Return of the Dead: Daze Between to celebrate music of Jerry Garcia

Jul. 15—A festival celebrating the life of Jerry Garcia while raising funds for a local charity will return to Lodi this summer in a new location.

Mettler Vineyards, 7889 E. Harney Lane, will be hosting the second annual Daze Between: A Musical Celebration of Jerry Garcia, from 3 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5.

Organizers Josh and Nicole Edwards came up with the idea to hold a Daze Between event last year with Stonum Vineyards owner Francesca Stonum.

Josh Edwards said tickets were limited to 200 last year, and the event sold out. Unfortunately, Stonum Vineyards had to back out of hosting the festival this year.

"We were really excited with the turnout last year, and we're hoping for more of the same this year," he said. "If it's successful again, hopefully this can be an annual thing like we had originally hoped."

The idea to hold a local Daze Between festival came during a Thanksgiving fundraising event in 2021, where Heart of Town, a Grateful Dead cover band, was performing.

Organizers thought it would be great to have the band play more often, or invite them to an annual fundraising event.

While researching a suitable weekend to host such a gathering, the Edwards' and Stonum learned about the "Daze Between," a festival celebrated across the country that honors the memory of Garcia and his band The Grateful Dead.

Taking its name from "Days Between," one of the last songs The Grateful Dead performed in the 1990s, the festival takes place from Aug. 1 to 9.

Garcia was born Aug. 1, 1942, and died Aug. 9, 1995. The nine days between his birth and death are considered "The Days Between" by Deadheads, according to www.daysbetweenfest.com.

Festivals around the country can last anywhere between one day and the full nine. The Lodi festival will once again be just one day, Edwards said.

The headlining act is The Help, which Edwards said is not a strictly Grateful Dead cover band, but they do play many of the San Francisco icons' hits.

Edwards' band Valley Roots — who are well-known Deadheads — will also be performing, as will his bluegrass band Jerry Grassia.

He said there will be more vendors and more food trucks this year, as well as a kids' area with face painting and a variety of activities.

Tickets are $25, but children younger than 12 are admitted for free.

Funds raised will benefit Lodi House, Edwards said.

"We might change venues yearly, and we might even support different charities each year," he said. "We just like to support or local nonprofits, and we'd love to keep this going for several years."

Tickets are available at www.tinyurl.com/LodiDazeBetween.