A sold-out audience of approximately 700 business and community leaders attended the 2016 State of Downtown breakfast on January 12, 2016 at the Memorial Auditorium. 

BIA Northstate Building Industry Association held their annual Installation of Officers Banquet January 15 at the Hyatt Regency in Sacramento. The event was held to honor special award recipients and to witness the 2016 Board of Director members taking their oath of office. 

The Crocker Ball, was held December 5. The black-tie fundraiser gathered over 400 philanthropists and community leaders from Sacramento, San Francisco, and the Napa Valley. Funds raised from the Crocker Ball support exhibitions and education programs that serve more than 250,000 people each year. For more than five decades, the Ball has helped the Museum connect people with art, ideas, each other, and the world around them.

Region Rising, a collaborative conference designed to inspire thinking, was held Nov. 20 at the Sacramento Convention Center. 

The Sacramento Metro Chamber, NextEd and the Northern California World Trade Center joined forces to kick off the annual holiday season on Dec.1 at the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria. The mixer featured delicious dishes and seasonal spirits from Metro Chamber member caterers, restaurants and wineries and breweries.

Local executives and professionals recently hosted the Inaugural “Charity Bike Battle” event on November 13 at the LAB Fitness Studio in Folsom as a benefit for Leukemia Lymphoma Society of Sacramento and Boys and Girls Club of Sacramento. The participants raised more than $5000 while burning thousands of calories.

More than 3,000 attended the Annual Leukemia Lymphoma Society Light the Night Walk on November 7 at Raley Field. The LTN walk unites blood cancer survivors and supporters, in addition to those honoring a loved one lost to cancer. Walkers held red, white and gold lanterns to illuminate their path as they strolled along the river, across the iconic Tower Bridge, and back into Raley field around the bases.  The event raised over $400,000 for research, treatments and patient services. 

On November 13 the California Auto Museum held an event honoring the achievements of women in sports and the business community. The evening was spent celebrating one of the most respected women in racing, Lyn St. James; the first woman to win Rookie of the Year at the Indy 500. Guests enjoyed a red carpet VIP reception, farm-to-fork dinner, cocktails, a silent auction and live entertainment. 

The Sacramento Metro Chamber continued its tradition of bringing together influential voices to share experiences that motivate and inspire action on November 10 at Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel. Perspectives on Innovation featured entrepreneurial leaders offering their personal insights on what it takes to be innovative today. Speakers shared their experiences and ideas in a TED Talk format on three of our region’s expanding industries. 

McDonald’s and Ronald McDonald House Charities held a fabulous dinner on November 11 to support the families of Ronald McDonald House Charities Northern California. Mulvaney’s B&L of Sacramento hosted the event featuring the exquisite cooking of Patrick Mulvaney and his talented staff using McDonald’s-sourced farm-fresh ingredients.