After a heat wave as intense as the one we just had, we’re looking forward to enjoying more than two dozen DJs and live bands over two days along the Sacramento River at the first-ever Splash Music Festival, taking place at Rio Ramaza Marina and Events Center (10000 Garden Hwy), on Saturday, July 13 and Sunday, July 14. Splash will not only feature international headliners mixed with regional talent, but there will also be a gigantic wading pool, slip ‘n’ slides, misting systems, water cannons and plenty of other ways to keep cool while the following DJs and bands blast through a world-class sound system: Darth & Vader (all the way from Brazil), Krafty Kuts (from England), Luminox, NiT GriT, DJ Dan, Trevor Simpson, Dyloot, DJ Billy Lane, Diamond Dez, Who Cares, The Frail, Element of Soul, G.A.M.M.A., DJ Whores, Atom One and so many others. Considering the level of talent, tickets are a steal at just $40 for a two-day pass. Single-day passes will put you back $30, so we say go for the two-day and make a weekend of it (limited camping and RV spaces are available, too). There are also backstage and VIP packages available; visit Splashmusicfestival.com for more information. Bust out your board shorts, bathing suits, tank tops and flip flops, because Splash Music Festival is sure to be a wet and wild time. Don’t forget the sunscreen!

Even with the name change from the Old Sacramento Dixieland Jazz Jubilee to the now shortened Sacramento Music Festival, whatever the moniker is, each Memorial Day weekend since the dawn of time (or since 1974, rather) comes with three days of jazz, swing and even Chicano rock. This year, enjoy the sounds of Los Lobos, the Kenny Wayne Shepard band, John Lee Hooker Jr. and countless talents. Other features at the music fest include banjo players, ragtime performances, marching bands and of course, food. But, the festival isn’t solely planted in one location this time around; music will be heard from Old Sacramento to the Convention Center area, which includes the Holiday Inn, Sheraton Grand, Embassy Suites and Hyatt Regency downtown. What’s more, enjoy jazz aboard the Delta King Riverboat or party down with other music enthusiasts in the large concert area in Old Sacramento hosting up to 2,500 people. For a full festival rundown, hit up Sacjazz.com

Los Lobos

The Sacramento Music Festival (formerly known as the Sacramento Jazz Festival and Jubilee) is set to invade Old Sacramento and parts of downtown this Memorial Day weekend. Trust us, there is a lot of great live music to experience during this four-day event. In 2011 the festival featured over 400 performances in 20-plus venues by over 70 artists. This year will be similar in size and scope, just with a new name and a slew of new artists and styles of music represented. Still organized and presented by the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society, the festival announced the name change in August 2011 in order to reflect the progression of the now 39-year-old festival. “The name change reflects how the event has evolved over the years into a festival featuring many more musical styles than just jazz,” stated the official press release. “It also indicates a sincere effort to broaden the appeal of the four-day event by shifting some of the focus to other popular forms of American music such as blues, rock ‘n’ roll, Western swing, rhythm ‘n’ blues, zydeco, Latin and bluegrass.” Just a small sampling of new artists for this year: Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Kepi Ghoulie, Briefcase Full of Blues, Dead Winter Carpenters, Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys, Red Meat, The Silent Comedy and many more. Also new this year: the always popular opening day parade, with its marching bands, fire trucks, antique cars and more, has been moved to Saturday morning at 10 a.m. instead of Friday. The parade is a must-see for those with kids. To view the entire weekend’s lineup and to purchase tickets, visit http://sacmusicfest.com/