This weekend around Northern California has a decidedly romantic bent with Valentine’s Day just a week away. But it’s not all roses and poetry, yet.
The annual “I Heart Sacramento Zoo” event is this Sunday with fun treats for both animals and human guests alike. Bring the whole family to watch your favorites “open” their Valentine’s treats and even make some crafts of your own.
If you want a little taste of New Orleans without having to hop on a plane, then you’ll want to check out the Capitol City Krewe Mardi Gras event at the Richard T. ConzelMann Community Center. This event boasts traditional NOLA foods and entertainment that is fun for the whole family.
Just a short drive down the 5 in Clarksburg, the Old Sugar Mill is kicking off “Lovers’ Weekend” with their Port, Wine, & Chocolate event. With live music, food trucks, and, of course, plenty of wine and chocolate to go around.
Speaking of wine and chocolate, A Chocolate Affair 2020 is going down at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds, with wineries, breweries, food and chocolate pairings from several local businesses.
In the Bay, SF Beer Week begins with its massive Opening Gala ceremony at Pier 35. This event is the largest gathering of craft brewers in Northern California. Well over 120 local brewers are set to attend and they’ll be pouring hundreds of different kinds of beers.
Those are just a few of the fun things going on this weekend around the area. Scroll on down to see what else is happening!
Do you have an event idea? Send your suggestions to mnuttle@tegna.com
When: February 9 | 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Sacramento Zoo, 3930 W Land Park Drive, Sacramento
Bring your sweetheart to the Sacramento Zoo this Sunday for a jump start on Valentine’s Day festivities.
The annual “I Heart Sacramento Zoo” event is a special treat for both guests and animals alike. Watch the animals open their own Valentine’s-themed goodies, hear informative talks from animal experts, and create your own crafts.
Zoo Teens volunteers will also have booths set up with interactive games and other activities that are fun for guests of all ages!
Admission:
- $17.50 – General admission
- $16.50 – Senior admission
- $12.50 – Children’s admission (Ages 2-11)
When: February 8 | 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Where: Republic Bar & Grill, 908 15th Street, Sacramento
Prepare to enter the multiverse of the Rick & Morty Bar Crawl in downtown Sacramento on Saturday!
Guests who sign up will receive a Rick & Morty souvenir T-shirt, a souvenir lanyard and card, entry into the trivia competition, and access to themed drinks and special pricing at participating bars. There will also be themed food specials, too.
Participate in the trivia challenge by yourself or gather up some friends and compete as a team. There will be no cover charges at participating bars for guests of the bar crawl. All bars are located within walking distance and no transportation is needed.
There will be a special DJ party to close out the event. The event will also conclude with prizes being handed out to first and second place in both the trivia competition and the costume contest.
Admission:
- $20 – Crawl admission includes a themed T-shirt
When: February 8 | 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Richard T. ConzelMann Community Center, 2201 Cottage Way, Cross Street Howe Avenue, Sacramento
Celebrate Mardi Gras in Sacramento this Saturday at the Capitol City Krewe Mardi Gras event at the Richard T. ConzelMann Community Center and Howe Avenue Park.
Capitol City Krewe Mardi Gras is a family-friendly event that features delicious foods, live entertainment, arts and crafts and more!
Guests will enjoy traditional New Orleans favorites like beignet donuts, shrimp po boys, fried fish, gumbo, red beans and rice, jambalaya, and King cake. Other goodies include Filipino foods, Mexican foods, vegan dishes, and BBQ. You can wash that down with exotic drinks, daiquiris, wine, beer, and special Mardi Gras coconut drinks!
This event hopes to bring unity and teach the community about different cultures.
Admission:
- $15 – General admission ages 18 and up
- $10 – General admission ages 13-17
- $10 – Senior admission ages 55 and up
- FREE! – Admission for children ages 12 and under
[There are also a number of VIP admission packages and sponsorships. Tap here to learn more.]
When: February 8 & 9 | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Old Sugar Mill, 35265 Willow Avenue, Clarksburg
It’s Lovers’ Weekend at the Old Sugar Mill in Clarksburg and they’re celebrating with their Port, Wine, and Chocolate event on Saturday and Sunday.
With admission, guests will be treated to wine tastings at all participating wineries, a souvenir glass, chocolate samplings, and complimentary photo booth pictures. Guests that arrive between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. can also enjoy a glass of Valentine’s “bubbles.”
There will also be live musical performances and other scheduled entertainment as well as food trucks on site.
Those who purchase VIP admission will have access to a private seating area, access to special chocolate and wine demos, specialty entertainment in the VIP lounge, and additional chocolate and sweet treats.
For a separate fee, guests can even bottle their own port, decorate their own label and even dip the bottle in wax.
This event will take place rain or shine and is both indoors and outside at the Old Sugar Mill. You must be 21 years old or older to attend and only service animals will be allowed inside.
Admission:
- $35 – General admission
- $10 – Designated driver admission
- $25 – BonTemps package includes discounted tickets for groups of at least 6
- $70 – VIP general admission
- $50 – VIP BonTemps package includes discounted tickets for groups of at least 6
When: February 9 | 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Where: Downtown Woodland Historic District, Woodland
Head over to Woodland this Sunday for their monthly Food Truck Mania event in downtown.
Put on by the Yolo Visitors Bureau, SactoMoFo, Mojo’s Lounge and Bar, Food Truck Mania features delicious, local gourmet food trucks and live musical performances!
Food Truck Mania is free to attend and is open to guests of all ages. It takes place every first Sunday of month (although this one was pushed to the second Sunday due to the Super Bowl last week.)
Admission:
- FREE!
When: February 8 | 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Where: El Dorado County Fair & Event Center, 100 Placerville Drive, Placerville
The 22nd annual A Chocolate Affair event returns to the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville this Saturday.
Come out and enjoy wine and beer offerings from 13 local wineries and breweries, food samples and CHOCOLATE! From 13 local restaurants and caterers, fun live and silent auctions with incredible prizes (more on that below), raffles and more!
Auction items at this year’s event include an all-inclusive stay at a resort in Puerto Vallarta, scenic flights with a choice of three locations, a stained glass panel crafted by a local artist, and even a truffle hunt for up to eight people!
There will also be a Valentine’s Day-themed selfie area, the “Soroptimist Dream Board” raffle event, and a wine cork pull!
Proceeds from A Chocolate Affair go to the Soroptimist International Club of Placerville which provides scholarships and awards, as well as emergency funds to women in crisis through their Helping Hands Program.
Admission:
- $40 – Advance admission
- $45 – General admission on day of event
- $70 – Sweetheart Special includes admission for 2
[There are also special ticket packages for large groups. Tap here to learn more.]
When: February 7-9 | Event times vary by day.
Where: Lodi Wine, 2545 W Turner Road, Lodi
Celebrate Lodi wines and enjoy delectable chocolate pairings at the Lodi Wine & Chocolate Weekend.
This event features several unique experiences at participating wineries across the region all weekend long.
New this year is the Friday night Winery Dinner Experience. Wineries taking part in this event include Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards, McCay Cellars, m2 Wines, St. Amant Winery, and Mettler Family Vineyards.
Grand tasting tours take place on Saturday and Sunday. Guests participating in this event will embark on a self-guided tour with award-winning Lodi wines and mouth-watering chocolate treats at more than 50 participating wineries.
All tickets to the Grand Tasting event include wine tasting (of course!), a commemorative wine glass, a chocolate treat from event sponsor The San Francisco Chocolate Factory, entertainment, and more!
Guests to the Lodi Wine & Chocolate Weekend must be 21 years old and up.
Admission:
- Event tickets vary by the day. Tap here to learn more.
When: February 8 | 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Flamingo Resort and Spa, 2777 4th Street, Santa Rosa
After a successful first year, the Wine Country Distillery Festival is back in Santa Rosa, this year with even more local vendors, distilleries, and live musical acts taking part
More than 35 vendors, including 20 distilleries from the Greater Bay Area, are participating in this year’s event with benefits going to support local non-profit Sonoma Family Meal, which was founded in response to the 2017 Tubbs Fire to provide meals to survivors of natural disasters.
Other highlights include a food truck court, a cocktail competition, raffles, and more. Three live musical acts are also scheduled to perform, including Adam Traum, Hannah Jern-Miller, and Dustin Saylor.
This year's event is being held at the Flamingo Resort and Spa in Santa Rosa. The resort is offering a special package for guests who intend to stay overnight during their visit. Tap here to learn more.
Admission:
- $85 – General admission includes a tasting glass, unlimited beverage tastes, small food bites, and a big food bite ticket
- $15 – Designated driver admission includes a tasting glass, unlimited non-alcoholic beverage tastes, small food bites, and a big food bite ticket
- $59 – Roundtrip transportation from Sonoma Plaza, departs at 11:30 a.m. and returns at 4:30 p.m.
When: February 7 | 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Where: Pier 35, 1454 The Embarcadero, San Francisco
San Francisco Beer Week 2020 kicks off this Friday with their Opening Gala event at Pier 35 on The Embarcadero.
More than 120 Northern California breweries, including 24 Bay Area breweries, have signed up to take part in the Opening Gala, which serves as the epicenter for the week to come. Guests will receive a commemorative glass and unlimited tastings.
Other highlights from the opening gala include special beer and food pairing menus from Rosamunde, Grill Cheez Guy, Waffle Roost, Sip & Slurp, Chairman Bao, Sunset29 BBQ and more; live music featuring Motown on Mondays; games like Jenga and cornhole; a slow-motion video booth provided by Hilton hotels; and even Sierra Nevada’s original brewhouse!
San Francisco Beer Week runs from Feb. 7 to Feb. 16 at locations across the Greater Bay Area.
Admission:
- $80 – General admission
- $125 – VIP admission includes an SF Beer Week T-shirt and early entrance into the event at 5 p.m.
When: February 8 | 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Natural Bridges State Beach, 2531 W Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz
If you’re looking for an adventure this weekend, look no further than the 33rd annual Migration Festival at Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz.
This free, family-friendly event features a full day of activities with more than 20 nature organizations from around the Monterey Bay providing informational seminars, nature walks, arts & crafts, games and more!
There will also be live musical performances from local artists and Taquitos Gabriel taco truck, too. Guests can also bring their own food and drink to picnic in the park.
Admission:
- FREE!*
[*There is a $10 parking fee inside the park boundaries.]
Do you have an event idea? Send your suggestions to mnuttle@tegna.com
FOR NEWS IN YOUR COMMUNITY, DOWNLOAD THE ABC10 APP:
►Stay In the Know! Sign up now for ABC10's Daily Blend Newsletter