My sister-in-law recently had a very scary experience where she had an allergic reaction to a blueberry, and she has eaten blueberries for years, she has never experienced anything like this. 

Earlier this year I had an allergic reaction to a medication I was on for my back issues and had a scary psychosis side effect happen. I have never been allergic to anything, but come to find out I am allergic to medications with steroids. I think it is so important to share our stories in the hope to help others. 

When I heard her story I immediately thought of young people away at college or people similar to her, who have never had an allergic reaction to anything.  Would you know what to do? Would you know the symptoms to look for? It is also important for bystanders to know what to do. Too often unless we experience something or know someone close to us who experiences something, we can't relate, or we don't fully understand and know the gravity of the situation. Not only is her story important to share in regards to anaphylactic shock, but also for a reminder about compassion.  We should look at everyone and every situation through the eyes of compassion.

She shared pictures and her story on Facebook and I asked for permission to share her story. 

Below are her words:

**warning long post - my story with pics to boot 😁- def not cute, but very real
I don’t do these type of posts often-consider this my PSA for October:
Less than a week ago, without some divine intervention, I probably would have died. I’m a relatively healthy 45 year old and I’ve never been allergic to any type of food in my entire life. However, on that Friday, October 14th, after eating some blueberries from Sams Club (which I have eaten hundreds of times), my body went into an anaphylactic shock.
Within a matter of minutes, my lungs started wheezing and my breathing became so labored, it was difficult to talk. My nasal passage almost immediately blocked and I could feel the pressure in both my ears. My eyes begin to itch and swell so much, I could not open them to see. It felt as though there were a million tiny rocks rolling around the surface of my pupils.
I’m so grateful my husband had been running a few errands with me that morning. If I had been alone, I would not have been able to drive myself. I had him take me home, not realizing the seriousness of what was happening. My plan was to hop in the shower, hoping to “wash off “ whatever it was that was causing my swelling eyes and my labored breathing. The shower proved to be no help at all. It went from really bad-to really, really bad in just a matter of minutes.
My breathing became progressively worse. I knew it was time to head to an emergency room- I didn’t know what else to do or how to remedy this. On my way there I can’t explain the feeling of not being able to breathe, gasping for air & not getting enough of it. It was so surreal what was happening.
Thankfully, we only live seven minutes from the nearest emergency room- Rancho Springs Medical Center My husband pulls the car into the emergency entrance loop, and by this time, I've lost color to my face, I’m disoriented and I just keep telling him “I can’t breathe “ -repeatedly grabbing at my throat as though somehow I could remove what felt like a vice grip around my neck.
The emergency room security guard does not realize the gravity of my situation and tells my husband to bring me in line in a wheelchair since I was no longer able to stand on my own- still gasping for air. My husband‘s reply at that point was, “I don’t think that’s going to work- she CAN’T breathe.” The security guard quickly gets on the phone and calls an ER nurse to come out.
I am so grateful even more for first responders and their ability to do their job in complete calm. As soon as the assessing nurse sees me, she realizes my body had gone into an anaphylactic shock, clears the pathway, and hurriedly wheels me into an exam room. At this point, I have three nurses come into the room where one administers an epinephrine injection to my inner thigh as soon as they secure me on a bed.
The relief I felt after that injection- within minutes -gets me emotional thinking about it right now. Then, they administered a large dose of Benadryl and a steroid to try to reduce the swelling on my face. All that mattered to me, was that my lungs were cleared and I could breathe. It was amazing. I truly believe God used that team to save my life.
I had a huge paradigm shift that night. Prior to my own personal experience, I had always considered people who had a nut allergy, or a dairy allergy or any food-related allergy could overcome their situation somehow- and maybe they were just a bit too “sensitive”- not that I was unkind in any way, but I don’t think I was as empathetic as I am now or as compassionate towards the severity of what someone can go through in an anaphylactic reaction.
It was a very traumatic experience because of the unknown factor. My husband didn’t know the signs to look for, and I had no clue what was happening to my body or the words to articulate my pain and discomfort. It wasn’t until I did some research after I was released from the hospital that I became aware of the severity of these conditions. I had gone through every symptom they listed within a 30-minute period- it was unreal!
So my hope in posting this is twofold. I hope that I am more considerate & compassionate of how serious illnesses are for specific people and the battles they face- we don’t know what others are struggling with- so we can’t judge their battle.
Secondly, I pray that people will become aware of what to look for in someone who is experiencing something like this and how to either administer help to them or get them to a place they can be helped in a short amount of time- a life could be spared as a result. Please feel free to share.
Be kind. Be Well. Be aware 😊
A grateful life,
El ❤️

I also wanted to share in case you are not aware of GoodRx a website where you can save on prescriptions. After her experience when she went to get an EpiPen, to be prepared in case it ever happens again, the EpiPen was crazy expensive, and not very much was covered through her insurance. She was able to use GoodRx and save some money. Over the years I have used GoodRx so I wanted to make sure to share. They are a great resource to see if you can save on any medications you or your loved ones may be taking.

Another option to look to save money on prescriptions is Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company. I personally have not used this one, but you can search their website to see if they carry the prescription you are looking to save on. The pharmaceutical and medical industry is crazy expensive it is a multi-billion dollar industry. I am always open to finding ways to save. I love that Mark Cuban has come up with this idea and started this company. "Everyone should have safe, affordable medicines with transparent prices."– Mark Cuban

Back to touching on compassion, it is a great reminder to be mindful of others and what they may be allergic to. I remember when my kids were younger, it was frequently asked amongst our kids' classrooms, playdates, and general get-togethers with other families if anyone had any allergies. None of my kids are allergic to anything, so asking about allergies is not always on the front of my mind, but it is important to ask whenever you have other people's children in your care.

This situation also has made me have conversations with my older children, hopefully, to prepare them in case they are around any kind of medical emergency, I hope I can help them be prepared as much as possible. When I had my allergic reactions to medication earlier this year, thankfully my husband kept pushing for me to be seen, he knew something wasn't right. Thankfully I had kept a log in my phone notes, of every dose I took and I tracked every time I had slept, which was not very much. I had gone more than 24 hours without sleeping. All of my notes helped my husband and my doctors get to the bottom of what was going on. Please share this with your family and friends.

Do You Know Anaphylactic Shock Symptoms?

My sister-in-law recently had a very scary experience where she had an allergic reaction to a blueberry, and she has eaten blueberries for years, she has never experienced anything like this. 

Earlier this year I had an allergic reaction to a medication I was on for my back issues and had a scary psychosis side effect happen. I have never been allergic to anything, but come to find out I am allergic to medications with steroids. I think it is so important to share our stories in the hope to help others. 

When I heard her story I immediately thought of young people away at college or people similar to her, who have never had an allergic reaction to anything.  Would you know what to do? Would you know the symptoms to look for? It is also important for bystanders to know what to do. Too often unless we experience something or know someone close to us who experiences something, we can't relate, or we don't fully understand and know the gravity of the situation. Not only is her story important to share in regards to anaphylactic shock, but also for a reminder about compassion.  We should look at everyone and every situation through the eyes of compassion.

She shared pictures and her story on Facebook and I asked for permission to share her story. 

Below are her words:

**warning long post - my story with pics to boot 😁- def not cute, but very real
I don’t do these type of posts often-consider this my PSA for October:
Less than a week ago, without some divine intervention, I probably would have died. I’m a relatively healthy 45 year old and I’ve never been allergic to any type of food in my entire life. However, on that Friday, October 14th, after eating some blueberries from Sams Club (which I have eaten hundreds of times), my body went into an anaphylactic shock.
Within a matter of minutes, my lungs started wheezing and my breathing became so labored, it was difficult to talk. My nasal passage almost immediately blocked and I could feel the pressure in both my ears. My eyes begin to itch and swell so much, I could not open them to see. It felt as though there were a million tiny rocks rolling around the surface of my pupils.
I’m so grateful my husband had been running a few errands with me that morning. If I had been alone, I would not have been able to drive myself. I had him take me home, not realizing the seriousness of what was happening. My plan was to hop in the shower, hoping to “wash off “ whatever it was that was causing my swelling eyes and my labored breathing. The shower proved to be no help at all. It went from really bad-to really, really bad in just a matter of minutes.
My breathing became progressively worse. I knew it was time to head to an emergency room- I didn’t know what else to do or how to remedy this. On my way there I can’t explain the feeling of not being able to breathe, gasping for air & not getting enough of it. It was so surreal what was happening.
Thankfully, we only live seven minutes from the nearest emergency room- Rancho Springs Medical Center My husband pulls the car into the emergency entrance loop, and by this time, I've lost color to my face, I’m disoriented and I just keep telling him “I can’t breathe “ -repeatedly grabbing at my throat as though somehow I could remove what felt like a vice grip around my neck.
The emergency room security guard does not realize the gravity of my situation and tells my husband to bring me in line in a wheelchair since I was no longer able to stand on my own- still gasping for air. My husband‘s reply at that point was, “I don’t think that’s going to work- she CAN’T breathe.” The security guard quickly gets on the phone and calls an ER nurse to come out.
I am so grateful even more for first responders and their ability to do their job in complete calm. As soon as the assessing nurse sees me, she realizes my body had gone into an anaphylactic shock, clears the pathway, and hurriedly wheels me into an exam room. At this point, I have three nurses come into the room where one administers an epinephrine injection to my inner thigh as soon as they secure me on a bed.
The relief I felt after that injection- within minutes -gets me emotional thinking about it right now. Then, they administered a large dose of Benadryl and a steroid to try to reduce the swelling on my face. All that mattered to me, was that my lungs were cleared and I could breathe. It was amazing. I truly believe God used that team to save my life.
I had a huge paradigm shift that night. Prior to my own personal experience, I had always considered people who had a nut allergy, or a dairy allergy or any food-related allergy could overcome their situation somehow- and maybe they were just a bit too “sensitive”- not that I was unkind in any way, but I don’t think I was as empathetic as I am now or as compassionate towards the severity of what someone can go through in an anaphylactic reaction.
It was a very traumatic experience because of the unknown factor. My husband didn’t know the signs to look for, and I had no clue what was happening to my body or the words to articulate my pain and discomfort. It wasn’t until I did some research after I was released from the hospital that I became aware of the severity of these conditions. I had gone through every symptom they listed within a 30-minute period- it was unreal!
So my hope in posting this is twofold. I hope that I am more considerate & compassionate of how serious illnesses are for specific people and the battles they face- we don’t know what others are struggling with- so we can’t judge their battle.
Secondly, I pray that people will become aware of what to look for in someone who is experiencing something like this and how to either administer help to them or get them to a place they can be helped in a short amount of time- a life could be spared as a result. Please feel free to share.
Be kind. Be Well. Be aware 😊
A grateful life,
El ❤️

I also wanted to share in case you are not aware of GoodRx a website where you can save on prescriptions. After her experience when she went to get an EpiPen, to be prepared in case it ever happens again, the EpiPen was crazy expensive, and not very much was covered through her insurance. She was able to use GoodRx and save some money. Over the years I have used GoodRx so I wanted to make sure to share. They are a great resource to see if you can save on any medications you or your loved ones may be taking.

Another option to look to save money on prescriptions is Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company. I personally have not used this one, but you can search their website to see if they carry the prescription you are looking to save on. The pharmaceutical and medical industry is crazy expensive it is a multi-billion dollar industry. I am always open to finding ways to save. I love that Mark Cuban has come up with this idea and started this company. "Everyone should have safe, affordable medicines with transparent prices."– Mark Cuban

Back to touching on compassion, it is a great reminder to be mindful of others and what they may be allergic to. I remember when my kids were younger, it was frequently asked amongst our kids' classrooms, playdates, and general get-togethers with other families if anyone had any allergies. None of my kids are allergic to anything, so asking about allergies is not always on the front of my mind, but it is important to ask whenever you have other people's children in your care.

This situation also has made me have conversations with my older children, hopefully, to prepare them in case they are around any kind of medical emergency, I hope I can help them be prepared as much as possible. When I had my allergic reactions to medication earlier this year, thankfully my husband kept pushing for me to be seen, he knew something wasn't right. Thankfully I had kept a log in my phone notes, of every dose I took and I tracked every time I had slept, which was not very much. I had gone more than 24 hours without sleeping. All of my notes helped my husband and my doctors get to the bottom of what was going on. Please share this with your family and friends.

Read more »

Disclosure: I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows.  Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine.

Get ready to discover the hero inside us all when Disney On Ice returns with a magical adventure for the whole family!  Audiences will discover what it truly means to be a hero as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and friends from around the Disney Kingdom come together to take families on a journey through timeless tales when Disney On Ice presents Find Your Hero skates into Sacramento from November 3–6 at Golden 1 Center. 

Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy take you on an adventure filled with tales and heroism from your favorite Disney stories.  Join fearless wayfinder Moana and demigod Maui as they bravely voyage into uncharted territories to return the stolen heart of TeFiti.  Journey alongside Anna and Elsa on their quest to protect the kingdom with their hilarious snowman Olaf.  Dive “Under The Sea” and test the power of true love with The Little Mermaid.  Get tangled with Rapunzel as she dares to explore the world outside her own.  Relive a “Tale as Old as Time” when Belle opens her heart to new adventures and the Beast’s enchanted objects take center stage for a dazzling skating spectacle inviting audiences to “Be Our Guest.”

Discover that courage, determination and heart are all part of the hero in you as Disney On Ice presents Find Your Hero brings beloved characters to life through cutting-edge figure-skating, eye-catching costumes and stunning set designs.  Innovative lighting, thrilling special effects, high-flying jumps and breathtaking skating make Disney On Ice presents Find Your Hero an experience the whole family will treasure forever!

WHEN:          

Thursday, November 3rd at 7:00 PM

Friday, November 4th at 7:00 PM

Saturday, November 5th 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM & 7:00 PM

Sunday, November 6th 12:00 PM & 4:00 PM

 

WHERE: Golden 1 Center – 500 David J. Stern Walk, Sacramento, CA 95814

 

TICKETS: Family-friendly ticket pricing available – tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or visit the venue box office during regular hours *Ticket pricing is subject to change based on market demand. 

  

Follow Disney On Ice social media channels: Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. 

Subscribe to the Disney On Ice YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/DisneyOnIce

                                                                           

About Feld Entertainment

Feld Entertainment® is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live family entertainment experiences that bring people together and uplift the human spirit. Properties include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, Disney On Ice, Disney Live!, Marvel Universe LIVE!, Sesame Street Live!, DreamWorks Trolls The Experience and Jurassic World Live Tour. Across the brand portfolio, Feld Entertainment has entertained millions of families in more than 75 countries and on six continents. Visit feldentertainment.com for more information.

Disney on Ice Find Your Hero November 3-6, 2022 | Sacramento Golden 1 Center

Disclosure: I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows.  Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine.

Get ready to discover the hero inside us all when Disney On Ice returns with a magical adventure for the whole family!  Audiences will discover what it truly means to be a hero as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and friends from around the Disney Kingdom come together to take families on a journey through timeless tales when Disney On Ice presents Find Your Hero skates into Sacramento from November 3–6 at Golden 1 Center. 

Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy take you on an adventure filled with tales and heroism from your favorite Disney stories.  Join fearless wayfinder Moana and demigod Maui as they bravely voyage into uncharted territories to return the stolen heart of TeFiti.  Journey alongside Anna and Elsa on their quest to protect the kingdom with their hilarious snowman Olaf.  Dive “Under The Sea” and test the power of true love with The Little Mermaid.  Get tangled with Rapunzel as she dares to explore the world outside her own.  Relive a “Tale as Old as Time” when Belle opens her heart to new adventures and the Beast’s enchanted objects take center stage for a dazzling skating spectacle inviting audiences to “Be Our Guest.”

Discover that courage, determination and heart are all part of the hero in you as Disney On Ice presents Find Your Hero brings beloved characters to life through cutting-edge figure-skating, eye-catching costumes and stunning set designs.  Innovative lighting, thrilling special effects, high-flying jumps and breathtaking skating make Disney On Ice presents Find Your Hero an experience the whole family will treasure forever!

WHEN:          

Thursday, November 3rd at 7:00 PM

Friday, November 4th at 7:00 PM

Saturday, November 5th 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM & 7:00 PM

Sunday, November 6th 12:00 PM & 4:00 PM

 

WHERE: Golden 1 Center – 500 David J. Stern Walk, Sacramento, CA 95814

 

TICKETS: Family-friendly ticket pricing available – tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or visit the venue box office during regular hours *Ticket pricing is subject to change based on market demand. 

  

Follow Disney On Ice social media channels: Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. 

Subscribe to the Disney On Ice YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/DisneyOnIce

                                                                           

About Feld Entertainment

Feld Entertainment® is the worldwide leader in producing and presenting live family entertainment experiences that bring people together and uplift the human spirit. Properties include Monster Jam®, Monster Energy Supercross, Disney On Ice, Disney Live!, Marvel Universe LIVE!, Sesame Street Live!, DreamWorks Trolls The Experience and Jurassic World Live Tour. Across the brand portfolio, Feld Entertainment has entertained millions of families in more than 75 countries and on six continents. Visit feldentertainment.com for more information.
Read more »

Disclosure: This is a sponsored blog post in collaboration with Party City, I was compensated in exchange for my time and efforts in reporting my opinion. Although I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine. I may receive a small commission on some of the links within this post at no extra cost to you. 

It is Trunk-or-Treat Season!!! This year we went with a Strangers Things theme! I love Trunk-or-Treat events, if you have never been, it is so much fun.  Trunk-or-Treats are often held at churches and schools, although I love that I have seen businesses and neighborhoods getting in on the Trunk-or-Treat fun more and more! Trunk-or-Treat events are becoming quite popular!

For a Trunk-or-Treat event, you get a ton of participants to decorate the trunk of their vehicle and gather in a well-lit parking lot.  Then each trunk participant passes out candy and even sometimes has carnival-themed games as well.

Over the years we have done a variety of Trunk-or-Treat themes, our favorites have been a Football-themed Trunk, a Ninja Turtle-themed Trunk, and a Pirate-themed Trunk.

Party City always makes Trunk-or-Treat easy, they have the best costumes and a ton of decorations. I absolutely LOVE the costumes we chose we went with Argyle and Lucas. Party City even has a variety of Trunk-or-Treat Kits. I could look down every aisle at Party City! I love that they were my one-stop shop to help us get Trunk-or-Treat ready! We found everything we needed at Party City. I have a feeling Stranger Things costumes and trunks are going to be quite popular this year!



Here are the items we bought for our Trunk-or-Treat at Party City:

Stranger Things Letter Banner with Accent Banner, 12ft - $8

The Demogorgon Plastic Scene Setter, 65in x 65in - Stranger Things - $7


Adult Argyle Surfer Boy Pizza Delivery Costume - Stranger Things 4 (I bought the Adult XS for my 15-year-old.)

Kids' Lucas Hawkins High Basketball Costume - Stranger Things 4  (I bought the Childs S/M for my 7-year-old and Childs M/L for my 12-year-old).


Kettle/Cauldron for Candy - $10


Realistic Hanging Skeleton, 3ft - Halloween Decoration - $12 



Inflatable Electric Guitar - $5



Inflatable Boom Box - $10


Asymmetric Glasses - $8 (I thought these went perfect with the Argyle Costume)


We of course bought candy, I was super impressed by the amazing selection of candy as well as non-candy items. I love to have some non-candy options such as slime, pencils, and stickers. These are great to have for kids who cannot have candy. 

We also added a few DIY components, like the TV made out of a cardboard box, the Eggo Waffle Box for Eleven, and Pizza Boxes inspired by Argyle's favorite Surfer Boy Pizza. 

Other great items:

Kids' Eleven Costume - Stranger Things 4



Kid's Hawkins High Cheerleader Costume - Stranger Things 4


Adult Hawkins High Cheerleader Costume - Stranger Things 4


Party City Stranger Things Dustin Wig Hat

Party City Dustin Halloween Costume

The Nightmare Before Christmas Trunk-or-Treat Decorating Kit, 41pc - $40




If you are local to the Sacramento area I have a blog post of local Family-friendly Fall Events and there are some Trunk-or-Treat events on this post click here. 

I am extremely grateful for your support of my blog and my social media posts. Your support enables me to receive these benefits. I love sharing great services/products with you, we only share things that we have used and enjoy.  Thank you for reading if you’ve enjoyed the content you’ve read above please share it with your friends. 

Trunk or Treat Stranger Things Style

Disclosure: This is a sponsored blog post in collaboration with Party City, I was compensated in exchange for my time and efforts in reporting my opinion. Although I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine. I may receive a small commission on some of the links within this post at no extra cost to you. 

It is Trunk-or-Treat Season!!! This year we went with a Strangers Things theme! I love Trunk-or-Treat events, if you have never been, it is so much fun.  Trunk-or-Treats are often held at churches and schools, although I love that I have seen businesses and neighborhoods getting in on the Trunk-or-Treat fun more and more! Trunk-or-Treat events are becoming quite popular!

For a Trunk-or-Treat event, you get a ton of participants to decorate the trunk of their vehicle and gather in a well-lit parking lot.  Then each trunk participant passes out candy and even sometimes has carnival-themed games as well.

Over the years we have done a variety of Trunk-or-Treat themes, our favorites have been a Football-themed Trunk, a Ninja Turtle-themed Trunk, and a Pirate-themed Trunk.

Party City always makes Trunk-or-Treat easy, they have the best costumes and a ton of decorations. I absolutely LOVE the costumes we chose we went with Argyle and Lucas. Party City even has a variety of Trunk-or-Treat Kits. I could look down every aisle at Party City! I love that they were my one-stop shop to help us get Trunk-or-Treat ready! We found everything we needed at Party City. I have a feeling Stranger Things costumes and trunks are going to be quite popular this year!



Here are the items we bought for our Trunk-or-Treat at Party City:

Stranger Things Letter Banner with Accent Banner, 12ft - $8

The Demogorgon Plastic Scene Setter, 65in x 65in - Stranger Things - $7


Adult Argyle Surfer Boy Pizza Delivery Costume - Stranger Things 4 (I bought the Adult XS for my 15-year-old.)

Kids' Lucas Hawkins High Basketball Costume - Stranger Things 4  (I bought the Childs S/M for my 7-year-old and Childs M/L for my 12-year-old).


Kettle/Cauldron for Candy - $10


Realistic Hanging Skeleton, 3ft - Halloween Decoration - $12 



Inflatable Electric Guitar - $5



Inflatable Boom Box - $10


Asymmetric Glasses - $8 (I thought these went perfect with the Argyle Costume)


We of course bought candy, I was super impressed by the amazing selection of candy as well as non-candy items. I love to have some non-candy options such as slime, pencils, and stickers. These are great to have for kids who cannot have candy. 

We also added a few DIY components, like the TV made out of a cardboard box, the Eggo Waffle Box for Eleven, and Pizza Boxes inspired by Argyle's favorite Surfer Boy Pizza. 

Other great items:

Kids' Eleven Costume - Stranger Things 4



Kid's Hawkins High Cheerleader Costume - Stranger Things 4


Adult Hawkins High Cheerleader Costume - Stranger Things 4


Party City Stranger Things Dustin Wig Hat

Party City Dustin Halloween Costume

The Nightmare Before Christmas Trunk-or-Treat Decorating Kit, 41pc - $40




If you are local to the Sacramento area I have a blog post of local Family-friendly Fall Events and there are some Trunk-or-Treat events on this post click here. 

I am extremely grateful for your support of my blog and my social media posts. Your support enables me to receive these benefits. I love sharing great services/products with you, we only share things that we have used and enjoy.  Thank you for reading if you’ve enjoyed the content you’ve read above please share it with your friends. 
Read more »

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Golden Sky Festival and Visit Sacramento. This page does contain affiliate links. Although we receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine. The Golden Sky Festival is an event you want to be at next year! #GoldenSky #GoldenSkyPartner #DWPresents #VisitSacramento

This year was the inaugural year of the Golden Sky Festival! A Country Music Festival that is going to be a NEW Sacramento annual tradition you want to be at! The Golden Sky Festival took place on Saturday, October 15th, and Sunday, October 16th at Discovery Park (1600 Garden Highway, Sacramento, CA). This two-day Country Music Festival had an amazing lineup of Country Music Artists like Tim McGraw, Brothers Osborne, Carly Pierce, Diamond Rio, Matt Stell, Lindsay Ell, Chase Matthew, Mabilene, Sam Hunt, Midland, Michael Ray, Parmalee, LANCO, Elvie Shane, Ernest and so many more!



There were two main stages, The Visit Sacramento Stage and The Jack Daniels Stage. There was a small break between each artist, so you were able to see everyone and have time to grab food, and take part in the other festivities. If you wanted to move between both stages that was easy enough to do, but you could also stay near one stage, and still not miss a thing, because they had big screens to see the artist performing even from the other stage.  


The Golden Sky team really did a great job of planning this event, and thinking of activities for you to enjoy throughout the day. They had line dancing and partner two-stepping lessons at the River City Saloon and Dance Hall as well as Billy the Bull to have some fun on.


They had food areas such as the Farm House area as well as food trucks, food vendor booths, and plenty of other vendor booths for you to shop at with a lot of great local goods. While there were a ton of people there, we did not feel like we had to wait in long lines.  We ordered a grilled dog and a wood fire-grilled pizza, which our pizza cooked really fast. 



I wanted to share some tips with you so you can make the most of your Golden Sky Festival experience next year while everything is still fresh in my mind from attending this year.  I also love to share where we stayed and what we ate. If you are traveling to Sacramento for this event I hope this comes in handy for you and if you are a local, I hope this gets you excited for next year, please share this information with your friends and family. One thing for sure, purchase your tickets/passes early.  The VIP weekend passes sold out quickly this year, I can only imagine this event is going to grow and become more popular next year. 

Let's get to the tips first.

Bring water with you! This is a MUST, they had plenty of water bar stations to refill and stay hydrated. Although we had the perfect weather this year, it can be hot in Sacramento well into October. One sealed water bottle per person is allowed in or an empty plastic refillable water bottle (no hydro flasks or Yetis). 

Bring a picnic blanket to sit on! There were some picnic table areas, near the food areas, but a blanket is a must especially if you plan on hanging out all day. The gates opened at 11:30 AM and the event went past 10 PM. There are no re-entry privileges, once you have entered the venue each day, you cannot leave and come back in. A blanket is also a great way to save your spot, while you go grab some food or use the restroom.

What time to arrive? Totally up to you, while we arrived early and enjoyed staying the entire time, we planned ahead for that. It really is a great place to hang out, play corn hole, eat great food and enjoy the activities and peruse all of the great vendors. This is the perfect event to meet up with friends stay all day listening to music and enjoy the weekend. 

Wear comfy shoes! If you plan on staying all day, open to close, you will want to wear comfy shoes. There is dirt and grass, and lots of walking, so I personally wouldn't wear heels or white boots. I love these Walmart shoes I found online here. 

Wear layers. While it was a gorgeous sunny day, in the '80s, it was chilly in the evenings. I was so glad I brought my denim jacket to put on in the evening.

Know the bag policy. A clear bag these days is the easiest way to get through security at any event.  While they do allow small bags and fanny packs, clear bags are the easiest to get through security. Be sure to shop early for a clear bag, often times, if you wait too close to the date of large events local stores are sold out. Here is one that is the size we brought in.

I have to share this photo of my cute purse, which was perfect for the weekend around town and made me feel like I was getting in the country mood, but I did not take it into the festival. We just took our clear bag. I never like to even try to bring in a purse, because I have seen too many people at Golden 1 Center events who have had to walk their purses/bags back to the car. But if you are looking for a country-style purse this is one of my favorite purses. 

Lockers are available and a great option to keep your valuables safe so you don't have to carry stuff around all day. You can reserve your locker ahead of time, they sent out e-mails near the event date with locker information.

Wear sunscreen, and bring a travel-sized to reapply.  There were shaded areas, to get out of the sun but sunscreen is essential. 

Are kids allowed? Yes, we saw families with kids of all ages. You can't bring a stroller so a baby-carrying sling of some kind is a must and if you have older kids and teens, you might want to bring a deck of cards or something to help keep them entertained.

Parking. Parking was the only thing that I wish they could improve on, but honestly don't see how they can, it is what it is for Discovery Park events. Parking is $40 per day at the lots nearby and you still have to walk quite a bit. If you live in the area and can have a friend drop you off and pick you up, that would be amazing.  Taking Uber, Lyft or some kind of ride-sharing is another option, depending on where you are coming from. Golden Sky also partnered with SacRT, Festival fans can ride SacRT buses and the light rail trains for FREE on event days with a valid Golden Sky Festival pass for the day of service. 

Download the Golden Sky App before you go!!! This was such a help to have the schedule of who was performing on what stage and at what time.  The App has a Map, a list of Experiences, FAQs, and more!

This event was a fun weekend date night for us. We stayed at the Hyatt Centric Hotel right in the heart of Downtown Sacramento, within walking distance to the Golden 1 Center. The hotel was beautiful, they had a gorgeous lobby with a restaurant as well as a rooftop bar. The Hotel restaurant is The 7th Street Standard, voted Sacramento's Best New Restaurant! Visit Sacramento so kindly had a gift basket in our room. My husband loved the hat, which he needed for the Festival and the portable charger came in handy. The room was spacious, chic, and comfy. Our room had a mini fridge and Keurig for coffee. 





The Hyatt Centric is conveniently located at 1122 7th Street, within walking distance of so many great restaurants and coffee shops. If you haven't hung out at DOCO it is a great place to walk around, shop, and enjoy the area, there is even easy access to stroll into Old Sacramento. There is a Macy's and a bunch of small shops. We had so much fun hanging out at DOCO. 



On one of the mornings, we enjoyed coffee at Estelle Bakery & Pâtisserie. All of the pastries looked so mouth-watering, they had scones, muffins, macaroons, and so much more! I ordered the Pumpkin Muffin and an iced coffee. They have a location on Arden Way and a Downtown location. 

One of the restaurants we ate at was House Kitchen & Bar, wow, amazing service and delicious food. We ordered the Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes for an appetizer and oh my goodness they were so good. The three large tamale cakes were topped with a delicious tomatillo corn salsa. These had the perfect amount of sweetness, and let the tamale flavor shine through. 


I ordered the Carolina-style Pulled Pork Sandwich and my husband ordered the Shrimp Po'Boy.  Both were so good.  The Pulled Pork Sandwich was served on a King's Hawaiian roll and topped with pineapple coleslaw. The Po'Boy Sandwich had a cabbage slaw and spicy mayo.  Both came with fries. I'm not sure what the freshly fried golden fries were seasoned with, but it was so good.  We were offered more fries halfway through our meal which surprised me. If you have not been to House Kitchen & Bar, I highly recommend it. They are located at 555 Capitol Mall. They are the perfect spot to eat dinner before a Kings Game or Golden 1 Center event. 



One thing is for sure we ate really well! Sacramento seriously has so many great places to eat! If you are visiting or a local I highly recommend exploring this beautiful city and all it has to offer. Below are some photos of just a few of the artists, it goes without saying each artist was AMAZING. Everyone was great at interacting with the crowd, sharing small snippets of their life, and of course doing what they do best, performing! There is something special about a LIVE performance, they feed off the crowd and the crowd sings along, the entire Golden Sky weekend was so much fun, nothing like it. Be sure to sign up to be in the know for when they announce next year's dates and line-up, you can sign up here.




If you haven't noticed we LOVE to take and share photos. Be sure to follow us on TikTok, and Instagram, those are always the first places we share local events like this and take you along with us for all the fun. Of course, you can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and subscribe to our YouTube. We appreciate every like, comment, and share! It is an absolutely FREE way for you to support our blog. Thank you!!!









Visit Sacramento for the Country Music Golden Sky Festival

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Golden Sky Festival and Visit Sacramento. This page does contain affiliate links. Although we receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine. The Golden Sky Festival is an event you want to be at next year! #GoldenSky #GoldenSkyPartner #DWPresents #VisitSacramento

This year was the inaugural year of the Golden Sky Festival! A Country Music Festival that is going to be a NEW Sacramento annual tradition you want to be at! The Golden Sky Festival took place on Saturday, October 15th, and Sunday, October 16th at Discovery Park (1600 Garden Highway, Sacramento, CA). This two-day Country Music Festival had an amazing lineup of Country Music Artists like Tim McGraw, Brothers Osborne, Carly Pierce, Diamond Rio, Matt Stell, Lindsay Ell, Chase Matthew, Mabilene, Sam Hunt, Midland, Michael Ray, Parmalee, LANCO, Elvie Shane, Ernest and so many more!



There were two main stages, The Visit Sacramento Stage and The Jack Daniels Stage. There was a small break between each artist, so you were able to see everyone and have time to grab food, and take part in the other festivities. If you wanted to move between both stages that was easy enough to do, but you could also stay near one stage, and still not miss a thing, because they had big screens to see the artist performing even from the other stage.  


The Golden Sky team really did a great job of planning this event, and thinking of activities for you to enjoy throughout the day. They had line dancing and partner two-stepping lessons at the River City Saloon and Dance Hall as well as Billy the Bull to have some fun on.


They had food areas such as the Farm House area as well as food trucks, food vendor booths, and plenty of other vendor booths for you to shop at with a lot of great local goods. While there were a ton of people there, we did not feel like we had to wait in long lines.  We ordered a grilled dog and a wood fire-grilled pizza, which our pizza cooked really fast. 



I wanted to share some tips with you so you can make the most of your Golden Sky Festival experience next year while everything is still fresh in my mind from attending this year.  I also love to share where we stayed and what we ate. If you are traveling to Sacramento for this event I hope this comes in handy for you and if you are a local, I hope this gets you excited for next year, please share this information with your friends and family. One thing for sure, purchase your tickets/passes early.  The VIP weekend passes sold out quickly this year, I can only imagine this event is going to grow and become more popular next year. 

Let's get to the tips first.

Bring water with you! This is a MUST, they had plenty of water bar stations to refill and stay hydrated. Although we had the perfect weather this year, it can be hot in Sacramento well into October. One sealed water bottle per person is allowed in or an empty plastic refillable water bottle (no hydro flasks or Yetis). 

Bring a picnic blanket to sit on! There were some picnic table areas, near the food areas, but a blanket is a must especially if you plan on hanging out all day. The gates opened at 11:30 AM and the event went past 10 PM. There are no re-entry privileges, once you have entered the venue each day, you cannot leave and come back in. A blanket is also a great way to save your spot, while you go grab some food or use the restroom.

What time to arrive? Totally up to you, while we arrived early and enjoyed staying the entire time, we planned ahead for that. It really is a great place to hang out, play corn hole, eat great food and enjoy the activities and peruse all of the great vendors. This is the perfect event to meet up with friends stay all day listening to music and enjoy the weekend. 

Wear comfy shoes! If you plan on staying all day, open to close, you will want to wear comfy shoes. There is dirt and grass, and lots of walking, so I personally wouldn't wear heels or white boots. I love these Walmart shoes I found online here. 

Wear layers. While it was a gorgeous sunny day, in the '80s, it was chilly in the evenings. I was so glad I brought my denim jacket to put on in the evening.

Know the bag policy. A clear bag these days is the easiest way to get through security at any event.  While they do allow small bags and fanny packs, clear bags are the easiest to get through security. Be sure to shop early for a clear bag, often times, if you wait too close to the date of large events local stores are sold out. Here is one that is the size we brought in.

I have to share this photo of my cute purse, which was perfect for the weekend around town and made me feel like I was getting in the country mood, but I did not take it into the festival. We just took our clear bag. I never like to even try to bring in a purse, because I have seen too many people at Golden 1 Center events who have had to walk their purses/bags back to the car. But if you are looking for a country-style purse this is one of my favorite purses. 

Lockers are available and a great option to keep your valuables safe so you don't have to carry stuff around all day. You can reserve your locker ahead of time, they sent out e-mails near the event date with locker information.

Wear sunscreen, and bring a travel-sized to reapply.  There were shaded areas, to get out of the sun but sunscreen is essential. 

Are kids allowed? Yes, we saw families with kids of all ages. You can't bring a stroller so a baby-carrying sling of some kind is a must and if you have older kids and teens, you might want to bring a deck of cards or something to help keep them entertained.

Parking. Parking was the only thing that I wish they could improve on, but honestly don't see how they can, it is what it is for Discovery Park events. Parking is $40 per day at the lots nearby and you still have to walk quite a bit. If you live in the area and can have a friend drop you off and pick you up, that would be amazing.  Taking Uber, Lyft or some kind of ride-sharing is another option, depending on where you are coming from. Golden Sky also partnered with SacRT, Festival fans can ride SacRT buses and the light rail trains for FREE on event days with a valid Golden Sky Festival pass for the day of service. 

Download the Golden Sky App before you go!!! This was such a help to have the schedule of who was performing on what stage and at what time.  The App has a Map, a list of Experiences, FAQs, and more!

This event was a fun weekend date night for us. We stayed at the Hyatt Centric Hotel right in the heart of Downtown Sacramento, within walking distance to the Golden 1 Center. The hotel was beautiful, they had a gorgeous lobby with a restaurant as well as a rooftop bar. The Hotel restaurant is The 7th Street Standard, voted Sacramento's Best New Restaurant! Visit Sacramento so kindly had a gift basket in our room. My husband loved the hat, which he needed for the Festival and the portable charger came in handy. The room was spacious, chic, and comfy. Our room had a mini fridge and Keurig for coffee. 





The Hyatt Centric is conveniently located at 1122 7th Street, within walking distance of so many great restaurants and coffee shops. If you haven't hung out at DOCO it is a great place to walk around, shop, and enjoy the area, there is even easy access to stroll into Old Sacramento. There is a Macy's and a bunch of small shops. We had so much fun hanging out at DOCO. 



On one of the mornings, we enjoyed coffee at Estelle Bakery & Pâtisserie. All of the pastries looked so mouth-watering, they had scones, muffins, macaroons, and so much more! I ordered the Pumpkin Muffin and an iced coffee. They have a location on Arden Way and a Downtown location. 

One of the restaurants we ate at was House Kitchen & Bar, wow, amazing service and delicious food. We ordered the Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes for an appetizer and oh my goodness they were so good. The three large tamale cakes were topped with a delicious tomatillo corn salsa. These had the perfect amount of sweetness, and let the tamale flavor shine through. 


I ordered the Carolina-style Pulled Pork Sandwich and my husband ordered the Shrimp Po'Boy.  Both were so good.  The Pulled Pork Sandwich was served on a King's Hawaiian roll and topped with pineapple coleslaw. The Po'Boy Sandwich had a cabbage slaw and spicy mayo.  Both came with fries. I'm not sure what the freshly fried golden fries were seasoned with, but it was so good.  We were offered more fries halfway through our meal which surprised me. If you have not been to House Kitchen & Bar, I highly recommend it. They are located at 555 Capitol Mall. They are the perfect spot to eat dinner before a Kings Game or Golden 1 Center event. 



One thing is for sure we ate really well! Sacramento seriously has so many great places to eat! If you are visiting or a local I highly recommend exploring this beautiful city and all it has to offer. Below are some photos of just a few of the artists, it goes without saying each artist was AMAZING. Everyone was great at interacting with the crowd, sharing small snippets of their life, and of course doing what they do best, performing! There is something special about a LIVE performance, they feed off the crowd and the crowd sings along, the entire Golden Sky weekend was so much fun, nothing like it. Be sure to sign up to be in the know for when they announce next year's dates and line-up, you can sign up here.




If you haven't noticed we LOVE to take and share photos. Be sure to follow us on TikTok, and Instagram, those are always the first places we share local events like this and take you along with us for all the fun. Of course, you can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and subscribe to our YouTube. We appreciate every like, comment, and share! It is an absolutely FREE way for you to support our blog. Thank you!!!









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