The Ultimate Guide for the San Joaquin Asparagus Festival

Come and experience the San Joaquin Asparagus Festival in Stockton! Fun for the whole family!

One of the most anticipated events of the year takes place in Stockton, California on April 12-14, 2024. The San Joaquin Asparagus Festival is a delicious and entertaining food festival. The three-day food fest offers visitors an opportunity to experience fun under the sun at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds. The festival provides sensational music local bands and art organizations and individuals. But, you can’t miss the main event—asparagus! Make sure to try some of the amazing dishes which use asparagus as their main ingredients at the San Joaquin Asparagus Festival.

The food fest kicks-off Friday, April 12 at noon. Don’t miss it!

Buy your admission tickets in advance

There are three ways to purchase tickets for this exciting event:

PRE-SALE SAVINGS: Purchasing your physical tickets in advance is the least expensive way to attend the festival. Save $3 on Adult Admission and $2 on Kids/Senior Admission, as well as $10 (WOW!!) on All-Day Ride Wristbands by purchasing your tickets in-person at local Save Mart and Lucky’s Markets as the festival approaches. Click here for a full list of participating locations.
ONLINE: It is now possible to skip the ticket line at the gate and buy your tickets to the festival online! Please note that there are no discounts for online purchases.
ON-SITE: Pricing at the gate during the festival is $15 for adults (ages 18-64), $10 for children (6-17), seniors 65 and over, and military with an ID. FREE for children 5 years of age and under.

Note: There is no additional cost for events inside the festival. This includes cooking demonstrations, live entertainment, and petting zoo.

Hours and admission

Friday, April 12, 2024: Noon-10pm
Saturday, April 13, 2024: Noon-10pm
Sunday, April 14, 2024: Noon-8pm

Arrive Early

As the day progresses more people head out to the San Joaquin Asparagus Festival to enjoy the fun. Plan to arrive early so you can make the best of your experience and spend less time in the car. Carpooling is another great way for friends and families to save time and money when attending the festival.

Designated festival parking can be accessed around the fairgrounds with an entrance at Airport Way, Charter Way, and B Street. Parking costs $10 for vehicles and $5 for motorcycles, cash only.

Prepare for a variety of flavor

No San Joaquin Asparagus Festival visit is complete without tasting the famous deep-fried asparagus and asparagus ice cream. These tried and true flavors have been part of the festival since the beginning – 34 years ago. Trust us, you will be amazed.

NOTE: These specialty asparagus items, along with beer, wine, water, and soft drinks, can only be purchased with tickets so buy your tickets first. Tickets are sold at multiple locations throughout the festival. Note: other vendors selling asparagus and specialty items will not accept tickets.

In addition to asparagus dishes, there are many not-to-miss food vendors at the festival. A few favorites over the years include Lockeford Sausage, Flavor Town BBQ, Delroy's Deli, Space Age Food Concessions & more! Be sure to bring a healthy appetite!

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Get a seat for the show(s)

Every year the San Joaquin Asparagus Festival brings exciting and welcoming entertainment for festival-goers to enjoy - FREE with the price of admission. This year’s festival lineup includes sensational acts on each stage. Click here for the full lineup.

Bring your friends, some low-seat lawn chairs, and stake out your seat early.

Shop til’ you drop

If you love shopping, you will have a ball at the San Joaquin Asparagus Festival! This festival features an array of booths filled with one-of-a-kind items. You’ll enjoy browsing outside as you walk the grounds, but be sure to also check out the vendors who display their wares inside multiple festival buildings. With handmade paintings and drawings, fine jewelry, unique clothing, outdoor household decorations, and large-ticket items, there’s something for everyone!

A few unique vendors from past years include Zeyma Collection (Tie Dye Clothing), Rosabella Arts & Crafts (Necklaces and bracelets with your name on a grain of rice), and Yosemite Sign Co.(Carved Wooden Signs).

You don’t have to stop at shopping! Festival-goers can also find henna tattoos, face painting, and psychic readings while at the festival.

Tell your friends (and ours)

Don’t keep your experience to yourself. Share the fun with your friends and ours by tagging your posts on social media with #VisitStockton and #SJAF2024. Giveaways and fun stuff will be shared by Visit Stockton and on the festival’s Facebook and X accounts, so stay in the loop and win!

For more important information about the San Joaquin Asparagus Festival, go to our events page.