Sacramento tourism leaders plan for return of GoldenSky festival, CIM to double in size
Sacramento’s tourism industry took center stage at the annual State of Tourism address, held at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center and attended by local leaders, business owners, and policymakers. Mike Testa, the CEO of Visit Sacramento, highlighted the impact of tourism on the city, with over 15 million visitors annually contributing nearly $5 billion to the local economy and supporting tens of thousands of jobs.
During the event, Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty made two significant announcements. The first was the return of the GoldenSky festival, a three-day country music extravaganza set to make a comeback in October 2027, with a commitment for at least three years. The festival had taken a hiatus in 2025 and 2026 due to competition and challenges in booking country artists. State senator Angelique Ashby shared plans for legislation to support more music festivals in the Capitol region, aiming to create a funding mechanism to aid festivals from their inception.
October in Sacramento promises a lineup of exciting events, with GoldenSky falling between the Aftershock rock festival and Sacramento’s Ironman competition. These events collectively are projected to bring in around $70 million in economic impact in 2027. The second major announcement was the California International Marathon’s decision to double its capacity from 10,000 to 20,000 runners, with Union Pacific agreeing to adjust a train route to accommodate the extended race. The marathon serves as a Boston Marathon qualifier and expanding its capacity aims to provide an economic boost to Sacramento at the end of the year.
In addition to these developments, Sacramento is gearing up to host the X Games for the first time at Cal Expo this summer as it launches a new league. The city is also set to hold the annual Tower Bridge dinner featuring esteemed chefs and has seen successes like the Terra Madre Americas event and plans for a new MLS-capacity soccer stadium in the Railyards. These initiatives and events signify the continued growth and success of Sacramento’s tourism sector, which city leaders believe is paving the way for its future prosperity.