Today in Sacramento: Here’s what you need to know for Thursday

New Year’s Eve plans

The free New Year’s Eve fireworks shows above Old Sacramento will not be obscured by clouds, but it will be cold. The first fireworks show occurs at 9 p.m. and the finale at midnight. Regional Transit notes that extended light-rail service will be offered. The last trains are scheduled to depart downtown Sacramento at 12:30 a.m. Friday. Go to www.sacrt.com for details. Need other last-minute ideas on how to celebrate the new year? Go to sacb.ee/52cT for ideas from Bee staff.

CHP to be watching for impaired drivers

To focus on impaired and distracted drivers, the California Highway Patrol launches a maximum enforcement period from 6:01 p.m. Thursday to 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Officers will also check for other infractions, such as not wearing seat belts. The CHP reports that during the 2014-15 New Year’s holiday, 28 people died in collisions on California roadways.

Organized walks planned

The Sacramento Walking Sticks group hosts free walks on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. The walks will start from the Pioneer Congregational Church Social Hall, 2700 L St., Sacramento, directly across from Sutter’s Fort. Registration for the New Year’s Eve walk is between 5 and 6 p.m. The New Year’s Day walk is scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon. There will be a 5K (3.1 miles) and 10K (6.2 miles) routes available on both days. All the walks are on city streets around downtown Sacramento. Go to www.sacramentowalkingsticks.org for more information.

Things to do

▪ Crocker Art Museum hosts “Noon Year’s Eve: A Free Family Festival” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The free party for families counts down to the new year at noon and features global cultural experiences, including an aloha welcome with Ohana Dance Group; bilingual magic with Germar the Magician; drumming with Afia Walking Tree and her 100 drums; bagpipes with the Sacramento Pipe Band; the a capella group Samoan All Family Boys, Ebo Okokan Afro-Cuban dance and music; Freilachmakers Klezmer String Band playing Jewish folk melodies; and appearances by Father Time. Go to www.crockerartmuseum.org for more information.

▪ Also celebrating 2016 a bit early is the Franklin Community Library, 10055 Franklin High Road, Elk Grove. The library is ringing in the new year from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and will feature art, crafts, snacks and showcase New Year’s customs around the world. The facility will toast the New Year at noon with sparkling apple juice.

This story was originally published December 30, 2015 at 2:48 PM with the headline "Today in Sacramento: Here’s what you need to know for Thursday."