If you live in the Sacramento area, you’ve likely heard of the latest gathering place called The Barn.
So the big question is, have you checked it out?
For those not familiar, The Barn isn’t a barn at all. It’s actually a beautiful, open-air structure in The Bridge District (or TBD for those in the know) of West Sacramento. That’s the area near the riverfront, south of the Tower Bridge (the gold one) and next to the Raley Field ballpark.
The Barn is located in the southern portion of TBD, directly east of the new housing development by Fulcrum Property.
If you are heading west on Interstate 80, look north from the freeway towards downtown Sacramento once you cross the river in to West Sacramento- you can’t miss it. And it joins a host of other new projects along the riverfront, on both the West Sacramento and Sacramento sides.
So what is the structure exactly? The web site describes it as “a bridge on land”. To the non-architecturally savvy, it’s an 80-foot wood canopy that is 20 feet tall. It really is a giant piece of art.
But one of the really crazy things about The Barn is that when you are standing “outside”, you can only lightly hear the band that is preforming “inside” the structure. Step into the curved section, and the acoustics make it seem like you are in an enclosed concert hall.
It’s really a thing of architectural brilliance.
The Barn officially opened in August and has played host to many events over the past few months includingcivic events and concerts. In September it was the spot for the last West Sacramento Chamber of Commerce’s Farmer’s Market of the 2016 season.
And the good news is that starting next May it will be the new location for the Farmer’s Market each Thursday night for the 2017 season!
Equally exciting, have you spent a Friday night at The Barn?
Right now, Off the Grid hosts bands, food trucks, and libations each Friday Night at The Barn from 5 to 10 p.m. They only have a few more Fridays planned for the 2016 season, with the fun ending this year on November 11th.
When you walk up to The Barn, you’ll see lines and lines of food trucks featuring everything from tacos to ice cream. My husband actually met for a business meeting there yesterday.
It’s the perfect spot because there is something for everyone.
His colleague had a Dole Whip dessert cup while my husband enjoyed an artisanal cocktail of whiskey and ginger beer.
It starts to fill up by around 7:00 p.m., but don’t worry about getting a seat or having a place to stand… there is plenty of room! The planners at Off the Grid have even tried to create some outdoor rooms by including adirondack chairs and some small tables.
Speaking of outdoor rooms, probably the most exciting part of The Barn is the recent announcement that Drake’s Brewing Company of San Leandro, CA will be opening a bar and grill concept. One side of The Barn structure will be the tap room and across the way will be the restaurant.
This is just one more addition to the exciting things happening in TBD.
And for the art lovers, there is a sculpture by Federico Diaz being installed just a short walk away on the Riverwalk, south of the Tower Bridge. Chosen by the City of West Sacramento in late 2015, the sculpture- named Subtile– is made up of thousands of small, stainless steel tiles and is described as having the abstract form of a cloud or tree top.
This sculpture joins several others in TBD, including one in the central park at the Park Moderns, directly across the street from The Barn.
To say this area is really got something special happening is an understatement.
But to miss out on a Friday night concert at The Barn would be a missed opportunity. There is plenty of parking, and the food and music can’t be beat.
See you there!
