The Grape Festival grounds were busy with activity wednesday afternoon as employees rushed to set up rides food stans and game stalls. Here Luis Mendoza gives the swings a last good scrubb before opening night (Gena Lindsay/News-Sentinel)

Hundreds enjoy preview of Lodi Grape Festival

The evening before the Grape Festival and Harvest Fair was far from quiet. The lights were on and music was playing in the Grape Festival Pavillion. People, many wearing jungle and animal print clothing to match the fair's theme, chatted as they passed by grape mural exhibits and sipped wine. The smell of fair food wafted around the building.

The second annual Taste of the Festival, a preview of the fair's events, was a relaxed evening for fairgoers to enjoy fair food, wine and entertainment, as well as one another.

"It gives people a chance to see the fair on a close-up basis, and to show off what we do," said Mark Armstrong, director of the Grape Festival.

The other purpose of the event is to raise money for high school scholarships and extra prize money for grape mural winners. Last year's event attracted about 325 people and raised about $12,000 for four high school scholarships and extra prize money for the murals.

"I was looking forward to seeing the murals," said Caroline Lange, past president of the Grape Festival, who enjoyed last year's event.

She said that one reason people come to the event is that they are able to vote for their favorite grape mural and commodity mural.

The murals carried out the theme, "It's a Jungle Out There," some with a Tarzan look, others depicting Jungle Books characters, all with bunches of grapes in every size and color. Commodity murals were filled with rice, beans, vegetables and fruit grown in California.

"This is an excellent way to get people in the fair spirit," said Bill Bruneel, who works with the Grape Festival and Farmers and Merchants Bank.

Also showcased at the event were award-winning grape displays and scarecrows.

The event featured a silent auction with items such as professional team jerseys, bottles of wine and other autographed items. Guests could play a game to try to win a Mexican cruise.

The band Tapestry played music for the first part of the evening, followed by entertainment from an exotic bird show, a magician and an escape artist.

As for food, there was a little bit of everything including mini corndogs, cotton candy, funnel cakes, beef brisquet and much more. All the participants were able to get a sample of different concessionaire's offerings without waiting in the usual fair lines.

"So far, I'm really enjoying it," said Eddie Aguirre. "It's nice, intimate, casual and not too crowded."

Another guest, Jennifer Daniel, enjoyed looking at murals and mingling.

"It's a relaxed atmosphere and friendly people," she said.

Pat Shelton came from Texas with her Whatsit Kettle Korn. It's her seventh year at the fair and was her first time at the Taste of the Festival.

"It's wonderful," she said. "The designs (on the murals) are fantastic."

Smooth Roose, owner of the petting zoo, brought an African watuse cow named Norman. Norman didn't need a ticket to get into the event. Roose said the petting zoo at the fair will include an African tortoise, a baby camel, a baby yak, a miniature horse, an antelope from India, and more.

The Pink Panther also greeted guests.

Zippy, one of the Swan Brothers clowns, joked with guests and made balloon animals.

"I like the Taste of the Festival," he said. "There's a lot of volunteers who worked hard for tonight's event."