I have been to the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium too many times to count - starting from seeing the boy band 98 Degrees back in 1999 to visiting for my nephew's high school graduation yesterday! I have seen many concerts here and even comedy shows! They even had a big boxing match last weekend! I love the nostalgia of the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - it feels old timey but still updated and not run down. There are 3 levels, but not a bad seat in the house! They sell food and drinks during normal shows, but of course they are still pricy like most concerts are! Staff is questionable - most are nice, but then some take their jobs a little too seriously if you know what I mean. Since the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium is downtown, you have the problem of downtown parking. You can be lucky with street parking, but there are also parking garages nearby. I also like that the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium is surrounded by restaurants too - so you can grab a bite before or after an event. I'm sure I will be back again soon! Check them out! read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - Setup for graduation - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Some buildings just hold memories, and this one holds a lot of mine. I've lost count of how many times I've walked through these doors. Graduations where I watched people I love cross that stage. Concerts that gave me chills. Comedy shows where my face hurt from laughing. Even a few boxing nights where the whole room was on its feet. Different events, different crowds, but the feeling walking in is always the same. The first thing you notice is the architecture. It's historic and genuinely beautiful, the kind of place that makes an ordinary Tuesday night feel like an occasion. They don't build them like this anymore. Every time I look up at the details, I appreciate that downtown Sacramento has held onto something this special. What keeps me coming back, though, is the people. The ushers are warm and welcoming, the kind who actually seem glad you're there. Security is professional and on top of things without ever making you feel watched. You're in good hands from the moment you arrive. The sightlines are wonderful too. It's an intimate room, so wherever you sit you feel close to the action. A tip if you end up in the upper balcony: the seating up there is wooden and runs a little smaller, so it's cozier, but the view is still great and there's a charm to it. If you want to catch an event in the heart of downtown, you really can't do better than this. It's a treasure, and I'll keep coming back for many more memories. read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

SACRAMENTO MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM @ DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO Parking is available a couple of blocks away, with several garages nearby that you can park in. I came here for a high school graduation, and overall parking was pretty easy. You can either pay when you arrive or pay in advance. It was a beautiful day, and there were a lot of students and families attending. Security was quick and easy to get through. The venue has both a downstairs and upstairs area, although I didn't notice any elevators, mostly just staircases. Because of that, I wouldn't recommend it for elderly guests or anyone with mobility concerns, as getting up and down the stairs can be a bit difficult. One thing I noticed was that the stairs are made of a thick material that can be slippery. I actually saw a few kids slip while walking on them, so that's something to be aware of. The bathrooms were clean and well-maintained, and the venue itself was nice overall. The graduation ceremony was organized, simple, and moved along pretty quickly. Overall, I had a great experience here and would definitely recommend stopping by for events held at this venue. read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

This is an amazing building. It was first opened in 1927 as a memorial to World War I veterans, it served the community until 1986 when it was closed for seismic reasons. It fell into disrepair and came very close to being torn down, but thanks to community support, it was renovated and reopened in 1996. It is on the national register of historic places. Over the years, it has had so many events. Circus shows, high school, graduations, concerts with everybody from "Weird Al" Yankovic, to Cheech and Chong, to Cher. They've held lots of boxing matches over the year, and back in the 70s, they would hold matches for "big-time wrestling." I loved to watch that show as a kid. I saw a few of their shows up in Humboldt County, but I would've always loved to see the big shows down here.. I have been here for a good number of shows. The remodel they did when they reopened it, followed by another remodel around 2018 or so, and the building is just in beautiful shape. The seats are comfortable, the sound is good, everything is great. I was here today for a memorial day commemoration, and they did just a beautiful job. I'm glad they were able to save this beautiful building, and I will continue to be back. Thank you. read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

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This is a very nice location for a graduation. I've heard they have other events here as well. Love all the security and staff readily available. There's plenty of entrances and exits. The stairs are conveniently located. The building itself is beautiful! The way that it's built, there's really no bad seating on the second level (though further floor seating can get a bit difficult to see). I would definitely recommend close up floor seating or second level seating only. At nighttime, the outside is beautifully lit. This was my first time here and hopefully won't be my last. read more

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As I was reading reviews, I was surprised no one mentioned the accessibility. The concert I went to was absolutely amazing Forrest Frank did an excellent job! If I was given a review about the artist, it would be a five out of five however, I have to give it on the venue . If I wanted to take my mom with me, I would be forced to buy more expensive tickets because there's no way for her to get to the top of the seats . I don't feel like somebody that has a disability or is unable to walk should be penalized and have to pay extra money for a ticket to be downstairs . It does say that if you have restrictions, you can call or email however that doesn't allow you to know will you have to sit by yourself or will you be able to sit with your party? Clarification on, things would be helpful. I did not know that there was no assigned seating until a couple days prior it left me asking for PTO the day of which my job was not thrilled about, but that's not the reason for the low rating. It would definitely be because all I could think of is what about people with disabilities? How are they supposed to come and enjoy this Christian concert Along with any of us. If you're going to a concert, please make sure that you allow yourself two hours to get there ahead of time. Please note that the line will be extremely long. We had VIP to get there at 5:30 the problem is if you have a huge group you'll continue to tell people the seat(s) are taken. We had 8 in our group and we did obtain really great seats. I will say that even at 6:00-6:30 it wasn't packed yet and you still had a lot of options. If you sit upstairs in the balcony, please note that when you go to use the restroom for the women, you will be going upstairs to use that from where you're sitting. The snack bar upstairs has the most limited options. You get more at a kids snack bar at a park. You will plan for a lot of walking because to obtain a pretzel you must go downstairs. Water wasn't cold nor the Gatorade the cost is 5.50 each. Nachos downstairs and within a hour sold out. This show was sold out. People downstairs who paid the extra money I could over hear say they had no idea they would be standing the entire time. So many little kids could not see. The staff was pleasant. However when you go upstairs to go to the balcony, you have something on your actual ticket but the room numbers are like 201 etc. etc. but nobody knows where to tell you to go. They did not say it's open seating just go sit down, so don't go walking all the way to the other end. Thankfully, another attendee was walking the other way, and let us know before we walked all the way around. I would go again with my husband planning to go early and next time make sure the group knows we have to go super early and I know now not to buy my mom a ticket because she won't be able to get up to the balcony. If you're in pain, have a hard time walking you will be going up steep stairs to go upstairs and also for the restroom please keep that in mind If you have a little kids and it's a popular concert, they're not gonna have very much room to see over the people in front of them standing up so keep that in mind as well. Getting out we left early. Received a $80 parking ticket for parking meter that wasn't working pretty upsetting because that's a lot of money. I would rate a 2.5 read more

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The Memorial Auditorium has been updated since I was here in the early to mid 90's. Updated seating, interior and bathrooms. Lots of cool vintage photos. Easy entry access and security, great check in with online tickets, parking nearby at Memorial Auditorium Garage; prepaid on line which was convenient. You can use the ParkWhiz app, so convenient. Scam QR code from app or screen shot on your photo. Great seating, comfortable, it a bad seat. They have clean and updated bathrooms/auto flush toilets and wash stations. Plenty of docents available to guide us to our seats. Excellent sound system. Beautiful venue. Saw the Rock Orchestra by Candlelight last night, very good. Adult beverages, water, non alcoholic beverages and snacks available. Easy access to leave. read more

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This room despite its old age is still a great venue. Dig the maple plank basketball court floor. The nosebleed balconies (where I'm sitting right now) give a wide unobstructed view. The row in front of me is 3 feet lower. Avett brothers tonight have drawn a multi-generational crowd. Every one is happy. Surrounding neighborhood has many restaurants and places for after parties. Midtown Sac rocks! read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - Avett brothers. June 2024 - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

Overall: 4/5 Came here for my daughter's graduation on a hot Friday night in June! I appreciated the air conditioning in this place. It was a nice relief from the heat. So just know, the place is well ventilated. Very spacious and well designed, considering its a much older venue then neighboring venues such as the Safe Credit Union Convention Center next door. The place was clean, the Men's restroom was clean. The auditorium itself had nice acoustics and lighting. Solid spot! read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - 2024 Medical School Graduate!! - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Took my daughter to see the rock Orchestra. We had such an amazing time. The Sacramento Memorial auditorium brings back memories with its old charm that show was really amazing with all of the 90s and 2000 songs mixed in with the show. Our seats were perfect and we had the perfect View of the stage easily accessible and of course I got a pretzel which they did not run out of and we just had the best time read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - Rock orchestra - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

Location of auditorium is centrally located and is beautiful from the outside. Parking can be a bit difficult and expensive ($25 for parking across the street) but we found free parking a few blocks away. Saw stand up comedy there and felt the size was just right to see and hear everything clearly. I would definitely see another show event there. read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - people standing in front of the building - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

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I was not allowed to bring my small purse into the theater and forced to leave it in my car, even though the rules that were sent out via email and on their website are RECOMMENDED for bags, and my bag was a half inch taller than the guidelines. I wasn't allowed to bring mine in but other people had larger bags than mine who were allowed in, thru different lines. They told my friend her bag was fine the first time, and after we got rid of my bag and came back, they tried to tell her that her bag was too big. They were super inconsistent. If venues are going to enforce the bag size, your email needs to state that it is a REQUIREMENT so people can appropriately prepare on how they are going to carry in items like their phone, epi pen, asthma inhalers, etc. read more

This is a tough venue for musical stage performances. The floor is one level (maybe VERY slightly inclined) so floor seats can be challenging for shorter people. Also, the seats on the floor are temporary and installed with no continuity - the space between rows varies from not even inches to almost a foot. The row behind us had room for people to place full handbags between the seats. Our row barely allowed us to shuffle sideways. The signage isn't great for floor seats since they aren't permanent. The acoustics were decent and the stage itself was well done. The set has elaborate screens and those were visible at all angles and done well. There were no ushers handing out programs so we actually sat down before realizing we would need to head back out to the lobby to pick up our programs. The bathrooms were a challenge too. There were multi-stall portables located outside of the building. When I stopped into them after the show (the lines were too bad at intermission) they were locked. Why would you lock a bathroom without allowing patrons a chance to use them before exiting? We didn't purchase any food or drinks so I can't speak to the quality but at intermission, when heading to the restroom, the lines looked long as usual. No idea how fast they moved. I can't wait until the remodel is done and we can return to our normal venue. I would hesitate to attend another performance here unless I had no other place to see the performance. read more

I went to the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium tonight for the first time to see A Christmas Story which is one of my all time favorite Christmas movies. Our seats were row AA 1 & 3 which were pretty decent. The theatre is not huge nor is it small so pretty much all the seats on the floor are good seats. After looking around I don't think I would want to sit in the middle or balcony side seats though as you would either have to sit sideways or tilt your neck/head toward the stage which after about 30 minutes I could see being a problem. The sound system was clear and their lighting was good. The stage is big enough for to accommodate all the sets and props. Seats were not too hard but after sitting in them for an hour I did start to get a little fidgety. They did have several concession areas open that had alcohol and some small goodies. Parking was close by and there are plenty of restaurants around to grab a bite before or after your show. I'll definitely be back to see some more performances in the near future. read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

** low stars for seating only.** Upper Balcony.... Wooden seats, close together= not comfortable. If you are an average sized person, this is not the area you want to sit in. Also, for the particular event we were attending, I feel seats were overpriced. It is a beautiful, overall, auditorium. I do not think I will be attending events here. The floor seats are not slanted, the lower balcony is padded, but still smaller seats. read more

Besides running out of food 30 minutes before the show, everything was great. Beautiful building, nice staff and great performance.

First time at this venue. What a great place! Beautifully restored old historic building. So much classic detail. Staff very friendly and helpful. Bar lines moved quickly. Small but good selection of craft brews. Saw the Avett Brothers. The sound was amazing! As was the lighting; it did a great job complementing their music! The audience was into the Avetts right from the start! Wonderful vibe throughout! read more

I was here for the Sacanime Masquerade, and it's a lovely building. When we, the contestants, were there for our craftsmanship pre-judging session, it was raining outside, and we were locked outside until the cosplay staff could get someone to let us in. It's kind of cold inside. What disappointed me was that there was no designated room for us to store our belongings. Why? There was that room where all the masquerade contestants had to meet in, and where we were judged earlier that day. That could have worked for storing our things. When I competed in the masquerade at Fanime, we had a room where we could store our things, rest, hang out, eat, etc. Thankfully, the cosplay staff came up with a creative way for us to not lose our belongings, but having a room would have been helpful. It is a very large auditorium, and the seats are comfortable as well. The architecture is lovely, and the curtain is a beautiful shade of red, and looks like velvet. At least it's about a block away from the convention center, though I did have to hobble between this theater and the convention center with heels when it's wet outside. read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

We went here for our sons graduation we all had tickets and then was treated like prison inmates once we entered the staff was hostile rude and aggressive! They started locking family members with tickets out my husband had to run back to car and was not allowed back in until others almost started rioting it was really crazy then they announced all crazy once your kids name is called meet them outside it was a nice way to ruin a very special day for so many young graduates read more

Looking at this place while in line outside I thought I was heading into a museum of sorts since I've never been here before. There were a few areas to buy food/drink but I mostly went to get drinks so I can't really comment about the food that they had for the event. Friends had gotten bags of chips and using prepackaged goods to judge a place for its amenities would be somewhat unfair to be sure. For drink options, there was beer and wine which was nice. The wine options available for the evening were a chardonnay and a cab but I didn't catch the wine brand that they had used. I came here for an Ellie Goulding Concert. The sound was actually pretty good and the lighting was nice. I moved around a lot between the floor and the upper seating but I could definitely see most everything from anywhere that I had gone. I'd say in the upper seating closest to the stage, there were speakers that obscured view of parts of the stage. Aside from that though, I had a blast. Saw Bebe Rexha walking outside the smoking area, got to say hi. The fan boy in me died a little bit. I would say that in respect to the sound, viewing from the center is the best you can get for sound quality. Even upstairs it is still fine, however if you are sitting in the seats nearest the stage upstairs there are some echoes to the sound which can make it somewhat difficult. The support staff was awesome. From those watching the halls, at the entrance to the smoking area, at the vendors, all of them were personable and friendly. I did not have one negative experience with them despite the numerous questions I had nor the inebriated jawing that came about towards the latter part of the evening. There were some older women that watched the door for the smoking area that get real kudos from me. I smoke quite a bit so I interacted with them the most, and they were awesome. Definitely gave the night a bit of an added charm. Bottom line: It is good for what it is. Not the greatest you'll ever experience, but a good space for the area depending on what you're there for. And pick where you are wisely if you're there for a concert. read more

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I really wish more of my favorite artist would play at this venue. It's absolutely a joy to go to. The acoustics are great for singers and it's amazing to have your pick of balcony seats or standing room on the floor. There isn't a crummy seat in the house! read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - View from left side balcony (my phone is old and that's without zoom) - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

Had to take medium sized purse back to car. Only allow very small purses. Not sure why, you go thru a metal detector to enter & they scan you. Was able to bring in my phone & tube of lipstick in my pocket. Not allowed to exit once enter. Wanted to check in, find seats, go to dinner & come back. Have consession stands, not many options, hot dogs, pretzels, chips & candy. Bar lines extremely long. read more

The chairs are child size and do not accommodate for long periods of sitting. Security takes so long as well. Disneyland handles their entrance better, with less scanners available. If you want to get your money's worth for a show, don't see it here. Avoid the tiny seats. read more

Came here for Brothers Osborne concert during covid. The precheck for vaccine or negative test was a joke. Didn't even verify it was us. The "bar room" was let just say a mask free zone with over a hundred of your friends with no mask on waiting to order drinks. read more

We came to see Bob Dylan whom we regard as the legend that he is. This was possibly the worst concert experience I've ever had. First, the venue was awful. From our $95 seats, the stage was about a football field away, also cramped with very little leg room. As for the show, Dylan sucked. I'm sorry, I love Bob Dylan, but this was a truly horrible performance. On and on he droned. Every song sounded like the one before it. No personal touch. No attempt to connect with the audience. No imagination. I've followed Dylan for 50+ years and have always wanted to see him live. I was utterly disappointed. Oh yeah and the elevators in the parking garage were out of service. read more

I am sorry but I won't give more than 3*s to a venue that does not and never will have wheelchair-access to the balconies and many, many stairs to even the ladies room read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - This is Saturday 7 December, 2019 Wells Fargo "Home for the Holidays" concert 2:00 & 7:00 - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

I took my 6 year old son to see Ellie Goulding and it was a great show with 100% open seating. I wish the concert promoters would use this space more often. Memorial Auditorium is truly unique and has so much history behind it, just check all the posters in hallways on who appeared here in the past. The acoustics are not the greatest in the world but considering the building age, I saw (and heard) much worse.. We came early but most of the good seating was already filled and some people would annoyingly hold 4 seats around them... But I guess that's what comes with GA. Everything else was great, including the parking in the garage across the street: easy in and out. Only reason why I'm taking a star away is because of the long lines for the bar and no beers on tap. I'm glad that my son's first show was at the Memorial and I surely hope he remembers it years later. read more

Really historical. Very pretty. Great photo op. We were walking around the area and saw that there was a cheerleading competition. It was fun to watch. It's a HUGE auditorium. We sat at the bottom and watched some schools do routines. The place is really antique looking and really just pretty. read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

This place is gorgeous! From conferences to graduations to cheer competitions, I have done it all here. The architecture is breath taking. You are able to see everything even if you are sitting on the second floor. No balloons allowed in side. Nice AC so you are not too hot. The entrance and exit is easy and accessible. The parking garage is right across the street and the location is to die for. Great venue and sound system! read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - We did it! - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

Great Sacramento landmark. Beautiful facility and great size to enjoy an event. read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - Ru Paul's Werq The World Tour, photograph by Colt McGraw 2019 - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

Beautiful and spacious auditorium with lots of legroom in the main floor seating area as well as ample seating in the balcony area. I was here for an Arbonne Pure Impact event and was so impressed the layout of the venue as well the lighting which appeared to be customized green for us. read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

Went to Sacramento Memorial Auditorium for Bayside Midtown's Easter Sunday Service. Awesome vibe! Side note: they need to update this place. The decor and seats are a bit old. read more

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium - Performing Arts Near Me - Sacramento, California

Nearly 100 years old (90 to be exact), the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium has hosted a plethora of events over the years - graduations, weddings, concerts, you name it! Many Sac residents have come here for something or other, or have at least seen it in passing amongst the variety of restaurants and bars nearby. We came here recently to see a comedy show headlined by Nick Offerman. Our seats on the first balcony still felt very close to the stage despite being upstairs and our visibility was good - enhanced by a big screen on the stage for those in the very back. I didn't notice any glaring issues with the audio or acoustics during the show, and the seats were decently comfortable. The architecture is one of the highlights - both exterior and interior stand out compared to the other buildings in the area. The outside looks particularly regal at night when the pillars in front are illuminated. The only thing is that, besides the magnificent exterior and the auditorium itself, the hallways around the rest of the building seem a bit lackluster and dated, showing its age a little more. Also, upon entering, I felt that the building itself was VERY confusing to navigate through, lacking ANY signs to direct you where to go to reach a certain section. We had to deduce where our seats were located through trial and error of going up and down the stairs a few times. And though there were a lot of staff members running around, no one stopped to help us despite us looking extremely lost. Overall, I would come back if there were another event here that piqued my interest, but it wouldn't be my first choice of venue, especially for a high intensity concert or something similar - the building itself seems a better match for more relaxed or professional events. read more

I am going to have to rate this venue a 3 and that's because I can't give it a 2.5 so I'll just be generous. What had happened was I was trying to smuggle in a bagel. I mean not really, I just knew I would be hungry so I brought a bagel from the crib and tell me why the security made it seem like I was out here tryna smuggle in El Chapo to the Russ Concert. I get that she was doing her job, so I wasn't going to argue and I was cooperative-- but how they not going to let me bring in the bagel. That's messed up man-- I was really looking forward to that bagel. OH and guess what- I got hungry during the concert. smh. This was truly an eye opening experience for me. I didn't realize there was so much hate on bagels. I am so taken back by this and I don't know if I can ever fully recover. I really hope they re-evaluate their outside food policy-- I don't think anyone should ever be so torn because they got their bagel taken away. read more

Saw "Dear Evan Hansen" from balcony side seating. The side seating faces completely profile to the stage, so audience members have to twist sideways to see the performance. This caused considerable discomfort and pain in my upper back and neck for the entire week following the show. While the view and sound was decent from the balcony side seating, sitting through an entire show is very uncomfortable. read more

The show (Dear Evan Hansen) was great, and the group sales guy was wonderful to work with. But the venue isn't great. Our tickets were on the side near the rear, so we were facing the opposite side, with the stage being far to the left. It's an awkward position to watch a show where you need to watch for long periods of time, as opposed to a concert where you don't actually have to watch every minute. We were in the raised area (the reason those seats were recommended) but still had a hard time seeing past heads. So, Yay for the shows. Nay for the venue. It was disappointing. read more

Good sound, like the vibe, they shut alcohol sales at the set break...fucking morons. Like maybe make it through the set break. Never seen anything so dumb. Bathroom situation is also shit, maybe that why they cut the booze off early read more

This was the venue of my daughter's recent competitive cheerleading competition. This is one of the 6 different venues of the Sacramento Convention Center complex. It's an old, ornate building built in 1927, dedicated to American War Veterans of past campaigns, and its listed in the National Historic Register. Something you don't see nowadays, especially in earthquake-prone California, the exterior of the building is made of brick. Lots of black and white tile used in the bathrooms, and the interior of the auditorium has lots of gold decorations. The architecture of this building reminds me of the Marine's Memorial Theatre in San Francisco, or the Civic Auditorium of the San Jose Convention Center complex. Not as modern as many concert venues, the acoustics for concerts and other events may not be the greatest, and as other reviewers have stated, bathrooms could use some upgrading, it's still a beautiful building, and a relatively well-preserved example of early 20th century art deco architecture. read more

My first time coming here was a historic occasion. President Bill Clinton was in town to speak as part of the Sacramento Speaker Series. They opted to have him speak here rather than at the more modern auditorium off Capitol Park, I can only assume for security reasons as he had a ton of Secret Service in tow. My first shock came when I found my seat. It was small, rock hard and wooden and looked to have been the original seat installed close to 90 years ago when the place was built. Halfway through his speech I lost all feeling in my ass. My second shock was the horrible acoustics, which echoed and changed in volume and pitch so it was rather hard to hear him at some points. When the person whispering five rows back is equally audible to the man on stage, you have a problem. Nevertheless, this is a piece of history I am glad to have experienced. My mom said she saw the Beach Boys here way back in the day and I'm sure that's just the tip of the historical iceberg. Still, it would be nice if this handsome old building got a facelift. read more

I recently went to my niece's graduation ceremony at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium. I was just as taken by its beauty, grace, and personality as I was when I was a child. They don't build structures like that anymore. Most modern auditoriums are concrete, glass, and chrome and have little to offer in the way of any resemblance of personality. What a great piece of Sacramento history. I remember standing near the auditorium while watching the Christmas parades in the late fifties and early sixties, then going somewhere for donuts and hot chocolate, sometimes we even dropped by Weinstocks on 12th & K to see Santa, before returning to the Memorial Auditorium to watch the annual children's Christmas show. Unlike a lot of young children, I was always fascinated by clowns. So, when I went to watch the circus at the Memorial Auditorium in the early sixties, my favorite part of the circus was eating cracker jacks and watching the clowns. They were mainly a bunch of funny dressed really short people acting silly. I loved them and felt a very heavy sadness for them at the same time. Years went by and I felt great despair when the Memorial Auditorium closed its doors in 1986. I was hoping that it would not go the way of the downtown shopping district and its magnificent stores and theaters. I wasn't living in the area at the time but was very excited when I heard that the auditorium had reopened its doors ten years later in 1996. Passing by that grand structure always fills me with great community pride. All those wonderful childhood memories come flooding back, not only of the auditorium, but the whole downtown area. My heart swells and I am filled with joy along with a deep sorrow for all of the things that no longer exist. read more