By Sara Beth Williams–
The new CH 40 Arts District is set to kick off with a parking lot launch party on Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025.
The celebration will take place in the parking lot of DarkHeart Brewing at Auburn Boulevard and Old Auburn Road, and promises an afternoon of live music, food, art, and “community vibes” in the heart of the city’s emerging cultural corridor.
The event will begin at 12 p.m., and guests can expect a mix of entertainment from local musicians and DJs and speakers, and will include vendors, food and drink and along with opportunities to connect with artists.
Vendor spots are free, but space is limited. An application is required, and booths will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
Gigi Rayford, founder of the Citrus Heights Arts District, said the event marks an important milestone in the city’s efforts to “bring life and energy” to the city.
“We want the arts district to be about revitalizing the art corridor,” Rayford said, referring to Auburn Boulevard. “As far out as we are, we’d like people to come from all around.”
The newly established arts district has already had commissioned multiple murals painted along Auburn Boulevard, including multiple murals at DarkHeart Brewing, one on the back wall of Ciro’s Pizza, another in progress near WhatsupStairs and Bearpaw Outlet, and another at Elite Bicycles on Auburn Boulevard. Several more murals are planned, Rayford said, with the goal of completing all murals before the annual Art Beat in October.
Citrus Heights Arts also recently announced Senator Roger Niello as the first Founding Sponsor of the CH 40 Arts District in a social media post earlier last week.
The CH 40 Arts District initiative seeks to transform sections of Citrus Heights into a hub for visual and performing arts, cultural events, and creative business activity with the hope of boosting business by attracting visitors, increasing foot traffic, and creating a vibrant destination where people want to shop, dine, and spend time.
