It was a year that started with much promise for Sacramento State with a Top-10 preseason ranking, talk of a new stadium and the hope that Sacramento could use a new facility to position a move from the FCS’ Big Sky Conference to an upper division conference such as the Pac-12.

After torrential rains hit the Capital Region early in 2023, flooding out Discovery Park, organizers of the upcoming Sol Blume festival planned there for April 29-30 had some decisions to make. 

Isleton’s Crawdad Festival — a defining event from the mid-1980s to the late 2000s for the tiny city along the Sacramento River — returned to Main Street for the first time in 14 years on June 17-18, swelling the city of less than 800 residents to an estimated 60,000 over the two-day event.

Eight schools and their fans landed in Sacramento to play in the NCAA tournament’s first and second round games, bringing in an estimated $10 million in economic impact.

The 4,500-seat facility held a ribbon cutting celebration on Feb. 14 and then opened three days later with a sold-out, three-day President’s Day weekend run of the Eagles, Bruno Mars and Santana.

While the storms have abated for now, the property damage they caused will remain far after the sun returns.

The Nov. 10 tribute to one of America’s most notable and beloved authors, who died December 23, 2021, was arguably overdue.

The Oct. 29 Showdown at Cache Creek brought prominent boxers and promoters to the Yolo County casino, which undertook a $200 million expansion during the pandemic.

On Saturday, Sacramento’s furry four-legged friends took over for a couple of hours, trotting through the neighborhood costumed and in pursuit of snacks at the second annual Tricks for Treats.

The night of Oct. 22 — with three college and professional sporting events starting around the same time — was expected to be a memorable night for Sacramento sports fans.

As the chilly night unfolded, those expectations were undoubtedly exceeded.