Sacramento Free Museum Day- TODAY- Saturday 2/7!

Today is Free Museum Day! Get out and see some of our local museums. Nearly all museums in Sacramento are open for free today from 10am to 4pm, including the Railroad museum, Fairytale Town, the Crocker and the Zoo. Or check out some lesser known museums like the Towe Auto Museum, the Museum of Medical History or the Military Museum.

Free shuttle buses are available from many locations. The most popular places fill up fast so be sure to get an early start. If you have a few extra dollars in your pocket, be sure to drop it in the donation buckets inside the museums. Many of our best assets are struggling and this is a great way to ensure there will be a Free Museum Day next year!

Things to do around town this weekend

The weather looks sunny and mild for the weekend, a perfect Sacramento spring. The pollen counts are still a little off the charts for me to imagine a weekend outside but if you're one of the few Sacramentans who is allergy free, we've got outside ideas for you too!

*UC Davis Picnic Day- Saturday. The parade ceremony begins at 9am. Kids events, cooking demonstrations, animal shows and so much more follow. If you've never been to Picnic Day, with or without kids, you really have to check it out. Parking can be difficult so plan ahead. Most events are free of charge and parking on campus is free for the day.

*Farm, Friends and Fairytales- Sunday. Take the kids to Fairytale town and celebrate California's agricultural history. Kids will make ice cream and see the process of food from the farm to your table.

*Meet Kevin Johnson- Land Park Block Party- Saturday, 2pm. Go find out for yourself if the hype is for real.

*Bodies Revealed- You've got two weeks to see the all the gore and strangeness before the exhibit moves on.

Things to do around town this weekend

Looking for something fun and different- we've got ideas for you!

See great Shakespeare without the Ashland prices- Natomas Charter School's Performing and Fine Arts Academy does MacBeth this weekend. General admission is $16 and group discounts for 5 or more tickets is 15% off. Support local theatre and be truly wowed by the talent of high school students. You'll think you're in a professional productino.

Hear beautiful music- Catch the Regina Carter quintet. If jazz and classical violin is your style, you should be at Mondavi Center tomorrow evening.

Watch robot wars- If violins aren't your style but you still want to go to Davis this weekend, check out the FIRST robotics competition at UC Davis.

Hunt for eggs- Take the kids out and hunt for eggs at local parks. Or go really nuts and head to Rancho Cordova for a huge egg hunt, live music, craft fair and more.

Sample a spot of tea- at the Fair Oaks Library. If you have the kids, check out one of the many library storytimes at libraries around the region.

Entertainment and Events this weekend in Sacramento

So much to do this weekend, so little time! The sun is shining and it looks like spring in Sacramento. Turn off the TV and get out of your house and enjoy a little excitement around town.

*Things to do with kids*

Dr. Seuss Read-a-thon at Fairytale town, Saturday from 11am to 3pm. See Francie Dillon, play games, make crafts and read lots and lots of stories.

Arden Fair Kids Club Science Wizard, Saturday at 10am. Hit the mall and entertain the kids, then have lunch or sneak in some shopping for yourself.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, B Street Theatre, Saturday and Sunday, 1pm and 4pm. Introduce the kids to theatre the easy way- at B Street! The show is intended for kids 6 and up.

*Great Dates this weekend*

Food for Thought, Sacramento Public Library Foundation Authors on the Move series, Saturday at 5pm. A fundraiser, silent auction and dinner to benefit the library. Dave Bender will MC andnearly 40 popular authors from the area will be in attendance.

Blue Line Gallery Grand Opening Exibition, Roseville, through May 3rd. See the latest and greatest art gallery in Roseville. Showing Art and Illusion: Selections from the Frederick R. Weisman Foundation.

Picnic in a Park, anytime. The weather is perfect for a late afternoon picnic. Pack it at home or visit one of our favorite picnic-packing spots like Sellands, Corti Bros, Trader Joes, or just get cupcakes from Babycakes!


*Getting ready for spring*
Sacramento Home and Garden show, through Sunday. Do something about that mess of a backyard, plan a gorgeous outdoor kitchen, learn about sunrooms, SMUD energy conservation programs and much more. Plus your spouse will think you are making an effort and stop yelling at you to do something!

New excitement for Natomas and North Sacramento areas

Why do Roseville and Elk Grove always get to have the fun? They get the best kid stuff, the new restaurants and all the buzz for families. Well it's about time we had something fun of our own!

Funtastic Play Center has opened in Natomas! On Gateway Park Blvd right near KidsPark, you'll find a new indoor play center with soft foam for climbing, slides and more. It's designed for kids under 8 but the pictures look more like kids under 6 will enjoy it the most.

What's in it for you? A chance to hang out while the kids play and you can catch up with your friends while they run around. The Elk Grove location has wi-fi and espresso but I can't tell if Natomas does. I'll let you know after we visit.

If you haven't hurled a haggis, you're not really living!

My all-time favorite event for Sacramento area families is happening this weekend! It's time for the Sacramento Valley Scottish Games and Festival. If you're looking for fun family entertainment this weekend, Yolo County fairgrounds is the place to be! A short drive to Woodland and you'll be transported to another world of highland dancing, pasties, cabers and sheepdogs.

For the true fans, Friday night kicks off with a Ceilidh dance featuring several Scottish and Celtic rock bands, dinner and dancing. Ceilidh is perhaps the best aerobic activity short of your local spinning class. You will never in your life jump, spin and hop as much as an hour at a Ceilidh.

Saturday and Sunday are family friendly and there's even a small carnival area for kids. Watch other youngsters highland dance and remember that your knees are not 10 years old anymore. Then stop by the athletic fields and see a caber toss, hammer throw and stone throw and remember that warfare didn't used to be quite so easy. You don't have to tell the kids about that though...

My personal favorite is always the animals. Did you know border collies can actually herd ducks? Sometimes it takes a little while but it's hilarious and certainly worth the few minutes waiting for the action to begin. A small corner at the fair is dedicated to highland and Scottish animals and you'll probably see some of the tallest and smallest dogs you've ever seen in your life.

If that's not enough, there's always shopping for tartans, kilts, family crests, imported food from the Isles and much more. Pop in to one of the Clan booths and make a new friend or research your family heritage.

Even if you're not Scottish, it's fun to pretend for a day!