Second Saturday Art Walk

Vibe
Well When I’m going out on a second saturday i am looking forward to see what NEW art is fabulous! I love to see all kinds or art such as handmade items, or spray paint, or paintings or even photography galleries. I was looking forward to the fire dancing performances! that i have heard people mentioning about. I always stay positive and just be careful of my surroundings when i am attending 2^nd saturday. Also starting time is around 6 ish 7 to 9pm for art galleries and most events.
Sometimes there are street vendors selling some handmade art work such as ties, or jewelry, and etc, that you might find amazing!
Parking
It can be a hassle since it is always crowded everywhere on Second Saturday. Just park new 16 j and k street is your best bet. Yes you will have to do some walking, so wear some comfortable walking shoe.
Location
Artwork! Yes lots of local artists on the streets performing, or artwork inside galleries! Mostly on J and k Street and in the 16^th street to the 20’s and a few outskirts such as old sac or in east sac as well.
One thing i found most interesting and entertaining is Fire Dancing !
its on 17^th and K. The name of the place to be exact is Hot pot Dancing! i know the name of the place makes me hungry, seems like we are going to have some hot pot or fondue. But yes this place do offer dance classes where you dance with fire.
I gave this performance a 5 out of 5! There were multiple performers with guys and gals. A few of them used a hula hoop with fire around it. One was holding a stick with fire on both ends. As well some swinging instrument with fires on both ends. Just gazing into their foot steps and all that body and hip movements and bright fire was just speechless talented! i felt intense and just makes me want to take a class and perform in a few weeks haha.
One complaint about the Hot pot fire dancing is the area smells so bad every time, the smell makes it a bit more less enjoyable. I mean it smells like poo or more like dog poo. There is always a big crowd watching the amazing performances.
There are a few art galleries nearby and yes most galleries do sell arts. I know its not cheap and are expensive! you pay for what you get. Bring that card out and be ready to swipe!
CAMERAS!
Some galleries are not friendly with cameras. They have copy right and don’t want photographs. If your a picture person, you are more than welcome to take pictures of street performers, just watch out for the flash since it can distract performers.
If your wanting to DANCE, well here is some suggestions…
I think on second saturday, they have sponsors such as low brau and getta clue, the alley between and k and 20^th is blocked off for some live band performances with a stage. It felt like i was going to a concert, and yes its FREE! The Stage did play some music which were more indie and did have some mixed hip hop beats in it as well. They did have like guitarist to throw in some rock! As well lots of electronic soft music. I had a good time dancing and boogie away. Yes the famous Kenny the dancing machine was there to encourage everyone to dance. I swear Kenny is always at the best events to dance at.
Some suggestions i like to do on second saturday is go out for dinner around 6pm. After dinner go walk around midtown and walk off the calories. Then ending up at some galleries, then end up dancing the night away. I always enjoy myself with a few friends and have a blast.

Second Saturday was not the reason Kevin and I came to Sacramento, we were going to the Viewpoint
Gallery to see the Wynn Bullock retrospect. This event sure added to our evening.
We wandered in galleries, a museum, and listened to punk rock music in a bicycle shop. I think what amazed me the most was the portable beer bar that was driven around on pedal power. There were street preachers on the corners trying their best to save the lost souls that were walking around enjoying themselves. The outdoor dining areas were filled with happy people. I did not see the gangbangers that other Unilocalers have mentioned, We only walked a around a couple of blocks
Sacramento warm evenings are perfect for this type of event. We plan to come back in June.

I love second Saturday. yes is a little chaotic and sometimes the gangbangers, make it
therefore we have police patrolling like we’re all on the chronic. what happened to the simple expressions art as they are why was meeting with you looky loose on the way to the bar. there are a lot of really good artist in Sacramento area for trying to get the word out exist and maybe even sell some of their wares. if the troublemakers will just stay home or cause trouble in their own neighborhood and it would be a better environment. however the rock in this part of the second Saturday in the art. also there are street performers street vendors street food street people sometimes belly dancers fire dancers and random Congo lines. Bloc Partys, art parties (alas not like partying at horse cow gallery that went on) munchies along the way.

I like the idea, I just think it needs to be better executed … Maybe book more music, have a few more vendors. I’m not quite sure what was missing but something was … But overall I had an ok time and enjoyed some people watching.

I miss my second Saturday parties. What a fun time

I would write a looooooooooooonnnnnnnggggggg ass review on 2^nd Saturday but ill keep this short and sweet.
I love the art walk and go almost every time and it sucks when certain galleries aren’t always open.
The crowd is a bit much but doesn’t that make a good street event?
I only wish there was a lady serving tacos on the street so I would have to go inside anywhere.

I’ve been doing the «Art Walk» for many years now. It’s still Fun. But it’s not what it used to be…
SITREP
The convergence of Art in the Midtown area has always been a fun, enjoyable romp every 2^nd Saturday in Sacramento. This has given local galleries — and the local artists that have a chance to share their talents — an opportunity for community get-​together and enjoyment.
«CHA-​CHA-​CHA-​CHANGES»
But in the words of a very obscure and shy musician named DAVID BOWIE, the scene ain’t what it used to be. A surly element and rambunctious youngsters have taken over the midtown domain of the Art Walk.
It’s even gotten to the point where people GET KILLED on this special night and law enforcement has had to step in and set-​up restrictive barricades and lay a heavy hand on some pedestrians.
«Second Saturday Art DRIVE»
…which is why I recommend that you power walk, bus or even drive to some points a bit more distant. Such as Creative Vera @ 12^th & S Streets; or Sol Collective and Beatnik Studios actually both south of Broadway, or some of the studios and galleries further into East Sacramento. You can still find some great galleries and fun if you are not up for the core-​midtown range.
THE LOWDOWN
It still works. Just very differently now.

If you happen to be in Sacramento on the 2^nd Saturday of a month, head to Midtown & Downtown Sacramento for a chance to see what some local Sacramento artists are creating. Many businesses transform into art galleries and there is also music and street performers to keep you entertained. Most galleries are in the vicinity of K & J St. and the mid-​20^th Street areas, but there are also some on the outskirts.
Depending on the month and the time of year, Second Saturday can be extremely crowded or a good place to hang out and mingle. You’ll have to test the waters yourself to determine that.
I would recommend getting a map of the businesses taking part in Second Saturday. I think it’s usually in the News & Review or online.

It’s an art walk and it’s pretty good. As the evening wears on, in certain areas, especially in front of popular bars and clubs, things can get a little rowdy and congested but it’s pretty easy to avoid those areas.
If you like nightclubbing but don’t like things that loud and crazy, you might want to stay away.
If you’re wondering if you can still see a lot of great local art and local crafts on second Saturday, absolutely. You’re gonna have to deal with some crowding, especially in high traffic areas, but they’re very easy to avoid, Midtown is a grid, so if you look down a street and it’s a zoo JUST GO AROUND it’s not rocket science.
If you stick around after 10ish, the people who were kinda drunk at nine will get progressively more drunk and obnoxious but since the art walk is basically over by that point anyway, really you should probably have headed home already.
Most of the problems complained about by others are IMO either NBD or easily avoided by having some common sense. If you don’t like being around drunk people late at night, just go around the crowd of drunk people in front of the nightclub instead of plowing through. See how easy that was?

This is no longer an «Art Walk», this is an underage drinking /​hoodlum fest. Most who love Second Saturday do not live in Midtown and go home to their quiet neighborhood in the suburbs after a long night of partying (illegal activities). Cars and property are vandalized, random people hooting and hollering all night, littering, underage drinking and loitering. I enjoyed finding a random guy ‘passed out’ in the hallway of my apartment next to my door. I also enjoy being held ‘prisoner’ in my home every SS due to 15,000−17,000 people, all parking in Midtown for this event.
I have lived downtown for over ten years, so yes I have adapted to the noise from drunk people, trains, loud cars, motorcycles, ambulances, police cars, etc. But SS is a completely different beast and the two aren’t comparable. There was a time when SS was charming, but times have changed and I shouldn’t have to move because SS has crapped on Midtown.
With the economy right now, the City does not have enough funds to enforce the amount of police necessary to organize the event. Honestly I don’t think it would make a difference. The event is appealing to the wrong crowd now and I know most residents in Midtown do not appreciate the disrespect we receive. It must be easy to love Second Saturday when you get a good night sleep and don’t have to worry about your safety or valuables in the suburbs. This circus ground you call Second Saturday, is our neighborhood. So shut your mouth when you’re here cause I don’t want to hear how you drunk and stupid you are!

So sad. The most drastic star reduction in my Unilocaling history. And it really pains me to do it because this event is kind of the life blood of our city. This is when it comes alive, when you want to show off your town to out-​of-​towners, or just sit on your stoop and watch the characters go by. I’m not a NIMBY (Not in my backyard). I like that Midtown, where I live is a destination once a month for those in the surrounding areas.
But missing a bullet by 30 minutes and 2 blocks is just too close to call for me. For six blocks, I was clutching my purse, self and friend — and that was before I even knew people were assaulted.
Gold teeth, F bombs and the smell of booze and pot filled the air for that entire walk. We watched one chick’s reality show drama unfold in front of us as she screamed and took slap/​swings at «her man.» I thought it was all slightly amusing (kind of) until I heard the news today that 1 had been killed, 1 stabbed and 3 others wounded right where we had been.
Solution? I don’t know honestly. I like a little riffraff, but this was big trouble in little China. Maybe more police? Enforce curfews? Pedestrian check points? Mandatory happy pills for everyone?

So after hearing all the buzz, my friends and I decided to finally go to a Second Saturday. It was way more fun than any of us thought it’d be (granted, the three of us are all under 21 so it wasn’t as fun as it could’ve been.) My friends were a little disappointed that they couldn’t get some free GoGirls but we didn’t let that bring us down. Like past reviews have mentioned, some of the art was amazing whereas others just kind of left you scratching your head. My favorite part was definitely all of the music going on. On every corner, there was a different band playing, all kinds of people and of all ages dancing… not to be cheesy, but I definitely believe that music can bring different people together and that night was a prime example of it.
If you’ve got a friend with wonderful parking karma, you better carpool with them or be prepared to spend a good chunk of time stuck in traffic looking for parking.

I kept hearing the buzz from different people about 2^nd Saturdays and finally decided to hit it up. We were staying the night at the Citizen Hotel so why not? Well, when we got to the Citizen, there was no one out on the streets. Come to find out we stopped into Artifacts, a retail store on K Street and she told us it was all the way on 23^rd and J & K.
So as we got our car and rolled down J St, it was about 5:30ish, still not too many people out, then finally started seeing some stands, booths just a couple when we got to 18^th St. Then eventually the crowds became more prominent.
We rolled around to K got a valet for $ 5.00 (not bad) and started walking the rounds. There were artists scattered in different areas and you really had to just walk the streets and find the crowds, apparently we were still a bit early. There were bands playing on different streets, dj’s playing from stores and then more and more people and more and more stands.
Grabbed a jamba juice (my favorite) and then ran into a couple of people we knew (not too many though, were new to Sac) and finally got to see some nice «original art work. I made sure to snap some shots and eventually decided to eat.
We ended up at Lounge 20, a really nice urban decorated bar/​club on the corner of K and 20^th? Not sure. Had some drinks and food and enjoyed the ambiance, We had a good waiter that answered all our questions about the happenings and did our rounds again.
It’s much funner at night, all the bars and clubs are free for the most part and eventually the streets became packed. We called it a night about 11pm or so but had a pretty good time. I give it 4 stars! :-)

I attended my first Second Saturday Art Walk this past weekend. Thanks to a walking route mapped out for me from the beautiful
, I hit up all the art galleries before they closed, hung out a bit, then grabbed a late-​night bite. It was a little depressing to look at art I couldn’t possibly afford in my sad state of unemployment, but I’m glad that looking doesn’t have a price! Most of the places had snacks too, and one gallery even gave out free wine.
Outside of the art, though, what I mostly saw was chaotic drunken debauchery. Most of Midtown outside the galleries was loud masses of people, for which I saw little purpose or reason for the action. I would’ve loved to see more stuff that was more defined within the actual outdoor event. As it was, I felt like I was at some sort of crazy college purposeless rave! I did enjoy the random bands on the street and the guy riding around in a banana suit to advertise a banana festival.
Between that and the fact that the art and artists probably remains similar on a month-​to-​month basis, I think at this point this will be an occasional stop for me, rather than a monthly one. Well ok, it depends on how bored I am! I think the art walk definitely has potential, even if it’s not quite there yet!

Do not go past 9pm if you’re NOT the following: a drunk college kid, a hoochie, a frat boy, looking for a fight, under the age of 25, or totally and completely obnoxious.
Debbie Downer signing off.

Dear Gangsters Trying to Start Fights In Front of My House, Douchey Suburban Families Desperately Seeking Culture, and Dumbf*cks Who Don’t Know How to Drive/​Park/​Walk Downtown,
Get out of my Midtown. I live here. I still need to get home from work, or go to the store, or walk my dog. Go meander slowly in massive groups down the middle of the street in Roseville. Go get wasted and black out in public in Elk Grove. Go show your kids a book instead of dragging them through a chaotic tangle of danger and making them stay up way past their bedtime.
At first Second Saturday was really cool because it was a convergence of artists, but you totally ruined it. It’s so bad these days that I literally find something to do in the suburbs or hide in my house. I don’t even like going out on my porch for a cigarette because inevitably I will get hassled by some moron who feels the need to talk to me.
I appreciate Second Saturday’s original intent, but now it’s just a monthly Mardi Gras to make the restaurants and bars a bunch of money and keep the cops employed.
Again I say, go home.

I love the fact that Second Saturday makes downtown Sac a fun and cool place to be. I love Sacramento and I’m glad more people are getting a chance to experience all the great stuff this city’s got to offer. My favorite area is between J and K on 20^th, which is blocked off so more people can walk through. There was a live band yesterday and lots of different vendors. Also a lot of younger kids who started an impromptu bboy battle on the sidewalk. Be prepared for a lot of youngin’s walking the streets though.
I absolutely LOVED the artwork on display at Asha Yoga yesterday. I wish I could remember the artist’s name, something Aaron. But it was exquisite and if I could afford it, I would have bought at least 2 – 3 pieces. Also liked the gallery next to Head Hunters about a block down from Asha Yoga. My favorite piece being a «portable stool» which was a block of wood with two very realistic looking human feet to to hold it up. I love the vibe of Second Saturday and I can’t wait until the weather gets warmer and the streets get more crowded. Parking is a biatch though!

When did Sacramento ever get so popular? After growing up and living here for 18 years, I finally found something I enjoy in Sacramento. There were so many random things going on. From random independent bands on every block to a graphic artist battle (using Adobe Illustrator), you really don’t know what to expect.
My favorite part of the night was randomly running in to the urban graffiti gallery where they had graffiti artist tagging and a live band.

4 stars because it’s great that Sacramento finally has decided to do something interesting and has actually «invested» in trying to bring people to downtown
–3 stars because it’s wrecked my weekends due to all the f-​ing suburbanite f-​wads who come downtown to get wasted and slum for a couple hours.
oh and p. s. …to the buffy driving the blue car that hit and ran on me while i was trying to enjoy a ride on my motocycle… i hope you choke on a piece of brie…

I have to agree with Alisha. Instead of staying at home complaining about the lack of artistic venues available to me, I dragged my own ass out for some influential moments of inspiration and artistic regurgitation.
Now, granted, being only too human and from the artistic realm myself, my tastes in art have definitely changed over time and my experiences with art galleries have made me into somewhat of an arrogant bitch. But, the last art walk I went on was fun, rewarding, and exhilarating, ¼ due in part to we were walking briskly to keep warm plus it was in a funky Del Paso neighborhood. But the photography display was pretty amazing, the Doiron Gallery.
Most of the galleries that night did have light drinks, snacks, and music. I found the Exploding Head Gallery on 12^th and J street and the Artists Collaborative Gallery on 15^th between I & J great for starters. The Toyroom gallery was pretty intense but set against a lighter mood, so I found it most comfortable. Then again, maybe it was the allure of the design toys beckoning from the outside. Did I meet new people? Not really, but I suppose the group of 5 pretty tall women (I was the shortest) did great work in making us seem unapproachable. I am all set for the next one in December.