We all know summer is synonymous with fun— and with festival season. Want to follow the crowds, but avoid the hassles of traffic and parking? Plan an easy, convenient trip on the Capitol Corridor to get to some (or all!) of the top 2019 summer events in Northern California.
Berkeley World Music Festival: Saturday, 6/1, and Sunday, 6/2, Berkeley
From Afro-Latin funk to Balkan folk to Spanish rumba to Sufi trance, the Berkeley World Music Festival features song, instruments, and dance that represent the diversity and unity of the world’s cultures. Talented local artists will perform at various locations in the Telegraph Avenue neighborhood near UC Berkeley. Now in its 16th year, the festival is an exciting mix of outdoor live music, cafe concerts, street sideshows, a crafts fair, juggling, bubbles, and even a giant chess game!
Getting there: Ride the Capitol Corridor to Berkeley Station, where you’ll connect to AC Transit’s 51B with a free Transit Transfer from your Capitol Corridor conductor.
Truckee Brew Fest: Saturday, 6/8, Truckee
Happening: 1pm-5pm
From pale ales to porters to stouts, more than 40 beers will be on tap in Truckee River Regional Park as live bands serenade the sips. The Truckee Brew Fest offers free admission to designated drivers, and all attendees can feel good knowing this popular festival, now in its 14th year, benefits community youth programs.
Getting there: Ride the Capitol Corridor to Sacramento Station, where you’ll connect to our dedicated bus that takes you to the downtown Truckee Depot. From there, it’s an easy 15-minute walk to the park.
King of the County BBQ Challenge & Music Festival: Saturday, 6/15, and Sunday, 6/16, Martinez
Happening: 11am – 6pm
Smokin’ meats and smokin’ guitar riffs are on the menu at this local favorite held in Waterfront Park. Four bands take the stage each day, and more than 60 vendors will offer tastings as teams of grillers vie for the crowning ‘cue!
Getting there: Ride the Capitol Corridor to Martinez Station, and walk five minutes to the park.
Waterfront Flicks: 6/27, 7/11, 7/25, 8/8, 8/22, & 9/5, Oakland
Happening: 6pm – 10pm
Every other Thursday evening, cozy up on the Oakland Jack London Square ferry lawn for a free outdoor screening of new Hollywood blockbuster favorites like A Star Is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody. Get there early to stake out your spot and enjoy food and festivities before the movie starts at sundown.
Getting there: Ride the Capitol Corridor to Oakland Jack London Square Station and walk nine minutes to the ferry lawn.
Pride Festival: Saturday, 6/29, and Sunday, 6/30, San Francisco
An internationally esteemed celebration of LGBTQ+ rights and culture, SF Pride is the most colorful Bay Area event of the year. Take part in the various festivities around the city that culminate in Sunday’s Pride Parade, which marches through the city from Embarcadero to Civic Center. Sport your brightest rainbow attire as all generations and identities of the LGBTQ+ community come together to honor their struggles and successes through the decades.
Getting there: Ride the Capitol Corridor to Emeryville Station, where you’ll connect to our dedicated bus into San Francisco. Alternatively, ride the Capitol Corridor to either Richmond or Oakland Coliseum to connect to a BART train into the city.
California State Fair: 7/12- 7/28, Sacramento
Quintessential summer fun comes to Sacramento when the California State Fair takes Cal Expo for a welcome Ferris wheel ride. For two weeks every summer, the rides, games, classic fair foods, live bands, and competitions captivate the imagination of fair-goers, who always win the prize of priceless memories made with friends and family.
Getting there: Ride the Capitol Corridor to Sacramento Station and connect with a free Transit Transfer to SacRT, which will be about a 45-minute ride to the Expo.
Berkeley Kite Festival: Saturday, 7/27, and Sunday, 7/28, Berkeley
Happening: 10am – 5pm
With stunning views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge, the green expanse of Cesar Chavez Park is among the finest kite-flying locations in the world. Make and fly your own at its annual Kite Festival, which has developed a soaring reputation over the past 30 years as one of the top free family festivals on the West Coast.
Getting there: Ride the Capitol Corridor to Berkeley Station and take a scenic walk (about 25 minutes) to the park.
Fremont Festival of the Arts: Saturday, 8/3, and Sunday, 8/4, Fremont
Happening: 10am – 6pm
Touted as the largest street festival west of the Mississippi, now in its 36th year, Fremont Festival of the Arts hosts more than 500 arts and crafts booths, plus a wide selection of food trucks, local nonprofits, wine, beer, live bands, street performers, and kids’ carnival rides!
Getting there: Ride the Capitol Corridor to Fremont-Centerville Station and connect to ACE for a quick ride to the festival.
Art & Soul Oakland Festival, Saturday, 7/27, and Sunday, 7/28, Oakland
Happening: 12pm – 6pm
Bursting with live blues and gospel music, hot local bands, dance battles, a family fun zone, and delicious food, the 19th Annual Art & Soul Oakland Festival will take over downtown Oakland for a weekend of pure summer joy. Participants can enter at 14th Street and Broadway, 11th Street and Clay, and on Martin Luther King Jr. Way between 12th and 14th Streets.
Getting there: Ride the Capitol Corridor to Oakland Jack London Square Station and walk 20 minutes to the entrance at 11th and Clay. Alternatively, ride the Capitol Corridor to either Richmond or Oakland Coliseum, connect to BART, and get off at 12th Street Station.
Santa Clara Art & Wine Festival: Saturday, 9/14, and Sunday, 9/15, Santa Clara
Happening: 10am – 6pm Saturday, 10am – 5pm Sunday
Nearly 200 vendor booths will decorate the perimeter of the lake in Santa Clara’s huge, rose-adorned Central Park for the Santa Clara Art & Wine Festival. It’s a chance for parents to indulge in offerings from local wineries and craft beer brewers, while the little ones let loose in Kids Kingdom and Toddler Town.
Getting there: Ride the Capitol Corridor to Santa Clara Station, where you’ll connect to VTA for an easy 15-minute bus ride to the park.
Farm-to-Fork Festival: September 19-29, Sacramento
Every year, Sacramento’s Capital Mall celebrates Northern California’s abundant agriculture and foodie scenes with the Farm-to-Fork Festival. Along a bustling one-mile stretch, farmers, ranchers, brewers, wineries, and restaurants dole out favorite flavors and provide cooking demos and tips to promote the environmental, economic, and health benefits of locally-sourced foods. Check out their suggestions for making the most of your visit, including the Bikes & Brews Itinerary, Vine to Glass Itinerary, wellness itineraries, and more!
Getting there: Ride the Capitol Corridor to Sacramento Station and you’ll be a less than ten-minute walk from all the action.