What to Know
- Friday, Oct. 14 from 6 to 10 p.m.
- San Gabriel's Historic Mission District
- Free general admission; $35 beer tasting tickets, dumplings purchases are separate
Plenty of towns put their own savory spin on the seasonal idea of "Oktoberfest," lining up their own luscious eats, festive sounds, and other autumn-inspired happenings.
This, of course, can mean a whole bountiful bouquet of bite-centered bashes with "-berfest" in their names festooning the month of October.
Sometimes, however, the most notable sup-around celebrations forgo adding "-berfest" to their names but do fold in all of the foodie-fun delights of a classic Oktoberfest.
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One festival that makes it especially local, with oodles of respect to the cultural foodways of the San Gabriel Valley, is the event set to take place over four food-filled hours on Friday, Oct. 14.
It's the Dumpling & Beer Festival, "San Gabriel's local twist on Oktoberfest," a delicious to-do that spotlights a terrific roster of regional restaurants and breweries. The Asian Youth Center is a partner on the party, which will also feature creative activities for the youngsters and scintillating DJ tunes, too.
As for the dumpling-tastic deliciousness you'll encounter? Mad Dumplings, Dina's Dumplings, and Rice Balls of Fire will all be there, serving traditional dumplings and the occasional offbeat eat, too.
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Some of the rarer temptations set to show? Look for bacon cheeseburger dumplings and mochi dumplings to be among the goodies for sale, as well as brisket mac & cheese empanadas, too.
Hi Def Brewing, Mt. Lowe Brewing, and several other Southern California brewhouses will be at the Historic Mission District foodie festival, too.
And adding a soulful and contemplative centerpiece to the nighttime happening?
It's a Wishing Tree, so be sure to arrive with something you'd like to hope for, strive for, and share with the world. The Dumpling & Beer Festival "... will include efforts to raise awareness around the 'LA vs Hate' campaign," so some of the tree's meaningful messages will surely reflect this important mission.
Entry is free, a ticket to enjoy beer tasting is $35, and while a limited amount of tickets will be available there, your best bet is to purchase in advance.
And the dumplings, empanadas, buns, waffles, noodles, and rice bowls? They'll all be available for purchase during the festival.
