City offers free street parking in Midtown after 4:30 p.m. and all day weekends through Christmas

BY DEBBIE ARRINGTON

When you’re dashing to find the right last-minute gift or make it on time to a holiday get-together, the last thing you want to worry about is getting a parking ticket.

Good news: The City of Sacramento is offering free parking in the heart of Midtown’s business district through Dec. 25, Christmas Day.

According to the city, the goal is to make it easier for people to dine, shop and attend events in the area. Besides Midtown, parts of Downtown Sacramento and Old Sacramento are part of the free holiday parking zone, too.

In this special area, parking meters will be all “green” after 4:30 p.m. weekdays and all day and all night weekends. (Parking is free all day Christmas, too.)

The free parking zone is bordered by I Street to the north and L Street to the south. The southern border extends down to Capitol Avenue between 17th and 21st streets.

This special corridor runs basically from the Sacramento River on the west to Interstate 80 on the east; or more specifically, from Front Street in Old Sacramento to 29th Street in Midtown.

Included in this free parking zone are two Midtown landmarks – Memorial Auditorium and Sutter’s Fort – as well as Golden 1 Center in Downtwon.

Note: This offer of free parking only applies to the city’s street meters and parking kiosks. Off-street parking lots and structures will still charge their usual fee.

For more details on where to park in Midtown, click on sacpark.org.