6 things to do this week in and around Modesto
Oakdale Chocolate Festival
Chocoholic heaven returns with the Oakdale Chocolate Festival this weekend. The annual event gives guests the chance to stroll through Chocolate Avenue, buy and sample various chocolate treats, and play chocolate-based games. The festival also features more than 200 arts and crafts vendors, a car show, food vendors, children’s activities and live entrainment. This year is the event’s 25th anniversary.
WHEN: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, May 20, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, May 21
WHERE: Wood Park, Highways 120 and 108, Oakdale
TICKETS: $4 advance, $6 general gate, $5 seniors gate, free kids under 12
CALL: 209-847-2244
ONLINE: www.oakdalechamber.com
Family Cycling Festival and Criterium
Downtown Modesto’s annual Family Cycling Festival returns along with the Criterium races. The festival includes a free children’s bike helmet giveaway, bounce houses, rock climbing, vendor booths, BMX bike demos, races and more. The Criterium runs in conjunction with the festival and offers a variety of race categories. Criterium races, sponsored by Ciccarelli Enterprises, begin at 7:30 a.m.
WHEN: Criterium 7:30 a.m., Festival 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, May 20
WHERE: Downtown Modesto, I Street
ADMISSION: Free to spectators
CALL: 209-571-5193, 209-605-7315
ONLINE: www.modestogov.com
Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee
Time to get those froggies hopping again. The annual Calaveras County Fair and Jumping Frog Jubilee returned with the famed Frog Jump competition of Mark Twain lore. The fair features food, exhibits, entertainment, rodeo, destruction derby, livestock, arena events, vendor booths and more. Country singer Ned LeDoux performs at 8 p.m. Friday, May 19, and Frog Jump final begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 21.
WHEN: 8 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday, May 19-20, and 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday, May 21
WHERE: Calaveras County Fairgrounds, 2465 Gun Club Road, Angels Camp
TICKETS: $8-$13
CALL: 209-736-2561
ONLINE: www.frogtown.org
Diggins Tent Town 1852
Columbia State Historic Park’s annual living-history event Diggins Tent Town 1852 is back. The weekend program features more than 150 costumed volunteers and actors who will be re-creating what it was like to live in a 1850s mining camp down to the clothing and chores to food and entertainment. Food, drink and other items will be available for purchase at the Friends of Columbia State Historic Park event.
WHEN: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday-Sunday, May 19-21
WHERE: Columbia State Historic Park,11255 Jackson St.
TICKETS: $7 general, $2 children 12 and under
CALL: 209-588-9128
ONLINE: www.friendsofcolumbiashp.com
Music at the GMC
Townsend Opera veteran and Modesto soprano Liisa Davila will be spotlighted at the next Music at the GMC show for an evening of musical theater. Davila has performed in past Townsend productions of “La Traviata” and “Carmen.” Opening the show will be Kalea Jackson, a recent winner of Roosevelt's Got Talent, the annual Roosevelt Junior High talent contest, and harpist/pianist/singer Anna Conley.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 20
WHERE: Gottschalk Music Center Recital Hall, 1502 E St., Modesto
TICKETS: $15 general, free children under 12
CALL: 209-543-5306
ONLINE: www.modestounplugged.com
Science on Screen
The final installment of this season’s Science on Screen series brings the Matt Damon drama “The Martian” to the State Theatre. The program pairs feature films with scientific presentations. The theme for will be “Unraveling the High-Energy Universe with NASA’s NuSTAR Mission.” Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory speakers will discuss the NuSTAR satellite exploration mission before the screening.
WHEN: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 20
WHERE: State Theatre, 1307 J St., Modesto
ADMISSION: Free
CALL: 209-527-4697
ONLINE: www.thestate.org
- Marijke Rowland
This story was originally published May 18, 2017 at 1:50 PM with the headline "6 things to do this week in and around Modesto."