The first East Sacramento holiday event this year takes place on Sunday, November 29, at 6415 Elvas Ave. It's not in the Fab Forties. That afternoon the East Sacramento Chamber of Commerce holds its first Holiday Market at The Garden at the Line, and the Chamber's Shop 'Til You Drop Party Bus starts and ends at the same spot. The 15-day SHOP East Sac campaign begins two days later. Only after that, December 4 through 6, does the season reach the decorated houses between 40th and 49th streets.
So the calendar has spread out. For decades, December in East Sacramento has centered on a few blocks between J Street and Folsom Boulevard. In 2026 the season starts at a venue that opened in December 2024, picks up stops along Folsom on the way, and runs through a week of concerts at Sacramento State before the Chamber's gala on December 12.
Fifty Years on a Few Blocks
The Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour has been part of December in the Fabulous Forties since 1973. It began as a fundraiser for Sacred Heart Parish School and still raises money for the school. Last year's tour opened five homes, all between roughly 38th and 46th streets, according to Sacramento Digs Gardening's 2025 coverage.
The light displays cover almost the same area. Last year, KCRA described the Fab 40s display neighborhood as running from 40th to 49th streets between J Street and Folsom Boulevard, and reported that residents aimed to finish decorating by the Friday after Thanksgiving. If that timing holds this year, the lights go up around Friday, November 27. The Chamber's market is two days later.
Both of those traditions are organized by the people who live on those streets. The Chamber's new event begins somewhere else.
A Beer Garden That Wasn't Here Two Winters Ago
The Garden at the Line describes itself as an indoor and outdoor beer garden with local kitchens, fire pits, lawn games, and a kid- and dog-friendly setting. The Line started in 2022 as a group of ghost kitchens. The beer garden and on-site dining came later, opening in December 2024, as The Sacramento Bee reported this spring. According to Sactown Magazine, the ownership team includes leaders from Sutter Capital Group, Pizza Guys, and Mark III Construction.
The Garden's own site lists these kitchens:
- Okie Dokies
- Hangover Noodles
- Calzone Life
- Pizza Piatta
- Wings N' Things
- La Sabrocita Taqueria
- Garden of Eat'n
- Nash & Proper
The Bee says the drinks include beer, sake, cider, kombucha, seltzers, and low- and no-alcohol cocktails. The posted hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
All of that explains why the Chamber put its first market here. The Chamber calls the market a partnership between SHOP East Sac and The Garden, with open-air shopping for handmade wares and locally sourced goods "while enjoying some of the best food and drink in the neighborhood." Lunch, drinks, a play area for kids, and room for vendor tables are already in place. A pop-up in a parking lot would have to bring all of that in.
Sunday, November 29, at One Address
The two kickoff events overlap. Here is how the Chamber has scheduled them:
| Time | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. | SHOP East Sac Holiday Market | Open-air holiday shopping at The Garden at the Line |
| 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. | Shop 'Til You Drop Party Bus | $75 ticket, starts and ends at The Garden at the Line |
The party bus ticket includes a $25 "Holly Dollars" gift card to spend along the route, a champagne toast, SHOP East Sac merchandise, and in-store discounts and treats at the shops on the route. The Chamber says spaces are extremely limited. Because the market and the bus overlap for an hour, you can browse the market tables at lunch and board the bus at 2 p.m. without leaving Elvas Avenue.
The Chamber was still taking vendor applications for the market and the SHOP East Sac store program on its campaign page. If you own a shop or make things to sell, that form is the way in.
Then the Season Moves Down Folsom
SHOP East Sac runs December 1 through 15. Visit a participating business, mention the campaign, and you get a free gift. The campaign is presented by Safe Harbor Pension & Wealth, with annual sponsors Community West Bank, Oakmont Senior Living, and Stern Ledger & Seal.
Those two weeks overlap with the first December for several new places on Folsom Boulevard, which forms the southern edge of the Fab 40s display area.
Bocce Ristorante, 4801 Folsom Blvd. Bocce took over the former V. Miller Meats space and began regular service September 1. The Sacramento Business Journal describes it as a neighborhood market and deli built on Italian technique, led by chef Joe Pruner. A market and deli is a useful stop during the gift-buying stretch.
Fabulist Pizza, 3269 Folsom Blvd. Owners Andrew Tescher and Stacey Johnson opened Fabulist on July 21 in the former Café Capricho storefront, Hoodline reported. It's farther west on Folsom, a good dinner stop after an evening of shopping.
Both opened in the second half of 2026, so this is their first holiday season on Folsom.
The Fab Forties Weekend, December 4 to 6
The Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, December 4, and Saturday, December 5, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, December 6. You can visit the homes in any order during those hours.
Ticket prices go up after December 3:
| Ticket | Through Dec. 3 | After Dec. 3 |
|---|---|---|
| General admission | $40 | $45 |
| Seniors 65+ | $35 | $40 |
Everyone age 3 and up needs a ticket.
The tour's base is the school at 856 39th St., where the boutique and café are set up. The café is catered by Grazing Craving and serves soups, salads, sandwiches, grab-and-go food, coffee drinks, wine, spirits, and desserts. A champagne bar inside the boutique opens at 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and runs until closing. Free parking is available at the school and in the Mercy Hospital lot across the street, plus street parking where allowed. Last year the boutique featured more than 25 local makers.
The tour weekend also falls in the middle of the SHOP East Sac window. If you shop Folsom Boulevard before or after the tour, you can still pick up the campaign's free gift.
A Week of Concerts at Sacramento State
Sacramento State's music department fills the same week with performances in Capistrano Concert Hall, all starting at 7 p.m. On Sunday, December 6, the Choral Union and University Chorale Carol Concert begins two hours after the home tour closes, so you can do both in one day.
East Sacramento Holiday Dates, November 29 to December 12
- Sunday, Nov. 29: SHOP East Sac Holiday Market, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Shop 'Til You Drop Party Bus, 2 to 7 p.m., both at The Garden at the Line, 6415 Elvas Ave.
- Tuesday, Dec. 1, through Tuesday, Dec. 15: SHOP East Sac at participating businesses.
- Wednesday, Dec. 2: Sacramento State Concert Band, 7 p.m., $15 general admission.
- Thursday, Dec. 3: Jazz Ensembles, 7 p.m., and the last day for lower home tour ticket prices.
- Friday, Dec. 4, through Sunday, Dec. 6: Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour, plus Vocal Jazz Ensembles on Dec. 4 at 7 p.m.
- Sunday, Dec. 6: Carol Concert, 7 p.m., $15 general admission.
- Saturday, Dec. 12: East Sacramento Chamber 2026 Holiday Awards Gala, 6 to 10 p.m.
The first market table goes up on Elvas Avenue on November 29, and the gala on December 12 comes 13 days later.
Hosting family over Thanksgiving weekend, or picking a weekend for guests to see the Fab Forties? Our team is glad to share what we know about these events. Jennifer Kirtlan Real Estate Group is happy to help you plan your East Sacramento holidays. Contact us anytime.
