Community Briefs provides a listing of events and activities going on in and around the Oakdale, Riverbank and Escalon areas. To have an event featured, e-mail the information to mjackson@oakdaleleader.com.
Garden Club Session
Members of the Escalon Farmington Community Garden Club will gather in a new spot for their May meeting. Set for 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 5, the club members will join together for a session at the Escalon Historical Museum, the old Bengston Building, at 1630 Main St, Escalon.
All gardening enthusiasts from throughout the Central Valley are invited and encouraged to attend. There will also be snacks and raffle drawings. For more information, contact Lorraine Nicholson at 209-613-8708 or email lorainenicholson@att.net.
Valley Artists Meet
Valley Art Association meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month, except January and July. They meet in the Boy Scout Hall at 3017 High St., Riverbank. Members and visitors bring their art to share with the group. This non-profit group also promotes the annual Carriage Art Show to raise scholarship funds awarded to college-bound students majoring in art. The next meeting will be Tuesday, May 10. For further questions about the group: ValleyArtAssociation@gmail.com
Oakdale Garden Club
The Oakdale Garden Club is pleased to announce the speaker for the Tuesday, May 17 meeting will be Lee Miller. He has been a San Joaquin Master Gardener since 2007 and is an avid home gardener. He has held numerous workshops and written newspaper articles featuring practical advice for home gardening. His work has been featured in both the Lodi Sentinel and the Stockton Record. Mr. Miller will be speaking on How to Grow and Care for Dahlias. The Oakdale Garden Club meets at 10 a.m. on the third Tuesday of the month at the Community Methodist Church at 1480 Poplar Ave., in Oakdale. Attendance is free, and guests are welcome.
Museum Benefit
Tickets are available now for an upcoming drawing for a refurbished antique dresser, the tickets on sale through May 7. Proceeds will benefit the Escalon Historical Museum. Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased during the open hours at the museum, Wednesdays and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m.; the museum is at 1630 Main St., Escalon. The dresser was painted by Rosie’s Rustics and is a mustard yellow with batik style stencil and colorful knobs. You can also contact Wendy at 209-482-5475 or Sandy at 209-838-1275 for tickets or more information.
Chocolate Festival Set
Mark the calendar – Oakdale’s annual Chocolate Festival is scheduled for the weekend of May 21 and 22, with this year being the 30th annual festival. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, located in the heart of the downtown Oakdale area, centered around South Yosemite Avenue. Tickets at the gate are $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and kids who are 12 and under are free. Presale tickets are also available on the oakdalechamber.com/events website for $4 and you can get a dollar off tickets at the gate if you bring a canned good item. The festival last year was pushed back to September due to COVID restrictions, but this year will be back in its traditional May time frame. There will be food, rides, music, classic cars, chocolate and more. For additional information, contact the Oakdale chamber at 209-847-2244 or visit their website.
Weekly Dances
Check out the Golden Agers at the Riverbank Community Center on Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with dancing, socializing, live music and fun for all. All adults 55-plus are welcome. Drop in, or become a member. Fees are $5 for members and $6 for non-members. Membership is $15; contact Ellie DeJesus at 209-277-5584 or Lupe Padron at 209-573-5014. The Community Center is at 3600 Santa Fe St., Riverbank.
TOPS Group Meets
All interested are welcome to join TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) a weight support group that meets in Oakdale every Monday morning from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Community United Methodist Church on Poplar. This group is open to the public and anyone interested in improving their life by losing weight can contact Audrey for more information, call 209-765-7838.
Summer Theatre Opening
Hutton’s Hamlet is looking to hire a female assistant for the Summer Theatre Workshops. Time commitment would be Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. plus performance weekends (every other weekend). Theatre begins May 31 and runs until July 30. Duties would include the following: assisting in activities and games, helping other assistants in costuming the show, acting as a stage manager during performances. Must be 18 years or older. Contact Emily at actingem@gmail.com to schedule an interview.
Widowed Persons Support
Oakdale Widowed Persons Group invites you to join them the first Saturday of each month for breakfast at 9 a.m. and on the third Tuesday of each month for lunch at 1 p.m.; call for locations. All are welcome to join the group no matter how long ago you lost your spouse. For more information, contact Barbara at 209-322-2184.
