10 Amazing Things To See & Do In East Sacramento

A local certified Saturday farmer’s market near downtown and midtown off H Street under the trees in McKinley Park, the East Sacramento Farmer’s Market showcases certified organic produce, farm stand products, and artisan and fair trade crafts. Open every Saturday morning from April to October, the market was the winner of the 2014 Special Place Award from the East Sacramento Chamber of Commerce. With great events like tomato taste-offs, monthly raffles with special gift baskets as prizes, and local wine tastings, the East Sacramento Farmer’s Market is truly a local gem. In addition to the incredible products from local farmers and entrepreneurs including nuts, coffee, organic produce, dog treats, and more, the market is home to unique attractions that are sure to delight people of all ages, like arts from the women of Madagascar, live Celtic music, and the beautiful paintings of local artists. People who go to the market early in the morning can even get extra savings and coupons to use with their favorite vendors. It’s a fun place for families, especially at Halloween, when they have a fantastic pumpkin patch complete with bales of hay and an adorable scarecrow, and kids can paint pumpkins and even trick-or-treat at the vendor booths.

The Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society’s Museum of Medical History showcases developments in medicine with a special relationship to the region, from the mid-1800s through today. The museum is organized by various themes: patent medicines and pharmacology, basic science and laboratory medicine, antibiotics and infections diseases, medical diagnosis and therapy, surgical diagnosis and therapy, nursing, Asian medicine, radiology, quackery, and local medical history. A variety of larger artifacts are also displayed, including examination tables, a 1920-era x-ray machine, wheelchairs, nurses uniforms, a doctor’s office cabinet, skeleton, 1950-era iron lung, Civil War amputation kits, live leeches, and a variety of medical art. In addition, you can find an array of classical 19th century instruments including cups, various tools for bleeding, ether masks, and medicines with mercury, arsenic, and strychnine. The Museum of Medical History is also home to an extensive library containing early medical textbooks and journals. Staffed by the Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society’s Historical Committee, the museum is operated entirely from donations from the community and is completely free and open to the public every weekday.