Lodi Locals
It’s 6:00 am on a Wednesday and you opened your inbox; nicely done.
In this issue of the Lodi Locals Newsletter, we are bringing you a 4th of July mixology class, live music at Five Window with Taylor Nikkole, a live true crime podcast recording that’s happening TOMORROW (put on by yours truly), and more ways you can celebrate the 4th!
Oh, also a really cool Lodi history fact at the very end!
Let's get into it!
— Kylie and Hunter Talamantez
📣Events
Appellation Lodi
Sparkle & Stir: Independence Day Mixology Class | 3:00 - 4:30 PM | Saturday, July 4th
Want to add a little flair to your Fourth of July this year?
Appellation Lodi (Wine & Roses Resort) is hosting an extended holiday mixology class where you get to shake, muddle, and stir your way through a red, white, and blue lineup. On the menu is a blueberry mojito, a strawberry basil smash, and a layered spritz that lives up to its name.
It is a fun way to kick off the holiday with friends or make it a date.
Complimentary for hotel guests, and $40 for visitors.
Appellation Lodi (Wine & Roses Resort and Spa), 2505 W Turner Rd, Lodi, CA 95242
WOO GIRL! Cellars
Wine and Witness: A Live Crime with Kylie Podcast Recording | Thursday, July 2nd | 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Tomorrow night I am recording a live episode of Crime with Kylie at WOO GIRL! Cellars and I would love for you to be there. Come mingle starting at 7:00 pm, grab a glass of rosé, snap a photo at the booth, and get settled in before the show starts at 7:20 pm.
This one is close to home for me. We are covering a case that is very recent, one where we personally know the family and have their consent to share it. I will be walking through what we know, including details from the police reports, with the same care and respect for the victim that we try to bring to every episode.
Bring a blanket to sit on and some bug spray since we will be outside. Tickets are $25 for non wine club members and $15 for WOO GIRL! wine club members.
📍 WOO GIRL! Cellars — 11070 E Woodbridge Rd, Lodi, CA.
Lodi Boathouse
4th of July Week Hours at the Lodi Boathouse | Wednesday, July 1st to Sunday, July 5
Paddling season is in full swing and the lake has honestly never felt more alive. Between the paddle boards, kayaks, and families soaking up the sun, it feels like the whole town is out there this time of year. But with the holiday coming up, parking and lake access will look a little different day to day, so plan your trip accordingly.
Here’s the breakdown for the week:
• July 1st: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, parking open as usual
• July 2nd: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, parking closures mean you’ll want extra time to arrive
• July 3rd: 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, same deal, give yourself extra time
• July 4th: 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm, and paddling is ONLY allowed on the lake that day, not the river
• July 5th: back to regular hours, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, seven days a week
If you’re hoping to paddle before the fireworks and evening festivities kick off on the 4th, aim to get there early since hours are shorter and access is more limited that day.
A few things worth packing before you head out: bug spray, sunscreen, and a waterproof phone case so you don’t miss capturing the moment out on the water. The lake gets busy this time of year and it’s honestly one of the best ways to spend a summer evening in Lodi.
📍 Lodi Boathouse, 1101 W Turner Rd, Lodi, CA 95242
Taylor Nikkole
Taylor Nikkole Live at Five Window Beer Co. I Thursday, July 2nd 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
If you are downtown for the farmers market this Thursday, stick around a little longer because Taylor Nikkole is playing live at Five Window Beer Co. right after. She has such a genuine, soulful voice and always brings a great crowd out for a good time.
Grab a cold beer, settle into the patio, and enjoy a full evening of live music, good food, and even better company. It is the perfect way to close out a summer Thursday in Lodi.
Five Window Beer Company, 9 W Locust St, Lodi, CA 95240
🎉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.
🏡 Family & Kids Corner
Celebrate America: VisitLodi.com
Celebrate America at Hutchins Street Square West Lawn | Today, Wednesday, July 1st | 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Tonight is the perfect excuse to gather the family and make an evening of it. Celebrate America is happening right in the heart of Lodi on the West Lawn at Hutchins Street Square, and it is about as laid back as a Fourth of July kickoff gets. Just a big open lawn, good music, and room for the kids to run around while you relax.
Bring your blankets and lawn chairs, pack a picnic, or grab something from the vendors on site including Tom's Travelin' Coffee, Kona Ice, and Panda's Smoke Shack. Wear your red, white, and blue since the first 500 guests tonight get a free flag. Live music comes courtesy of the Lodi Community Band and the Stockton Portsmen, with Jeff Wayne Sutherland emceeing the evening. No fireworks tonight, just good music, friendly faces, and a genuinely relaxed way to kick off the holiday weekend with the whole family.
9 Hutchins Street Square West Park, 125 S Hutchins St, Lodi, CA 95240
Lodi Art Center
Rock Portraits with Pastels | Saturday, July 11th | 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
If your little artist loves getting creative, this one is for them. The Lodi Community Art Center is hosting a Kids' Corner Event where kids will learn how to draw realistic rocks using soft pastels, playing with shading, blending, and color to really bring their designs to lite.
It is completely free and all supplies are provided, so you can just show up and let them create. Open to ages 5 to 18, making it easy to bring siblings of all ages along for the same project.
9 Lodi Community Art Center, 110 W Pine St, Lodi, CA 95240
✨Community Spotlight
LodiWine.com
Alright Lodi, here’s a fun bit of history.
Before Lodi was Wine Country, it was the kind of town your great grandmother would have crossed the street to avoid. Local historian Toni Christman described 1880s Lodi as “an unruly child,” and at one point the town had about 14 saloons and only 4 churches. Sacramento Street was lined with bars, brass railings, spittoons, and nickel beers, and some of those saloons stayed open all night, even on Sundays.
Gambling was a citywide pastime too. Locals bet on card games, horse and dog races, and when they ran out of animals to bet on, they moved on to turtle races. It was rowdy enough that a 1904 vote to incorporate the city actually failed, largely because the saloon owners fought against it. It took until 1906 for Lodi to finally incorporate, and only after the saloon keepers’ pushback backfired and rallied more churchgoing citizens to vote yes.
Once incorporation passed, the city moved fast to clean things up, passing ordinances against public gambling, “singing in saloons,” and even loose livestock wandering downtown at night. Within a few decades, the wild railroad stop known as Mokelumne had transformed into the orderly, grape growing town we know today.
🐾 Cutest Pups In Lodi
Hey Lodi! We’ve gained many more subscribers in the past week (HUGE THANK YOU!) so since some of you reading may be new, we do a Cutest Pups in Lodi section that can also be cutest cat, reptile, bird, or whatever pet you’d like to show off!
We ran out of submissions though, so if you want your pet to be featured, please hit the button below to submit a few photos of your pet and write a bio for them!
IE: “This is Phillip and he loves to chase his tail and go hiking with me…but sometimes he gets lazy and I have to carry him. He’s been my best friend for 4 years now!”
or whatever you would like to say!
🎶 LIVE MUSIC
— JULY 2026 —
Thu - Jul 2
• Taylor Nikkole (at the Farmers Market) | 6:00-9:00 PM
Five Window Beer Co. - 9 W Locust St, Lodi
Sun - Jul 12
• Big Booty Bob | 1:00-4:00 PM
Van Ruiten Family Winery - 340 W Highway 12, Lodi
Thu - Jul 16
• Neighborhood Noise (Debut Show) | 6:00-9:00 PM
Five Window Beer Co. - 9 W Locust St, Lodi
Fri - Jul 17
• The Groovy Judy Band (Pipe Dreams Music Series) | 6:00-9:00 PM
Harmony Wynelands Winery - Lodi
Sat - Jul 18
• Tribal Seeds + Amp Melo + Dub Souljah (Reggae) | 7:00 PM
Five Window Beer Co. - 9 W Locust St, Lodi
Sun - Jul 19
Mystic Vinyl | 1:00-4:00 PM
Van Ruiten Family Winery - 340 W Highway 12, Lodi
Sun - Jul 26
• Dustin Heer (Sunday Music on the Patio) | 1:00-4:00 PM
Harmony Wynelands Winery - Lodi
• CT3 | 1:00-4:00 PM
Van Ruiten Family Winery - 340 W Highway 12, Lodi
Fri - Jul 31
• Delta Chicks | 5:30-8:30 PM
Van Ruiten Family Winery - 340 W Highway 12, Lodi
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! 🍇
