Happy Friday, Lodi.

Friday in June and the whole weekend is sitting right in front of you. Here is something most people stroll past without knowing: the water we call Lodi Lake spent its early years as Smith's Lake, and a woman named Estella Smith ran her ranch on that ground for 35 years before it ever became a park. She is back this Saturday, sort of, and we will get to that.

In today’s Lodi Locals:

Let's get into it.

— Kylie & Hunter Talamantez

Got an event you think the community should know about? We're now accepting submissions from our readers, so if you're hosting something public in Lodi or know about an event that deserves a spotlight, send it our way. We're excited to start featuring your events alongside everything else happening around town.

Estella Smith Living History Tour | Saturday, June 13 | 10 am 

Here is the lake story I promised. Friends of Lodi Lake docent Alane Dashner steps into the character of Estella Smith, who ran her ranch on what was then called Smith's Lake from 1902 to 1937, before any of it became the park you know. You get a short reenactment at the Nature Area Amphitheater followed by a guided walk through the eyes of a pioneer, which is exactly the kind of thing that sticks with a kid longer than a screen does. The route is mostly level and paved, admission is free, and you only pay for parking. You can read more about the Nature Area programs through Friends of Lodi Lake. 

📍 Lodi Lake Park Nature Area, 1101 W Turner Rd, Lodi, CA 95242

Youth Cooking Class at Emanuel Lutheran | Thursday, June 18 | 11 am

This one is free, limited, and genuinely useful for kids who are old enough to actually learn something in the kitchen. Emanuel Lutheran is hosting a youth cooking class for ages 9 to 16 where they will be learning to make breakfast from scratch. Spaces are limited so you need to call 209.334.2130 or email [email protected] to get your kid signed up before it fills.

📍 Emanuel Lutheran Church, 1540 West Lodi Ave., Lodi, CA

There is something that hits differently about a group of healthcare workers spending their team-building day stuffing backpacks for kids they will never meet. That is exactly what Sutter Health nurses did recently, and the Lodi Boys and Girls Club shared it with quiet pride on their Facebook page: 100 backpacks filled with school supplies, ready to go out the door at their annual back-to-school event. The post said "we are truly grateful," and you believe it.

Sutter Health has made back-to-school giving a regional tradition. In 2025, teams across the Greater Sacramento and Central Valley areas came together to put more than 6,750 backpacks filled with grade-specific supplies into the hands of students through community partners. The Lodi chapter of that effort landed right here on Poplar Street, where the Lodi Boys and Girls Club has spent decades working to inspire young people — especially those who need it most — to reach their full potential as productive, caring citizens. That mission does not happen in a vacuum. It happens because of moments like this one, when an organization outside the Club's walls decides to show up.

What stands out about this particular donation is the framing. It was not a check, and it was not a drop-off. It was nurses using what was supposed to be an internal team-building exercise to do something tangible for Lodi kids. Sutter's own leadership has said that health and education are deeply connected, and that investing in students is a form of whole-person care. It reads like something people say in a press release, but in practice — in a room full of backpacks and kids lighting up — it actually holds. The Club's annual back-to-school event is where those 100 backpacks will find their homes, going out to members' families who are stretching budgets and trying to set their kids up for a strong first day. You can learn more about the Club and how to support their work at bgclodi.com.

— JUNE 2026 —

Fri - Jun 12

Sat - Jun 13

Sat - Jun 20

Sun - Jun 21

Wed - Jun 24 

— JULY 2026 —

Sat - Jul 11

Sat - Jul 18

Wed - Jul 22

Sat - Jul 25

— AUGUST 2026 —

Sat - Aug 8

Wed - Aug 26 Agents of Rock – Music in the Park | ~7:00 PM 

Sun - Aug 23

Thanks for reading! It means more than you know that you take a few minutes out of your day to stay connected with our little corner of the world. See you around Lodi! 🍇