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Festival goers will be California Dreamin’

By News-Sentinel Staff

For many Californians, the concept “California Dreamin’” conjures up mental images of the Golden State’s aesthetic beauty.

“I think of beaches, sunshine, blue skies, palm trees, green grass and the good life,” Lodi’s Walt Frieser said.

But for many others, the beauty of the state — which is also hsome to Hollywood’s glamorous stars, rolling hills that tower over the Pacific, breathtaking bridges, and some of the world’s most majestic parks — is more than skin deep.

It’s about boundless opportunities that exceed the state’s vast borders and aspirations that far outnumber the masses that reside within.

“For me, it’s always been about a place where people could change their lives,” Galt’s Sandy Smith said. “I think of people that come here from the East or other countries in hopes of bettering themselves. People like my dad, who was just a little boy from the Ozarks who came to California and became an officer in the Air Force.”

Perhaps even more beautiful is that there is no patent on “Dreamin,’” an idea that will be prominently displayed in murals as the main theme of this year’s Lodi Grape Festival and Harvest Fair.

“We’re expecting over 40 murals, most from non-profit groups or schools,” said Mark Armstrong, general manager of the festival. “There will be murals on beaches, skiing, boating, classic cars; a little bit of everything.”

The festival tries to stick to broad-based themes so all the murals aren’t alike, Armstrong said.

“They’ve been around for a long time, and are kind of the focal point of the festival,” Armstrong said of the murals, which will be showcased in the Pavilion. “They surprise me with how great they are every year.”

With last year’s theme being “America the Beautiful,” festival organizers thought it would be nice to focus on California, Armstrong said, adding that the timing couldn’t have been better.

“To have something positive is a nice change,” Armstrong said. “Things are a little wacky in the state right now.”

Despite the state’s current financial and political nightmare, most residents can still find some comfort in California Dreamin’.

“When I came to Lodi in 1980, that’s what California Dreamin’ is to me,” Lodi’s Don Reilly said. “Small, slow and off the track; just a beautiful place to be. I had a motorcycle, car, and a nice little place. And there were jobs all over the place. My dream was to live and die in Lodi.”

For some, California is always a better alternative.

“For me, it’s always meant that people are more likely to have dreams come true in California,” Lodi’s Thraya Rashid said. “Other states just don’t have what California’s got to offer.”

California Dreamin’ is a state of mind, and to each his own.