Weekend Picks: Cesar Chavez Festival in SF, Oakland Second Saturdays, Sacramento Escape the Gold Rush and Suisun BrewBash

April 11, 2018

Weekends can never come too soon, and we have picked out the best things to do along the Capitol Corridor! Celebrate the life and work of Cesar Chavez in San Francisco, shop for artisan-made goods at an open-air market in Oakland, experience the Gold Rush days in Sacramento, and sample the best craft beers in Suisun! There are plenty of festivities to choose from this weekend!

Cesar E. Chavez Holiday Festival: 4/14, San Francisco

Happening: 11am – 6pm
Come to the largest Northern California event honoring the life and work of labor and civil rights leader, Cesar Chavez, at the annual Cesar E. Chavez Holiday Parade and Festival in San Francisco. Festivities will include family-friendly entertainment, a classic car show, arts and crafts booths, local community resources, and cultural dancing. Merchants will be selling their wares along the sidewalk, while local restaurants offer delicious food for purchase. At 11am, the parade will kick off from Dolores Park and end at the 24th Street fair between Treat Avenue and Bryant Street. This annual festival has become a significant event in the Mission, drawing a diverse crowd of attendees to learn about the life of Cesar Chavez while enjoying a day in San Francisco’s historic Mission District neighborhood.

Getting there: Depending on your station of origin, take the Capitol Corridor’s dedicated connecting bus from Emeryville to one of our San Francisco stops. Or connect to BART at the Richmond Station or the Oakland Coliseum Station and ride into the Mission District. From any San Francisco bus or BART stop, you can walk, take public transit, catch a cab, or take Lyft or Uber to Dolores Park or the street fair.


Escape the Gold Rush: 4/12 – 4/14, Sacramento

Happening: 12pm – 4pm
Looking for a Great Escape? Don’t miss the last weekend of Escape the Sacramento Gold Rush adventure games taking place at the Sacramento History Museum. Come experience what it was like at the height of the Gold Rush by immersing yourself in the drama! Set in an 1850s Gold Rush era hotel/saloon/gambling parlor and complete with mind-bending twists and turns, players will use clues, hints, and strategies to solve a series of independent puzzles or be doomed to repeat the past. While scrambling to unlock the clues, guests may learn interesting tidbits about the past and gain a new appreciation for what it was like to live in Sacramento during that era. Each experience can accommodate a range of 2 to 10 players who will have approximately one hour to solve the various riddles. Tickets can be purchased online.

Getting there: Take the train to the Sacramento Station, which is just a short walk from the Sacramento History Museum.


Second Saturdays: 4/14, Oakland

Happening: 11am – 5pm
Head over to Oakland’s beautiful waterfront for Second Saturdays, a new monthly open-air market. Featuring up to 100 artisan vendors, the market also includes children’s activities, live entertainment, and great food from local eateries. The flagship monthly event will be open to the public and free to attend! Second Saturday serves as a platform for local entrepreneurs and business owners to showcase their products to the community in a family-festive enviornment. Each Second Saturday will have their own event page on Facebook for more information.

Getting there: Take the train to the Oakland Jack London Square Station, which is just steps from the waterfront.


BrewBash at the Basin: 4/14, Suisun

Happening: 12pm – 5pm
Gather your friends to sample the local brews and appetizers at the 2018 BrewBash at the Basin in Suisun this weekend. Held at Sheldon Plaza, 562 Driftwood Drive, the event will be the first of several that the city and other groups will be putting on to celebrate Suisun’s 150th birthday. Taste craft beers from a dozen local and regional breweries, as well as wines from a local winery. You won’t go hungry as local restaurants will have food for purchase and live music will keep guests on their feet. Jointly hosted by the Fairfield-Suisun Rotary Club and City of Suisun City Parks & Recreation, 100% of the proceeds will benefit local projects supporting youth and children in Fairfield and Suisun City. Advance tickets can be purchased online.

Getting there: Take the train to the Suisun-Fairfield Station and enjoy a short stroll to the Waterfront District where the event will be held.

Written by Sylvia Sheehan
Photo courtesy Dayna Studios