Sacramento has a Mediterranean climate with very hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The summers are genuinely extreme — July and August temperatures regularly exceed 38°C (100°F) — and the city was not designed for pedestrians in that heat. The best times to visit are spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November), when temperatures are in the 20s and the almond trees bloom or the Delta breezes moderate the valley heat.
The Farm-to-Fork Festival in late September is Sacramento's signature event, centred on a long-table dinner on the Tower Bridge and a week of restaurant events and farmers markets. Book well in advance if you want to be there for the main dinner.
The California State Fair runs from late July through early August at the Cal Expo grounds — more of a Central Valley agricultural fair than a state showcase, which is interesting if you have never encountered a butter sculpture or a competitive sheep-shearing exhibition.
Fog is a Sacramento phenomenon: from November through February, dense tule fog settles in the Sacramento Valley, often reducing visibility to near zero. Flying into Sacramento during fog season means delays and diversions. The fog burns off by mid-morning on most days, but it can persist all day in the deepest part of winter.