Out & About in July and August 2024

John Legend (Courtesy of Thunder Valley Casino Resort)

John Legend

Aug. 16 If all of you loves all of this singer-songwriter, head out to Thunder Valley this summer. “An Evening with John Legend” sees the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony) winner telling stories, playing the piano and crooning favorites like “Ordinary People,” “All of Me” and “Stay with You.” thundervalleyresort.com

One Slight Hitch

Through July 14 Lewis Black: Legendary voice of political outrage and… playwright of family comedy? “There’s more than a touch of Neil Simon in the morose Mr. Black,” The New York Times said of the Daily Show  veteran’s wedding-gone-wrong play. Look for an ex-boyfriend, cold feet and family hijinks on this trip down the aisle at Carmichael’s Chautauqua Playhouse. cplayhouse.org

California State Fair

July 12-28 The 170th incarnation of this Sacramento tradition is poised to be a fair to remember. The carnivalesque celebration returns to Cal Expo with new attractions and eats, such as deep-fried cheeseburgers and build-your-own charcuterie boards; a wildlife exhibit featuring creatures like otters, kangaroos and capybaras; and an animation academy from local Stage 9 Exhibits where fairgoers can create stop-motion short films. The fun, fun, fun concert lineup this summer includes The Beach Boys, Wilson Phillips, Vanilla Ice, Flo Rida and the Godmother of Soul herself, Patti LaBelle. calexpostatefair.com

The Sacramento Black Cowboys Parade

July 28 Black men have historically accounted for an estimated quarter of American cowboys, and this second annual parade celebrates that legacy. Expect to see more than 50 horses and riders trotting along the streets of Oak Park on their way to McClatchy Park, where a festival with cowboy demonstrations, live music and barbecue awaits. rwmedia.online

Waitress 

Aug. 6-11 Sugar, butter, flour and stirring music by singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles fill this pie-themed musical that makes its Broadway at Music Circus debut in August. Nominated for four Tonys and based on the cult film of the same name, Waitress  follows a small-town diner server and baker as she dreams of a better life. broadwaysacramento.com

Mud, River, Stone

Aug. 9–Sept. 1 This 1996 dark comedy, which chronicles an African vacation as it goes from bad to worse, is one of the earliest works by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage. Helmed by Nashell Lynem, Celebration Arts’ production of Mud, River, Stone  is the latest in the local theater troupe’s full season of plays both written and directed by Black women. celebrationarts.net

Mud, River, Stone (Illustration by Hans Bennewitz, Courtesy of Celebration Arts)

Diana Ross 

Aug. 25 Stop! In the name of pop royalty. Drawing songs from her chart-topping origins as the lead singer of The Supremes and more than five decades of enduring solo smashes like “I’m Coming Out” and “Upside Down,” the legendary entertainer brings her career-spanning tour to Hard Rock Live in Wheatland. hardrockhotelsacramento.com

Diana Ross (Courtesy of the artist)

Pickleball

Aug. 14–Sept. 22 Best known for his versatile acting performances in everything from Dumb and Dumber  to The Newsroom, Jeff Daniels also has a wicked serve when it comes to penning comedies for the stage. B Street Theatre will spotlight a screwball spin on America’s fastest-growing sport, which tracks four try-hard enthusiasts competing in an amateur pickleball tournament. bstreettheatre.org

America at the Crossroads: The Guitar and a Changing Nation

Through Sept. 1 The California Museum hosts a touring National Guitar Museum exhibit of 40 guitars, including a 16th-century vihuela and a 1930s “Frying Pan.” The display also features a “bonus section” highlighting Golden State guitar makers like Fender and Taylor, and axe masters like Eddie Van Halen and Jimi Hendrix. californiamuseum.org

America at the Crossroads (Courtesy of California Museum)

Raúl Gonzo

Through Oct. 20 This West Sacramento-based conceptual artist has directed music videos for the likes of the Goo Goo Dolls and Kat Von D, but the Crocker Art Museum is especially gaga for his nine-year Color Madness  photo series. Drawing on inspirations ranging from 1950s retrofuturism to Dr. Seuss, Gonzo’s first-ever solo museum show boasts more than two dozen vibrant, surrealistic twists on style and culture. crockerart.org

Parked Car for Dinner, Part 1  is one of the 25 works on view at Gonzo’s new Color Madness exhibit at the Crocker Art Museum. (Courtesy of the Crocker Art Museum, gift of the artist)