COMMUNITY EVENTS

Apr14 2023 Apr22 2023 Apr22 2023

San Joaquin Asparagus Festival

The San Joaquin Asparagus Festival will be at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds April 14 to 16.

The festivities have a full lineup of events and entertainment, including a carnival.

The festival will be open from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. April 14, 15 and 16.

Admission is $15 for adults (18-64); $10 for children (6-17), seniors over 65 and military with identification; children 5 years and under get in for free. The opening day has $5 admission for all, except children under 5, who get in free.

Parking is $10 and motorcycle parking is $5. Parking is cash only.

Champagne And English Tea

Help support the Hospice of San Joaquin with an afternoon tea party set for April 22.

A classic afternoon Champagne and English tea, this elegant event features table settings of beautiful china. Each table is unique and gives attendees a distinct experience while they enjoy tea sandwiches and small bites.

Proceeds benefit Hospice of San Joaquin’s patients and their families.

Tickets are $60. Contact (209) 573-888 or email contact@ hospicesj.org for more information.

Dog Parade And Family Day

The Twain Harte Chamber of Commerce is hosting a dog parade and family day in downtown Twain Harte on April 22. Registration starts at 10 a.m. and the parade is at 11 a.m.

The downtown businesses will have special activities for the day.

Proceeds from the parade will go to help local animal shelters.

For more details and to sign up visit www.twainhartecc. com or call (209) 768-6572

APR26

Days Of 49 Wagon Train

The Kit Carson Mountain Men Wagon Train and Days of 49 Celebration will bring Gold Rush history alive in historic Amador County from April 26 to April 30.

The colorful Kit Carson Mountain Men wagon train re-enactment through the Gold Country, where everyone is invited to join the wagon train afternoons and evenings for barbecue dinners and casual entertainment. Admission is free to all events.

On April 26, the wagon train departs from Plymouth and will loop through the Shenandoah Valley before camping at the Amador County Fairgrounds.

On April 27, the wagon train will be on the move to Drytown.

On April 28, the wagon train will make encampment at the Italian Picnic grounds in Sutter Creek. From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. there will be music, entertainment, dancing and a barbecue.

On April 29, the wagon train will make the trek to Laughton Ranch at 90 Clinton Road in Jackson. From 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. guests can visit the wagon train and a working ranch. There will be family activities, barbecue, music and vendors.

The final day of the wagon train is April 30. At 9 a.m. there will be a pancake breakfast and pre-parade entertainment, followed by the parade at 11 a.m. on Main Street in Jackson. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. will be the Days of 49 street celebration with entertainment, living history exhibits, vendors and family activities.

For questions and information, please contact John Queirolo, Kit Carson Mountain Men Head Wrangler at (916) 769-2339 or Dianne Oneto, Wagon Train Director at (916) 769-4468, or email 49erWagonTrain@gmail.com.

Vaisakhi And Spring Festival

The American Desi Society and the Cultural society of Punjabis are hosting the Vaisakhi and Spring Festival at 11:30 a.m. April 29 at Ronald E. MacNair School in Stockton.

The festival will have an outdoor venue for shopping, a bazaar, cultural performances, food and raffles.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $20 at the door for those 12 years and older. Parking is free. Call (209) 401-2995 for advance tickets or more information.

MAY

Mariposa Butterfly Festival

Start the weekend with a parade through downtown Mariposa then enjoy a full weekend of food, vendors and artists, music and entertainment, family games and activities, bounce houses, pony rides, parachuters, spectacular movies, a virtual reality station, butterfly releases, and more at Mariposa Butterfly Festival at the Mariposa Fairgrounds on May 6 and 7.

The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 6 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 7. The parade is at 10 a.m. May 6.

Tickets to the festival are $5. Children 12 and under are free.

Lodi Street Faire

Over 500 vendors and thousands of shoppers will converge on downtown Lodi May 7 to enjoy the Lodi Street Faire to sell and purchase antiques, arts & crafts and commercial items at the event sponsored by the Lodi District Chamber of Commerce.

The Street Faire takes up 15-square blocks of Lodi, centered on School Street and the day is full of plenty of activities and delicious food from 25 food vendors. And, no faire is complete without sweet treats and cold drinks. Admission is free.

Mother Lode Rodeo

The tradition of the Mother Lode Round-Up Rodeo and Parade continues as a tribute to the Western heritage in the Mother Lode. Now in its 64th year, the Mother Lode Round-Up will have a weeklong experience of cowboy and small town tradition that winds up with the RoundUp Parade and Rodeo on Mother’s Day weekend.

The festivities are all day May 13 and 14. It’s held at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds and the parade is on Washington Street in Sonora.

May 20 2023

Spring Craft Fair At Preston Castle

The Preston Castle Foundation is hosting a spring craft fair from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 20 at Preston Castle in Ione. The craft fair will feature local artisans and crafters and food trucks will be on site.

Admission is free. Tickets for self-guided tours of the castle will be available.

For more information visit prestoncastle.org/springcraft-fair.

May 21 2023

Modesto Porchfest

Modesto Porchfest is a collection of porch parties throughout the LaLoma, College, and Downtown neighborhoods thrown by gracious hosts. Local bands will perform throughout the afternoon on porch, patio, and driveway “stages” throughout the neighborhoods. Porchfest will be from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. May 21. Visit modestoporchfest.com for more information.

By CHRISTOPHER CORREA

Downtown Modesto will once again be the place to be if you’re a taco lover on April 29 as the fourth Modesto Taco Fest will be taking over I St. between 11th and 12th streets. e event will see more than 40 food vendors and a number of activities throughout the day for community members and visitors to enjoy.

“It’s just a very fun family friendly event for our local community,” said co-founder Darrel Wilkins. “It seems like everyone loves tacos, so getting everybody together from all ages and all backgrounds is just wonderful, and to celebrate together eating tacos is a very fun thing. It’s a great experience.” e Modesto Taco Fest went strong for two consecutive years before the Covid-19 pandemic put a stop to the fun in 2020 and 2021. e event returned last year to much success, but Wilkins wants to go bigger and better than ever.

Wilkins may be a familiar name to many in Stanislaus County, as he was born and raised in Modesto and has served as the boys’ head soccer coach for Beyer High School and Modesto Junior College. In 2018, his event business, Pure209, collaborated with Chris Ricci, who now sits on the Modesto City Council, to bring the taco celebration to life.

“I think Modesto might have more Mexican restaurants and taco trucks than any community in the Central Valley, so I think to showcase those trucks and the diversity of tacos from our local communities is important,” Wilkins explained.

“Last year was so good, that this year we are going to be twice as big. We’re up to about 40 food vendors at the moment, where last year I think we probably had 20,” Wilkins said.

Most of the vendors are from the Stanislaus County region, while attendees will also get to experience some Bay Area and Sacramento based food trucks. Vendors who will cook up tacos include C10 Taqueria, Cocina de Alina, Flacos Tacos, Dos Bros Tacos, Marky Marcs Tacos Y Mas, Birria Fuego, Taqueria El Trebol, Taqueria 209 and more. ere will also be other latin food options such as Conchitas Truck, Mango Crazy, Oaxaca Tamales, Vic’s Churros, Mely’s Churros and Natalia’s Crepes. Modesto restaurants will also have complimentary chips and salsa for guests.

With good food, there must also be good drinks to compliment, which is why this year the event is also collaborating with boutique mobile bar and beverage catering company, Mobile Mixologist. ere will a selection of regular so drinks and non-alcoholic beverages, as well.

Aside from the abundance of avors, the entertainment is also expected to draw in hundreds of people. e most popular draw in past Taco Fests has been chihuahua races and luchador matches. Traditional Latin music, Mexican bands and Mexican folklorico dancing will take place to further ‘wow’ guests.

Modesto Taco Fest will take place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are $15 for anyone but those under 14 years of age or seniors over the age of 65, who will be admitted free of charge. Tickets can be purchased online at ModestoTacoFest.com or through local non-pro t groups, who will receive a minimum of 33% of their sales.

According to Wilkins, past Taco Fests have done similar donation programs, having donated more than $6,000 to non-pro t groups. is year’s participants are the Ajax United Soccer Club, Modesto Salsa Bachata, Ceres Earthquakes FC, Modesto Rams Youth Football and the Hughson High girls’ soccer program.

“It’s all about investing in the community to make it a better place,” Wilkins said. “If you invest in the community you live in through the fundraisers and the family fun of the event, it’s like watering the grass and it gets greener, and that’s fun in itself.”

For the latest updates on Modesto Taco Fest, “Like” their Facebook page or follow them on Instagram at @ModestoTacoFest. ●