There are certain essential elements that make throwing a massive block party a success: free food and drinks, two stages of live entertainment, fresh produce, a picturesque private courtyard and a VIP pool area, to name a few. All this and much more came together when Yelp, in partnership with the Handle District, Midtown Business Association, 1801 L Street and the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau, threw one juggernaut of a block party this last Sunday – aka Yelp's Farm To Handle Block Party in the heart of Midtown, Sacramento! Even better, the party served as a fundraiser, pulling in close to $9000 for our charity partners WEAVE and Happy Tails Pet Sanctuary!
The purpose of this second-annual gathering was to once again highlight the Handle District and Sacramento's reputation as the Farm To Fork capitol by kicking off the city's inaugural Farm to Fork Week. Lines of eager attendees waited patiently before the entries opened, and in a flash the block of L St. between 18th and 19th streets was filled with around 2000 registered Yelp users and social media influencers.
Farm-fresh produce was naturally the centerpiece of the afternoon, and our produce partner Trinity Fresh came through with gorgeous displays and piles of fresh vegetables and fruits to sample, as well as providing many of the ingredients for the bites that day from local eateries. Twelve acclaimed and highly-rated restaurants, including Aioli Bodega Espanola, Buckhorn Grill, Capital Dime, Mangia, Monsoon Cuisine of India, Mulvaney's B & L, Old Soul, Paesanos, Plates to Go, The Rind, Thai Basil Cafe and Zocalo, worked from booths along the street to provide generous tastings of culinary creations from their menus. Additional snacks from KIND Healthy Snacks and Pretzel Crisps were gobbled down at a feverish pace.
Of course, tasty bites don't reach their full potential without libations to pair them with. Cocktails galore were handed out by the beautiful ladies at Sailor Jerry Rum and Buffalo Trace Bourbon Whiskey, wines from R. Merlo Estate Vineyards and Clarksburg Wine Company were the highlight of the courtyard, and full pours of beer flowed freely from Corona, Modelo Especial, Negra Modelo and Pacifico. Additionally, the Capital Dime served up over 1,600 White Linen cocktails from their back patio. The designated drivers for the day weren't forgotten about: non-alcoholic beverages came courtesy of Pepsi and Joia All Natural Soda.
With bellies full and thirsts quenched, our guests were able to kick back and enjoy all kinds of entertainment. On our main stage, the 8-member popular local funk and R&B ensemble The Nibblers kept the crowd grooving, although no twerking was reported. On the poolside stage in the middle of the gorgeous residential courtyard at 1801 L St., the reggae and soul-tinged tunes of Island of Black and White were music to the ears of those seeking a slightly lower-key atmosphere than that on the street. Just below the band, three beautiful models recruited by Left Coast Girls passed out beers and posed for photos with Elites as they lounged poolside and drank unlimited Pacifico in the Yelp Elites-only area. If stress was your issue, there was plenty of drool-inducing relief on hand from Bassil Kamas, CMT. And we can't forget two of the afternoon's steamiest attractions – the Sacramento Kings Dancers and free hair services from James Wilkinson Salon.
Very special thanks go to Classic Party Rentals and Area Restroom Solutions for providing professional tenting and restroom needs. Props to Sacramento365.com for providing a booth to spread the word about their incredible website. Thanks also to Uber, who allowed attendees to ride in style to the party with free, first-time rides through their on-demand transportation app.
For a visual representation of what went down, scope the incredible photos from two of Sacramento's most highly-rated photo-booth companies, Giggle and Riot (photos) and Perfect Pixel. Their totally free services were one of the event's biggest hits! Our roaming photographers, Asia and Paul McGowan of Photostudio29, were there to capture all the highlights as well. Check out their dynamic stills on Yelp's Flickr page.
Finally, don't take our word for it. Check out this party's reviews!
Until next year!
Alex L (w/ Kevin B, Ashley N & Nique F)
Yelp Sacramento Community Manager
