Out & About in Summer 2026

Nate Bargatze (Courtesy of Thunder Valley Casino Resort)

NATE BARGATZE

July 18 Hey, bear! Comic Nate Bargatze keeps raising his clean-comedy game, publishing a New York Times best-selling book, Big Dumb Eyes, and hosting the Emmys in 2025, then launching a new ABC game show in February and making his feature film debut in The Breadwinner  in May. But at the end of the day, he’s still a stand-up guy, and this July, the funnyman will bring his greatest average American energy to Thunder Valley in Lincoln. thundervalleyresort.com

RINGO STARR

June 5 The Fab Four icon—aka “the hottest Beatle,” according to Vogue—comes to Thunder Valley on the heels of the release of his newest studio album, Long Long Road, featuring collabs with musicians like Sheryl Crow and St. Vincent. The drummer will perform solo hits like “It Don’t Come Easy” and, with a little help from his “All Starr Band” friends—including Toto’s Steve Lukather and Men at Work’s Colin Hay—classics like “Yellow Submarine,” “Africa” and “Down Under.” thundervalleyresort.com

DON’T TOUCH MY HAIR

June 12–28 Celebration Arts stages this unlikely buddy comedy about two modern-day Black women who travel back in time to a plantation. Sacramento native and Law & Order: Organized Crime  star Danielle Moné Truitt directs this latest play by Douglas Lyons, whose Chicken & Biscuits  became one of the most produced plays in the country after making its Broadway debut in 2021. celebrationarts.net

Sacramento Pride Festival

June 13–14 The region’s largest Pride gathering takes over Capitol Mall with more than 25,000 revelers over two days. Watch for hometown favorites like the Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus to join new acts and events like burlesque performer Coco Lamarr and the Pillow Princess Sapphic Dance Party. sacramentopride.org

Photo by James Blonde Photography, courtesy of the Sacramento LGBT Community Center

SUZANNE ADAN

June 28–Oct. 11 Suzanne Adan might be best known around town for her whimsical public pieces, including her bird-themed floor mosaic at the Sacramento airport. Now art enthusiasts can explore the full breadth of her impressive oeuvre at the Crocker, which presents the 80-year-old’s first solo museum exhibit, I’m No Spring Chicken, boasting more than 100 paintings, prints and sculptures. crockerart.org

SACRAMENTO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

July 3–26 The annual tradition marks its 60th year, returning to the romantic comedy of errors it started with back in 1966: Twelfth Night. Held at Sacramento City College, the event will also include a special one-night-only original work combining elements of the 11 Shakespearean plays (out of the bard’s 38 total) that the festival has not yet performed across its six decades. sacramentoshakespeare.net

READ MORE: Five County Fairs to Keep the Fun Going All Summer Long

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

July 10–19 Is it pronounced “Frank-en-stine” or “Fronk-en-steen”? Either way, expect this stage adaptation of Mel Brooks’ 1974 comedy—featuring 18 songs by Brooks, who also co-wrote the musical—to bring Abby Normal levels of hilarity to Broadway at Music Circus. broadwaysacramento.com

CALIFORNIA STATE FAIR

July 17–Aug. 2 As its theme “Wish You Were Here” suggests, the 2026 Golden State fête offers plenty of reasons to head out to Cal Expo this summer. Put on your boogie shoes for a concert by KC and the Sunshine Band (and over a dozen others), get your thrills on more than 70 rides, get your fill of fun fair fare like jumbo corndogs and Dole whip, and see cool new exhibits like Stage 9’s King Tut Experience, featuring 124 meticulously recreated Egyptian artifacts. castatefair.com

Photo courtesy of Stage 9 Exhibits

JAPANESE FOOD & CULTURAL BAZAAR

Aug. 8 This August, the Buddhist Church of Sacramento marks 80 years of enlightening the region through its popular summer festival. With its theme “Where Tradition Meets Today,” the bazaar will offer a bevy of both classic eats (like BBQ teriyaki chicken, udon noodles and mochi) and trendy Japanese street foods (like ikayaki and wagyu hot dogs), as well as a feast for the eyes and ears with cultural performances and demonstrations, including taiko drumming and live calligraphy. buddhistchurch.org

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS

Aug. 12–Sept. 6 B Street Theatre restages this popular play—a 2001 adaptation of the classic Jules Verne adventure novel—as part of its 40th season lineup. The mad-cap comedy, which made its B Street debut in 2004, will feature fan-favorite elements like live-performed sound effects, from the sloshing of water to the crunch of gravel to the roll of metal-sheet thunder. bstreettheatre.org

Illustration by Lunia Blue, courtesy of B Street Theatre