Modesto’s GarageFest
GarageFest, the city’s annual communitywide garage sale, will return April 18, offering residents a full day of bargain hunting and neighborhood browsing from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Registration for participating homes opens Feb. 2 and runs through April 10. Hosts who sign up will be added to the event’s official digital map and receive a promotional kit to help prepare their sale. The map will be released the morning of the event to protect participant privacy and will include category filters to help shoppers find specific items.
The map will be disabled after 4 p.m., marking the end of the event.
Residents with questions can contact Visit Modesto, which organizes what has become one of the region’s largest garage sale days.
San Joaquin Asparagus Festival
The San Joaquin Asparagus Festival will celebrate its 40th year April 24–26, returning to the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds with three days of food, entertainment and family activities.
Organizers say the long‑running spring festival continues to draw thousands who come to enjoy live music, carnival rides, cooking demonstrations and a wide range of vendors. Signature attractions include the Miss San Joaquin Asparagus Festival Scholarship Pageant, a model train display, lowrider exhibits, blacksmith demonstrations, trackless train rides and a free petting zoo, with food available for purchase.
Single‑day admission is $15 for adults 18–64 and $10 for children 6–17, seniors 65 and older, and military members with ID. Children 5 and under are admitted free. All guests under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
The festival runs Friday through Sunday at the fairgrounds.
Sutter Creek Duck Race
The Great Sutter Creek Duck Race will return April 25 with live music, food, prizes and a full day of family activities at Minnie Provis Park.
The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine, and is free to attend. Participants can enter the race for $5 per duck or five ducks for $20, with more than $5,000 in prizes available. Winners do not need to be present.
Proceeds benefit community improvement projects, including the 2026 Monteverde Store Museum effort. Local vendors and organizations will also be on site.
The event is hosted by the Sutter Creek Foundation.
Twain Harte Dog Parade, Adoption Fair
The Twain Harte Dog Parade and Adoption Fair will return April 25, bringing costume contests, rescue groups and family‑friendly activities to Joaquin Gully Road.
The event runs from 10 a.m. to noon and is free for spectators. Families can register to participate in the parade for $5 either online or in person. Parade bundles, which include event T‑shirts, are available in limited quantities and must be selected by size at registration, with pickup on parade day.
This year’s event features “Adoption Alley,” where local rescue nonprofits will showcase adoptable pets. Participation prizes and goods from local makers and shops will also be available.
The event is produced by the Twain Harte Area Chamber of Commerce. For more information, contact Casey at 209‑791‑8422 or info@twainhartecc.com.
Cinco de Mayo Festival
El Concilio California will host the Central Valley’s largest annual Cinco de Mayo festival May 1–3 at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, bringing three days of music, food, cultural performances and family activities to Stockton.
Now in its 31st year, the free event is considered the region’s unofficial kickoff to summer and is expected to draw roughly 60,000 attendees. Organizers say the weekend will feature a bustling mercado, more than 150 vendor booths, Ballet Folklórico performances, two entertainment stages, carnival rides, and more than 20 food vendors offering dishes from around the world. Free children’s activities will be available throughout the weekend.
The festival opens Friday at noon with a carnival, food vendors, a health fair, kids’ activities and a car show. Parking is $10 per day.
One of the nation’s oldest Cinco de Mayo parades will take place Sunday, May 3, beginning at 10 a.m. in downtown Stockton. The parade will start at Weber Institute, travel along Weber Avenue and El Dorado Street, circle MLK Plaza and continue down Center Street. Parade winners will be announced at 4 p.m. on the fairgrounds’ main stage.
The festival will be held at 1658 S. Airport Way in Stockton. Admission is free all three days.
Lodi Street Faire
The Lodi Street Faire will return May 3, bringing one of California’s largest and longest‑running open‑air markets to downtown from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The biannual event spans 14 square blocks and draws more than 450 vendors from across the state. Organizers say shoppers can expect a wide mix of antiques, arts and crafts, handmade goods and retail items, making the Faire one of the region’s premier draws for collectors and casual visitors alike.
Food vendors will line the streets with options ranging from hamburgers, hot dogs and sausages to tri‑tip, Mexican and Filipino cuisine. Sweet treats and cold drinks will also be available throughout the day.
A free parking garage is located at Sacramento and Pine streets, though it typically fills early with vendor vehicles. Visitors are advised to use street parking outside the barricaded event area.
Modesto Marks May the Fourth Day
The city’s annual Star Wars Day celebration will return May 4 with an evening of music, activities and fandom in the 10th Street Plaza.
Modesto first proclaimed May the Fourth as Star Wars Day in 2016, and this year’s free, family‑friendly event runs from 4 to 9 p.m. The proclamation will be read at 4:30 p.m., introduced by Chris Murphy and Assemblymember Juan Alanis.
A high school band led by Brad Hart, conductor for Johansen High School and MoBand, will perform selections from the films at 5 p.m. The schedule also includes a Death Star piñata at 6 p.m., photo opportunities with Din Grogu at 6:30 p.m. and a lightsaber battle at 8:30 p.m.
Mother Lode Round-Up and Rodeo
The Mother Lode Round-Up, a long-running celebration of the region’s Western heritage, will return May 9–10 with a full weekend of events culminating in the annual parade and rodeo.
Now in its 67th year, the Round-Up is considered a hometown reunion for many in the Mother Lode, blending cowboy tradition with small‑town festivities. The parade is free to attend and will take place in downtown
Sonora along Washington Street, with rodeo events following at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds.
The celebration is produced by the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Posse, whose members, along with local merchants, sponsors and community supporters, help sustain the decades‑old tradition.
Events run all day throughout the weekend.
