There are some really fun things going on this Thanksgiving Week! So if you are looking for a great outing for your family or are anxious to start the Holiday festivities, here are some ideas:
Old Sacramento Tree Lighting & Theatre of Lights
When: Wednesday, November 25th, 6 pm
Where: Front and K Street, Old Sacramento, meet at the tree!
Activities: The 50-foot tree will take center stage at Front & K streets as a part of Old Sacramento’s brand new Theatre of Lights. The festivities will kick off at 6:00 pm with live entertainment a visit from father Christmas, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and will continue with the Tree Lighting at 6:30 pm and the first Theatre of Lights show immediately following and again at 8:00. A symphony of lights, sounds and visual effects will take you back to a time when the beloved poem “The Night Before Christmas” was first introduced in Sacramento in 1857.
Cost: FREE (expect parking fee)
Fairytale Town Free Admission Day
When: Friday, November 27th, 10am – 4pm
Where: Fairytale Town, Sacramento
Activities: Fairytale Town offers free admission the day after Thanksgiving as a chance to say thanks for visiting throughout the year. Activities during the event include an arts & craft activity and puppet shows by Puppet Art Theater in their Children’s Theater at 12:30, 1:30, and 2:30.
Cost: Families who bring in a canned good receive free admission to Fairytale Town. All canned goods will be donated to Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, Holiday Spirit of Giving Food Drive. Puppet shows tickets are $1 for members and $2 for nonmembers.
Sacramento Zoo Half-price Admission Day
When: Friday, November 27th, 10am – 4pm
Where: Sacramento Zoo
Cost: Families who bring a canned item to donate to the Sacramento Food Bank receive half-price admission to the zoo. Regular admission is $9.00 for adults, $6.50 for kids ages 3 – 12, free for kids 2 and under.
(Picture above)
When: Saturday, November 28th, 10am
Where: Downtown Sacramento, begins at 9th and I streets
Activities: Celebrate the holiday season with a festive parade, featuring a special visit from Santa Claus. The parade begins at Sacramento City Hall and travels down I Street and turns on 13th street past the convention center and the IMAX Theatre. The parade turns again on L Street and continues past the State Capitol and Hyatt Hotel. The parade makes its final turn on 7th Street and ends at the Westfield Downtown Plaza Mall and Ice Rink at 7th and K Streets.
Old Town Elk Grove Dickens Faire
When: Saturday, November 28th, 8am – 8pm
Where: Old Town Elk Grove
Activities: Pancake Breakfast with Santa at the historic Grange Hall, Snow Park with 1000 cubic feet of snow brought in for play, live music, Parade of Lights, Tree Lighting ceremony at 6 pm, Carriage Rides.
Cost: FREE
Written by Keilah Woodard
My love for exploring and creating experiences with my three kids led to the founding of SacramentoSidetracks.com in 2009. I realized that Sacramento has so much to offer and I was excited to share my findings with other parents. Besides simply having fun, these are the other positive side effects of taking my kids on outings that I’ve discovered: we have quality time together away from the distractions at home, we cultivate our curiosity, learn new things, conversations are triggered by what we see and do, we connect and bond as a family, and we create new memories. Ready to get sidetracked, too? Let me be your guide!
