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Lodi Grape Festival 2024: Event and Entertainment Guide

By Hudson Brooklyn
Lodi Grape Festival 2024: Event and Entertainment Guide

The Lodi Grape Festival has been a staple in the San Joaquin County community for more than eight decades, and this year is no exception.

The festival will take place again at the Lodi Grape Festival Grounds from Thursday, September 12th to Sunday, September 15th.

“The main purpose … is to promote agriculture in the San Joaquin Valley, especially winemaking,” Mark Armstrong, CEO of the Lodi Grape Festival, told The Stockton Record on Monday. “Originally it was an end-of-harvest celebration. Our goal is to promote agriculture, to promote grapes and wine and everything related to that.”

Armstrong said this year's celebration marks the festival's 84th year.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival did not take place in 2020, but will take place again in 2021. Previous years had also been cancelled, he said.

What’s new at the Lodi Grape Festival?

Armstrong said there will be “some layout changes” this year.

“We really focus on agriculture, so we have an entire area in the pavilion dedicated to hydroponic gardening,” Armstrong said.

Armstrong said technology and security have been one of the biggest changes at the festival since its inception.

“We have better techniques to get through the gate,” Armstrong said. “We have all the modern metal detectors. This is all new.”

Armstrong said about $1.5 million has been spent over the past five years on modernization of the facility, including paving, painting and new roofs.

“When they come here, they'll see that the fairgrounds are clean and safe. We have plenty of security,” he said. “There's plenty of seating. If you haven't been in a while, you should come and see what's changed. It's a really family-friendly event.”

Rides and vendors: Lodi Festival presents new entertainment

The festival will feature rides such as Arabian Nights, Alien Invasion, Ring of Fire and more. The rides have been operated by Butler Amusements for over 30 years, the website says.

“Butler Amusements runs our fair, one of the best fairs in California,” said Armstrong.

There will be an unlimited number of carnival wristbands available. Prices vary. Carnival tickets cost $30 in advance.

In addition to the fairground fun, there will be a petting zoo, reptile exhibit, tractor town, competitive exhibits and commercial vendors, according to the festival's website.

At the festival, visitors can also look forward to “amazing murals” created by nonprofit organizations. This year, there will be six murals, Armstrong said.

“They make giant paintings out of grapes and compete for prizes. We also have areas where schools make murals with San Joaquin County goods,” Armstrong said. “People can come and submit their grapes and compete against other people's grapes for prizes. The grapes are judged on color, size and density of the grape.”

Beginnings of the Lodi Grape Festival

In 2012, the Lodi News-Sentinel reported that the festival began in 1934 as a volunteer effort led by Lodi Police Chief Clarence S. Jackson. In 1934, 1935 and 1936, Jackson and his volunteers at the Lodi Mustachio Club raised money to put on the three-day festival, which was held at various locations throughout the city.

It wasn’t until 1937 that the festival was “officially incorporated as the Lodi Grape and Wine Festival, Inc.,” the Lodi News-Sentinel reported at the time.

The celebrations continue even many years later.

The festival's entertainment program changes every year and includes both local and national acts, Armstrong said.

This year's entertainment lineup includes Uptown Funk (Bruno Mars Tribute), Joe Nichols, Smash Mouth, Donovan Bryant, Los Originals de San Juan and Funky Tim & the Merlots.

Not only are the grapes celebrated, they can also be enjoyed at “The Wine Cellar: A Wine Tasting Experience,” available with a separate ticket from Friday, September 13th to Sunday, September 15th.

Participating wineries include Barsettii Vineyards, Ironstone Vineyards, Twisted Barrel Winery and many more. Wine tasting tickets are $20 for one session on Friday and Saturday and $15 on Sunday.

Festivalgoers can bring their own water onto the festival grounds as long as it is sealed, Armstrong said. However, coolers are not allowed.

Dates, tickets and parking at the Lodi Grape Festival

Regular tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for youth and free for children under 5. Advance ticket sales before the event are $8, according to the festival's website.

“We try to keep it affordable for people so they can come and enjoy the fair,” Armstrong said.

Daily discounts are also offered daily.

Daily discounts:

  • Thursday, September 12th is Family Value Day, where everyone under 16 gets free entry all day.
  • Friday, September 13th is Free til' 5 Day, where admission is free for everyone from 12pm to 5pm.
  • On Saturday, September 14th and Sunday, September 15th, it's “two for $2” until 2 p.m., and from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., anyone who brings two cans of food will receive $2 admission.

There will also be changes to parking this year, Armstrong said. Parking costs $12 and only cards will be accepted.

He said the change was for the “safety” of parking lot workers and was also “cleaner and faster.”

“When you come in, you pay the $12 and we give you a coupon card that is worth $12 during the event. It tells you where to get these special offers,” Armstrong said.

Parking is available on Cherokee Lane and Lockeford Street, as well as on Lockeford Street across from the fairgrounds, accessible behind the Grape Bowl at Calaveras and Stockton streets, the festival website says.

Lodi Grape Festival: How to get there

  • Location: Lodi Grape Festival Grounds, 413 E. Lockeford St., Lodi
  • Hours: 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday, 12 September, 12 p.m. to midnight Friday, 13 September and Saturday, 14 September, 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday, 15 September
  • information: grapefestival.com

Record reporter Angelaydet Rocha covers local news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @AngelaydetRochaTo support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

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