City of Trees Parade is coming back to Sacramento: See hours, route and what’s new
The City of Trees Parade is returning to Sacramento for a third year of Mardi Gras-style fun.
The family-friendly event will take place downtown on Saturday and will feature nearly 60 different performance groups, including dancers, marching bands and classic cars, according to the parade website.
“Our spectacular, nonprofit parade is lifting up Sacramento’s diverse art, culture, and local businesses,” organizers said on the website, “while stimulating the downtown economy and giving people young and old the chance to perform before a very large audience.”
In previous years, the parade was held in Old Sacramento.
This year’s festivities will be held downtown in the Capitol Mall area instead.
When is City of Trees festival in Sacramento?
This year’s City of Trees festivities run from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday.
The festival starts at 2 p.m. on Capitol Mall between Fifth and Seventh Streets, with exhibits, food trucks, local vendors and a beverage garden.
General admission tickets for adults start at $5 and can be purchased online. Kids are free.
For $200, you can buy a VIP Parader ticket that allows you to ride in the parade on a float. It comes complete with free beads to throw out to merrymakers.
This year, there will be two free parades, starting at around 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
“Bring your lawn chair or blanket and you’ll be able to watch our fantastic parade as it rolls past the festival toward Tower Bridge, culminating in Sacramento’s only evening-time parade, featuring light-up art cars from Burning Man!” organizers said on the festival website.
Where is the parade route?
The City of Trees Parade will travel down Capitol Mall, starting around Ninth Street and ending at Fourth Street, according to a map posted on the event website.
So don’t expect to drive down Capitol Mall on Saturday.
Who’s in the parade?
In addition to lavish, light-up art cars such as the Deco Fish Art Car and Sepia the Cuttlefish, you will also see the Sacramento State Marching Band, the Sacramento Lowrider Commission, Sacramento Ghostbusters and the Sac Dance Lab.
The rest of the lineup includes Sacramento Juneteenth Fest, Balance Dance Project and the Golden Harvest Parade.
The art cars will later be parked on display at the festival.
What’s new this year?
This year, there will be a City of Trees Pet Parade and Costume Contest featuring local dogs dressed up in Mardi-Gras style finery.
The furry revelers will appear in the first wave of the parade at 3 p.m.
For a $10 donation, you and one dog can participate in the parade.
“If your dog is not used to walking long distances, or tires easily, consider using a cart, stroller or something they can ride in,” organizers said.
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