Summer 2016: 24 food festivals in Los Angeles area, from seafood to beer

Southe Califoia will dish up a buffet of summertime festivals sure to suit every taste.

BEAUMONT CHERRY FESTIVAL

Stewart Park, 650 E. Ninth St., Beaumont; www.beaumontcherryfestival.org

June 2-5: Besides the cherries, there’s plenty more to devour — parade, car show, caival rides and games — during this event, which is celebrating its 98th aiversary. Music acts include The Grass Roots, The Basix, Tanya Tucker, Superfreaks and Ambrosia.

TASTE OF THE NATION

Media Park, 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City; 12:30-4 p.m.; $110-$160; ce.strength.org/losangeles

June 5: Selections from top Los Angeles chefs, plus beer, spirits, wine and coffee. Activities include a waiters race. Event is a benefit for the Los Angeles Regional and Westside food banks, Califoia Food Policy Advocates and No Kid Hungry Los Angeles.

SEAFOOD FEAST

San Pedro Fish Market, 1190 Nagoya Way, Berth 78, Ports O’ Call Village, San Pedro; 5:30-7:30 p.m.; $60; 818-951-2842; www.propellerclublalb.org

June 8: 29th aual dier, hosted by The Propeller Club and the Inteational Longshore and Warehouse Union, to raise funds for scholarships that will be presented to students plaing to pursue maritime careers.

TOAST OF THE COAST

Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar; $62-$90; 858-755-1161; www.thetoastofthecoast.com

June 11: Uncork an afteoon or evening of wine tastings, with selections from more than 80 wineries from Eureka to Baja, paired with some tasty culinary creations. Sessions are from noon to 3 p.m. and from 4-7 p.m.

SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL BEER FESTIVAL

Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar; $61-$110; 858-792-4252; sandiegobeerfestival.com

June 17-19: Now in its 10th year, the festival pours hundreds of varieties of ale, cider, porter, mead and stout representing 10-plus countries.

CHILI AT THE BEACH

200 Main St., Huntington Beach; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; free admission; www.hbdowntown.com

June 18: Three blocks of downtown Huntington Beach will be closed to traffic to make way for a chili cook-off, salsa tasting, live music on two stages, roving street performers, vendors, art walk and activities for kids. Proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley.

LONG BEACH BAYOU FESTIVAL

Rainbow Lagoon Park, 400 Shoreline Village Drive, Long Beach; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday; $25 in advance, $30 at the gate; 562-912-4451; www.longbeachbayou.com

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June 18-19: 30th aual celebration of the cuisine, music and dance of New Orleans and the Louisiana Bayou Country. Music acts include William “Soul” Porter, Terry & the Zydeco Bad Boys and Leon Hughes Sr. and His Coasters. To complete the experience, there’s a Mardi Gras parade and a crawfish eating contest.

CHEERS: L.A.’s WINE, SPIRITS, BEER & FOOD FESTIVAL

The Farm at Fairplex, Pomona (parking at Gate 12 on White Avenue); www.fairplex.com

June 25: Wine, spirits, beer and olive oil selections from the Los Angeles inteational competitions, along with food trucks and music. Guests must be age 21 and older.

OCEAN BEACH STREET FAIR & CHILI COOK-OFF

Ocean Beach, Newport Avenue and Abbott Street, San Diego; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; 619-224-4906; www.oceanbeachsandiego.com

June 25: Chili competition has more than two dozen tastings prepared by amaetur entrants vying for several titles including hottest chili and grand prize. The event’s 37th edition also has live music on five outdoor stages and one indoors, food vendors and local restaurant fare, a beachside beer and spirits garden, art displays and demonstrations and handcrafted merchandise.

626 NIGHT MARKET

Santa Anita Park, 285 W. Huntington Drive, Arcadia; $3 admission; www.626nightmarket.com

July 2-4: Asian-themed market nights with food, merchandise, crafts, arts, games, music and entertainment. Additional dates July 22-24, Aug. 5-7 and Sept. 2-4.

LA FOOD FEST

Exposition Park, 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles; lafoodfest.com

July 8-10: Tastings, food demonstrations, DJ sets, games on the lawn, “food po cinema” and more tidbits that highlight Los Angeles’ vibrant food scene. Also, chef-hosted brunches, lunches and diers in the Rose Garden pop-up restaurant.

BRENTWOOD HARVEST TIME FESTIVAL

City Park, 710 Second St., Brentwood; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday; free admission; www.harvest4you.com

July 9-10: Locally grown produce is celebrated with agriculture-related booths, cooking demonstrations and tips, and a “Little Veggies” costume contest.

EAST L.A. MEETS NAPA & BORDEAUX

Two Califoia Plaza, 350 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles; 6-9 p.m.; www.altamed.org/eastlameetsnapa

July 15: Tastings from more than 35 restaurants plus selections from Napa and inteational wineries. Event is a fundraiser for AltaMed, a community-based provider of health-care and human services, especially in Latino, multi-ethnic and underserved communities.

TASTE OF FARMERS MARKET

The Original Farmers Market, 6333 W. Third St., Los Angeles; 5-9 p.m.; www.farmersmarketla.com

July 19: Tasty selections from dozens of market shops, plus live music and other entertainment.

OXNARD SALSA FESTIVAL

Plaza Park, 500 S. C St., Oxnard; free admission; www.oxnardsalsafestival.com

July 30-31: Billed as summer’s “spiciest celebration,” the 23rd aual celebration of everything salsa features food, music and dance. An inteational food court, marketplace selling gourmet salsas and sauces, boutique clothing, hand-crafted jewelry and other apparel, salsa recipe contest, and performances by salsa and Latin bands are some of the highlights.

CRAWFISH FESTIVAL

Rainbow Lagoon Park, 400 Shoreline Village Drive, Long Beach; 5-10 p.m. Friday, noon-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday; www.longbeachcrawfishfestival.com

Aug. 5-7: Cajun crawfish diers are the main entrees served up at this 23rd aual event, which also includes dancing to Cajun and Zydeco bands, and a play area for kids all in a Big Easy atmosphere.

LA HABRA CORN FESTIVAL

El Centro-Lions Park, 320 E. Ea Ave., La Habra; www.lahabracofestival.com

Aug. 5-7: The side item on the summer barbecue grill becomes the main dish during the 68th aual event hosted by the La Habra Host Lions Club. Besides co — there will be 14,000 ears of buttered co gobbled up during the weekend — other highlights include a parade, which usually draws 25,000 spectators to the route along La Habra Boulevard, an apple pie baking contest and a cute baby contest.

SURF ’N’ SUDS BEER FESTIVAL

Linden Field, Carpinteria State Beach, Linden Avenue at Sandyland Road, Carpinteria; $50-$65; surfbeerfest.com

Aug. 13: Selections from more than 55 craft breweries and wineries, plus local surfboard shapers, food trucks and live music highlight the third-aual event taking place just steps from the ocean.

LONG BEACH BBQ FESTIVAL

Aug. 19-21: With a fierce competition for best barbecue ribs and best barbecue sauce in Southe Califoia, hungry attendees are sure to come out the wiers during this aual event. In addition, there’s country music, a dance floor and entertainment for the kids.

Rainbow Lagoon Park, 350 E. Shoreline Drive, Long Beach; 562-495-5959; www.longbeachbbqfestival.com

SAUSAGE & BEER FESTIVAL

Aug. 20-21: A variety of housemade sausages, more than 60 selections from 23 Inland Empire breweries, music and family games and activities highlight the seventh aual event.

Highland Springs Resort, 10600 Highland Springs Ave., Cherry Valley; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; 951-845-1151; www.hsresort.com, www.sbfest.com

ORANGE INTERNATIONAL STREET FAIR

Plaza Square Park, Chapman Avenue and Glassell Street, Orange; www.orangestreetfair.org

Sept. 3-5: More than 40 food and alcohol booths, all operated by local nonprofits, dish up specialties representing more than a dozen cuisines. Artists showcase their handmade arts and crafts, and an area will be dedicated to kids with crafts and games.

FIESTA HERMOSA

Downtown Hermosa Beach, Pier and Hermosa avenues; 310-376-0951; fiestahermosa.net

Sept. 3-5: The biaual fiesta wraps up the summer with a fun weekend of inteational cuisines, a beer and wine garden and live music performances by country, rock and tribute bands. Also, more than 300 artists and crafters display and sell their creations.

LONG BEACH LOBSTER FESTIVAL

Rainbow Lagoon Park, 350 E. Shoreline Drive, Long Beach; 5-10 p.m. Friday, noon-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday; 562-495-5959; www.originallobsterfestival.com

Sept. 9-11: Clawed crustaceans will take center stage during the 20th aual Lobster Festival, with live musical entertainment and dance floor, a children’s stage, beach bar and a large food court.

ALPINE VILLAGE OKTOBERFEST

Alpine Village, 833 W. Torrance Blvd., Torrance; 6 p.m. to midnight Fridays, 5 p.m. to midnight Saturdays, 1-6 p.m. Sundays; 310-327-4384; www.alpinevillagecenter.com/oktoberfest

Sept. 9-Oct. 29: Bavarian fun, foods and beer retu for one of the oldest and largest Oktoberfest celebrations in Southe Califoia.

Compiled by Southe Califoia News Group reporters Holly Andres, Sandy Gerety, Linda Gold, Elaine Lehman and Jerry Rice.

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