I plan on going here every year. It's quite an experience to see the culture represented so well…read more They had mariachis and low riders. They had pretty much everything I could desire.

Saw this event listed on Yelp so decided to check it out. I haven't been to RWC in a long time so…read moreit was nice to see it looking good. They had a small procession that started from the Main Library, 1044 Middlefield Rd from 6:30-6:45pm. There were some girls carrying an alter filled w/ orange marigolds and fruit hanging, then dancers were behind them. They lead the procession to the Courthouse Square which was only .21 mi, about 2 blocks. At the Courthouse Square were tables & chairs set up so the public could enjoy the program on the Square from 6:45-8:15pm. There were tables for the kids to decorate pan de muerto (little bit sweet, just ok..no spices in it) & skull cookies. There was also face painters, and Free hot chocolate. There were some youth art work on display in the pavilion windows. Overall, I thought it was just ok, probably more fun for the kids. Good for people that live in the area.

My friend & I had a great time at Gourmet East Bay. I'd rate it a 3.5 due to some issues, but the…read morefood was good and I would return next year. The food will be different every year (take a look at the pics for some examples of this year's offerings), so I'll just list the issues that I hope they can work on for next year: - Lines at every single food/wine station. This was inefficient and annoying. As someone in line in front of me said, "I didn't pay $70 to wait in line" lol. I'm not sure how to alleviate this except a larger space/less people at the event... - Although they were good, the band was WAY too loud. They should be background music since this event was not a concert. It was uncomfortable to be anywhere near them and we spent most of our time in the back of the room. Even there, it was still pretty noisy! - As Shari V. noted, there was only one booth that offered desserts! Coffee doesn't count... - There was a major problem with booths running out of food. Many stations were out of food by 8:30. Koi Palace had the largest line and was out of food by 8:15 (event goes until 10 according to the ticket). Kudos to the ones who came prepared! Food highlights/lowlights: Postino was our favorite Kinder's had largest portions! Desserts from The Park, since they were the only ones, stood out as being good :) Koi Palace & Forbes Mill were totally out of food very early on Other notes: Dress code was interesting. Ranged from "I'm here to get a husband" to "I'm here taking a night off from my hordes of children". All in all though, we had a great time and met some very nice and interesting people (Hi Ron, Wood & Gayle!) I would love to come back next year and this is an event for a great cause, so I can't knock it too much. Please work on fixing these issues for next year!

What is most impressive about this event - besides the exquisite line-up of restaurants, bottomless…read morepours of wine, and rockin' cover band - is the price! Only $60 (with the Yelp ticket discount) is a crazy good deal considering the amount of food, wine, and entertainment flowing all night. I can easily spend that much on a dinner out, but at Gourmet East Bay you get to eat at 30 restaurants instead of one. Tough sell, huh? You might expect a Walnut Creek foodie event to be a tad, well, snooty. But the crowd is surprisingly vibrant, young (at heart), and fun-loving at this event. By the end of the night, you can expect the dance floor to be filled with a proud display of wine-drenched smiles and 'white people dancing' moves. Good, innocent fun. All the restos give generous small plate samples. Highlights this year were the porcini mushroom polenta from Postino, and the lemongrass marinated burger from Eleve. There were a ton more tasty and indulgent bites, so many that if I tried them all I'd have to opt for my elastic waist jumpsuit. This time, I went with a party dress and a smidge of self-control. Regrets? Perhaps. It's a little tricky to find the location, as they literally put a big fancy tent over a parking lot in Broadway Plaza (though, it looks way cooler than it sounds!) But, once you're there you'll feel like parking lot royalty. Most definitely worth the ticket price! Sidenote: judging from past reviews, looks like Gourmet East Bay used to be a restaurant week type of promo, but nowadays it's one big bash. Woohoo for you!

Well, it was a beautiful day with many kind & beautiful people and small businesses bringing…read morecommunity together West African & American! The event set up has room for improvement. This was promoted as a "best Jollof " voting event but I was told to vote before I even found the tasting area. That makes it a popularity contest not actually giving credit where due. The sample box had different colored cups for 4 tastings. None were marked so I thought the colors would keep it fair and anonymous. But that was not the system. We had a code on a small ticket but the person that gave us the tasting boxes kept our ticket so we could not vote. The tastings were cold, probably sitting out too long. There was a lively DJ, Dance off, youth dancers and venders with AMAZING goods! There were not enough Jollof venders so that made food lines TERRIBLY LONG. But everyone waiting was good to meet! We made it work. The entry was supposed to have a no waiting with the ticket I purchased but there was only one long line. I would say the cost of the ticket was too high based on what was offered. But I will go again if nothing but for the venders & music!

I'm grateful that I got tickets from YELP, because this is absolutely something I would be upset…read morewith if I paid for tickets myself. Line after line here to get in and then for food, and small portions! The space is also not conducive to the amount of people there. The "4 jollof samples" weren't even four. It was 3 samples of a shot glass worth of jollof and one fried plantain that was very dry and bland. The food trucks had long lines as well (except for the Filipino one) and the one we were able to see up close had small portions (the spot next to the gal running the bar).

I was so disappointed w/ this event. Perhaps my expectations were too high. For one, I wanted to…read moreexperience Native American food but there was only ONE food vendor (Friendship House itself) that offered only "Indian tacos" (pretty large serving for $7) & bread. That's it. Is that supposed to the extent of their cuisine? And instead of the advertised 150 booths, there were close to FORTY. Another disappointment given that this was their fifth year of doing this event. If there was a carnival, it was not visible to any of my party. The alley had a teepee as an easily recognisasble landmark at each end. One end had the music sound stage & the pow wow was held in the parking lot of the Friendship building. While trying to take pictures of the dancers, I was suddenly struck behind my knees & my messenger bag was jerked downwards. I spun around to see a maniacal woman glaring at me. She was prone on her hands & knees in a freakish manner. I mentioned that if I was inadvertently blocking her view, it'll be nice if she simply said something or simply tapped my shoulder & I'd gladly move aside. She responded by pretending to not speak English then got up & screamed to one of the male dancers, "Have him kicked out because he's not Indian!!!" In English mind you. The male dancer tried to do as she bade him, but I escalated the situation until one of the organisers' attention was gotten. Of course I prevailed as I was the one who was aggrieved. It turns out that this woman had been attacking others as well. In a crowd, if someone is standing is blocking your view, you either move aside or ask if they are willing to. Instead this woman insisted on staying bent over w/ her head about two feet above the ground & could not understand why when people walked by it'll momentarily obstruct her view. And for her to play the "no English" & race card was such a let down to me. This was an event where the Native Americans should be proud to showcase their culture to others & WELCOME them, not chase them away because some maniac orders them to. And for them to make no appearance of fairness by speaking to her really astonished me. There is a big difference between pride & elitism. I really wanted to have a great experience & give this event a rave review (as I did at the well-organised San Francisco Street Food Festival a few blocks away), but was thwarted at every step. How unfortunate. Santa's Yelper sez: "See pics for the evil woman who gives the event a bad review!" :::grrr!:::

Walking down Julian from 16th, I could already hear the drums. I was impressed at the…read moretransformation of the street which is usually - well you know. The turn out from the native community was good, there were lots of dancers in beautiful regalia. Even though there weren't 150 booths, the ones that were there had great items and prices. I snapped up a few gifts for $5 each. On the way out I was distracted by and acoustic guitar set on the side stage, took me another half hour to leave because it was so good. I think the first yelper's expectations were to high. To compare an event like this to the SF Food Festival which has some serious sponsors is unfair. Instead, walk down Julian on a normal day and then think about the hard work that this organization did to put this event on. Also, think about some of how of what you said sounds: "Is that supposed to the extent of their cuisine?". And since when do one or two people represent an entire culture of peoples. Maybe a little research and education would help your expectations next time around.

Sun. February 3, 2008 was the 12th Annual Vietnamese New Year's Tet Festival to celebrate the Year…read moreof the Rat. Since it was my first time I thought it was just ok. Got there around 10:30am and it wasn't too crowded yet. Booths: AAA, PG&E, some others I can't remember. I liked the freebies: cheap recycle bags, post-its, pens. One table had the spin the wheel for a nice canvas black bag-I didn't get one..not lucky enough. Eats: some Vietnamese food that you can just buy but can't eat right away, did see some banh mi though was premade so not sure how they taste, only saw some BBQ meat on a stick that people were eating. Lion dancing was Great, hubby really enjoyed it. We went to a Vietnamese restaurant nearby: Bodega Bistro for lunch then left soon afterwards. Free street parking along Van Ness, pretty easy in the morning.

The 2009 Tet Festival was Sunday, January 18, and we hadn't planned on visiting but ran right into…read morethe celebration on our way to Saigon Sandwich. Apparently you have to go early! Other than a pandan waffle stand at Lee's, most of the food stalls were closing down and there wasn't much to see or eat by 4PM. The other stalls hawked junky plastic toys, New Year decorations, plants and flowers, and lots of Vietnamese dvds. Nothing much happening on the small stage by this hour. Looks as though the main event sponsor was Safeway, where they had a long row of booths set up, each with a wheel that you spin for prizes. Prizes being Safeway branded food products. Yep, at one point I stood in line to spin for the chance to win 1) a single granola bar 2) a carton of yogurt, or 3) a stick of string cheese. I walked away with a small cup of baby carrots and then realized I'm not exactly the target market for free food in the Tenderloin, so it was probably time to go. I commend the organizers for putting on a Tet celebration in the center of such a rough area, and I think this could be a fun event if they would set up more booths for cooked foods and other good things to eat.

Moonlit Circus offers unique and fashionable up-cycled products both on-line and at local art and…read morecraft fairs. Award-winning proprietor and head clown Jennifer W. also teachers craft classes at several locations in the San Mateo area. What's up-cycled? It's about re-making items that are no longer useful into new items but without the costly and energy-intensive recycling process. Their most popular product is called "Fittens" - a corruption of "fingerless mittens" and are made from wool sweaters that are acquired at local thrift shops and then reprocessed into unique felted wool mittens complete with clever and stylish stitching and adornments. Jennifer W. is a DIY (do-it-yourself) champion and is a prolific contributor to whimsical and creative events including the Maker Fair, San Mateo County Fair, SF Pride Parade, and many other art & community events throughout the Bay Area.

What a fun night market on a Friday night in FiDi to unwind after work. Happening only twice…read morethis year, the next one closer to Dewali in October. Perfect location right outside of the Embarcadero Center that offered $10 validated parking after 5pm for the event, there are food trucks, popup food booths, vendors, entertainment and family friendly hula hoops and sidewalk chalk to draw to your hearts content. Food first for us before the lines get long, pani puri, masala chai, jollof, rose chai, thai empanadas, lamb kebobs, agua frisco, then off to their dance performances, before the music starts and the audience dances away.

Fantastic event! The live music was so much fun, the drum circle near the vendors and the bands on…read morethe main stage were fire! There were lots of booths selling jewelry, clothes and candles. The food trucks looked great, but even the shorter lines didn't seem to move much. We wanted to support the food vendors, but after waiting almost 15 minutes, it seemed like a waste of time. Suggestion for next time, more diverse food options There were at least 3-4 momo trucks, better to have less duplication Overall wonderful experience!

Copy and pasted from their website: "Caltopia 2025 is…read morescheduled for August 24 & 25, 2025. Celebrating its 22nd anniversary, this two-day interactive festival will introduce Cal students to brands of all sizes aligned with the Cal lifestyle." Quality/Quantity - My wife "forced" me to come to this event. She and my daughter love these types of events. My favorite booth was the Safeway (5% off loyalty card) and Frito Lays. Overall I still had a good time. Well I made my own fun, lol. My wife and daughter will probably come next year without me, I/we will plan better. Atmosphere - Decent size location. My daughter said in previous years there has been low attendance. But it was crazy busy today. If you do not like crowds, come later in the day. The event is held at the Recreational Sports Facility (RSF), UC Berkeley. 2301 Bancroft Way; Berkeley, CA 94720. Service - Self service. Overall good. Some vendors take their job way too seriously. ONLY one per person, yelling at the poor freshmens... Someone needs to tell those few serious vendors their objective is to get these freshmen "hooked" on your product for future sales!! So it's okay if they take two. You will NOT run out. Price - Free. Owner Comment - Happy 22nd Anniversary. Thanks for having this annual great event (for my daughter).

Caltopia 2013! Here is the definition and details as what Caltopia is:…read more http://caltopia.berkeley.edu/details.php It is UC Berkeley's method of celebrating the start of Fall 2013 by throwing the Recreational Sports Facility's ("RSF's") doors open to the Cal community and the general public. Fun, food, and lots of free stuff! Free stuff?! Did somebody say, "Free Stuff?!" Whoa--I am so there! I checked out the website as to who would be participating at Caltopia XI. I read there were going to be free haircuts and mini manis from Paris Beauty School. Oh, I will definitely get in on a free haircut! My hair needs it! And it is free! And Yelp! is going to be there?! Oh, I will definitely go to Caltopia to see Yelp! Because of my studies, I have not been able to attend any Yelp!-related events. Other participants were The Melt, IKEA, Extreme Pizza, Bank of America, Ben and Jerry's, Paris Beauty School, Benefit Cosmetics, Aveda, Pentel, and many of Cal's student services and organizations on campus. I was amongst the early birds who got there early and was amongst those waiting in line for Caltopia to begin. I took part at Cal Student Store's plinko game. Scored a gold pen and Cal scarf! I made a new Yelp! friend (Hey Maggie W!) while we were waiting to be let in! Scored a campus police tote and a car air freshner right before the moment we were allowed to go into the RSF. All righty then, let's roll. Played a few games, won some prizes. Signed up for some of the campus services, especially Cal's Office of Emergency Services. Signed the pledge to honor Cal being a a smoke-free campus in 2014. I found Paris Beauty School's room at RSF. Had to wait about 20 minutes and was ushered into Maggie's chair for my haircut. Got four inches cut into layers, got fringy, whispy bangs, got a blue hair extension, and a sample of hair conditioner. Love my new haircut! I hope Maggie has a bright future as a hairstylist! Any salon would be quite fortunate to have her! And I found the Yelp! photo booth! And Ben T. was running the show! It was great to meet Ben T., Yelp's East Bay Intern and my Yelp! friend. Ben told me Shirene, another Yelp! crew member would be joining him later. And Nique would be in on Monday. I will be back on Monday afternoon. When it was my turn for my photo, I got and donned on the Yelp! Red gear for my picture and my degree of YELPY CUM LAUDE. Also scored my Yelp swag of Chapstick, mint, and gloves! Thank you Ben! I got lots of free bags, and as Maggie W. said in her review, they will come in handy as many of the stores are charging for bags now. I got a nice cold bag from Bank of America which will come in handy for refrigerated goods from the store to home. Got a free T-shirt promoting community service after my promising to contribute to the community. Got some pix taken as well. Got my Yelp! ones. Still waiting for Cal Student Store to post mine with Oski and the sweet Aussie bloke on their Facebook page. Will be back for a quick Monday in and out just to see Yelp! A quick update--we shall see! Go Yelp! And Go Bears! Caltopia XI 2013 Review #3 Fresh Yelp! Review #59 for 2013