The 21st Annual Food Festival of the Americas never disappoints and it is easily one of top 5…read morefestivals in DMV region. About 30+ countries from Central and South America set up their booths and they give hospitality for free, and great food for very affordable price. They really want you to like it and they often follow up - we hope you like it (if you are trying it for the first time). I had: Lechona from Colombia - Pork flavor explosion Empanadas from Chile - burst of sweet and salty in perfect unison Coxinha from Brazil - Chicken Croquettes - crunchy outside and soft inside Caipirinha drink from Brazil - Why did I have just one - it was delicious? Mini Choripan from Argentina - Amazing sausage meat Emprados Carne from Paraguay - great taste Chipa Quazu from Paraguay - corn, cheese and eggs in symphony Postre Merengon from Colombia - Fruity sweet delight Jamaica Juice from Mexico - great hibiscus water/juice for a hot day I did not have a breakfast, I came early, so the whole experience was like a wonderful international (Latin) brunch that is almost impossible to beat. There is no entrance fee and there is constant music entertainment as you try delicacies from all over the Americas. Great thing about this festival is that it never gets old - there are so many choices that you can always try something new next year (and have Caipirinha). This was my third attendance. The Food Festival is a fun filled, family event, so bring along your family and friends and those who wish to experience the culture and gastronomy of Latin America, the Caribbean and OAS Observer States at the 22nd festival next year.

This two day event is jam packed with food, swag, prizes, drinks and all things BBQ. Follow the…read moresocial media to plan your day. Be prepared to stand in lines. Enter from 7th Street. There is a free bike valet. Archives metro is close by. Get a brochure from Giant and read about all the guests & vendors. Stay hydrated. The shopping bags that Giant handed out were appreciated and filled quickly with swag. Some guests brought wagons to hold all of their items. There were so many drink & food give a ways. The prizes were varied and fun. IKEA medium sized bags or Costco bags are perfect for hauling items. Bring a sweat towel. Wear comfy shoes. Have fun!

Freeeebies, freeebies, and well...more freeeeebies!!!…read more What a time to be had at the bbq battle!!!! Only thing I didn't sample was the bbq....sheeesh!! I really didn't want to BUT of all the freebies and samples, one would think bbq would be at the top of the list but only stubbs had bbq samples. I was surprised that there were healthy options at the battle - non dairy, gluten free, cauliflower pizza, salad....What a time I had! I couldn't carry all my freebies - and live music - yessssss!! DJ Jazzy Jeff - ok DC! I am not a native DC'er but I was happy Backyard Band and the Chuck Brown Band was in the building (dare I say I am getting acclimated to go-go music). For $20ish bucks a ticket, I felt it was well worth it. As others have said - more seating would be better, I had to exit for a bit to have a sit down (I got a stamp and was let back in with no issue).

Georgetown might be the place where you can find more european, especially french influenced items,…read morefood and atmosphere. I was lucky to pass by G-twon on my way from Crystal city yesterday afternoon and saw this open market. Along the wisconsin ave., many shops were having stands with discounted clothes, kitchen items and books, of course, french bread, wine and food. It was fun to do stroll around each stand to check out unique glasswares, fabrics, and yes, clothes and fabulous bread/desserts. Don't miss this open-market since it comes only once a year. PS: You don't have to speak french to know or buy things at this market. how cool is that? :)

I attended the 2018 DC Chocolate festival thanks to Yelp. It was a good event but the lines were…read moredefinitely long and the samples were small as the previous poster has mentioned. However, it was nice to have an opportunity to taste the chocolates from all over the world, especially since most of them are single origin, fair trade and well sourced. I'm no chocolate connoisseur but I do know that chocolate varies according to geographical origin and that sustainable practices are key. I ended up buying some chocolates from Minkya and they were so delicious! I recommend their 43% dark chocolate. The Yelp elite check in was quick and painless thanks to the lovely lady at the desk. I think the $30 entry free otherwise is a little steep for the small sample sizes but it makes for a good experience.

I enjoyed myself at the DC Chocolate Festival. I mean, how could I not? Chocolate everywhere! Who…read moredoesn't like chocolate? My boyfriend and I were lucky enough to win tickets because he unwittingly won a promo contest on Instagram. $30 for tickets is a bit high but I guess with all the samples you get, it pays for itself. They're were so many vendors with different chocolates. Many dark and milk varieties. I tried a turmeric cream chocolate and I was very impressed with how good it was. There was a chocolate fountain with marshmallows. They also had a vendor that made caramel sauce with Old Bay. It was soooooo good. Dont knock it until you try it. They had tea vendors that used chocolate in their teas and even a vendor that made lotions from cacao. They also had photo booth. I left with a sugar high and it was so worth it. I definitely enjoyed myself.

This event was super packed. I think I'm not quite the right demographic bc I thought it was just…read moremeh. In fact I texted my friends not to bother. I'm not vegan but eat mostly vegetarian meals. I never feel like there aren't enough vegetarian choices in my life but people here looked like they had waited all year to be visiting their favorite vendors. I was expecting a lot of free samples but there were very few and came with long lines. Everything else was not free. I tend to lose my appetite in the heat anyway so I just walked around the full circle, checked out the chef demo and left. Luckily I stopped by around 9:45am before my yoga class to pick up a ticket for the loaded tote. I went to class, walked back over at 11:00am, picked up my tote by 11:15am. There were lines everywhere! And people not seeing or acknowledging the lines everywhere too. It was not extremely organized once you got in. If you're looking to shop for t-shirts with vegan jokes, vegan and gluten free food, baked goods, gifts, etc... Then this is for you. If you're looking for free samples, stay away. I would have preferred a food festival format where you buy a pack of tickets in advance and try small portions from local places. And then the goods could be sold in a different area. Nats Park was a great venue as the concourses have a lot of shade to help you deal with the heat. There are also tons of water fountains and bathrooms. Next year I'll probably stop by for the loaded tote, listen to some speakers, and watch the cooking demos.

I had a good time here this year. The line was long, very long actually, but once the "doors…read moreopened" the line moved quickly. I showed up an hour before start to get a free tote which was packed with great goodies. If you didn't want to get a tote you could have just skipped the line and walked right in. There were many vendors, even in the rain, and they all seemed very happy to be there. You definitely could feel the community spirit. As soon as I got in I went right to the Vegan Treats line (with notoriously long lines) and only waited about 45 minutes. I say "only" because people say they usually end up waiting 2 hours. I ended up buying 8 pastries: a few brownies, cakes, cheesecakes, and even a donut topped with a funnel cake... all for about $60. Expensive, but worth every penny. I look forward to returning next year.

I'm going to start off by saying if anyone knows me. I like to try different things. Different…read morefoods and see how different cultures do things and have fun. That would also include dancing. I believe in keeping my horizons open. Now when l first arrived l was impressed with the huge tent they had available with seating. I was pretty hungry when we arrived. So l headed straight over to order a Gyro. My Gyro was good.They had different people taking the orders and another section you would pay for your order . Of course l didn't know this. They had a Greek band and l got a video of the two ladies dancing pretty cool. They had a lot of items for sale inside the church. I also purchased a bottle of wine for $25.00. We tried a great refreshing beer at $5 a bottle. You could also buy the wine by the glass but they gave you a small plastic cup. That is no way a full glass. It was almost the size of a Dixie cup. They could have went to target to purchase the plastic wine glasses if they were worried about the glass breaking. The wine was good but l felt somewhat cheated with that little plastic cup. I did purchase a bottle to go so that l could pour to my own satisfaction at home. I did purchase the dinner to go as well. Sorry it was on our way out so l didn't get pictures of it. I purchased the lamb and green beans which was cooked in tomato sauce it was a different way for me but l enjoyed my food also the spanakopita. This location has limited space so if your looking for a lot to do or go other than inside and in front of the church this location would not be for you. It is good that this event will help support the church. I hear they hold a much bigger event held in Baltimore. They did have cute donkies there for patting in front of the church if you so desired. Also offered free parking in front of the church as well. I am used to more open space to move around and they were quite limited on that. Other than that it was a different experience for me and l love trying new things.

This Greek Festival in Lanham, MD should be really called the NASA Festival because at least 3/4 of…read morepeople attending it were from the nearby large NASA facility in Greenbelt. This is a smaller and cheaper Greek festival with the larger selection of the alcohol drinks (Mythos beer was $5 - not $7 like in DC Greek fest) - since it is all for the church. Kind ladies at the bar did not know what is Metaxa liqueur made off and they did not quickly pulled the smart phone to find out (like in Bethesda location). This is not a block party (like in Greek town in Baltimore) and it does not have a big Greek hall like Annapolis or Falls Church Greek church festivals do, but they make it up with their kindness. Fish was not great. Lamb was divine - worth every single penny. It was my favorite and worth going just for that. Cheese pie was very good as well as the Greek salad. Baklava was excellent, second only to my favorite one in the Cosmopolitan Grill. Kataifi sweet treat was very good as well. Greek kok desert was like OK French eclair. Greek music was going on and I was able (barely) to get transferred to Greece since there was a lack of Greek heritage folks who are wiling to engage in the conversation with a stranger. I was happy to support their little church with my lunch purchase.

The DC Armory hosts various events, such as galas, expositions, conventions, concerts, sporting…read moreevents, trade shows, and so on - there's supposedly 70,000 square feet of exhibition space, a seating capacity of 10,000, and 3 lots for parking. I recently went there for a festival, and the set-up was great. There was some confusion in regards to parking, but that was more on the event organizers' fault. I was directed to park at another lot by the school, but I should have gone for one of the 2-hour parking on the streets that are of limited availability. Note that there's construction and blinking traffic lights, so be cautious of the traffic. It is a bit of a walk from the lots to the main entrance area. There is security at the front where you will have your items checked and yourself scanned. +large event space +lots available for parking

Formerly the HQ for the D.C. National Guard, the D.C. Armory is now an events space operated by…read moreEvents D.C. It still looks military and the inside main floor is totally gutted so it can be transformed into anything- a stage, a court, an art gallery, you name it. There are restrooms throughout the building, snack stands, and it's literally right next to the Stadium-Armory Metro on the Orange/Blue line.

The address for the 2025 Best of Bethesda Party was at the KID Museum located at 3 Bethesda Metro…read moreCenter (not East West Hwy which looks to be the HQ for Bethesda Magazine). It is always held in a different location. For the first time this year, the party had a VIP ticket and a General Admission price with one entering an hour before the other. Can we say FOOD GALORE. There was so much food - we were all doing balancing acts. Which hand to hold the food, the drinks, oh...there is more food. I wish there was a layout to see where each of the vendors were or even a list to see what they were all offering (vs visiting each table to view it). I didn't even know there was an area to take pictures, outside of the selfie booth. It was like: Check in early and then off you go - not much direction than that. I knew I got VIP, but other than getting 1 hour before GA came in, and having access to a lounge that was a bit far from the main action, I was confused on what I really paid for (in person) I did enjoy the food and tried some things outside of my comfort zone. The music was great by Sean Gaiser. Wished there were more seating indoors (vs outdoors) and more trash cans although they scooped trash up rather quickly. I have never missed this event (my 7th time attending), however I'll stick to the GA price next time

Welcome back from your hiatus, Best of Bethesda party. It's been a long time coming since COVID,…read moreand you went all out this year. The event took place at the Kid Museum in Bethesda, conveniently located above the Bethesda Metro. My fellow Yelper and I purchased VIP tickets and were granted entry an hour before regular admission attendees. The set up throughout the museum was amazing. There were so many options to choose from. I was eager to try so many of the winners from Bethesda Magazine's poll. Not only was there a wide variety of food options from savory to sweet, but also Scotty's vodka, Windridge wine, and non alcoholic drinks as well. They had a live band playing the entire event. I got a seated massage from The Now (massage boutique) that helped work out some kinks. The food was amazing! A variety of Tatte pastries and amazing chocolate cake from Burtons. Sushi, vegan tacos, oysters, pasta, Swiss chocolate, and so much more. I enjoyed taking a breather in the VIP lounge before going back for more food! The most exciting part for me was winning a fantastic gift basket filled with high end facial products from Capital Laser & Skin Care spa in Chevy Chase. The event was executed so well. It wasn't crowded and they did not run out of food. I definitely plan on going next year except I probably will not do the VIP since I felt there wasn't much differentiation other than starting an hour early and I only saw one item of food that was for VIP only during our first hour.