Out & About
By Jessica Laskey
May 2025
Dream Big
Pittador Brews takes top prize in incubator contest
Pittador Brews Specialty Teas & Coffees won the 12th annual Calling All Dreamers business incubator program presented by Downtown Sacramento Foundation.
Liliette and Stephen Freeman, who ran Pittador for nearly five years at farmers markets and other venues, will receive $20,000 to open a storefront in Old Sacramento this summer. The couple roast coffee beans from countries such as Malawi, Sulawesi and Nicaragua, and source dozens of teas from across the world.
Pittador Brews Specialty Teas & Coffees also offers craft beers, meads and pet-themed drinks. The business name is based on their love of dogs and a freshly brewed hot beverage.
“The Calling All Dreamers program has been an incredible opportunity for Pittador Brews,” the Freemans say. “It has given us the mentorship, resources and support needed to take our vision from dream to reality.”
The award will go toward staffing and upgrading to an all-electric coffee roaster, allowing in-house roasting. “This investment will help us deliver the freshest, highest-quality coffee and tea while creating a welcoming space for the community to gather and connect.”
Runner-up Haus of Comedy receives $15,000 in cash. Three finalists—Cà Phê Diễm, Nacho House and Style For It—are eligible to receive $5,000 if they lease a Downtown storefront by March 1, 2026.
For information, visit pittadorbrews.com and downtownsac.org/do-business/calling-all-dreamers.
PARK CONCERTS
Concerts in the Park returns May 2 through June on Fridays at 6 p.m. at Cesar Chavez Plaza.
“We’ve been very focused the last three years on adjusting Concerts in the Park to be more reflective of Sacramento,” says Madelyn Bussola, spokesperson for Downtown Sacramento Partnership. “We started by adjusting the lineup to include more genres with their own specific nights, bringing in different partners and food and beverage options to make it more community oriented.”
This year’s lineup of local and national artists includes XZIBIT, Phantogram, Winona Fighter, Jackie Greene and Discrete. For information, visit downtownsac.org/downtown-sac-experiences/concerts-in-the-park.
BOOK FESTIVAL
Sacramento Book Festival is Saturday, May 31, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Shepard Garden & Arts Center in McKinley Park.
The free event includes readings, writer panels, children’s activities, a food truck and scavenger hunt with prizes. Featured writers are New York Times bestselling thriller author James Rollins and award-winning mystery author Catriona McPherson, among others.
Bring a new or gently used book for a children’s book drive to benefit Loaves and Fishes’ Mustard Seed School.
The festival is organized by the Sacramento branch of California Writers Club and supported by local literary organizations. For information, visit sacramentobookfestival.com.
FARMERS MARKETS
The Midtown Farmers Market has expanded to six city blocks and now accommodates up to 300 vendors.
The expansion, north on 20th Street between J and I streets, creates “Culinary Corridor” offering prepackaged and prepared foods.
Open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Midtown market was voted California’s No. 1 farmers market and No. 3 in the nation as part of America’s Farmland Celebration by American Farmland Trust.
For information, visit midtownfarmersmarketsac.com.
The Oak Park Farmers Market, operated by the Food Literacy Center, is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at McClatchy Park.
The center serves 23 Title 1 elementary schools with field trips to its cooking school and ensures families have access to fresh ingredients through monthly recipe kits.
For information, visit foodliteracycenter.org.
NEW GIRAFFE
A Masai giraffe at the Sacramento Zoo gave birth to a female calf, now named Sumi, the 22nd born at the zoo since 1954 when giraffes were first housed in Sacramento.
The zoo is home to five female Masai giraffes and is one of 34 institutions managing 136 Masai giraffes in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums population.
Wild giraffes face extinction due to poaching and habitat loss. Their numbers have fallen by more than 50% over the last 30 years, making them “endangered.”
For information, visit saczoo.org.
MIDTOWN ART
Midtown Association seeks local artists for the monthly Midtown Second Saturday Art Walk beginning May 10 through October.
The art walk highlights different areas of Midtown with themes like Pride in Art, Urban Dreams and Women in the Arts, featuring performances, live music, pop-up galleries and art demonstrations.
Up to six artists and musicians are selected each month to host programs along the route. For information or to apply, visit exploremidtown.org/second-saturday.
THEATER APPRENTICE
Capital Stage accepts applications for the 2025/26 Apprentice Program through May 31.
The program provides hands-on experience in casting, rehearsals, directing, technical production and design, literary management and dramaturgy, marketing and outreach, administration, production management and more.
Apprenticeships are a minimum commitment of six months with a stipend of $250 to $350 per week. For information or to apply, visit capstage.org/play-a-part/apprenticeships.
RUGBY CHAMPIONS
Sacramento Harlequins Rugby Football Club’s middle school girls have won the NorCal Championship.
Led by coaches Wes Hilger, Katie Hansen and John Buchholz, the Harlequins went 4-0 to clinch the title.
“It has been an absolute joy watching their growth, dedication and teamwork throughout the season,” says Hansen, a Harlequin alum playing rugby for Dartmouth.
For information, visit goharlequins.com or sacrugbyunion.com.
MUSEUM ADMISSION
Active-duty military personnel, including National Guard and Reserve, and up to five family members get free admission to area museums May 17 through Sept. 1 through the Blue Star Museums program.
The program is a collaboration of the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families and Department of Defense. For information and a list of museums, visit arts.gov/initiatives/blue-star-museums.
Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
