Stockton is getting a brand-new cultural celebration this fall, and it is bringing the flavors, music and traditions of Lebanon with it.
The first-ever Central Valley Lebanese Festival will take place Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at St. Sharbel Garden, 4981 E. Eight Mile Road in Stockton. The inaugural event is being organized by St. Sharbel Maronite Catholic Church and members of the Central Valley’s Lebanese-American community.
Admission is $5 per person, with children under 5 admitted free.
From the moment visitors arrive, the festival is expected to feel like a full cultural experience rather than simply a food event.
Guests will be able to enjoy shawarma, falafel, manakish prepared on the saj, mezze, baklava, knafeh, Arabic coffee and other Lebanese specialties, while live music and traditional dance fill the grounds.
Food, Music and Dabke
Lebanese cuisine will be one of the biggest attractions, but the entertainment is designed to be just as memorable.
The festival will feature six hours of live music, including traditional oud music, along with Zaffe performances and Dabke dancing.
Dabke is one of the most recognizable traditional dances of Lebanon and the surrounding region. Festivalgoers will not only be able to watch performances, but also take part in a Dabke lesson and a crowd-voted Dabke competition.
That interactive element gives visitors a chance to experience the culture rather than simply observe it from a distance.
Plenty for Families
The event is also designed with families in mind.
A dedicated kids zone will include several attractions, including a 40-foot obstacle course, tag arena, jumper, slide, basketball activities and face painting.
Parents will also be able to browse a marketplace featuring handmade jewelry, art, textiles and other goods from local makers and Lebanese artisans.
That combination of food, music, shopping and children’s activities gives the festival the feel of an all-day community gathering.
A New Stockton Tradition
What makes this year especially significant is that this is the festival’s debut.
Organizers are expecting more than 1,000 guests and are hoping to create an event that can grow into an annual Central Valley tradition.
For Stockton, the festival also adds another chapter to the city’s long history of cultural celebrations.
From Filipino, Japanese, Greek and African American festivals to community events representing cultures from around the world, Stockton’s diversity is often most visible when people gather around food, music and tradition.
The Central Valley Lebanese Festival now joins that list with something new.
Event Details
What: Central Valley Lebanese Festival
When: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Time: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Where: St. Sharbel Garden, 4981 E. Eight Mile Road, Stockton
Admission: $5 per person, children under 5 free
Highlights: Lebanese food, live music, oud, Zaffe, Dabke performances and lessons, kids zone, artisan marketplace and family activities
More Information: Central Valley Lebanese Festival official website
For anyone who has never tried knafeh, watched Dabke performed live or heard the sound of an oud, October 3 offers a chance to experience all of it without leaving Stockton.
And for the local Lebanese-American community, the festival is an opportunity to share its traditions with neighbors, friends and families from across the region.
The first Central Valley Lebanese Festival is not just introducing a new event to Stockton. It is introducing a new tradition.