Lodi Locals

Father's Day weekend is here, and if you have not made a plan yet, you are actually in luck. The options this week are the kind that make Lodi feel exactly like the place Parade magazine just told the rest of the country it is. America's Favorite Small Town. We will get into that in the spotlight section, but just know it belongs to every person reading this.

Here is what is inside this week.

  • Father's Day plans from crab leg buffets to a cigar lounge at Oak Farm to No Way Back at Jessie's Grove

  • The full story on Lodi being named America's Favorite Small Town 2026

  • Stargazing at Shumway Oak Grove with Mercury, Jupiter, and the Whirlpool Galaxy on Saturday night

  • Whiskey Kiss at Hutchins Street Square on Wednesday the 24th, free and outside

Let's get into it.

— Kylie & Hunter Talamantez

Father’s Day

📸 via rlconline.church

Dad Fest Car Show – 4th Annual | Sunday, June 21 | 10:00 am – 1:30 pm

If your dad has ever stopped mid-drive to admire a classic car, this is his Sunday. Real Life Church is hosting their 4th Annual Dad Fest Car Show in Galt, and it's completely free to attend — no tickets, no cover, just rows of incredible cars, raffle prizes, awards, free pastries and coffee, and the kind of easy morning that dads actually want. To register your car or get more details, head to rlconline.church/dadfest or call Teri Shelley at (209) 607-9770.

📍 Real Life Church, 550 Industrial Dr., Galt, CA 95632

📸 via jessiesgrovewinery.com

Father's Day at Jessie's Grove Winery – No Way Back | Sunday, June 21 | 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

This one's easy and low-key in the best way. Jessie's Grove is marking Father's Day with live music from No Way Back, a full afternoon on the historic winery grounds, and food trucks on-site — Soul on a Roll, Tender Station, and GG's Pizza are all there. It's family-friendly, laid-back, and exactly the kind of afternoon where everyone ends up staying longer than planned. Check out the full event details at Jessie's Grove before you head out.
📍 Jessie's Grove Winery, 1973 W. Turner Rd., Lodi, CA 95242

📸 via michaeldavidwinery.com

Father's Day BBQ and Car Show at Bare Ranch | Sunday, June 21 | 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm

If Dad's love language is a plate piled with BBQ and a parking lot full of beautiful old cars, Michael David Winery's Bare Ranch just handed you the perfect afternoon. This Father's Day event combines a classic car show with live music and mouthwatering BBQ — the kind of spread built around every dad, grandpa, and father figure who deserves a little extra love. Tickets are $50 for adults, $45 for wine club members, and $18 for kids ages 4 to 12. Grab tickets at Michael David Winery's website before they sell out.
📍 Bare Ranch by Michael David Winery, 19877 Davis Rd., Lodi, CA 95242

Sunday Brunch at Dancing Fox Winery and Brewery | Sunday, June 21 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

If you want a slower, downtown kind of Father's Day, The Dancing Fox is worth knowing about. They run their Sunday brunch every week from 10 am to 1:30 pm with lunch available after, fresh-baked sourdough from their wood-fired oven, handcrafted beers, and estate wines in a restored historic brick building on School Street. It's unpretentious, family-run, and one of those Lodi spots that just feels right. Walk-ins are welcome, but call ahead at (209) 366-2634 if you have a group.
📍 The Dancing Fox Winery and Brewery, 203 S. School St., Lodi, CA 95240

📸 via @lodicabicloset on instagram

BBQ and Craft Beer at Graham Ranch – Fundraiser for Lisa Craig-Hensley | Saturday, June 20 | 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Worth flagging for the weekend: the day before Father's Day, Graham Ranch in Acampo is hosting an afternoon of BBQ and craft beer in support of Lodi City Councilwoman Lisa Craig-Hensley's reelection campaign. Panda's Smoke Shack is handling the food, Lodi Beer Co. is bringing the craft beer, and Pasture Time is playing live. Sponsorships are available.

📸 via oakfarmvineyards.com

 📍 Graham Ranch, 11630 E. Jahant Rd., Acampo, CA

Father's Day Experience at Oak Farm Vineyards | Sunday, June 21 | 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

If Dad's idea of a good afternoon involves a premium cigar, a craft whiskey cocktail, and live music under the oaks, Oak Farm Vineyards has him covered. Each ticket for their Father's Day Experience includes one cigar from Stogies Lounge and one whiskey cocktail from Pi Bar, both popping up in the Bocce Court Cigar and Whiskey Lounge for the afternoon. She Calls Him Wilson provides the soundtrack. This is a 21+ event, and dining and tasting reservations are separate — reserve your spot at Oak Farm's website while there's still room.

 📍 Oak Farm Vineyards, 23627 N. DeVries Rd., Lodi, CA 95242

Father's Day Round at Micke Grove Golf Links | Sunday, June 21 | Open 6:30 am – 7:00 pm

For the dad whose ideal Sunday starts early and ends with 18 holes, Micke Grove Golf Links is right there. The course sits right in the middle of Lodi's vineyard landscape, has a full kitchen and bar on-site, a driving range with Trackman, and a reputation as one of the Central Valley's better-kept secrets. It's open Sunday and tee times can be booked online through GolfNow — worth reserving ahead since Father's Day tee sheets tend to fill fast.

📍 Micke Grove Golf Links, 11401 N. Micke Grove Rd., Lodi, CA 95240

📣Events

📸 via Olive Crush Farms: Olive Oil Boutique on Facebook

Charcuterie Class with Lodi Grazing Co. | Thursday, June 18 | 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

If you've ever wanted to build a board that actually looks like the ones you screenshot and never recreate, this is your class. Lodi Grazing Co. is taking over Olive Crush Farms for a hands-on charcuterie workshop where you'll learn how to pair and arrange premium meats, cheeses, seasonal fruits, and gourmet accompaniments, plus you get a complimentary glass of local Lodi wine while you work. Spaces are limited and this one tends to fill up fast, so grab your spot on the Olive Crush Farms Facebook event page before it's gone.

📍 Olive Crush Farms: Olive Oil Boutique, 4 W. Lodi Ave., Lodi, CA 95240

📸 via visitlodi.com

Corgi Paddle – 4th Annual | Saturday, June 20 | 10:00 am

This one is exactly what it sounds like, and it is as good as you're imagining. The Sacramento Corgi Pack is back at Lodi Lake for their 4th Annual Corgi Paddle, and if you've ever wanted to watch a fleet of very small, very determined dogs hit the water, this is your Saturday morning. It's a free, all-are-welcome kind of event — bring your corgi, bring your camera, or just show up to watch the chaos unfold. Check the Facebook event page for the latest details.

📍 Lodi Lake, 1101 W. Turner Rd., Lodi, CA 95242

📸 via oakfarmvineyards.com

Lodipalooza – 90s Alt Rock Tribute Festival | Saturday, June 20 | 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Lodipalooza is an all-day 90s alt rock tribute festival at Oak Farm Vineyards, and the lineup is genuinely stacked: Stone Temple Peruvians covering STP, Mary Jane Mafia doing Green Day, Scar Tissue on Red Hot Chili Peppers duty, The Pumpkin Heads for Smashing Pumpkins fans, and Blackdaze running a Soundgarden set. Pair that with food trucks, Oak Farm's award-winning wines, and a vineyard setting that turns golden right around the time the evening headliners kick in , it's a full day. General admission is $75 and VIP tables (shade, dedicated server, drink tickets) are limited, so lock in your tickets at Oak Farm's website before they're gone.

📍 Oak Farm Vineyards, 23627 N. DeVries Rd., Lodi, CA 95242

📸 via stocktonlive.com

Elevate Dance Company's 10th Anniversary Showcase | Saturday, June 20 | 5:00 pm

This is the kind of show that reminds you how much talent is living right in your backyard. Elevate Dance Company takes the stage at the historic Bob Hope Theatre in Stockton for their 10th Anniversary Showcase, featuring competition, concert, and studio dancers performing across an end-of-season program. It's a full production at a genuinely stunning venue — the Bob Hope is a beautifully restored 1930 theatre on the National Register of Historic Places. Grab tickets at Stockton Live before showtime.

📍 Bob Hope Theatre, 242 E. Main St., Stockton, CA 95202

🎉Submit an Event!

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.

Submit an Event!

🏡 Family & Kids Corner

📸 via sjparks.com

Astronomy in the Park | Saturday, June 20 | Starting at 8:30 pm

If your kids have ever looked up and asked what's out there, this is the night to find out together. The Stockton Astronomical Society sets up giant telescopes at Shumway Oak Grove Regional Park every month, and June's session is a good one — the Moon, Mercury and Jupiter are visible right at sunset, Venus hangs around for the first hour, and once it gets dark enough, they'll point the scopes at M13 (the Star Cluster in Hercules) and M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy. It's free to attend, presented by the Stockton Astronomical Society and San Joaquin County Parks, and the only cost is a $6 cash parking fee. Get there before sunset to catch the early planets and settle in for a genuinely memorable evening under the sky. Check sjparks.com for more details.

📍 Shumway Oak Grove Regional Park, 4520 W. Eight Mile Rd., Stockton, CA 95209

📸 via City of Lodi-Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services on Facebook

Music in the Park – Whiskey Kiss | Wednesday, June 24 | 6:00 pm

This one is a Lodi summer staple and it never gets old. Music in the Park is back at Hutchins Street Square's West Park for its free Wednesday night concert series, and June 24 brings Whiskey Kiss to the stage. Bring a blanket, a low lawn chair, and your dinner — food vendors are on-site if you'd rather grab something there. It's completely free, it's outside, and it's the kind of low-pressure evening that kids love just as much as parents do. All the details are on the Facebook event page.

📍 Hutchins Street Square West Park, 125 S. Hutchins St., Lodi, CA 95240

✨Community Spotlight

You know that thing where someone tells you they've heard of your town, and you immediately wonder what they've heard? That's over now. As of this week, the answer is simple: they heard Lodi is the best.

On June 15, Parade magazine and travel platform Steller announced that Lodi, California has been named America's Favorite Small Town 2026, the national winner of a competition that started with over 300 nominated communities, drew hundreds of thousands of votes, and narrowed down to 10 regional finalists before the editorial team made their call. Out of every small town in this country, they picked ours. Not a beach town. Not a mountain town. Not a place that's been on every "hidden gem" list for the last decade. Lodi. The Zinfandel Capital of the World, with the arch and the grape murals and the farmers market and the Tuesday night trivia crowd at Five Window. That Lodi.

The competition was launched to mark America's 250th birthday, and the goal was to find the towns that actually define what this country feels like when you're not in a major city. Wes Rhea, President and CEO of Visit Lodi, put it better than any press release could: "This win belongs to the people of Lodi, our residents, small business owners, hospitality partners and everyone who voted and rallied their friends, families and coworkers. Lodi showed up with heart." He's not wrong. You voted. You shared it. You texted your cousins in Fresno and made them vote too. And it worked.

As part of the win, Parade and Steller will be hosting a July 4th activation right here at Lodi Lake, so if you were already planning on showing up for the holiday, this year it comes with a little extra something. Read the full story on Parade.com, and maybe linger on it for a second. You live in America's favorite small town. That's not nothing.

🎶 LIVE MUSIC | SUMMER 2026

— JUNE 2026 —

Sat - Jun 20

Sun - Jun 21

Wed - Jun 24 

— JULY 2026 —

Sat - Jul 11

Sat - Jul 18

  • Good Ol' Boyz (Country Hip-Hop) | 7:00–10:00 PM 

    • 📍 Five Window Beer Co. - 9 W Locust St, Lodi

Wed - Jul 22

Sat - Jul 25

— AUGUST 2026 —

Sat - Aug 8

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

    • 📍 Hutchins Street Square – West Park - 125 S Hutchins St, Lodi

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! 🍇

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