Sacramento has a long and storied reputation as a thriving underground music hub. From cutting-edge jazz to socially conscious hip-hop to heavy metal, Sacramento’s varied and vibrant music scene has laid the groundwork for the city’s status as the premier music festival destination on the West Coast.
If you’re planning a visit to the California state capital, making Sacramento’s music and food festival scene the center of your trip is always a win-win. From the massively popular Aftershock Festival to the Farm-to-Fork Festival to the newest addition—the country music festival GoldenSky—Sacramento is your fall festival destination.
Not only are some of music’s biggest acts converging on the California capital this summer and fall, the city itself is a beautiful and thriving cultural backdrop in which to enjoy your festival-going experience. In the spirit of getting the most out of Sacramento, here’s your ultimate guide to this year’s can’t-miss musical events.
Your Ultimate Guide
to Sacramento
Festival Season
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DISCOVER
Making Sacramento's music and food festival scene the center of your trip is always a win-win.
Aftershock Festival is the largest rock festival in California. Since 2012, tens of thousands of rock music fans gather at the 302-acre site in Sacramento’s Discovery Park. Over four days in October, Aftershock is the center of the rock universe, where legendary acts and rabble-rousing upstarts converge. Featuring delicious farm-to-fork food, craft beer, cocktails, and tons of activities, Aftershock is the premier festival event of the season.
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1. Aftershock
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GoldenSky is Sacramento’s newest festival addition, welcoming country fans from around the globe to experience the best in modern and legacy country in the heart of one of country music’s foundational destinations. GoldenSky is produced by the same team that brings Aftershock to Discovery Park, so festival-goers can expect the same high-level farm-to-fork food and beverage service as well as unparalleled sightlines and dynamic sound. Hometown legend Jon Pardi opens the second year of the festival, which is already building bigger than last year’s inaugural event.
2. GoldenSky
What does farm to fork mean? It means celebrating the agricultural bounty native to the Sacramento River Delta, and at the Farm-to-Fork Festival, the best way to do that is by pairing local organic fare with top-notch musical acts, celebrity chefs, unique dining experiences, and regional wine and cocktails. The festival is free to encourage those from all walks of life to get to know the hardworking people who grow our food in a setting that highlights the California good life: music, food, drinks, regional wine, family, and fun.
3. Farm-to-Fork Festival
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By StoryStudio on August 17, 2023
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Sponsored by Visit Sacramento
Sol Blume, Sacramento’s R&B, soul, and hip-hop music festival is returning to Discovery Park. There’s no better way to enjoy the warm summer nights of the Sacramento River Delta than outside listening to world-renowned musical acts, sipping cold drinks, and partying with friends. The festival is a unique experience with an emphasis on culture, love, diversity, and positive vibes. Summer in Sacramento is a special time of year. If you’re visiting this August, Sol Blume should be part of your itinerary.
4. Sol Blume
1. Aftershock
2. GoldenSky
3. Farm-to-Fork Festival
4. Sol Blume
Guns N’ Roses, Incubus, Avenged Sevenfold, Pantera, Tool, Limp Bizkit, Godsmack, Turnstile, Korn, 311, Queens of the Stone Age, Rancid
Oct. 5-8
Discovery Park, where the American River and the Sacramento River meet, just off Interstate 5 in downtown Sacramento, easily accessible by car, ride share, or bus.
Aftershock is the kind of event you plan your trip around. Tickets sell out, so the sooner you begin making travel arrangements, the better. The festival provides a variety of pass packages. For ultimate savings, check out the hotel options where concert-goers can save up to 25%.
2023 Headliners
Dates
Where
Pro Tips
Jon Pardi, Maren Morris, Eric Church, Parker McCollum
Oct. 14-15
Discovery Park, where the American River and the Sacramento River meet, just off Interstate 5 in downtown Sacramento, easily accessible by car, ride share, or bus.
A weekend VIP festival pass is the best way to experience the GoldenSky Festival. The pass includes VIP tickets, hotel accommodations with transportation to the event, $50 Merchandise Voucher, and Festival Fast Track Entry & Re-entry.
2023 Headliners
Dates
Where
Pro Tips
Musical headliners include Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals and Michael Franti and Spearhead. Chef headliners include Craig Takehara of Binchoyaki Izakaya Dining and Dennis Sydnor of Renegade Chef and Café Federico.
Sept. 7-23
Farm-to-Fork Festival is a collection of events held in downtown Sacramento.
The Street Festival (Sept. 22-23), the harvest season’s most anticipated music and food event, takes place on Sacramento’s Capitol Mall.
The Tower Bridge Dinner (Sept. 10), the festival’s unforgettable main dining event, is held at Tower Bridge, where celebrated local chefs serve the best in local cuisine to hundreds of lucky attendees.
Legends of Wine (Sept. 7), the dynamic festival opener showcasing varietals from regional wineries exclusively selected by international wine legends Darrell Corti and David Berkley, is held at the Capitol steps. Wine is paired with specially curated farm-to-fork cuisine.
Did you know that Sacramento’s largest crop isn’t rice or tomatoes? It’s wine grapes. The best tip for someone visiting during the Farm-to-Fork Festival is to sample the wide range of award-winning regional wines.
The festival also offers several curated itineraries to promote any interest, from the Bikes & Brews Itinerary, which pairs sightseeing via cycle with frosty pints, to the Wine & Wellness Itinerary, pairing yoga and paddleboarding with the freshest farm-to-fork foods and award-winning wines, to the Ultimate Sacramento Itinerary, a five-day sample itinerary during which you’ll experience everything the majestic City of Trees and the surrounding river delta region has to offer.
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2023 Headliners
Dates
Where
Pro Tips
Brent Faiyaz, Kehlani, Ella Mai, Isaiah Rashad, Joey Bada$$, Jessie Reyez, Pink Sweat$, Chlöe, PinkPantheress
Aug. 19-20
Discovery Park, where the American River and the Sacramento River meet, just off Interstate 5 in downtown Sacramento, easily accessible by car, ride share, or bus. Park and shuttle options will be provided. Shuttles will pick you up in the downtown area at the St. Joseph’s Jury Lot on 9th and G streets and take you just outside the festival gates.
If you can attend only one night of Sol Blume, go Sunday to see a one-night-only performance of “The Last Rose Petal 2,” the final tour by R&B legend Teyana Taylor.
Any trip to Sacramento should be anchored by its explosive music scene, from festivals to small venue acts and everything in between. But Sacramento has much more to offer. With tons to see, eat, drink, experience, and do in California’s capital city, Sacramento is the destination of choice for any culture lover. For an insider’s guide to everything Sacramento, check out VisitSacramento.com.
2023 Headliners
Dates
Where
Pro Tips
