The Sactown Weekend Update for Aug. 8-10
Miranda Lambert (Friday)
Miranda Lambert’s Platinum tour—named for the 19-time Academy of Country Music award winner’s new record—comes to Wheatland this summer. The reigning queen of country, who will be joined by acts like Justin Moore, will perform from a set list that leans on songs from Platinum and other hits from previous albums like Four the Record and Revolution—both of which, along with Platinum, reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts. $29.25-$54. 7:30 p.m. Sleep Train Amphitheatre. 2677 Forty Mile Rd. Wheatland. 800-745-3000. livenation.com
The Robert Cray Band (Friday)
Led by the eponymous five-time Grammy-winning blues icon that Rolling Stone named “one of the greatest guitarists of his generation” and who was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2011, The Robert Cray Band will stop in Sacramento on their international tour. Cray will draw from the band’s newest album, In My Soul, which includes songs like the hit “You Move Me” and further cements Cray’s 40-year (and counting) music-industry legacy. $35-$55. 8 p.m. Crest Theatre. 1013 K St. 442-5189. tickets.com
Banana Festival (Saturday and Sunday)
Go bananas at the fifth annual Banana Festival, a two-day multicultural celebration that benefits the National Academic Youth Corps. A bunch of activities will keep visitors busy all weekend long—loaf around the Banana Bread Path sampling carb-filled creations, cheer on your favorite local chef in the edible centerpiece challenge or check out the Velocity Circus Troupe’s tribute to Harry Belafonte’s “The Banana Boat Song.” While the kids monkey around in the Banana Kids Jungle, you can munch on snacks like banana ice cream, banana tacos and banana funnel cakes, and purchase a-peel-ing goods like banana body oils from Yisrael Family Farm. $5 (free for ages 5 and under). Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. William Land Park Village Green. Freeport Blvd. & Sutterville Rd. 320-9573. sacbananafestival.com
Woodland Tomato Festival (Saturday)
Tomatoes of all shapes and sizes will be front and center at this annual food festival, which celebrates its namesake vegetable that grows on thousands of acres in and around Yolo County. Attendees can taste tomato varietals, learn tomato-growing tips, watch chefs battle it out in a competition to prepare the best tomato-centric meal, and taste and judge a contest to determine the fest’s finest salsa recipes. Festival-goers can also check out the nearby Woodland farmers’ market, which will take place concurrently and feature numerous vendors selling locally grown tomatoes and other produce. Free. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Main St. between 1st and 3rd streets. Woodland. 530-666-2626. woodlandtomatofestival.com
Darlene Love (Saturday)
Since the 1960s, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Darlene Love, touted by Rolling Stone as “one of the greatest singers of all time,” has released Billboard hits including “He’s a Rebel” and “Wait ‘Til My Bobby Gets Home” and performed on Broadway in classics including Hairspray and Grease. With a biographical film slated for a 2015 release, the superstar will come to Folsom for a Capital Public Radio-sponsored performance. $25-$49. 7:30 p.m. Harris Center for the Arts. 10 College Pkwy. Folsom. 608-6888. harriscenter.net
