Mother's Day Weekend at the Sacramento Foodie Festival: A Hot, Delicious, Slightly Sweaty Adventure For Mother's Day weekend, I promised the boys something fun and something new -- but with one rule: they had to try foods outside their usual "nuggets-and-fries" comfort zone. Shockingly, they agreed, so off we went. We rolled in later in the afternoon since the festival didn't start until noon... which would've been great if the weather hadn't decided to cosplay as a stovetop. It was a toasty 101°, and yes, we willingly walked into that. Entrance? Easy. Photos? Stunning -- the boys were already acting like mini influencers outside the venue. Inside, the place smelled incredible and there were plenty of cute trinkets. The boys picked out some "to-go presents," which honestly were adorable enough to distract me from the heat for a solid minute. Then came the food lines. Massive. And unfortunately positioned in full, unforgiving sunlight -- especially the deep-fried turkey booth, which felt like it was cooking people as much as poultry. We ducked into the only patch of shade we could find, grabbed one giant lemonade, and quickly learned it was approximately 98% sugar. By the time we finished it, we were somehow thirstier than when we started. No problem, we thought -- we'll just grab some water. Except... we couldn't. Not a single booth had water left. We did three laps. Asked around. Nothing. At one point my husband actually offered a mom $20 for one of the water bottles in her stroller -- and honestly, that woman deserved a medal for sharing, because I was starting to worry my children were about to fuse with the pavement. We managed to try two more food spots before the boys began literally melting in slow motion. Seating was scarce, misters were nonexistent, and the heat was playing on "Expert Mode." At that point, continuing felt like asking for trouble. Pros * The food? Amazing. Truly worth the hype. * Lines moved quicker than expected once you were actually in them. * Every staff member we talked to was kind, patient, and doing their absolute best in brutal heat. * The vibes and intentions were clearly good -- this festival had heart. Cons (with love and respect) * Water... vanished. Like, Thanos-snap-level vanished. * Shade and seating were way too limited for a 100°+ day. * No misters, no cooling spots -- not ideal for families or staff. * Starting late in the day made the heat even more intense, and ending early cut the fun short. Overall, the event had all the makings of a fantastic Mother's Day celebration -- great food, great people, great energy -- but the timing and the heat tag-teamed the experience. With some added shade, hydration stations, and maybe a cooler spring date, this festival could easily be a must-attend yearly tradition. read more

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When you host events with no traffic control, the parking lot becomes a nightmare. Run by amateurs.

They plan events for the worst times. Like when there's a football game and it takes an hour+ to leave the parking lot. Also when it's 500 degrees outside with almost no shade. They never have enough mist or cooling machines. I've suffered here. Why do I keep coming back?! Add shade!!! Sometimes there's fun events though. read more

Great show at the Sacramento Home and Garden show! Loved being a vendor and bringing my family on my off day! read more

Cal Expo - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Sacramento, California

The location is alright. It's in Arden so the surrounding area isn't the best. There is plenty of parking both at the location and on nearby streets.The venue itself is dated and is in dire need or either renovation or a full replacement. It's American Brutalist style so it's mainly blank concrete. The state fair has been going downhill every year here. Less vendors, and things to do every year. The exhibits, shows, and musical talent are also on their way down every year. I remember when it was in its hay-day and was the talk of the town. It's a yearly tradition for me to come to the state fair so I have a lot of memories here. It's more of a 3.5 stars in actuality but I love the monorail, horse racing, and hypnotist show. Additionally, the fair is really clean and the staff here does a great job. I've heard the county and city fairs down in SoCal are much bigger and better, we need to work on making the State's fair the best! The state fair is normally during the peak of July (one of the hottest summer months). They need to move it to October or so. Moreover, the prices for the food here are pretty expensive. Most of the food is greasy and not healthy but some of the items are oh so good (deep fried Oreos). The entry itself is like $16 so 2 people will be about $30 making it a ($$) for me. It's cheaper than most amusement parks but its value feels less and less worth it every year. Bottom line/TLDR: great and memorable fair experience. read more

Cal Expo - MONSTER dog - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Sacramento, California

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I was overcome with nostalgia as soon as I spotted the iconic letters: C A L I F O R N I A. They were previously at the entrance of Disney's California Adventure. CAL EXPO in Sacramento, CA, is their new home, the site of the California State Fair and hundreds of other events annually. Disneyland Resort donated the letters in May 2012 to the non-profit, Friends of the California State Fair, and were dedicated in a 2013 ceremony on opening day of the 160th California State Fair. I actually had no idea the letters were here, so this stop wasn't in our agenda for the day! I only remembered the letters were moved to make way for an expanded entrance at Disney's CA Adventure. It just so happened that the letters were easy to spot from Exposition Boulevard as we were enroute to 18 Grams Coffee Roasters. The letters still look great and my family & I were able to take the usual photos of us either sitting on a letter, standing beside our initials or making out our name, like my son's name is NICO! :-) read more

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I have enjoyed attending events at this location. There is plenty of shade and places to sit. The staff is friendly and helpful. I appreciate the variety of events. They do a great job with the State Fair!!!!! read more

I normally have fun at the state fair but I don't agree with the age policy I used to go with my friends as a weekend thing but I can no longer do that due to there age policy of anyone under 18 needs to be accompanied by a 21+. Parents work full time and can not come with us. I understand it's for some peoples safety but I just think it limits people in complicated situations. read more

Cal Expo is a good place for a ton of different events. We visited recently for the State Fair and we hadn't been in years! Overall, the staff was great and there was a variety of rides and different food items, however something felt different. Maybe it's just because we're older now. Also be sure to check the bag size online before you go to make sure you can bring your belongings inside. read more

Cal Expo - Footsie Wootsie! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Sacramento, California

7/22/2023 Whew.. it's a hot one today.. Purchased the fun pack online as soon the tickets were available..smooth and easy.. Arrived right before 10 am..(best time to come).. Parking pass worked great! Got a second front row.. parking.. Also used my clear backpack ( from Amazon).. This year was special-both son's were able to join us.. First stop the cinnamon roll ! Next cool off in the exhibits and see what new products.. Then to the art and cannabis exhibits.. On the way out- son got his turkey leg! Crowded as we were walking out.. great to see! Next year- bring a big wide hat! read more

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Unfortunately had a poor experience at the horse races. One of the ladies here is very disrespectful and makes the environment negative. One of the kids I brought here accidentally knocked down a chair and the screw came off, not only is that the fault of the establishment for having chairs with loose screws, that is not a reason to yell at them and slam things. Do better. Along with that, the food is very poor quality and is pretty expensive for a bag of chips or a soda. read more

This past weekend at Cal Expo was the worse experience I have had attending my daughter's volleyball tournament. Gate should be opened for players at 7:00am to warm up... not 7:45am when the 1st game is at 8am. The place definitely needs to be staffed more helping people get in and out. The line was backed from one end of the parking lot to the other waiting for people to get in. read more

Came to the expo home show with my grandma today and had a blast. It was a great crowd with plenty of vendors to talk to. Adoption business outside had a bunch of very cute medium sized dogs I was so tempted to take Billy home lol. Had a fun time here can't wait til they have the bigger one in February. Wish they had tap beer and taco stand the tri tip sandwich guy was alright read more

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I accompanied my hubby to Cal Expo for The Avalanche Sale, Sacramento's largest ski and snowboard sales. If you haven't been, it's basically a large warehouse room with different vendors and areas divided up that have ski/snowboard boots, jackets, pants, goggles, boards, skis, you name it - this event has it all. Parking to get into the event is $10. I would recommend you come in on the first day while the selection is hot. But if you come on the 2nd/3rd day, they offer incentive discounts. read more

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The grounds themselves are nice is you stay being the fence and guards. The neighborhood around the grounds is rough. The trail that runs behind the grounds is littered with homeless. read more

Do NOT go here. The food is horrible, and it made us sick. The ice skating rink is way smaller than the pictures and the ice is literally melting. Somebody got a concussion because of the ice not being cold enough and slipping. There are literally no signs ANYWHERE, you have no idea where you are going. The ice skates are also jank and don't fit right. It was a overall bad experience and was a total waste of money. read more

2 shows on at same time and one parking lot open. Traffic blocked all way onto freeway. Absolutely ridiculous and going to cause an accident

Ok so 2023 state fair... . Get some cbd ice nitro coffee cold brew - soo good and does have great coffee flavor with cbd in it too but no ice comes with it, its just poured cold. Today I had the cream soda nitro cold brew coffee which is good too because they put 1/3 cream soda slushy then filled with nitro cold brew to make it more cool and cold with ice in it. Each cbd drink is 10 bucks. If your a coffee lover try one of the cdb nitro cold brew. . Birthday cake cbd slushy is the combo of each flavor mixed. . Lottery booth - great place to get scratches, win some more money for fair food and drinks. And playing the power ball and mega millions. . Wine garden - wine slushie is a must. Also there is 3 wine tasting too at the wine bar. My favorites was meiomi pinot noir, trust me it's that good. Ferrari is the chardonnay I love for one of the free tasting. . Each day, per person they get 3 free wine tasting. . Buy the souvenir wine glass which you can reuse every year, so you pay a one time fee for the wine glass at 15. Then every time you go to wine garden you just pay for the pour of your choice. The pour is to the rim kind of pour which is like 2 of the regular cups of wine you get if you didn't get the glass cup. So it's a deal for wine drinkers. . Fair food monster corn dog was a must, funnel cake, kettle corn, pastrami sandwich, turkey leg, cinnamon roll with bacon, yea you can't go wrong with the fair food that's known. Of course there's more stuff to choose from but these are my favorites and must have. . Chevrolet booth , I always stop by here to get my free xl t shirt before I forget. The brand of the t shirt is Gildan which is great. . Concerts this year is great. They had confunkshun, boys 2 men, Ginuwine, Leanne rimes, scotty McCrerry, traced Adkins, third eye blind, even mexican bands too. I love each experience and find it so much fun. . Exhibits - dragon for dragon fans, lots of dragon sculpture too. They have a science room which is great for kids to participate and have fun. Art and photography always love seeing creativity. . 4 dollar tasting food menu on certain days, I seen the portion size and food served, it's kind of nothing special, but it's an ok deal if your hungry and not picky with food, and just want to eat small portions of different things to get full than just eating one main item for the price of 3 to 5 tastings. Some choices are corn on the cob but half only, hot dog, teriyaki chicken rice bowl, one birria taco, shrimp and grits is mainly the best one, small corn dog which is great., 1/4 of cheesecake pineapple. Cheese over fries, slushee small, small frozen bannana with chocolate and nuts. Small dole whip. . Overall hope this review helps and thanks for reading. Have a yelptastic day. read more

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It was beautiful day today. There were a lots of food vendors. The price start at $10 and above. I think it's over priced. We didn't see the famous Bone marrow. Very disappointing. 2 hours is enough for us here. At least we tried. read more

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First time to Cal Expo. We specifically went for Global Winter Wonderland. So disappointed. This is the Christmas season and not one thing is Christmas...outside of a machine that blows fake snow in one small little area. High prices on the food. So not worth the money or the time. P.S. On the way out we found a VERY small area with Christmas blow ups. Otherwise, it looked more like fall and summer with all the pumpkin and sea life blow-ups. read more

A well-maintained place especially the buildings. They got improved AC units for the buildings and you could feel it despite triple digit heat , yesss!! The restrooms in the buildings were big , clean, and well stocked too! Parking was decent - if you look carefully enough, you can find parking at the front under shade. But you just have to be determined and creative enough to get those few spots remaining, if you come in the morning to a big event like CA State Fair. read more

This is for the COVID drive thru testing. It is in lot D. There are signs to direct you. As you near the facility you enter into a large building like a hanger. It is big but there are no fans or system to take the exhaust out. I mentioned it to the test taker but he didn't mind. I think long periods of carbon monoxide would be bad for you. The line was slow but they get them all out. You can take the PCR or the quick test. I needed the full on test to be sure so I was in the PCR line. They ask for your confirmation code and your ID. I had already done this test several time so he didn't need to explain anything to me. I was out in a jiffy. It was all very nice. I got my test in a day. Far faster than Walgreens. I like that and will sign up here again when I need a test. read more

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Foodieland Night Market 2021 https://foodielandnm.com Disappointed for a 2nd time at Foodieland Event ** The 9/3/21 opening night was a disaster. The event was highly disorganized. Way to many tickets sold and not enough vendors. Up to 90 minutes wait in each line for each vendor. It's almost impossible to get any food at any vendor at the Cal Expo location. The last time went to one of the events in Richmond and was also disorganized but not as bad as the Sacramento event. The lines at Disneyland move a lot faster. Waste of time and money! This event is a joke! read more

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Such a fun fair they environment was very clean and felt very safe here. Marilyn was such a good worker great customer service and overall made our experience even better. read more

We traveled to Cal Expo for day one of the Country in the Park event, so while Cal Expo was just the host site, I thought it's important to share as to hope governing bodies see and take action to improve/renovate a very old, dungy, and dirty facility. Parking: The parking crew, so super nice, efficient, and friendly, but $15/day for parking? Would have been a plus to have staff direct traffic at end of night, as we happen to stumble onto an auxiliary exit that roughly 9/10 cars didn't know about. Grandstand: The staff again were very friendly, but this building shows signs of just how old it is. I don't imagine the building maintenance fund is huge, but tender love and care is surely needed. Turf Club: Exceptional staff again is the theme. Whether it was the one gentleman working a very busy bar, who was simply a class act, or the staff managing the buffet style dinner we enjoyed, the staff were excellent. We enjoyed a few of the artists later in day from the Turf Club, with great experiences with usher and wait staff. Phenomenal!! Buffet Food: Food we ate was cooked correctly, but not many options to select from. Won't complain too much here, though this dinner was a part of our ticket, so our dinner being underwhelming was not expected. Pricing: Unsure as to whether Cal Expo set the prices, or CITP Event, but seems drinks should be able to cover the artists fees without taking into account any other revenue received from ticket sales, etc. In summary, the people working at Cal Expo are the real hero's! The buildings are sorely needing renovation and maintenance, while the parking staff are also operating with a touch of class at every customer contact. We will be back for Day 2 of the CITP event today, as we paid for two day VIP pass, but after that, we won't be running back given the missing charm. NOTE: If you have #AT&T mobile service, be aware it takes, on average, about 30 minutes to 4+ hours to send/receive text messages. read more

This review is for the Project Baseline drive-through Covid-19 testing available at Cal Expo Lot D. Fellow Yelper Steven V. had blogged about his experience here back in Summer 2020, and Sacramento County's website for free Covid Testing had Project Baseline as one of the recommended so I went with it. Registering was easy with a Google Account and providing medical insurance information. You then select your city (Sacramento has three locations now: Cal Expo, Hurley, Fruitridge) but also for greater Sac I also saw Elk Grove. If there are available appointment times they will show up at the bottom of the screen below the city list and you can select one and confirm. I went for my first ever Covid Test on 01/05/21. Bring your confirmation e-mail (show on phone or printout) and photo ID. Follow the signs for Parking Lot "D" and not the main entrance of Cal Expo. Security Guard will check if you have an appointment otherwise turn you away. Follow the barricades and keep windows rolled up. At the next station, park the car and show the ID and confirmation number, and confirm the correct name and number match the tube. The Quest Diagnostics ziploc baggie with the labeled tube and sterile swab are then placed under your windshield wiper and you proceed inside the hangar-like building to the numbered parking space the guy directs you to. Two workers per spot, lower mask but keep mouth covered, self-swab nasal sample 15 rotations/swab motions per nostril. E-mail was great with appointment confirmation, reminder, what to expect (with video), etc. Test results were on the faster side (1 day) for this instance, both from the Project Baseline dashboard as well as a direct email from the lab too. read more

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Not impressed with train show for children. Way over priced. After paying for parking had to pay entrance fee, snack bar food ok but very expensive little portions. Had to pay additional fee for train ride and kids jumpers. Majority of train sets were for adults not kids. Will not be going back. read more

Cal Expo - Six dollar fries. Hardly any at all. Rip off. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Sacramento, California

I think everyone in Sacramento has come to Cal Expo many times before. The California State Fair, the Sacramento County Fair, the RV Shows, the Boat Shows, etc... I've been there recently for the International Sportsman's Expo. Everything in the Cal Expo is the same. Yes! Everything is still the same for the last 30+ years! The only thing that changed is everything looks much older now. The temporary tents set up many years ago for the indoor exhibition are also look very old. They become semi-permanent facilities. I think Cal Expo is the windows of California. We want to show the world our most excellent. The condition of Cal Expo is a little bit doing the opposite! The parking lot with the solar panels covered parking spaces is a plus! The parking spaces are also more comprehensive than most of the shopping mall's parking. It also very clean and security. read more

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This review is for todays Imaginarium event. They are set to open today at 5pm, but due to rain, they cancel it 1 hr before opening. This is so bad bc we came from Bay Area and about to turn in to park and they emailed us it's closed today. (They emailed us at 4pm and it suppose to open at 5pm). They should at least let people know couple hours in advance if they are going to open or not, not just 1 hr away. Imagine you drove 3 hrs away just to find out they closed. Not good for business!!! read more

Went for the state fair. Extremely overpriced food and games. Hardly any maps at entrances. Workers had no idea about anything going on. Only good thing was my little brother had some fun on the rides that don't even open until 2PM by the way. read more

My kids and I attended the annual Sacramento Home and Garden Show which was being held at the California Expo grounds. We got in just when the grounds opened, a $10 parking fee at the gate. The parking lot was almost empty so we had the choice pick of a spot which was nearest the California sign, which was closest to the main entry. Our tickets were pre-purchased so entry was a breeze. There was no security check though... There was a lot of stalls present and a lot of walking is involved so comfortable walking shoes are a must! The show is useful for those who have projects they want done to their house...from roofing, landscaping, air-conditioning and heating, gardening, pool and spas, and many, many more! I picked a few contractors to give me an estimate for a solar tube lighting for my hallway. Picking two or three (or more) contractors ensures you get a competitive price on your project. Food was okay...but the price is way over the roof! I ordered a plate of BBQ beef (smaller than a fist), with 2 different sauces, a scoop of smoked mac and cheese, a teeny-tiny container of salad from "Mutts" for $21! Maybe next time, we'll bring in a picnic basket... Great place to go to if you have home improvement projects in mind. But eat before or after you go... read more

Cal Expo - California sign at the California Exposition and State Fair - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Sacramento, California

I had to bring my baby boy to have some fun! Ever since Covid we've been kind of underground. Can't wait to go on all the roller coasters and rides. The weather is perfect. We were worried about the heat. read more

Cal Expo - Spin baby spin!!!!! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Sacramento, California

I scheduled an appointment for my first COVID shot and it was held at Cal Expo. There were signs to point you to the correct place to park as well as the buildings set up for the vaccine. There were people everywhere to send you to the correct place and the flow of people moved quickly and efficiently. It has a lot of space so perfect for doing a large operation like this. There was plenty of parking. read more

Cal Expo - Lined up to get the shot - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Lots of easy directive signs to get to your COVID provider as you drive in to Cal Expo's main gate. Courteous parking attendants and no change for parking. Huge room and sanitized between patients as they wait the 15 mins after shot. Great Kaiser vaccination clinic experience here at Cal Expo! read more

Cal Expo - At the Cal Expo Kaiser Vaccination Clinic for my first COVID shot! Easy process, parking free and about 30-40 min process. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Sacramento, California

Was at Cal-Expo for a Veterans event on one end in a couple of the buildings, the property, the facilities are massive and can have multiple events happening without the others knowing its going on. Our event was in buildings A-C of a four building complex, as well as a private interior courtyard area that had a lower level shaded area with foodcourt and restroom facilities. Each building was able to house multiple vendors and participants and actual made our particular function run relatively smooth. There was a state tournament happening at the same time on the other end of this expansive complex and you would never know it, if not for the signage at the entrance. The parking lots area has a toll, it was $10 bucks the day I went, the attendant told me which way as well, which was helpful as it is again huge and would be a serious hike if you parked on the wrong side. Even parking as close as possible it was still 400 feet or better to the actual exhibition buildings themselves. A nice venue thats obviously setup to handle huge events and massive crowds. For the event I attended it served its purpose well. 3.5 Stars - rounded up for hosting a Veterans event 00680 read more

I admit it, I love going to county fairs. The California State Fair at Cal Expo is no exception. For some reason, it seems a tad bigger than the Alameda County Fair, but I can't be sure. Parking is more expensive, $15. "Senior Day" admission is $10, when it is free at the Alameda Fair... Going two weeks after the Fair opened was a good idea. Smaller crowds...I hate crowds especially in hot weather. Yes, it can be very hot here, that's why we showed up at 5 p.m. We love shopping the exhibit halls, seeing the 4-H animals, horse racing, eating bad fried Fair food, riding the giant ferris wheel and carousel (for free on Senior Day!!!), jiving to the free concerts, watching corn dog eating contests, etc. For the record we ate the freshly made hot cinnamon rolls ($6-$7), smothered in frosting and walnuts...the Frosted Flakes chicken-on-a-stick, $10 (savory and sweet!), and the Jumbo Corn Dog, $9! Tip: bring in your own water bottles! read more

Cal Expo - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Sacramento, California

7/23/2022, I bought the Black Friday Special last year 2021 which includes unlimited State Faire and Raging Water access. We will experience the faire this evening. We drive to Old Sacramento first !!! read more

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Home to so many venues throughout the year! Most popular, being the CA State Fair. This is home to Raging Waters and Harness racing. Open year round with a $10 parking fee during shows and special events. read more

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Went to the Sacramento reptile show it was pretty cool there's a lot of vendors I wanna overprice snakes but very pretty ones. Nicely set up I just wish there was more reptiles that were out in the open you could take pictures with without having to pay. We had spiders snakes lizards and geckos centipedes very nice selection of reptiles read more

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Fair is what it is. Interesting people watching. Whole place needs a face lift and deep cleaning. Wine garden is a nice and cool addition. read more