Come quick! Before it is spoiled!

Sacramento has arrived. It did it. It is the next city you're going to hear about. I'm here for the first weekend I've been in Sac since November. I wanted to go to Second Saturday, when all the art galleries open their doors and put out food. Second Saturday was incredible, and it is only April. I've been going to Second Saturdays for years and they're always fun. You always see people you know and you look at the watercolors of the oak foothills and eat the cheese and crackers. It is a good night. But tonight wasn't like any Second Saturday I've gone to.

I'd say there were four times as many people out as I have ever seen, even compared to the busy ones at the height of summer. Every single bike rack was full; bikes were stacked on every pole. Every block had a band or two. Every store front was open and had a table in front. And people are finally bringing their own creativity, doing their own things without permissions and sponsors. There was a samba parade, instruments and dancers. There was a troop of bikers on little tiny bikes. There was a remote controlled dog out on the streets. Everywhere, everywhere had people. On porches. Eating at sidewalk tables. Playing guitars. Old people. People with babies and people with kids. Fake tan girls and popped collar boys. The queers were out. The skaters were out. Middle age couples strolled. Everyone was out. I've never seen it like this.

I saw some art, but got drawn in by the best house music I've heard in several years. I danced and danced. I danced hard for three hours and people danced and left and came back. We danced, so many of us. A style-y young Iranian crowd. A couple Islanders. Four Hispanic guys, one of them with his three year old son. Black men danced through. A hip girl with bleached hair and tattoos. Sorority-looking Asian-Am girls. Four darling shaggy-haired indie boys. Two ten year old boys. We all danced. I wouldn't have picked the middle-aged Lebanese(?) couple for house music fans, but they were stalwart. It was as much fun as I have ever had, dancing outside on a warm night under big lit up elms, next to a packed street.

I had no idea Second Saturday was going off like this, and I suspect that it hasn't until now. But the point has tipped, the energy was everywhere. If Second Saturday stays like this all summer, you are going to start to hear about Sacramento.