Let's Get Festive!

Photo courtesy of www.beach-cities-la.com

Summer is around the corner, warm weather creepeth in, and with it comes sun dresses, bbqs and any reason to be outside. Thus, I've compiled a list of Food Festivals taking place this Summer in Los Angeles, allowing you to eat and get a tan at the same time. Walls be gone, welcome the summer of the tents!

MAY

17th Annual Pasadena Summer Fest – A Taste of Summer
100 Rose Bowl Drive in Pasadena
May 27, 28 and 29 from 11am – 9pm

Connoisseurs of finger lickin' festival food treats always enjoy the Memorial Day weekend's A Taste of Summer where a dozen restaurants, cafes and eateries serve up scrumptious treats at modest prices.
COST: Free admission, food not included.

JUNE

Picnic des Chefs
Old Lodge, Elysian Park, Pasadena
June 3 at 11:30am
For more information, call Kora at 949-295-0506

Le Tour de France Culinaire hosts its 27th annual “Picnic des Chefs” in the Old Lodge area in Elysian Park. The party begins at 11:30 a.m. with aperitifs and lunch, followed by a raffle at 3:30 p.m. The expansive menu will include culinary contributions from numerous local chefs, whether French born or French trained. Expect pâtés from chef Akira Hirose of Maison Akira, artichoke salad from Jean-Pierre Bosc of Mimosa, grilled tuna from Andre Angles of Frenchy’s Bistro and a variety of cheeses and pastries for dessert. To drink, there will be French and American wines, Champagne and French beer. Activities will include silent and live auctions, a French DJ, pétanque, soccer and moon bouncers for children (gayot.com).
COST: $50 for adults, $20 for children between 10 and 21, free for children under 10.

19th Annual Taste of the Nation
Media Park, Culver City
June 24 from 1pm – 5pm

The 19th Annual Taste of The Nation brings together an impressive collection of chefs and restaurants in Los Angeles for an afternoon of delicious food, fantastic wine, fun activities and live music at Culver City’s Media Park from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Guests will have the opportunity to mingle with celebrity chefs including Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger (Ciudad, Border Grill), Ben Ford (Ford’s Filling Station), Suzanne Goin (A.O.C., Lucques), Neal Fraser (Grace, BLD) and more, while enjoying tastes from over 40 wineries or noshing on the countless food offerings. All proceeds benefit Share Our Strength, the leading organization committed to ending childhood hunger in this country. (gayot.com)
COST: General admission is $95 with advance purchase, $105 at door; tickets for children 15 or under are $25, and kids under 6 get in for free. VIP tickets cost $150. For additional information and advance ticket sales, visit taste.strength.org.

JULY

10th Annual Extravaganza for the Senses
20th Century Fox
Saturday, July 21, 2007

The Annual Extravaganza for the Senses is one of the largest wine and food events in Los Angeles, and has a great cause to boot, as the event raises money for The Los Angeles Free Clinic.
COST: For more event information contact the Clinic's Special Events office at (323) 330-1670 or events@lafreeclinic.org.

AUGUST

12th Annual 2007 LA Tofu Festival
August 18-19, 12pm - 8 pm
Little Tokyo, Los Angeles

The festival will feature over 100 imaginative and delicious tofu dishes served by L.A.’s hottest restaurants as well as artisanal soy products and a wide array of Pan-Asian and non-vegetarian specialties.
COST: General admission is $8 and dishes range from $1-$4 per serving.

SEPTEMBER

Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival
San Pedro
Sept 14, 15, and 16

The World's largest lobster festival, the Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival features discount Maine lobster meals. After feasting on our world famous lobster meals, guests in the past have enjoyed dancing, street performers, a pirate camp, tall ships and music from artists like Jason Mraz, Tristan Prettyman, The Young Dubliners, and General Public.
COST: The Market Price determines the reduced cost for the lobster. Check the website for details.

Taste of Santa Monica
Santa Monica
September 16, 2007

Sample one delicious treat after another from 40 of Los Angeles finest restaurants. Enjoy live music and chef demonstrations all afternoon. Bask in the warm summer sunshine and cool ocean breezes on Santa Monica pier. Treat your senses to something special.
COST: Adults - $40, Children under 4 - $10

A Taste of Downtown Burbank
San Fernando Blvd., Burbank
September 27, 2007

Taste the international cuisine of Downtown Burbank’s restaurants, sample beers & wines from Gordon Biersch Brewery and Market City Cafe and enjoy live music. This event is also charitable, raising over $37,000 last year for the Burbank Community YMCA.
COST: Yet to be announced.

Feast of San Gennaro 2007
September 28 – 30, 10am – 11pm
1651 Highland Ave. Hollywood
(behind "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Studio on Hawthorn
one block south of Hollywood & Highland)

Just like the 76-year old New York City tradition, the 2006 Feast of San Gennaro will celebrate Italian culture, entertainment and food and will feature live music, carnival games, street performers and strolling musicians in addition to wine from local wineries and food from Los Angeles' best Italian restaurants. Guests will be invited to learn recipes at the cooking stage, play bocce ball with some of Hollywood's most prominent Italian-American celebrities and much more!
COST: $5 donation, not including food.