This year's 6 to 6 event at the Orange County Fairgrounds seem to have less vendors both on the…read morefood side and on the product side. The plus side this time around is that they have a completely covered area to eat your food. Picnic benches are laid out with a full awning. Parking is still great. Prices have gone up for both the tickets and parking so be prepared to pay $15 for parking and $15 to get inside. Services dependent on what vendor you buy your food from some will accommodate the request and others will not. Of course if there's no accommodation to the customer, they've lost my business.

So FoodieLand acquired 626 Night Market in October 2025 and this was my first time visiting since…read morethe new corporate ownership. [Parking]: $15 per vehicle for on-site parking just to enter the OC Fair & Event Center. [Admission]: Our party purchased the same-day tickets and paid a $16 per person entry fee. [What to expect]: The market was approximately half food vendors and half arts / crafts / gift vendors. There were solid craft and gift vendors, but not too many art vendors. The food was extremely overpriced ... a simple appetizer = at least $15+ & a filling meal = at least $25. The only real positive? There was a mahjong area that offered free lessons. The performance stage was alright. [Food]: Our party ended up getting only 6 pieces of soup dumplings (aka XLB) from Dumpling Dream for $14 and a cup of gelatea from Boutcha for $7.20 (one of the most affordable and best item to get at the market). [Conclusion]: If I ever come back to 626 Night Market, I would probably stick with the Arcadia location as parking is free and the admission fee is slightly cheaper. I am still having a hard time digesting the fact that getting into the market cost $30+ before even buying any food if I come here alone and I would also need to spend another $25+ just to feel like I had eaten a legit meal. I am good with this one-and-done visit.

We went to the strawberry festival on sunday. Paid $10.00 for parking in designated area…read more The festival opened at 10 am we wanted to be the first ones there in case it would get crowded. We just wanted to be able to see everything that was available to be seen. Some vendors were not open exactly at 10 so we walked around the vendor section 3 times just to make sure we saw everything for sale and display. We purchased a few things from the vendors. We went to the games and rides paid for tickets. Everything is cash no cards are being used at this festival. We played a few games and I won stuffed animals for my friends daughter. I was looking for vendors that were selling strawberries. I found one vendor and passed due to the price. There was a few photo opts available so we took a few photos..

Strawberry Festival occurs every Memorial Day Weekend. We always go every day to visit the shops,…read more games and rides. Highly recommended to get the Ride All-Day wristband. It's totally worth it. Funnel cakes and fresh lemonade are our favorites. We always visit Grace Honor and bring home a butterfly with us. The staff and vendors are very nice and friendly. They love to tell us about their products and recommendations :)

This year was my 4th year attending White Wonderland. NYE is my favorite day of the year, and even…read morethough WW is a small and simple "rave", I have a great time every year. Trance music is one of my favorites, and WW highlights it. They used to have 2 stages but last year and this year they cut it down to 1. I don't mind 1 stage because I never have to decide which DJ I want to see. But on the flip side, you better be happy with the whole lineup! Ticket prices ranged from $120-150 depending on how early you bought them. I might just be dreaming, but I feel like the rave prices of $60-70 like back in the day would be a lot more fair for a 1 stage event. This is a 21+ event, which I love. The crowd is much more relaxed and responsible than you find at other massives. The decor was a bit lacking for how large of a space they had to work with. I loved the abundance of confetti and streamers that they shot out throughout the night. The Wishing Tree when you enter is a gorgeous photo op, and a cute idea to pen down your goals and wishes for the new year. Coat check is available but I don't find a need for it now that they have moved the line inside. I want to get my money's worth so I arrive close to 7 when doors open. Check-in has always been quick and painless. There are 3 tiers, ID check, security check, and ticket check. My friends and I went to the front very close to the stage and were able to remain there the whole night. We were not squished for the most part and as people from our group exited to the sides they were able to get back to us easily. I didn't realize how far back the crowd went until I left at the end of the night! We were lucky to be in the front. When I go to events I don't move around much, so I can't comment on bathroom or water lines. They had water vendors walking through the crowd at the front of the stage so you don't have to leave if you don't want to. Water from those vendors cost $4 and there was a water refill station near the back. I love that the event is so local so that for once I don't have to drive all the way out to the NOS Center or LA. Getting a hotel within walking distance is the best idea since cabs and Ubers can take a while to book. DON'T BE A PARTY POOPER. WEAR ALL WHITE. And have fun :)

I've completed the trifecta of Insomniac "Wonderland" events and I've got to say it was one of the…read morebest things I've done this year. Go dance your tush off to amazing music, surrounded by beautiful and weird people, and melt your face off to a ridiculous light show. What better way to ring in the New Year than in a puddle on the floor of the Anaheim Convention Center? EVENT LOCATION I loved bringing the party to Anaheim rather than San Bernardino for NYE. It's indoors, which means a lot on a chilly December night! It's also closer to home for me. The big minus here is that the Anaheim Convention Center fills up with 10,000+ people on the same night that its neighbor, Disneyland, has its busiest day of the year. Getting in and out probably took me an hour and a half total because the streets were so backed up heading in and out of the festival. I even left early to try to beat White Wonderland traffic, and I ended up in the thick of Disneyland traffic -- so many people stayed in the Park til after 1!! GETTING IN & OUT While getting to and from the Convention Center was a challenge, getting into the Center itself was pretty much a breeze. Yes, the line was long, but it moved quickly. The single-door-open policy to get in to the center itself was questionable, as it meant the longest line outside in the cold. I luckily had a coat with me, but would much rather have gotten inside quickly, and waited longer for ID/security checks. There were so many shivering ravers and I felt so bad for them. But there were plenty of staff to direct us from the parking structure ($15, steep but better than the $20 at NOS) to the Convention Center, and I appreciated that CSC Event Staff never seemed to be far away. FOOD & DRINKS I finally got to eat some of the food! And it was incredibly average, and a little stressful in my all-white outfit. The longest line was for the sushi stand, and I was happy to recognize Rolling Sushi Van slinging their rolls at this event. If it weren't for the long line I would have snatched up some California rolls myself. I didn't drink as I was driving and really just needed water to hydrate, and that was $4 a pop. Skip the pizza, and the chicken wrap from California Grill is a hastily assembled wrap without a tortilla. MUSIC Once again, this is where Insomniac is firing on all cylinders. With only two stages this time, there were less artists than at Nocturnal or Escape, but they still had a great lineup. I was so impressed that they got some incredible names who were also double-booked on NYE! I'd heard that last year a double-booked artist no-showed as he couldn't get out of Vegas, and with 4-6 performers on their way to Oakland or San Diego after their sets this year, I was almost prepared to be disappointed. But everyone showed up, played incredible sets, and I danced until I couldn't dance or keep my eyes open any longer. Hardwell and Bingo Players were highlights, with phenomenal stints from Sebastian Ingrosso and Above & Beyond as well. If you are coming for the music, there is really no other place to be on New Year's Eve. My 2013 resolution: Complete the Insomniac circle with Electric Daisy Carnival in Vegas! See you there!!

For the first time, UVSA Tet Festival is held at Golden West College. It's a homecoming of sorts,…read moreseeing that the city of Westminster is home to the largest Vietnamese enclave in the world. Maybe that fact isn't lost on its attendants. Maybe it's just the nice weather. It was packed. My Hispanic bro-in-law said he's never seen so many Viet people in his life. I laughed but really I'm proud of our youth. The fair is organized entirely by student volunteers. Traditional dance performances, processions in period costumes, lion dance with drums- it's pure festive energy. Hungry yet? There are 2 food courts, one Vietnamese and one international. From Saigon to Tokyo to New Orleans, you won't be wanting- you'll be wanting everything. Still able to suck in that tummy? It's picture time! The Cultural Village houses rustic backdrops like altars and straw huts. You can even try your balance on a narrow bamboo "monkey bridge" used to get over canals in rural Vietnam. New location = learning experience. A few suggestions for the organizers: -Set up tables & benches for eating -Bring back rides/carnival games -Find a bigger main stage Admission tix is $10. Parking is free at GWC. There's also a shuttle from a farther lot on Hazard. You can get a handstamp to reenter so we left after lunch then came back for dinner. As we were eating, the sound of drums suddenly erupted as lion dancers entered the food court & surrounded us. The crowd went wild. The Year of the Horse will be an exciting one!

How did I not hear about this event sooner ?!? Took my mom here on Sunday and she had a BLAST…read more Parking is $12 and admissions is $8. Once you get through the main entrance, get ready to spend at least an hour taking pictures. So many fun props and pretty decorations around. I think I ended up taking 100 photos for my mom. Not complaining, she had so much fun posing and feeling like a model. I wish we showed up in our ao dais because So many people showed up their tradition Vietnamese outfits. I found out that on Saturday if you showed up in a traditional Vietnamese outfit, your entry is free! Keep that in mind for next year ! Lots of freebies located around all around the park with fun spin the wheel games, which are mostly free ! I think I came home with 5 reusable bags. Like most carnivals/festivals, food was a hit or miss but that's the fun of it right? Get a little bit of this, a little of that, walk around and just take it all in. We came here mainly for the concert scheduled for 6:30pm. originally planned on just staying an hour for the concert but my mom enjoyed it so much we ended up staying for the whole show. They brought out a lot of Vietnamese performers she grew up listening to. I was worried she'll get tired so I kept checking in on her and asking if she wanted to go home but nope. Homegirl enjoyed every minute of it and didn't want it to end. Made me so happy how much she enjoyed this tet festival. She even asked if we can come back next year. My heart.

Attended the 2nd Annual OC Chocolate Festival again this year. This is a charitable event…read morebenefiting the Fountain Valley Community Foundation that is held at the Fountain Valley Sports Park & Recreation Center. The festival runs only the Friday night and Saturday of the weekend it occurs and this year tickets sold out! I bought my tickets in advance online. The regular $25 admission gets you 8 chocolate/food tasting tickets and 3 wine tickets. If you are not a wine drinker, you can trade your wine tickets for additional chocolate tickets. There are many different vendors here including chocolate companies, wine sellers, candy makers, ice cream and gelato vendors, bakeries, and various boutiques. Many booths at the festival are there representing local businesses also. My friends and I always have fun sampling the different goodies and wines available. We were stuffed by the end of our tastings filled with yummy gelato, cheese, wine, stoli chocolate-covered raspberry martinis, caramel apples, flatbread, ice cream, and chocolates from Luisa Chocolatiere, Godiva, See's, M Josephs, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Lindt Chocolate, Sueann Molina, Chuao Chocolatier to name a few. Volunteers were circulating also with samples of pumpkin pie. We were definitely "chocolate wasted" by the end our tastings to quote our friend, Nick. Who doesn't love chocolate and wine?! A fun annual event for chocolate lovers to benefit a great local charity.

Why have I never heard of this before?!?!…read more This chocolate extravaganza was at an all-time high for me this weekend. Thanks to my sweet treats bff and her "foodie senses," we were on a mission to get our chocolate fix! The O.C.C. fest went on from Nov. 5-6 only. VIP tickets were sold out for Nov. 5th. On Nov. 6th, it's $25 per person. At the door, you receive 8 tasting tickets and 3 wine tickets. Yessss! We tried everything and anything inside. There were 3 different rooms. Each one had different chocolate/desserts and wine tastings. I'd have to say that I had my 3 top faves all lined up by the end of the day. So here they are.. 1) Socially Sweet Events by Mijauno Pham. She had beautifully decorated cupcakes and cookies. The setup was very cute and girly. I tried the strawberry with vanilla frosting and the banana chocolate. Both cupcakes were moist and delicious! I also tried the chocolate chip marshmellow cookie which was also pretty good. A definite two thumbs up for her and her mini-cupcakes! 2) Ruhl Family Vineyards by Al and Elain Ruhl. They were such a sweet pair. Uber friendly and explained in detail about their wine and what they've done over the years. I could tell they loved what they did. Their Merlot and Chardonnay were exquisite. The best I've tasted at the O.C.C. fest! I'm not too picky between reds and whites, but I have to say that the Chardonnay sure won me over! 3) Mangiamo Gelato Caffe by Bob Hoxsie. Big fan! His champagne gelato was unlike anything I've ever tasted. It had the perfect blend of gelato and bubbly. I went back a second and third time to savor more but they ran out completely! Bummer! It's alright though, I'm glad I got to taste it. It's a must-try! We spent a good three and a half hours there enjoying all the desserts, complimentary food such as steak and pasta salad, and not to mention all the free wine samples on top of the others! I'm not trying to sound like a major alcoholic (or maybe I am) but hellloooooooo buzzzz hahaha. It wasn't a huge, fancy place but if you go with friends or family that love trying new sweets and wines, it's definitely a place for you! I'm not sure when the next event will be but if you keep a look out on their website or info, I'm sure you'll be able to get more details. Here were my select contacts/information: 1) Socially Sweet Events by Mijanou Pham. Email: mijanou@sociallysweetevents.com Website: www.sociallysweetevents.com Phone: (949) 244 - 4280 Specialties: Gift baskets, parties, desserts, florals and decor, party favors, corporate, catering, showers, invitations, fundraisers, weddings, and more! 2) Ruhl Family Vineyards by Al and Elaine Ruhl. Email: kurtruhl@hotmail.com Specialties: Only available for retail at two fine wine establishments -California Wine and Cheese and Holiday Wine Cellar. Please call ahead to verify inventory. 3) Mangiamo Gelato Caffe by Bob Hoxsie. Website: www.mangiamogelatocaffe.com Phone: (714) 536-5388 Specialties: Can serve anywhere from a group of 30 to 180 people. For pick-up of 30-180 people, 24 hour notice is needed. For 120-350 people, reservations must be made in advance.

We didn't stay here very long as it was excessively packed creating as one would say a "Packing…read moreHouse" in the park! The Night Market itself was alright there wasn't many vendors or much of really anything to occupy our time with. The screen they were showing Back To The Future on was relatively small and just wasn't an all around enjoyable size for the large group of people in the park. What this appeared to be was something that wasn't a too well thought out idea had they had a bigger screen we might have stayed longer than the first few minutes of the movie. The atmosphere on the other hand was killer I mean come on your in a park next to the awesomeness that is the Packing District so that was definitely a plus as was the free admission to the event. Hopefully they do this again sometime and put a bit more planning into the event as it could potently be a spectacular family friendly outing for all ages to enjoy!

Let's start with the positive -Parking was packed, but it…read morewasn't that bad. We found a good spot two blocks down from the packing house. -the people were great, the etsy vendors had amazing creations and ideas for my wedding. -lines were long inside but they didn't take long to get through, service was fast. Food was fresh. -seating for the movies was great, we brought our chairs so it made for a relaxing wait. -music was great, she had a beautiful voice Negatives -the movie started 45 minutes late, to me this was a bit of a family outing and there were a lot of kids and that can sometimes be hard to deal with a toddler being out so late. -there was a private event, not sure that's the smartest thing to do on a day you're holding your own event. Other then that, it was great, would've liked a little more vendors around to keep me occupied while waiting for the movie but other then that well done. My family and I had an amazing time! It was especially awesome to see the Disneyland fireworks going off in the background as that's my favorite thing about Disney.

I really enjoyed my time at this event. TIP: get there as soon as it opens. There were people that…read morecame a little later that did not get to try most of the food offered. This was my first time at any "TASTE OF" event and I wish I had 5 stomachs to eat all the food there and go for seconds. I wish I looked at the map prior to eating whatever was in sight because my plus one and I walked around the first floor and ate everything in sight... not knowing there was an entire upstairs of just food and drinks. Womp. Womp. Womp. Bubba Gump - Cajun shrimp & rice (YES) / deconstructed cheesecake Corner Bakery - Cookies Grasslands Meat - Ribs (okay) / brownies Joe's Crabshack - Chips with Crab dip (YES) Applebee's - Wonton chicken taco (okay) Pizza Press - Rootbeer / rootbeer float Northgate Markets - Shrimp ceviche (YES) / chicharrones & guac (YES) La Michaocana - variety of icecream Red Robin - Strawberry Lemonade House of Blues - Popcorn chicken bao buns (YES) / shrimp gumbo with cornbread (FAVE!) Roscoes - a PLATE of chicken, mac & cheese, candied yams, 1/4 of a waffle, butter & syrup (THIS WAS A MEAL! SO GOOD!) Zov's - Chicken Kabob (YES) Nothing Bundt Cakes - Bday cake & choc cake Bowlmor - Mac & cheese Karl Strauss - Pulled pork sliders Catal / Naples / La Brea - Bruschetta / Caprese shooters / steak sandwich The Catch - Poke shooters Dave & Busters - Avocado toast ...at this point I was already delirious. Plus one tried to finish whatever we got since we didn't want to waste food, eventually he gave up. Lol. We ended up watching the Journey cover band play the rest of the evening while letting our stomachs digest everything. Great event!

Whew! Get me an ambulance!! My belly's about to explode!!!…read more The Taste of Anaheim is an annual foodie fest, exhibiting some of the best & brightest Anaheim & the surrounding area has to offer. This year, $5 from every ticket sale went to the Anaheim White House Restoration Fund. The Anaheim White House, who's proprietor regularly contributes food to the needy, sadly went up in flames last year. However, with fundraisers such as this, hopefully the Anaheim White House will rise like the proverbial phoenix, from the ashes. I'm glad I got to the TOA early, because it quickly became claustrophobic/agoraphobic crowded, especially on the second level. The main chokepoint seemed to be the top of the escalator, where exhibitor tents formed a U, causing a big clusterfrick for most of the night. Food was aplenty & in no short supply. Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles were giving out chicken breast & 1/4 waffle plates at the beginning. That's a full meal for people right there. Club Wyndham let me try their luck spinning a prize wheel, which I won a free 7 night stay at any Wyndham property in the world, provided I attend a 90 presentation at a later date. Hey, brunch is included, so why not? For VIP's and those that won entrance to it, a space was designated as an open bar. Alcohol booths were also dispersed amongst the Anaheim Gardenwalk. For the audience's listening pleasure, bands performed on stage. You know, for when people needed to take a rest from all that gorging. Some of the businesses at the event were- Grasslands https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=SkH_77ekKpoew_xaLLow4w Nothing Bundt Cakes https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=-VjJZDY6344sf5ZXvazZmQ Ruth Chris https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=aWgiyE2Kg9pHSlR-KY0P-w https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=3OCa7efEOt00Zpmd5xf3gA PF Chang's https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=tQqTvCz2Rrv7NReVYRd7tg Slater's 50/50 always pleases me with their medium rare egg & guacamole burger https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=Mi1ajOGKfOyFrqMhTEPT3w https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=5qZAK3hr_d7JpbNfIo8vyQ Phoenix Club https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=ddp646ARqmhsklJXA_qv7w True Grits https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=V75fsTm3Dprx_UgIAJFhug Red Robin https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=KYgwk1ZJlD9Ywi6YFDFI9g Lucky Strike https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=OKgc_OXN73iVHol6YgJagQ Applebee's https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=zwvWQU8KDEcKPfiEC01Fsg Zov's https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=j0FJlzHTAFS09i70AMbsmQ Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=NaOGb3FfFXMcHsu5STcu6Q La Brea Bakery https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=EvSUFwpelUzQbUSajxhMQA Smoqued BBQ had some unctuously, ridiculously good rib tips. Fatty tips for me, please! https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=uhmolRar3iHlJqJE3i45pw McFadden's https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/taste-of-anaheim-anaheim-3?select=9orew-pYrA_SJEApFxR2Uw Gratitude to the Taste of Anaheim, OC CM Nate & the Yelp crew for the comp tickets. The Taste of Anaheim was a highly pleasurable foodie event. I powered my way through all the food samplings, some on more than a couple of occasions. I now possess quite a few restaurant coupons & have in mind several places I want to visit, based on their presentation. I'm seriously in need of a diet, but as of now, I'm fat happy! Highly recommend! NOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM Excelsior!

This year, the Original Lobster Festival moved from Long Beach to Fountain Valley, and it was very…read moresuccessful. The venue was spacious and clean. Lots of room for entertainment, with the same delicious fresh lobster. We had a great time. We decided to spend a few more bucks and try the VIP experience this time, all four of us thought it was a good move. We would have enjoyed without it but this VIP seating and expedited service made it extra enjoyable. The lobster was amazing, they were flown from Maine, steamed lived, came out amazingly fresh and tasty. The staff cut and prepared for us. Music entertainment was excellent this year, too. We enjoyed both the Bruno Mars and Michael Jackson tributes. The DJ also played great music in-between. We danced a lot on the dance floor and had a great time. Other food and merchandise booths were also fun to walk around and visit. We bought kettle corns, Korean BBQ squid and meats. My wife also bought a pair of pants that was pretty unique.

I guess this festival is hit-and-miss. Some have a good time, others don't…read more.. ... luckily, we had a great time! It's been decades since I've been, and it was back at the Long Beach spot. I went more than enough times that I felt it was enough for a lifetime. BUT! Cuzzo-in-law sorta twisted everyone's arms to go - she went as far as paying for everyone's entrance tickets. (There were 14 of us) AND told us about it after, so we didn't really have a choice. We're so glad we went, though, because we really had fun! Our tickets were pre-paid so all we had to do was show up with our QR codes and in we were. We came through on that scheduled Saturday afternoon. I was pleasantly surprised it wasn't as crowded as I anticipated, so yay for that. I was a bit hungry and couldn't wait for the rest of my party to come through to feast on the lobster combo all together, all at the same time. I made the mistake of stopping by one of the vendors for alligator bites, catfish/shrimp combo and sweet tea for the unbargain price of $56 (see attached pictures.) Too many fillers (fries) and tea had way too much ice. I guess that's what I get for being impatient. Don't get me wrong: the catfish, gator and shrimp were delicious, just not $56 delicious. Party complete meant lobster combos! We all went for the 1.5lb'ers that came with a slice of watermelon, butter, bread and coleslaw. Also a slice of lemon, if that's your thing. For the most part, it was easy to crack the shells for the lobster meat, but some parts were tougher than others. We had the option of 2.5 pounders but we figure that's too much especially when we wanted to try other eats. We had a kid with us, so I treated him to some popcorn and deep fried Oreos. Those were bargain buys! Someone also got funnel cake which cleansed the palate for the next grub! We got to try some shumai and potstickers and beer to wash it all down. There was a stage for karaoke and another for shows. There were carnival rides. Tons of vendors for unique souvenirs as well as common ones. Plenty to see for sure. Oh, and how cool is it that they provided paper towels at all the tables! (Wanna give my Auntie GodMom for shouldering ALL the expenses because she just generous like that! Oh, what a treat!) Parking wasn't too far - about the distance of two average long blocks. Street parking is also available if you're lucky to find one. But it is green PRICING? $15 to get in, $38 for the lobster combo. So glad it wasn't a miss for us! I had such a great time that I might reconsider going annually now... maybe at the Long Beach location since it's closer to home.