Weekend Picks: Tomato Festival in Sacramento, Oakland Kidsfest, Ballet at Stern Grove, and Berkeley Kite Festival

July 26, 2017

Come taste tomato-themed dishes at the Sacratomato Festival in Sacramento, bring your favorite little pirate and mermaid to Kidsfest in Oakland, enjoy a kite festival in Berkeley, and watch world-class ballet outdoors at Stern Grove. Whatever you decide, Capitol Corridor is your ticket to fun!

Sacratomato Week: Now – 7/30, Sacramento

Celebrate all things tomato at the Fourth Annual Sacratomato Week in Sacramento. Stroll through Sutter District – located in the vibrant and easily accessible Mid-town Sacramento bordered by Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park and Marshall Park – all week long, from now until July 30 and savor the tomato by visiting local restaurants and bars, where you can enjoy a variety of tomato-themed festivities, sample tomato edibles, and enjoy beverages bursting with farm-fresh flavors that flourish in the agriculture-rich region. The event will highlight lively and eclectic restaurants and watering holes celebrating Sacramento’s signature commodity – the tomato. To get there, take the train to the Sacramento Station. You can take Sacramento Regional Transit (SacRT) from the train station with a free Transit Transfer from the Capitol Corridor conductor.

Kidsfest: 7/29, Oakland

Ahoy mates! Bring the kiddies in their favorite mermaid or pirate costume and head over to Oakland for the annual Flax Kidsfest on Saturday, July 29, from 11am to 2pm. Spend a festive day of exploration, discovery, imagination, and learning, featuring interactive events, demonstrations, crafts, face painting, fun games, and more. Come sing along with The Krackens – Justin Houchin and Carrie Smith, as they perform old time classics, sea shanties, and other great songs about the big blue sea. This year’s theme is Pirates and costumes are encouraged. To get to the festivities, take the Capitol Corridor to the Richmond Station, connect to BART, and get off either at the 12th St. or 19th St. BART stations – both are approximately a 5-minute walk from Flax. You can also take Capitol Corridor to the Oakland Jack London Station, and from there, walk about half an hour or take AC Transit with a free Transit Transfer from the Capitol Corridor.

Berkeley Kite Festival: 7/29 – 7/30, Berkeley

Join fellow kite enthusiasts and fliers this weekend for the 32nd Annual Berkeley Kite Festival & West Coast Kite Championships in the Berkeley Marina. From 10am to 6pm, Saturday, July 29, and Sunday, July 30, experience the artistry of modern kite flying, watch the Japanese-Style Rokkaku Kite Battle for the Skies, listen to Taiko drummers, and more. There are also other activities such as free kite making, arts and crafts, a kids zone, petting zoo, pony rides, and free candy drops for kids. To get to this FREE event, take the train to the Berkeley Station, which is a little less than a mile from the Berkeley Marina. You can also take AC Transit’s 51B bus with a free Transit Transfer from the Capitol Corridor conductor.

Stern Grove Festival: 7/30, San Francisco

Can’t afford to buy ballet tickets to see the world-famous San Francisco Ballet performance? Then head over to Stern Grove Festival starting at 2pm on Sunday, July 30, to see them for free! Led by Artistic Director, Helgi Tomasson, the Company will be performing selections from their current repertory – the GRAMMY-winning San Francisco Ballet Orchestra and conductor Martin West. Members of the San Francisco Ballet will participate in a pre-performance Artist Talk at Stern Grove’s Trocadero Clubhouse at 12pm on the day of the performance. Arrive early, and spread a picnic blanket to stake a spot at one of the most beautiful settings in the world. To get there, take the Capitol Corridor’s dedicated connecting bus from the Emeryville Station to Transbay Temporary Terminal. Or, connect to BART at the Richmond Station or Oakland Coliseum Station. From any of these San Francisco bus or BART stops, you can take SF Muni, catch a cab, or take Lyft or Uber. Discount BART tickets and Muni tokens are available for purchase in the Café Car of the Capitol Corridor.

 

Written by Sylvia Sheehan
Photo courtesy of highlinekites.com