Local Business Spotlight & A Community Story

El Buen Pastor

A few months ago, I did a local business shoutout for Shivering Shaved Ice and ended up making a friend in the owner, Danny. Mid-December, I got a random call from him so I answered. Danny called me and told me an amazing story that happened to him and how he got his start with his Shivering Shaved Ice trailer.

Before he had his trailer and what we know it to be today, he used to detail cars, and one of his clients was the owner of El Buen Pastor, Luis. Danny would detail Luis’ cars and even his food trailers. Danny already had the trailer he would eventually transform into his business, but he was still working detailing cars. One day, Luis got a glimpse of the trailer he had stored and asked what he was going to do with it. Danny proceeded to tell him his vision of what it would be, and something unexpected happened. Luis told him he was going to outright give him capital to begin transforming the trailer, and this was with no strings attached. Luis gave Danny, his car and food trailer detail guy, a pivotal investment that ultimately led to him opening his mobile shaved ice business.

I think this is a beautiful story not only between two friends, but ultimately representing the Bakersfield community and the great people that live here. Albeit true that Bakersfield has some bad things, it has always been my opinion that there are some great, honest, and hard-working people that are in the community, and this story is a beautiful representation of just that.

Let’s make sure to go out and support a great local business owner in Luis by going and enjoying some delicious food at El Buen Pastor. There are multiple locations. The brick-and-mortar location is at 7919 E Brundage. It also branches out with trailer locations at 8247 Kimber Avenue and 4600 Stine Rd.      

For Vendors

Great Priced Vendor Opportunities W/ Bakolandia

If you are a vendor of goods or food, the event curators at Bakolandia are having amazing specials to allow vendors to see what they have to offer. $15 non food and $25 for food vendors January 10th, 17th, and 25th.

Make sure to follow them on instagram, and message them there if you’re Intrested in signing up! Here’s the instagram link

🎟️ Events This Week: January 8th-14th

More events for this week. The summer has been jam packed with fun!

💡 Click the underlined event name for tickets or more info.

THURSDAY — JANUARY 8

• Chess Club @ Temblor Brewing (5:00 PM). Weekly open chess meetup for all skill levels. Show up solo or bring a friend.
• Cruise Night (Car Show & DJs) @ Chuy’s Baja Grill (6:00 PM). Weekly cruise night with cars, music, and a solid crowd. Easy, fun Thursday move.

FRIDAY — JANUARY 9

• GSSA Grand Nationals @ Dignity Health Arena (Friday, January 9 · 3:00 PM) Championship cheer and dance competition featuring teams from across the region. Multiple performances throughout the afternoon.
• Hot Mama Mixer (Moms & Minis) @ A Royal Palace (4:00pm–6:00pm). Community mixer designed for moms and their little ones to connect, socialize, and relax together. Includes kid-friendly activities, light refreshments, and a welcoming space to meet other local moms.
• Fiesta Night Market (5:00 PM – 9:00 PM) 5301 White Ln. Night market with vendors + food in a family-friendly setup.
• Night Artisan Fair @ Riverwalk Park (5:00pm–9:00pm)Evening artisan market featuring handmade goods, local makers, and food vendors. Family-friendly night shopping event.
• Friday Night Magic @ Bakersfield Esports Center (6:30 PM). Weekly Magic: The Gathering night with casual and competitive play.
• Devotion (Deftones Tribute) @ Jerry’s Pizza & Pub (Friday, January 9 · Doors at 8:00 PM) Live Deftones tribute set as part of Jerry’s Cruise Night. No cover charge; call ahead to reserve a table. 1817 Chester Ave.
• Friday Night Social Dance @ Fairfax Grange Hall (7pm) 1830 E St, Bakersfield. Weekly social dance night featuring foxtrot, waltz, tango, swing, and country two-step. Easygoing crowd, friendly floor, and no pressure to be perfect. $10 entry, music starts at 7pm.
• The Curious Savage @ Bakersfield Community Theatre (7:30pm)
Classic comedy about sanity, family, and independence.
• Bobby Lee (Stand-Up Comedy) @ Fox Theater (Doors 6:30 PM · Showtime 7:30 PM). Live stand-up comedy from Bobby Lee, known for his unfiltered humor, crowd work, and appearances on MADtv and the Bad Friends podcast.
• MGM (Mixed Groove Machine) @ Legends Event Center – Lounge (8:00pm–11:00pm) Live funk, soul, and groove set from Mixed Groove Machine inside the Legends lounge. Casual night out with drinks and live music.

SATURDAY — JANUARY 10

• FREE Community Workout @ XS Muscle (7:30 AM) 7850 White Ln H. Free community workout at the shop with DJ Choco bringing energy. All fitness levels welcome.
• F Street Farmers Market @ In Your Wildest Dreams parking lot (7:45 AM – 12:00 PM). Downtown market with produce, food vendors, and local goods.
• GSSA Grand Nationals @ Dignity Health Arena (Saturday, January 10 · 8:00 AM) Full day of competitive cheer and dance events with youth and school teams. Expect an early start and all-day performances.
• Fog Run (5K & 10K) @ Lake Ming (8:00 AM). Annual run with 5K/10K options—good community fitness event.
• Girls Run B @ The Park at River Walk (8:00 AM) 12716 Stockdale Hwy. Weekly community run with an encouraging group—show up and move at your pace.
• Riverlakes Farmers Market (9:00 AM – 1:00 PM). Market with vendors and food—great mid-morning stop.
• Photo Walk @ Bakersfield College (9:00 AM). Community photo walk—film or digital, all skill levels, document Bakersfield together.
• Bakolandia Winter Market @ Tractor Supply Co. (10:00am–2:00pm) 6710 Colony St. Local vendors, handmade goods, food, and community vibes
• Toy Madness pop up Market @ Toy Madness Shop (10:00 AM – 3:00 PM). Collectibles + toy vendor pop-up with local sellers and nostalgia finds.
• Free Youth Lacrosse Clinic @ Liberty Park (10:30am–12:00pm). Introductory lacrosse clinic for 2nd–12th graders focused on fundamentals and fun. Equipment provided; no experience required.
• Second Saturday Pop-Up w/ Morning Drive @ Wildest Dreams Consignment (11:00am–2:00pm) Live acoustic jams with reggae vibes during Second Saturday shopping. Music, local vendors, and relaxed daytime energy.
• Second Saturday Demo + Free Art Class @ BAA Art Center (11am demo, 1–3pm class) 1607 19th St. Live artist demo by Marilyn J. Smith focused on painting dogs, followed by a free, all-ages art class where participants can create their own “Fire Horse for 2026.” All supplies provided; families and kids welcome.
• CSUB Women’s Basketball vs Long Beach State @ Icardo Center (2:00 PM). Home game for the Roadrunners.
• Ramen Making Class @ Crusader Brewing (1:00 PM) 5880 District Blvd. Hands-on ramen class hosted by The Poke Express—build a bowl and learn the process.
• House Blend @ Idea Hive (7:00 PM – 10:00 PM) 1910 19th St. Live music + creative community night in a downtown makerspace vibe.
• House Music & Chill @ BottleShock Wine & Brew (7:00pm) 21+ house music night with deep house, funk, nu-disco, and chill vibes curated by Richard Deval. Music starts at 7pm.
• The Curious Savage @ Bakersfield Community Theatre (7:30pm) Second evening performance of the classic comedy at Bakersfield Community Theatre.

SUNDAY — JANUARY 11

• GSSA Grand Nationals @ Dignity Health Arena (Sunday, January 11 · 8:00 AM) Final day of the Grand Nationals, including remaining divisions and championship awards.
• Haggin Oaks Farmers Market @ 8800 Ming Ave. (9:00 AM – 2:00 PM). Big weekly market with tons of vendors and food.
• Ron Houston (Live Americana) @ Jerry’s Pizza & Pub (11:30 AM – 2:30 PM) Live outlaw/Americana acoustic set during Jerry’s Sunday music lineup. Free show, casual daytime vibes.
• Bakersfield Condors vs Ontario Reign @ Mechanics Bank Arena (4:00pm). Family Fun Day home game featuring a kid-friendly atmosphere and post-game slapshots on the ice for the kids.

MONDAY — JANUARY 12

• Cults & Classics: American Graffiti @ Fox Theater (Doors 6:00pm · Show 7:00pm( Classic film screening as part of the Fox Theater’s Cults & Classics series.
• H Street Improvements Learning Session @ Harvey Auditorium, Bakersfield High School (6:00pm) City of Bakersfield staff walk through upcoming H Street improvement plans and answer community questions. Public information session.
• Bingo & Beer @ Temblor Brewing (7:00 PM). Weekly bingo night—easy fun and a good Monday reset.
• Dungeons & Dragons Meetup @ Bakersfield Esports Center (7:00 PM). Weekly D&D meetup—new players welcome, show up and join in.

TUESDAY — JANUARY 13

• Pub Trivia @ Temblor Brewing (7:00 PM). Team trivia night—grab friends and try to win it.

WEDNESDAY — JANUARY 14

• Audiobook Walking Club @ the Bluffs (9:00 AM) 899 Panorama Dr. Group walk built around audiobook listening—easy, social, and low-impact.
• Family Game Night @ Temblor Brewing (4:00 PM). Casual games and hangout—family-friendly earlier in the day.
• Cornhole Tournament @ Temblor Brewing (5:30 PM). Weekly cornhole tourney—competitive but chill.
• Wine Bottle Paint & Sip: Floral Glow Bottles @ Tlo Wines Tasting Room (6:00pm–7:30pm) Guided paint-and-sip where guests decorate upcycled wine bottles with floral designs while enjoying wine.
• Emo Karaoke @ Jerry’s Pizza & Pub (7:00 PM – Midnight). Emo + pop-punk singalong night—loud, fun, no shame.
• Bingo Night + Live Music w/ Vince Galindo @ Rooster’s Honky Tonk (8:00 PM). Bingo followed by live music—classic midweek Bakersfield night.

That’s it for this week.

Thank you guys for always checking the newsletter out. I said last week I was going to do a giveaway this issue, but I accidentally looked at the dates wrong and it’s this next issue! Be on the lookout for that.

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The Bakersfield Guy

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