Sacramento’s City of Trees parade and Mardi Gras Festival is this weekend
SACRAMENTO IS GETTING READY TO LIGHT UP THE STREETS THIS WEEKEND. THE CITY OF TREES PARADE AND MARDI GRAS FESTIVAL RETURNS TO CAPITOL MALL IN OLD SACRAMENTO THIS SATURDAY, BRINGING ILLUMINATED FLOATS, MARCHING BANDS, AND EVEN A PET PARADE. IT IS ADORABLE. YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS IT. AND THE BEST PART? IT IS ALL FREE AND IT IS A FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT. AND JOINING US RIGHT NOW TO TALK ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT IS THE EVENT ORGANIZER WITH SAM’S. THIS IS YOUR FIFTH YEAR FOR THE CITY OF TREES PARADE. THAT’S RIGHT. IT’S A CITY OF TREES PARADE AND MARDI GRAS FESTIVAL. IT’S HAPPENING SATURDAY FROM 3 P.M. UNTIL 9 P.M. WE ARE THE BIGGEST MARDI GRAS PARADE IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND A PRETTY LARGE ONE FOR THIS SIDE OF THE MISSISSIPPI, RIGHT? THAT’S RIGHT. AS FAR AS I FIGURE, WE’RE THE BIGGEST WEST TO GALVESTON. ALL RIGHT. THERE GOING TO BE LOTS OF BEADS FLYING ALL OVER THE PLACE, WHICH IS SO MUCH FUN BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE THROWING THEM FROM THE FROM THE FLOATS. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW MANY MARCHING BANDS YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE. YEAH. SO WE’VE GOT AT LEAST THREE MARCHING BANDS. WE HAVE 1300 PERFORMERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE IN THIS PARADE, REPRESENTING ABOUT 60 DIFFERENT GROUPS LOCAL TO SACRAMENTO. WE’RE LIFTING UP AS MUCH OF THE ART, MUSIC AND CULTURE OF SACRAMENTO AS WE CAN, CELEBRATING SAC THE WAY NEW ORLEANS CELEBRATES NEW ORLEANS. OKAY. AND SO THIS IS THE FIFTH YEAR, BUT YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING BRAND NEW FOR THIS YEAR. TELL US ABOUT THESE RARE BEARS. YEAH. SO ALL THE BEST PARADES HAVE A HANDMADE THROW. AND THESE RARE BEARS ARE EXACTLY THAT BECAUSE WE ONLY MADE 100 OF THESE HANDMADE STUFFED BEARS DECORATED WITH UPCYCLED ITEMS, AND THEY’RE GOING TO BE THROWN OUT IN THE PARADE. AND SO IF YOU’RE REALLY LUCKY, YOU MIGHT CATCH ONE OF THESE BEARS ALONGSIDE OF THE 2,200 POUNDS OF RECYCLED BEADS THAT WE’RE ALSO GOING TO BE THROWING OUT. SO LOCAL ARTISANS MADE THESE BEARS. THAT’S RIGHT, LOCAL ARTISTS HAND DECORATED 100 OF THESE BEARS. EVERY SINGLE ONE IS UNIQUE. IT HAS ITS OWN LITTLE NAME AND PERSONALITY. TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE GROUPS THAT WILL BE PERFORMING. SO WE HAVE SO MANY. YEAH. SO WE’VE GOT THE TENGFEI LION DANCERS, WE’VE GOT GRANT HIGH DRUMLINE, WE’VE GOT UC DAVIS MARCHING BAND, WE’VE GOT AT LEAST 14 LIGHT UP ART VEHICLES AND FLOATS THAT ARE BASICALLY BURNING MAN VEHICLES THAT ARE GOING TO BE CARRYING RIDERS, SUCH AS YOURSELF. SO YOU HAVE A KING AND QUEEN OF THE CITY OF TREES PARADE. WHO IS THE KING QUEEN THIS YEAR? THAT’S RIGHT. SO THIS YEAR WE’RE CELEBRATING CHEF BILLY NOH OF THE CREW RESTAURANT, WHO’S ONE OF SACRAMENTO’S VERY BEST CHEFS. AND THEN WE’RE ALSO LIFTING UP. EXCUSE ME, VICE CHAIR RAQUEL WILLIAMS OF THE WILTON RANCHERIA TRIBE. ALL RIGHT. AND I’M QUEEN EMERITUS ALONG WITH. THAT’S RIGHT. YOU ARE. AND OUR KING EMERITUS. THAT’S RIGHT. YEAH. FROM LAST YEAR FROM WILTON RANCHERIA. ALL RIGHT. AND SO IT’S AN EXCITING TIME. THE FLOATS ARE REALLY REMARKABLE. YEAH. OUR FLOATS ARE BETTER THAN YOUR TYPICAL NEW ORLEANS MARDI GRAS FLOAT. AND YOU CAN CATCH THE PARADE FOR FREE ANYWHERE ALONG OUR MILE, MILE LONG ROUTE. OR YOU CAN BUY A TICKET TO OUR FESTIVAL GROUNDS, WHERE YOU CAN HAVE AN ADULT BEVERAGE. YOU CAN FIND FOOD TRUCKS, INCLUDING CREOLE FOOD. WE’LL HAVE SEATING, CLEAN BATHROOMS, SOUVENIR STAND FEATURING SOME OF THESE FINE T AND OTHER SWAG THAT YOU CAN PURCHASE. AND IT HELPS SUPPORT OUR NONPROFIT ALL VOLUNTEER EVENT. OKAY, AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR NONPROFIT THAT IT SUPPORTS. YEAH. SO WE ARE A 25 PERSON, ALL VOLUNTEER TEAM THAT PUTS TOGETHER THIS INCREDIBLE EVENT. YOU KNOW, WE RUN THE FESTIVAL GROUNDS AND A PARADE, AND WE DO IT ALL FOR FREE BECAUSE WE LOVE SACRAMENTO. AND IF YOU LOVE SACRAMENTO TOO, YOU SHOULD COME OUT AND SEE THE PARADE AND CELEBRATE WITH US. IT’S SATURDAY, IT STARTS. THE PARADE ACTUALLY STARTS AT 5 P.M. WHERE ON CAPITAL MALL IT GOES FROM THE CAPITAL WEST STEPS DOWN TO OLD SACRAMENTO. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT CITY OF TREES PARADE DOT, CITY OF TREES PARADE. ALL RIGHT, WEST SAM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING F
Sacramento’s City of Trees parade and Mardi Gras Festival is this weekend
Updated: 2:56 PM PST Feb 26, 2026
Sacramento is preparing to light up the streets this weekend with the return of the City of Trees parade and Mardi Gras Festival at Capitol Mall and Old Sacramento on Saturday. The event will feature illuminated floats, marching bands, and a pet parade, and the best part is that it’s free. The festival runs from 3-5 p.m. with the parade taking place at 5 p.m. There’s also a dance party from 7-9 p.m. The event’s lead organizer, Wes Samms, joined KCRA 3 to share what to expect. See more in the video above or learn more here. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
Sacramento is preparing to light up the streets this weekend with the return of the City of Trees parade and Mardi Gras Festival at Capitol Mall and Old Sacramento on Saturday.
The event will feature illuminated floats, marching bands, and a pet parade, and the best part is that it’s free.
The festival runs from 3-5 p.m. with the parade taking place at 5 p.m. There’s also a dance party from 7-9 p.m.
The event’s lead organizer, Wes Samms, joined KCRA 3 to share what to expect.
See more in the video above or learn more here.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel