Join the Festival Atmosphere in Placer County, CA
Placer County, CA, has the unique environment of being close to a major city, but also close to nature. Placer County welcomes a diverse cultural background and lifestyle range, but all its residents tend to have one thing in common — they love to celebrate who they are, where they came from, what they do, and the cities they share. It’s no wonder that Placer County is home to hundreds of festivals, fairs, and gatherings every year.
Some of these are traditional and familiar, like the Placer County Fair each June, and the Festival of Lights Parade and Old Country Christmas in Auburn every December. Others celebrate the rich and storied history of Placer County, including the annual Railroad Days in Colfax (Placer County grew up around the western railroad in the mid-1800s) and Foresthill’s Heritage Festival (home to CA’s Gold Panning Championships).
There’s a BerryFest and a Mountain Mandarin Festival, celebrating strawberries and mandarin oranges, respectively, as well as the Auburn Food and Wine Festival. There’s even a festival dedicated to wooden boats, the Lake Tahoe Wooden Boat Week and Concours d’Elegance. And that’s not even starting with the festivals celebrating cultural holidays, like Cinco de Mayo and St. Patrick’s Day; the festivals centered on art, poetry, and music; and the festivals celebrating nature and the environment.
Moving into one of the many welcoming Placer County homes available will be a fantastic experience for you and your loved ones. You’ll have so many ways to celebrate your new home with all the local festivals and fairs — why pick just one? They all happen every year, so, if you miss a few, don’t worry — they’ll come around again.
Read MoreOenophiles Gather in Placer County, CA
All wine lovers know that the vineyards of Northern California are not to be missed. Napa Valley, in particular, draws national and international attention for its famous wines. But Placer County, just outside Sacramento, is also acclaimed for its vineyards and wineries. Placer County homes offer a unique opportunity for wine lovers, in the community’s proximity to so many great wineries.
The Placer County Wine Trail is a county organization dedicated to raising awareness of the area as a premier winemaking region, and is run by the local nonprofit Placer County Vintners. The Trail includes twenty wineries across the cities of Auburn, Lincoln, Loomis, Meadow Vista, Newcastle, and Rocklin, CA. Most of these wineries are family owned and operated, and all of them focus on personal, intimate visits to go along with their handcrafted wine. Differentiating themselves from commercial and impersonal wineries, the wineries of Placer County boast small vineyards and unique wine tasting experiences.
Wine grapes were first brought to the county during the 1848 gold rush, and by 1860 it was an active industry, with many miners having invested their gold in grapes and built vineyards of their own. Prohibition devastated the county’s winemaking industry, but it has made a strong recovery beginning in the 1970s. Placer County grapes are most often compared to the grapes grown in the Rhone Valley in France, as the climates between there and Northern California are fairly similar.
If you’re a wine lover looking for a great real estate property, or a newcomer who would like to learn more about wine, this area has something to offer everyone
Read MoreTop Reasons Why Placer County Is the Place to Live
There’s So Much to See and Do in Placer County
Placer County is divided into three distinct regions, giving homebuyers unparalleled options. There is The Valley, Gold Country, and The High Sierras. Each has its own distinct flavor and lifestyle, and yet they are close enough to one another that residents can experience all the wonders of each region. Placer County homes allow residents to live in the heart of it all.
The Valley is made up of communities, such as Roseville, where residents can enjoy shopping at the large and impressive Galleria Mall or The Fountains shopping center. For those who prefer the outdoors, there are ample open-air markets too, including the largest in all of Northern California, the Denio’s Farmer’s Market and Auction. Rocklin is the historic heart of The Valley with its numerous quarries and historic sites. In the City of Lincoln, residents can take in the national ceramic exhibit titled “Feats of Clay,” or indulge in the delicious produce from Loomis’ famous orchards.
Gold Country was where it all started in 1849, and residents can immerse themselves in its history by retracing the old wagon trails and trying their luck at gold panning. River rafting and nature photography are also abundant here, as are the antique shops and museums. Many of the streets in Gold Country look much the way they did 150 years ago.
The High Sierras are home to some of the world’s best ski resorts, as well as Squaw Valley, the home of the 1960 Olympics. Many come for Lake Tahoe and the water activities it provides. In addition to skiing, fishing, scuba diving, and ballooning, residents can be found cruising on paddlewheel or glass bottom boats, or taking a break from it all in one of the area’s casinos. Placer County homes put people in the right place for all the wonderful things our county has to offer.
Read MoreRoseville is Placer County’s Fastest Growing City in 2012
Roseville firmly surpasses neighboring Lincoln as the fastest growing city in Placer County. Last year, Roseville grew by 1.2%, which is above the state average of .8%, and is more than double the growth rate of Lincoln, the second fastest growing city in Placer County, with a population increase of .5%. The city of Lincoln previously held this distinction as its rapid expansion during the last decade earned it the title of “Fastest Growing City” in the country in the 2010 U.S. Census.
It is likely that Roseville will continue to hold this title as Lincoln’s recent overdevelopment has lowered home values in that city, making it less attractive to developers looking to see big returns from their investments. With Roseville’s attractive real estate market, thriving economy, abundance of urban amenities, good schools, and room to expand, the city looks like it should see steady and continued growth in the future.
Despite having housing prices that are higher across the board than the national average, California’s population continues to grow even during uncertain economic times. It is important to remember how vital the California Lifestyle is to our economic well-being. As an increasingly densely populated state we need to keep our eye on responsible and sustainable growth lest we experience the effects of wide-spread overdevelopment.
Homes in Roseville are found in is the last ‘urban’ community in Placer County. The Sierra Nevada Foothills offer far more suburban and rural accommodations than the areas surrounding Sacramento. With more than twice the residents of neighboring cities in Placer County, a strong revenue base, and a variety of shopping and entertainment attractions, Roseville will continue to be the magnet city for the region and the leader in growth for Placer County.
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