment and will continue to enhance our protection and educational efforts to promote safe conditions for our staff and for future guests as conditions improve,” Cal Expo’s CEO Rick Pickering said in the news release.
A Quilt, Craft and Sewing Festival scheduled to begin March 19 has been postponed to Oct. 1-3, and Sac Comic-Con scheduled for March 22 has been postponed to June 7, according to the Cal Expo online calendar of events.
Harness racing events will held at Cal Expo as planned on Friday and Saturday nights, but only licensed personnel will be allowed into the facility. The racetrack grandstands will not be open to the public through the end of March. Satellite Wagering is closed to the public through March.
Officials said in the news release that general state business will continue at Cal Expo as they continue to prepare for the annual California State Fair from July 17 through Aug. 2.
Celine Dion at Golden 1 Center
Celine Dion announced Thursday that her April 7 concert at Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento has been postponed, along with the rest of her stops in North America scheduled from March 24 through April 27.
These postponed concerts, which are part of her “Courage World Tour” that include shows in Oakland and San Francisco, will be rescheduled, she announced on Twitter.
Dion’s representatives announced Tuesday on her Facebook page that she canceled shows in Pittsburgh and Washington. D.C. because she had a cold after completing a six-show run in the New York area. They also said that Dion’s symptoms persisted into the following day, so doctors instructed her to rest for several days and later “concluded that her virus was not related to COVID-19.”
It wasn’t clear on Thursday night why the popular international singer decided to postpone another month’s worth of concerts.
Sacramento State
Sacramento State has canceled all campus events scheduled from Thursday through May 20. On Thursday, Sacramento State President Robert Nelsen announced that the campus will transition to online courses for the remainder of the spring semester starting March 20, according to a news release from campus officials.
The Sacramento State Department of Theatre and Dance has canceled public attendance at all remaining spring season events, according to a news release. Face-to-face instruction will remain for certain courses not conducive to online learning, such as performing and theater arts, labs and clinicals.
The department on Thursday was considering other ways for students to complete production coursework. People with unused tickets for Theater and Dance events can request a refund or use the tickets in the upcoming school year.
The campus will remain open, including residence halls, dining services, the WELL, Student Health and Counseling Services, the Academic Information Resource Center, University Library and University Union, according the news release.
Campus officials on Thursday afternoon had not made a decision about plans for its graduation ceremonies scheduled May 15, 16 and 17 at the Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento.
Dolores Huerta Census Event
A scheduled appearance at Sacramento State by civil rights leader Dolores Huerta has been postponed. Huerta, who, with Cesar Chavez, co-founded the United Farm Workers union, was scheduled to speak Friday afternoon about the importance of participating in the 2020 census.
A reception for Huerta at Sacramento State also has been postponed. Officials said in a news release that Huerta’s foundation was postponing her events, because they tend to draw older audiences who have been determined to have a higher risk of complications form COVID-19. Her foundation hopes to reschedule the Sacramento event later this year.
River City Food Bank’s Empty Bowls
The annual Empty Bowls fundraiser for River City Food Bank has been postponed. This year’s event was initially scheduled for Monday and Tuesday at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium.
The food bank, which hosts the annual dinner and luncheons to raise awareness in its fight against hunger, is exploring options to reschedule the event this summer and will announce new dates as soon as they become available, according to a news release. The food bank will continue to make healthy foods available to people, including working families, seniors, refugees and anyone affected by illness or potential exposure to COVID-19.
Rocklin Unified School District
Rocklin Unified School District is canceling some events and activities, while postponing and modifying other gatherings with large groups of participants or spectators. These changes will remain in effect from Wednesday through April 12, unless they are modified or extended based on guidance from public health officials.
The district canceled all overnight and air travel for instruction or business, which includes overnight field trips such as science camps and professional development travel.
All non-California Interscholastic Federation-sponsored athletic events were canceled, but CIF-sponsored athletic competitions will be held as scheduled with the appropriate settings to allow for social distancing (arm’s length), district officials said. Sports will be limited to immediate family spectators only.
All band, choir, theater and dance tryouts or performances will be postponed or canceled. All Rocklin Unified events scheduled through April 12 will be postponed or canceled; those include instructional or extracurricular related events such as assemblies and dances, parent teacher club events and meetings, and Associated Student Body, school club and other student-organized events.
All non-district events on school properties have been canceled.
UC Davis, city of Davis
The University of California, Davis has canceled in-person final exams next week and is choosing an alternate option, university officials said. Events with an expected attendance of more than 150 people, scheduled from Thursday through March 31 at all UC Davis locations, will be canceled or postponed.
On Thursday, no decisions had been made about UC Davis spring graduation ceremonies. Campus officials asked the public to check its coronavirus-updates webpage in mid-April for updated information.
UC Davis intercollegiate winter and spring athletic events have been suspended indefinitely.
“This decision was made in the interest of the health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, administrators and fans,” campus officials said in a news release Thursday.
Events at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts has canceled all public events through March 31, including Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Dreamer’s Circus, Sharon Shannon and Socks in the Frying Pan, Mnozil Brass, Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez and Women and Philanthropy.
Ticket holders for the Mondavi Center events had been contacted, officials said Thursday in an online announcement, and refunds were in progress. They asked those seeking information about these events to use the center’s website, because the ticket office is already receiving a high volume of phone calls.
Davis Arts Center on F Street has canceled all classes and events through the end of April.
Yolo County Library
All Yolo County library programs have been canceled through the end of March, including classes, events and community use of library meeting rooms. Normal hours of operation will continue at all library branch locations and at the county’s archives facility. County officials there are recommending the canceling of non-essential programs to facilitate social distancing.
“We are taking additional measures to ensure our facilities remain welcoming, safe and clean,” Yolo County Librarian Mark Fink said in a news release. “This includes cleaning and sanitizing countertop surfaces and door handles, and scheduling more frequent janitorial visits.”
Residents can still access library services online, including 24-hour access to e-books, audio books, magazines and fee payments, by visiting the library’s website at yolocountylibrary.org.
Renaissance Society at Sacramento State
The Renaissance Society, which offers learning opportunities, seminars, community activities and engagement for older adults, has suspended all seminars, events and activities at Sacramento State University through April 6. The cancellations include the Forum, which was scheduled to April 6, all off-campus seminars, group activities and other events and all university volunteer services, including mentoring of students.
When Renaissance Society activities will resume is unclear. The society’s board will meet during Sacramento State’s spring break to evaluate. The campus remains open to students, faculty and staff, as university officials monitor the situation.
Art Rise Midtown Sacramento
Organizers have postponed Art Rise @ H16 Apartments, which was scheduled from March 19 through March 22. The event was intended to showcase local visual and performing artists in all six levels of the midtown multifamily residential building.
In an email to The Sacramento Bee on Monday, organizers said they decided to postpone the Art Rise event in accordance with guidance from the California Department of Public Health. The event will be rescheduled at a later date, which had not been determined.
Woodland
The annual “ReXpo” and Senior Art Show in Woodland scheduled for Friday has been canceled. Residents with questions about “ReXpo” should call the Community Services Department at (530) 661-2000 or visit the department’s website. Woodland officials have suspended senior programs through March 31, which include social games, exercise programs, support groups and presentations.
The Woodland Library has canceled all non-essential programs, classes and events, including use of the Leake Center meeting rooms, through March 31. Normal hours of operation will continue at the library and Square One, and residents can check out e-books and audiobooks and have access online library resources on its website woodlandpubliclibrary.com.
Elk Grove
Elk Grove city officials announced that they were postponing the Peace and Love: A Musical Revue of the ’60s event scheduled for March 20 and the Home Energy Expo scheduled for March 21.
Organizers have not scheduled new dates for these postponed events. Those who have already have tickets for the musical revue will be contacted directly, city officials said in a news release.
Da Vinci High School in Davis
The World War I Museum Night scheduled for Thursday evening at Da Vinci High School in Davis has been canceled. Instead, the sophomore students will demonstrate their museum exhibits Friday morning for others at the school “to celebrate their accomplishments,” according to a statement posted on the school’s website. The event will not be open to the public.
Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region
Leaders of Sacramento’s Jewish community announced the cancellation of a signature event: the annual Yom HaShoah service, the annual commemoration of the Holocaust. The event was to be held April 19 at Mosaic Law Congregation in Sacramento.
“As we struggle to understand the severity and reach of the COVID-19 strain, it is important that we take steps to minimize the harm to our community,” Willie Recht and Deborah Hoffman Gonzalez, leaders of the Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region, said in an email Wednesday. “Please know that we do not take this decision lightly.”
Other federation events have been canceled as well, including a community-wide seder April 13.
Davis Cherry Blossom Festival
The Davis Cherry Blossom Festival, scheduled for April 4 and 5, has been postponed and will likely be rescheduled in October, according to a news release. The annual weekend event includes music, food, art, culture and beer.
“In the spirit of this festival, with its focus on social and environmental justice, we want to do our part to cooperate with public health efforts to protect vulnerable members of our community,” said Gregory Wada, executive director of the nonprofit that produces the festival.
A group is organizing an online concert that will encourage viewers to donate to Tsuru for Solidarity, an organization that defends immigrants’ rights. More information about these efforts can be found in the Cherry Blossom Festival’s website.
This story was originally published March 10, 2020 at 5:29 PM.
