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10 Things to do in Northern California this weekend | August 16-18

Working on those weekend plans yet? Well you cannot go wrong with one of the many concerts happening around Northern California. Check this out!

Live music is what’s on tap this weekend. All around Northern California, events showcasing musical acts that stretch across genres and cultures can be found. There are events just for adults and events for the whole family -- and many of them are free to attend!

But if you’re not really into the music scene, the Sacramento Zoo is holding their annual Ice Cream Safari. And who wouldn’t want ice cream as the summer heat has turned it up a notch lately?

Luckily, there will be a tiny cool down just in time for a lot of the outdoor activities. You may still want to consult the 10-day before you make any plans, just in case.

Scroll on down to see more about what’s happening this weekend!

Do you have an event idea? Send your suggestions to mnuttle@abc10.com 

Wide Open Walls Street Party/Concert

When: August 17 | 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Where: Capitol Mall Greens, 1300 7th Street, Sacramento

Sacramento’s Wide Open Walls mural festival crescendos with a street party and concert on the Capitol Mall Saturday night.

The event will feature live art installations and live murals being painted right before your eyes. There will also be food trucks, drinks, artists booths, DJs and other musical performances celebrating the close of one of the city’s premier events.

RELATED: Painting the city: 'Wide Open Walls' 2019 kicks off

Some scheduled performers include Sage the Gemini, DJ James Kennedy, Lillian Francis and more. Tickets for the event cost $20, but you can get in for free by downloading the GIG Car Share App and use the code “WOWFEST.”

Admission: 

  • $20
Credit: Mike Garza/KXTV
Artist Lin Fei paints the letter "F" in the California mural alongside the Automobile Museum.

Ice Cream Safari

When: August 17 | 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Where: Sacramento Zoo, 3930 W. Land Park Drive, Sacramento

The Sacramento Zoo is hosting their 36th Annual Ice Cream Safari this weekend. The event promises “ice cream in cones, sundaes and floats, and tastings by local creameries,” while patrons explore the zoo. Other food will also be available for purchase.

READ ALSO: Red panda and Wolf's Guenon babies born at Sacramento Zoo

Proceeds from the event go toward the general maintenance and animal care. The zoo will be closed at 2:30 p.m. on the day of the event, in order to get prepared.

Admission:

(Early bird special)

  • Adult: $21 (Sacramento Zoo members receive $2 off per ticket)
  • Child ages 2-11: $16 (Sacramento Zoo members receive $2 off per ticket)

(Gate prices)

  • Adult: $25
  • Child ages 2-11: $19
Credit: Sacramento Zoo
The Sacramento Zoo is hosting their 36th Annual Ice Cream Safari this weekend.

2019 Sacramento Middle Eastern Culture and Food Festival

When: August 17 | 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Where: La Sierra Community Center, 5325 Engle Road, Carmichael, Calif.

If you would like to experience Middle Eastern culture, food, music, vendors, and performances, then the Sacramento Middle eastern Culture and Food Festival is where you’ll want to be this weekend.

Held at the La Sierra Community Center in Carmichael, this free event has activities for the whole family to enjoy. There will be booth exhibits, food vendors, children’s activities, “Al Juthoor Dabke” or traditional Palestinian folk dancing, and more!

This is the first of what organizers would like to become an annual event. The festival is being put on by One World for Love and Peace, an organization that aims to raise understanding of Sacramento’s Arab communities.

Admission:

  • FREE!
Credit: One World 4 Love & Peace

Hot Summer Nights Concert Series

When: August 16 | 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Where: Laguna Town Hall, 3020 Renwick Avenue, Elk Grove, Calif.

Elk Gove’s “Hot Summer Nights” is back for another August of outdoor musical entertainment. This weekend’s performance features Dirty Cello, a blues and bluegrass group out of San Francisco.

The concert is free and open to the public. Guests are allowed to bring their own blankets and lawn chairs to the event, but organizers ask attendees not to bring in their items until 5 p.m. Guests may bring in their own food and alcohol. Food will also be available for purchase on-site.

Tap here for a full list of concert rules and etiquette.

Admission:

  • FREE!
Credit: Cosumnes Community Services District

Concerts in the Park: John Skinner Band

When: August 17 | 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Where: Carmichael Park, 5750 Grant Avenue, Carmichael, Calif. 

The Carmichael Recreation and Park District’s Summer Concert Series continues Saturday with the John Skinner Band Concert. From Sacramento, this variety band has performed at local events for more than two decades.

Although John passed away almost two years ago, his final show was performed in Carmichael Park. And so, at this weekend’s event, Carmichael Park District and the Carmichael Chamber of Commerce will dedicate a tree to John during the performance.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own blankets or lawn chairs and enjoy the show at the Daniel Bishop Memorial Pavilion. Food and water will be available for purchase.

Admission: 

  • FREE!
Credit: Carmichaelparks.com
The John Skinner Band is performing at Carmichael's Concerts in the Park on Saturday, August 17.

Honky Tonk Harvest

When: August 17 | 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Where: Thomas Allen Vineyards & Winery, 5573 West Woodbridge Road, Lodi, Calif.

If you’re looking to relax and unwind with live country music, craft wine and great food, then the First Annual Honky Tonk Harvest at the Thomas Allen Vineyards and Winery in Lodi is the event for you. Guests must be 21 years and older to attend.

Good Time Charlie and The Cripple Creek Band are set to perform. Guests are asked to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets to this outdoor event. Outside food and non-alcoholic drinks are welcome. Food and drinks will be available on-site for purchase.

Admission:

  • $25 - General Admission
  • $50 - VIP Admission
Credit: Thomas Allen Vineyards & Winery

Umoja African Festival

When: August 17 | 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Where: Lowell Park, 14th Street, Oakland

The Umoja African Festival in Oakland is a massive, free outdoor celebration of African culture promoting the advancement of African communities. The all-day event features live music with local and international artists.

There will also be a wide array of art booths and food representing several different regions of the African continent. The festival began in an effort to give under-represented communities a voice in the growth of Oakland and the Bay Area as a whole.

Admission:

  • FREE!
Credit: Mecca Woodard

2019 Tomato Festival

When: August 17 (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.) | August 18 (12 p.m. to 5 p.m.)

Where: Multiple locations in downtown Fairfield

Dozens of tomatoes, salsas, soups, and even wine poured by the glass are in store for the annual Tomato Festival in Fairfield.

“As time goes on, these festivals become few and far between… it’s free parking. It’s free admission. It’s just a day out with family,” said Margaret Manzo, executive director of the Fairfield Main Street Association.

The family-friendly festival will once again be continuing its tradition of shutting down downtown Fairfield for a couple of days as about 25,000 head into the city for the event.

RELATED: 'This shuts down the entire historic downtown' | 2019 Tomato Festival returns to Fairfield

Admission:

  • FREE!
Credit: City of Fairfield/Fairfield Main Street Association
Fairfield's Tomato and Vine Festival will have more than dozen varieties of tomatoes.

Rolling Stones: No Filter tour

When: August 18 | Show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Where: Levi Stadium, 4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way, Santa Clara, Calif. 

The Rolling Stones’ “No filter tour” rolls into the Bay Area with a Sunday performance at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. This show is just one of only 13 stops on the U.S. leg of the tour, so don’t miss your chance to get satisfaction seeing Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood play all their hits.

A special “party bus” event is planned to shuttle fans roundtrip from the Marina to Levi’s Stadium. This event, which does not include tickets to the concert, is BYOB and intended as a VIP transport for Stones’ fans to the stadium.

Admission:

Credit: Greg Allen/Invision/AP
Ronnie Wood, from left, Charlie Watts, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones perform at MetLife Stadium on Monday, Aug. 5, 2019, in East Rutherford, N.J. (Photo by Greg Allen/Invision/AP)

20th Street Block Party

When: August 17 | 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: Mission District, San Francisco

Billed as "part street food festival, part concert, and part local vendor bazaar", the 20th Street Block Party in San Francisco's Mission District is a massive, FREE summer street party that celebrates all things local.

Presented by Noise Pop, this event, which boasted an attendance of more than 20,000 people in 2018, benefits the non-profits La Cocina and 826 Valencia.  The event features two stages with a mix of local, national and international artists.

If you want to get a look behind the scenes, VIP tickets are available for $50. The VIP “Headline Lounge” comes with a private viewing area, a hosted bar with craft beer, sommelier-selected wines and food from the American Lamb Board and the Mission District's newest restaurant Great Gold. Only 100 VIP passes are available, so you’ll want to act fast! But if you’re not lucky enough to snag the private experience, there is all of the party to enjoy out with the masses, and... ahem... it’s all FREE!

Admission:

  • FREE!
Credit: Paige K. Parsons
The 20th Street Block Party in San Francisco's Mission District is a massive, FREE summer street party that celebrates all things local.

Do you have an event idea? Send your suggestions to mnuttle@abc10.com

WATCH ALSO: Artist Lin Fei Fei brings new mural 'Not Your Bunny' to Downtown Sacramento

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