After a year off due to the pandemic, the San Joaquin Asparagus Days Festival is back with a few changes.This year's festival — taking place May 13 to 16 — had to be relocated to the Stockton 99 Speedway on Wilson Way after the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds weren't ready to host a large event.Organizer Tony Noceti said the move is temporary but had to be done in order to host the event that is vital to community charities that work the event as a fundraiser."We are blessed to be back this year, helping the nonprofits get back on their feet. Last year hurt everybody, we're all aware of that, but we are excited to be back this year," said Noceti.Dubbed as the biggest food festival in the west, the event that is all things asparagus attracts thousands of visitors to feast on more than a dozen different asparagus dishes.The most popular dish is the deep-fried asparagus, dipped in tempura batter, fried and sprinkled with garlic and parmesan cheese.The San Joaquin County Public Health Department will be at the event serving free COVID-19 vaccines as well.As demand for the vaccine is tapering off, a health department spokesperson said San Joaquin County's vaccination rate is still lagging behind state numbers.