I never heard about this before and it sounds like so much fun: the Chinese Food Festival.

Excerpted from LA.com:

Chefs like Chow Nam from Empress Pavilion and Lupe Liang from Hop Woo BBQ & Seafood will demonstrate the art of Chinese cuisine. Festival-goers can participate in a traditional tea ceremony, learn about the history and lore of noodles, and meet practitioners of herbal medicine and feng shui. Children will enjoy crafts, games, cultural entertainment and rides. This year’s festival will also feature the Hsiao Hsi Yuan Puppet Theater from Taiwan, Chinese acrobats, showings of Eat Drink Man Woman and The Wedding Banquet held at the Mountain Bar, and a “Fear Factor”-like children’s challenge (chicken feet, anyone?).

It’s going to take place in Chinatown’s Central Plaza and it’s $10 to get in. The admission price includes two tastings and you get a further $2 discount when you provide proof of riding public transportation to the event, which is highly recommended so you don’t have to contend with having to find parking. Rather, take the Metro to Chinatown’s Metro Gold Line Station. You could also get a group discount if you go with nine or more friends.

But how fun would that be to spend a day in Chinatown? It’s so vibrant and there are always cool, cheap little knick-knacks to be found. And the fact that there’s a food festival makes it all the more worth it to go. Expand your horizons by participating in a tea ceremony, learning about feng shui, partaking of all the best food Chinatown has to offer, and then go to the Mountain Bar to catch a screening of Eat Drink Man Woman. Don’t forget to pick up a boba on the way. I recommend the taro smoothie with boba.

Saturday, Aug. 27th – 10am-8pm
Sunday, Aug. 28th – 11am-6pm
943-951 N. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90012
price: $10