Out and About in January and February 2025
High-flying adventure abounds in Cirque Kalabanté's Mondavi Center debut; The FORCE is with LL Cool J at Thunder Valley; we’re going nuts for the 110th Capay Valley Almond Festival, and more. Here are 10 local events to help start the year off right.
CIRQUE KALABANTé
Feb. 23 Founded by Cirque du Soleil alum Yamoussa Bangoura, Cirque Kalabanté makes its Mondavi Center debut this winter. Expect high-flying acrobatics and fiery dance, pounding drums and vibrant visuals at the Canadian performance troupe’s Afrique en Cirque show inspired by Bangoura’s native Guinea. mondaviarts.org
DINE DOWNTOWN
Jan. 10–19 Want to break bread without breaking the bank? This 20th annual feastival hosted by the Downtown Sacramento Partnership sees more than two dozen local restaurants in the central city—like Old Sacramento’s The Firehouse and James Beard Award-nominated chef Billy Ngo’s Kodaiko Ramen & Bar—offer three-course meals for $45. downtownsac.org
THE WHITE CHIP
Jan. 15–Feb. 9 “You can see the punch line coming, but it still hits when it arrives,” wrote New York magazine’s Vulture in its review of The White Chip. This winter, the B Street Theatre mounts playwright Sean Daniels’ autobiographical dramedy, which debuted Off Broadway in 2019 and chronicles the recovery journey of an alcoholic stage director. bstreettheatre.org
LL COOL J
Jan. 18 We won’t call it a comeback—he’s been here for 40 years, after all—but we still welcome the rapper-actor’s return to his musical roots with the recent release of The FORCE, his first album in over a decade. Expect songs from throughout LL Cool J’s enduring career, including OG hits like “Mama Said Knock You Out” and “Going Back to Cali,” at this Thunder Valley concert. thundervalleyresort.com
AMéLIE
Jan. 31–Feb. 15 “Amélie is the crème brûlée of musicals,” The Guardian said of this stage adaptation. “When life feels frightening or difficult, it might be exactly what one wants.” Based on the hit 2001 French film of the same name, this rom-com—which tells the story of a shy Parisian waitress who eventually finds her happily ever after with fellow daydreamer Nino—comes to the Woodland Opera House. woodlandoperahouse.org
FACES OF AMERICA
Feb. 5–March 1 In 2022, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences set out to document the struggles of everyday people through the eyes of four photographers from across the country. The resulting touring exhibit, Faces of America: Getting By in Our Economy—featuring 40 images of Americans in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Texas and California—will be on view at midtown’s Viewpoint Photographic Art Center. viewpointphotoartcenter.org
Photo by Cindy Elizabeth, Courtesy of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
WILD & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL
Feb. 13–17 More than 100 films—including Flight of the Swans, which follows the titular birds’ sweeping migration across Europe, and A Radical Thread, about a Sierra Foothills community’s fight against threats like wildfires—will be screened in Nevada City and Grass Valley at this yearly festival that touches on both the grandeur and the intimacy of the natural world. Can’t make it? Roughly half the featured movies will be available to stream from Feb. 13–23 with a virtual ticket. wildandscenicfilmfestival.org
MEAN GIRLS
Feb. 18–23 It’s so fetch that Mean Girls will be stopping by our lunch room. Boasting numbers like “Meet the Plastics” and “Revenge Party,” Tina Fey’s musical remake of her 2004 filmic satire on high school cliques will hit the SAFE Credit Union Performing Art Center stage in February. Just remember: If you’re going to the Wednesday showing of this Broadway Sacramento run, definitely wear pink. broadwaysacramento.com
Photo courtesy of the musical and Broadway Sacramento
CAPAY VALLEY ALMOND FESTIVAL
Feb. 22–23 When almond trees are in bloom, head west to Capay Valley. This nutty jubilee—which will take place across six towns, from Madison to Guinda to Rumsey—returns for its 110th year, featuring musts like orchard tours and Granny Wyatt’s locally legendary almond roca. espartoregionalchamber.com
LYLE LOVETT
Feb. 26 Lovett or leave it: We’ll always choose to keep this Cowboy Man on our playlist. The four-time Grammy winner is bringing his acoustic band to Folsom’s Harris Center. Listen for longtime favorites like “She’s No Lady” and “If I Had a Boat” mixed with newer songs like “Pants Is Overrated” from his 2022 album, 12th of June. harriscenter.net
Photo courtesy of the Harris Center
