The Festival of the Arts is six days of creative performances, lectures and master classes, showcasing the region's creative and cultural excellence.

Highlights include In the Heights; the annual Sacramento Dance Sampler, featuring a diverse group of Sacramento-area professional dance companies; the annual Student Awards Exhibition; a guest lecture by writer/director Darin Coelho and a reading by author Jamil Jan Kochai, both of whom are Sacramento State graduates; and the 16th annual Art History Symposium.

U-Create! returns to Seventh and S streets. Student and faculty collaborative endeavors in art presentations, dance, music, student readings and other exhibitions are in the offing as usual, but the event has been moved indoors because of weather considerations, said An Vo, external relations and communications coordinator for the College of Arts and Letters. The Verge Center for the Arts, which lent both of its large spaces this year, and Beatnik Studios host several attractions and serve as event co-hosts. Axis Gallery, which adjoins the Verge, also will feature programmed events.

Capping the week is the popular Family Funday Sunday. The campus welcomes the community for family-friendly events, including cultural games and activities from Japan, China and Saudi Arabia.

For a full schedule of events, click here.