City News

November 21, 2022

Folsom Ice Rink Returns for Winter Season

Ice skating in Historic Folsom is a cherished winter tradition. The Folsom Ice Rink will be open through January 16. This year’s rink is located at 825 Leidesdorff Street, adjacent to the Historic District Plaza. Features include special events, firepits, special lighting, and a party zone. Learn more at folsomicerink.com.

Folsom Holiday Lights Contest

Let’s light up Folsom with holiday cheer! Enter your home, neighborhood, or business into the Folsom Holiday Lights contest. Categories include:


  • Holly Jolly Residence – Best overall residence. 
  • Clark Griswold – Best use of holiday lights (residential). 
  • Hollywood Christmas – Best use of theme and/or fictional characters (residential).
  • Merry and Bright Business – Festive commercial business display (includes window painting). 
  • Illuminate the Block – Best multi-house display. 


Register by December 12.

Shopping and dining locally supports the local economy, promotes a thriving community, and contributes to a high quality of life in Folsom. Dollars you spend in Folsom help fund vital public services, such as police, fire, schools, trash collection, recycling, and road maintenance—plus amenities such as parks, the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary, and the Folsom Public Library. When you shop online, a smaller percentage of the sales tax is invested locally. Make sales tax dollars work for you and your community this holiday season!


Saturday, November 26, is Small Business Saturday—a day to celebrate and support small businesses and all they do for the Folsom community. When small businesses succeed, we all do!

Road Closures for Folsom Turkey Trot

The Folsom Turkey Trot, an annual 10K run and 5K run/walk, will require closures of various Folsom roads Thanksgiving morning. The event benefits the Twin Lakes Food Bank, the Folsom Athletic Association's Never in Our Town Youth Scholarship Program, and the Johnny Cash Trail Project.


The 10K run will begin at 8:50 a.m. and the 5K run/walk will begin at 9:10 a.m. Both events start at Folsom Lion's Park, 403 Stafford Street, near the Folsom Public Library and Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary. The courses are on Folsom trails, bridges, and streets, including Natoma, Sutter, Reading, and Leidesdorff streets. There will be various road closures on multiple streets and rolling road closures to allow traffic in or out. Police officers and course monitors will guide traffic and detour signs will be marked.


Visit www.folsomturkeytrot.com for road closure details and more information. 

Annual Holiday Toy Drive

The Folsom Citizens Assisting Public Safety (CAPS), in partnership with the Folsom Police and Fire departments, are collecting toys for the Annual Folsom CAPS Holiday Toy Drive. The donated items are delivered to Folsom families in need by police and fire personnel in the days before the holidays.


Donations will be accepted through December 9. Here are two ways you can help:

  • You can select a wish to fill from the virtual Christmas Tree at www.FolsomToyDrive.com. To fill the specific wish of a child, choose to receive an Amazon Wish List or shop for the item locally.
  • Bring a gift of your choosing for a child, teen, or adult. New, unopened, and unwrapped toys, as well as new clothing or gift cards, may be dropped off during regular business hours at Folsom Fire Department Station 35, located at 535 Glenn Drive; at the Folsom Police Department, located at 46 Natoma Street, or other designated toy drop-off locations.


The program helps hundreds of community members annually. Visit www.FolsomToyDrive.com for additional details and designated toy drop-off locations. Contact Jessica Hess at 916-461-6516 or jhess@folsom.ca.us for more information.

City Departments Host Drive Through Light Parade and Toy Drive

City of Folsom vehicles are getting a holiday makeover as various city departments host a drive through light parade from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, December 1. The event will support the Holiday Toy Drive. See city vehicles covered in holiday lights and decorations and take a photo with Santa Claus and his sleigh. Please consider bringing a new and unwrapped gift for a child when you drive through this event! The event will be held behind City Hall at 50 Natoma Street. Vehicles should enter between the Folsom Police Department and the Folsom Senior and Arts Center. 

Stop the Clog this Thanksgiving 

The City of Folsom Environmental and Water Resources Department encourages residents to properly dispose of fats, oils, and grease (FOG) this holiday season and all year long. Properly dispose of FOG to help prevent drain and sewer backups:

  • Can It – Transfer solidified fats and grease into a clear plastic or compostable bag, tie it shut, and place it in your Green Bin.
  • Scrape It – Before washing, scrape fats, oils, and grease from pots and pans into the clear plastic or compostable bag you use to collect food scraps. When it is full, tie the bag shut and place it in your Green Bin.
  • Compost It – Put fatty and greasy food scraps in the clear plastic or compostable bag you use to collect other food scraps. When it is full, tie the bag shut and place it in your Green Bin.
  • Recycle It – Place cooled cooking oil back into the original container and make an appointment to have it picked up through the City of Folsom Door 2 Door Residential Household Hazardous Waste program. Call 916-461-6177 or visit www.folsom.ca.us/FOG for more information.

Tickets on Sale Now for Holiday Lights at the Folsom Zoo Sanctuary

This annual family event returns for the 12th year with its popular seasonal cheer! Thousands of bright and colorful lights, sparkling ornaments and trees, lighted animal figures, and displays transform the zoo sanctuary with holiday spirit. Local caroling groups and musicians provide the merry sounds of the season, and the Folsom Valley Railway miniature train provides special nighttime rides.


Wild Nights and Holiday Lights is open from 5 to 8:30 p.m. December 2, 3, 9-11 and 16-22 (weather permitting; heavy rains will cancel). All proceeds from the event benefit the zoo sanctuary animals.


New this year: event and train tickets are only available online; no tickets will be sold at the gate. To provide an enhanced experience for guests, admission and train rides are limited each night of the event and tickets for both are date-specific. Event admission is $10/person and train tickets are $5/person; admission and train rides are free for ages under 2 years. Event dates will sell out—early ticket purchase is strongly encouraged.


Follow Facebook.com/FolsomParksandRec for daily event updates, ticket availability, and potential weather-related schedule changes. Call 916-461-6601 with questions.

Free Compost Available

Do you have any fall landscaping or gardening plans? Whether you are preparing a winter garden or adding an extra layer of mulch in anticipation of colder weather, the City of Folsom has several free, self-serve compost and mulch piles available for residents to use. Self-serve piles require residents to bring their own shovels and containers to load and transport compost.


Compost and mulch are available at two Folsom locations: behind City Hall at 50 Natoma Street and at the Hinkle Creek Nature Trail, next to Fire Station 36 at 9700 Oak Avenue Parkway. The city supplies the free compost on an ongoing basis.


The compost is made from yard trimmings and food waste collected throughout the region from residents, businesses, and apartment communities participating in curbside organics collection services. Bringing finished compost back into the community closes the loop on organics recycling.

Green Bin Thanksgiving Reminder

This Thanksgiving, use your green bin to keep organic food waste in its place—and out of the landfill. Place these common Thanksgiving items in your green bin:


  • All food scraps, including meat, turkey bones, eggs, bread, baked goods, cheese, potato peels, and vegetable trimmings.
  • Toothpicks, cocktail napkins, and paper towels.
  • Pumpkins, squash, and gourds.


The City of Folsom’s Recycling Team is extra thankful for the community participation in the organics recycling program. Learn more at www.folsom.ca.us/organics.

Kids’ Night Out: Holiday Edition

We’ll watch the kids while you get some holiday shopping done, enjoy a date night, or just relax and enjoy a few hours of peace and quiet. Register your kids ages 5-12 for our Kids’ Night Out event at the Andy Morin Sports Complex from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, December 2. Our awesome staff will keep your kids active and entertained – we start the fun with a pizza dinner, then engage the kids in a variety of age-appropriate games, activities, and crafting projects. Fee for Folsom residents is $35/first child and $30/additional siblings (non-residents add $10). Early registration is encouraged; learn more and register online or call 916-461-6601.

Free Technology Workshop for Seniors

Presenter Ashu Singla, retired senior director from Intel, will teach workshop participants how to use a variety of popular digital apps for smartphones, computers, and tablets. You’ll learn how to use apps to hire a ride service or cab and video chat with FaceTime and/or Zoom. Mr. Singla will also include an overview of other popular apps that seniors might find useful. The workshop takes place from 11 a.m. to noon Tuesday, December 13 at the Folsom Senior Center, 48 Natoma Street. The workshop is free for ages 55+, but preregistration is mandatory to reserve a seat. Call 916-461-6601 with questions.

Help Keep Gutters and Storm Drains Free of Fallen Leaves

With winter weather upon us, the City of Folsom Public Works Department reminds residents to keep gutters and storm drain inlets clear of fallen leaves. When leaves accumulate on the street, it is challenging for street sweepers to pick up the leaves, which can clog storm drain inlets resulting in localized flooding. Here’s how you can help:


  • Avoid sweeping or blowing leaves into ditches or streets.
  • Clear leaves from gutters and storm drains and place them in your green waste container, if possible.
  • Keep sidewalks clear of leaves and other debris.

 

If there is a storm drain inlet that is difficult to clear, or you would like to report a storm drain issue, call the Public Works Street Department at 916-461-6722.

City of Folsom Thanksgiving Holiday Closures

City administrative offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 24 and 25 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. For urgent city issues, call 916-461-6400. Call 9-1-1 for life-threatening emergencies.


  • Garbage service will be provided as usual; please place your cans curbside by 6 a.m. on your regular day of service.
  • Transit services will be available through SacRT.
  • The Folsom Public Library is closed.
  • The Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thanksgiving Day, and regular hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, November 25.
  • The Andy Morin Sports Complex is closed.
  • The Steve Miklos Aquatic Center is closed.
  • The FIDO Field Dog Park will be open from 7 a.m. to one hour after sunset.
  • The Folsom Skate and Bike Parks are closed Thanksgiving Day, and open from 1 to 5 p.m. Friday, November 25.
  • The Folsom Senior Center, Folsom Art Center, and Gallery at 48 Natoma are closed.
  • Fun Factory, Kindergarten Readiness, and the after-school CAVE programs are closed.
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Contact the City of Folsom Communications Director
Christine Brainerd · cbrainerd@folsom.ca.us · 916-461-6013 (office)

City of Folsom | 50 Natoma Street | www.folsom.ca.us
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