Free STEM family-fun day runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park
FOLSOM — A day of educational fun that will get visitors of all ages energized is returning to Historic Folsom. SMUD, in partnership with California State Parks, will host the 12th annual Electricity Fair at the Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This free, family-friendly event is designed to spark curiosity about science, technology, engineering, and math through hands-on activities and interactive exhibits. Guests can tour the historic Folsom Powerhouse, learn about hydropower, create solar art, try a science activity, and much more throughout the day.
The event takes place at Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park, 9980 Greenback Lane in Folsom. Admission is free. Learn more at smud.org/ElectricityFair.
The Electricity Fair is presented by SMUD in collaboration with California State Parks, Friends of the Folsom Powerhouse, and SacEV.org. As the nation’s sixth-largest, community-owned, not-for-profit electric service provider, SMUD has powered Sacramento County for more than 75 years. The utility is recognized for energy efficiency programs, renewable technologies, and sustainable solutions. Today, SMUD’s power supply is on average about 50 percent carbon free, and the utility has a goal to reach zero carbon in its electricity production by 2030.
Built in 1895 and operated until 1952, the Folsom Powerhouse marked a milestone in electricity generation and transmission. It was among the first facilities in the nation to transmit high-voltage alternating current over long distances, carrying power 22 miles to Sacramento and sparking a new era of innovation. Newspapers of the time chronicled the achievement, and Sacramento hosted a “Grand Electric Carnival” in September 1895 to celebrate its brightly lit streets and State Capitol building.
The powerhouse’s importance has been recognized for decades. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its national significance in engineering and industry, and it has been designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark and a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark. Since 1958, it has been part of the California State Park system, preserved as a monument to both history and progress.
The Folsom Powerhouse remains much as it did in 1895, standing as a living museum of the technological leap that made commercial electricity possible. H.P. Livermore envisioned harnessing the waters of the American River to generate power for Sacramento, and with his partners, he turned that dream into reality. The opening of the powerhouse was celebrated with a parade through downtown Sacramento and a 100-gun salute near the city’s substation, signaling the dawn of a new era.
Today, visitors touring the park can step back in time to see the vintage General Electric generators, massive marble-faced control switchboard, and transformers capable of conducting between 800 and 11,000 volts. The system of canals, forebays, and dams that once fed the powerhouse also remains a central feature of the site. Together, these artifacts tell the story of how Folsom helped light California’s capital city and pave the way for the electrical age.
The park is more than a historical site—it is part of the cultural fabric of Sacramento and the Sierra foothills, linking the Gold Rush era, the railroad boom, and the dawn of modern industry. The Folsom Powerhouse represents innovation, resilience, and the pioneering spirit that defined California in the late 19th century.
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