I really do miss live shows and getting a chance to get that feeling of happiness when you go to…read moreshows with friends, listen to great live music, and make memories. With the pandemic still very much so at large, we are very limited to these types of experiences, but Insomniac was able to pull this off, while still keeping everyone safe. The only downfall (and quite big IMO), was the wait time to enter the first weekend. We waited over an hour to enter GA, and eventually was asked if we wanted to upgrade to VIP for $50. I wish we were asked this in the beginning, but I wonder if they've been able to fix this problem since then. Also, if anyone has attended this and knows the link to the official playlist on Spotify, please send it my way! I'd love to bookmark this entire playlist to listen in my car.

Tickets are $69.99 during the week, $89.99 Fridays and Saturdays, $79.99 on Sundays. An additional…read more$59.95 to upgrade to VIP (up to 8 people per car) and another $20.00 for the service fee. Yeah, it adds up and it doesn't seem worth it, but if there's 8 of you in the car and split the tab, it isn't too bad. We came through on a Friday night. We opted for the VIP package and bypassed pretty much everyone (that line looked like a thousand miles long, so that alone threw all regrets, doubts and second thoughts out the window!) Bypassing the long line was one thing, but then my passengers' bladders decided to go in sync and in unison all needed a bathroom break BEFORE the drive. The VIP package came in handy once again - they have a separate set of porta-potties for VIP peeps, too! Needless to say, there were no lines there either. So, yeah, off to a good start. I didn't really know what to expect, so I decided not to expect too much. There were a lot of mixed reviews on Yelp (complaints were mostly about the cost) so I kept an open mind. THE VERDICT: Totally WORTH IT. This whole production was well put-together. It was beautifully created with a lot of imagination. The engineering and construction alone were astonishing, how long did it take them to put it all up! And I really liked that they coordinated all the lights' movements with the music coming off the assigned radio station (107.9.) And those souls braving the cold as they entertained us with their dance moves... KUDOS! (I didn't get to see what's in the VIP box but going by how each of my passengers went through it like the Tasmanian Devil, I'm gonna assume whatever was in there was fun!) If this is your thing, here are a few tips: 1) Entry is at Holly and Huntington NOT at the main entrance. If you do end up at the main entrance, they'll reroute you. No worries. 2) You can come through as early as 30 minutes before your scheduled time, but try to be there within that window just for the sake of being considerate. The whole thing is about 45 minutes to an hour, all depending on how slow or fast you go. 3) CLEAN YOUR WINDSHIELDS! I meant to, but I completely forgot. But even with the semi-dirty glass, it was still pretty good. 4) Sunroofs are great! I didn't have one (wouldn't have mattered if I did since I was the one behind the wheel) but I was sorta jealous of the peeps who made full use of it. I imagine that's the best way to experience it. 5) You are allowed to open your windows. Just watch out for fog machines... 6) Take your time and let it all sink in. If you can afford it, I highly recommend it, something cool to do social distancing style. It's an event for all ages and a great excuse to get out of the house more especially during these challenging times.

I enjoy going to Holiday craft fairs because I prefer to support local small businesses, and I…read moretypically find cute, unique gifts. In addition to doing a little holiday shopping I specifically came here to see my girl, fellow fabulous YE, Hannah S. When I arrived, the festivities were in full swing. There were two stages set up - one on each end. The front stage featured performers from the local school. I was impressed with their musical talents. The young girl that was singing had a great voice. A local band was playing at the other stage a few blocks down. I took my time strolling through the vendor booths while looking for Hannah. I finally spotted her festive booth - The Curio Cat. Hannah looked adorable in her Santa Cowboy Hat. I immediately gave her a great big hug! I just love her energy and her amazing smile. The Curio Cat is a student research academy dedicated to helping children expand their knowledge in Biology, Chemistry, & Computer Science through research & development. It was founded by Hannah & her husband Derek (who is also very sweet). They teach kids useful skills while boosting their self-confidence. (thecuriocat.com) The setup of this Holiday Fair was nice and well organized. It was family oriented and pet friendly. There were also food trucks and fun activities for kids. Santa was even there for photos.

This is a really wonderful, local community holiday street fair focused on family friendly…read moreactivities that is sure to put you in the holiday spirit! Almost all the booths are decorated out for Christmas and all are local vendors so it's a great place to support the area community while Christmas shopping. Not only do they have tons of vendors, but they also have so many fun activities- especially for the kiddos! They have a little parade led by Arcadia's beloved mascot Perdy the Peacock with the local high school band too. They have tons of lawn games like bean bag toss and a large play area. There's live music on both ends of the fair and tons of food trucks! And they even had a big snow machine!! It was so fun to play in the "snow" in SoCal haha! And the kids absolutely loved it! We tried the Chicken Satay burrito from the ThaiMexCocina truck and the Pulled Pork fries from the Locke Down BBQ truck and everything was fantastic! A lot of the trucks were giving out samples too - all were excellent! The fair takes place on a Saturday in early December from 10am-4pm. Parking is street parking or in the local garages that are within reasonable walking distance. Attendance is free so it's definitely worth a visit! I've also participated in this fair as a vendor and the city of Arcadia does a great job for the customers AND vendors! It's very organized and well laid out. We're definitely planning on participating next year and doing our Christmas shopping here again.

A local annual festival which took place this year from Friday, September 19 to Sunday, September…read more21. I decided to go Friday evening after work which ended up having slightly less scheduled events. However, the benefit was that there were lesser crowds, and the cool, end of summer breeze around the perimeter of the church was just the right temperature. The big draw for me was definitely the food. Specifically, I had a craving for moussaka. As luck would have it, by the time it was my turn in line the moussaka was almost out, so I was lucky to have one of the last pieces. Although the dish was only slightly warm, the taste was undeniably fresh and satisfying. My colleague and I talked about dishes to check out, and he raved about how delicious the roasted leg of lamb dish was. He also mentioned that the dance competition can be pretty entertaining. The group that was up that evening ranged from adolescents to the elderly, and it was clear early on the spirited elderly folks had both the charm and technique down to win it all. "Opa!!!" the audience would cheer them on. The surrounding area included vendors for jewelry, artwork, and even an AARP booth for ax-throwing. Decently sized festival and friendly folks around.

What a wonderful surprise! I stumbled upon this local Greek festival when driving up Rosemead and…read moresaw the buzz of excitement around St. Anthony Orthodox Church. Blue and white tents canvas the parking lot and house the vendors and bar. The festival offered a generous seating area where groups of all sizes could savor their meals and desserts to the tune of live music. The large dance floor means people of all ages joined in the group dances, creating a joyful atmosphere that was contagious! There is souvlaki that draws you in and the indoor hall where they serve plated meals. My favorite part of this enchanting event had to be the lovely grandmas who brought their energy and warmth to serve up their baked desserts, with a side of heartfelt smiles. We love the experience, and what this festival represents!

What else can I add to what Grace C. has already extolled about this event? :)…read more It was my first time to A Taste of Old Town Monrovia, after hearing my boyfriend rave about all the deliciousness of years past. Thus, expectations duly raised, I went into the event with high hopes and an empty stomach. I was not disappointed. There were fifty booths this year, representing many a palate. From hotel cuisine to soul food, there was a stand to satisfy one's appetite. Did I go back to Paradis Gelato's stands twice? Maaaaaybe. ;) Thanks to this event, I had the opportunity to sample foods from many different eateries. Jake's Roadhouse, Sena on Myrtle, and Bottega della Sera were particular faves for me. There are many other places that I look forward to visiting. The live music was wonderful, everyone was friendly, and the overall atmosphere was just lovely. I really like the palette-like trays they gave us (there's a slot for holding your wine glass, too!). The Kiwanis Club did an excellent job organizing this wonderful event! Totally brings me back to my days of volunteering with Key Club in high school :) Thank you again! I look forward to returning next year.

My first time ever at this 6th annual event organized by Monrovia Kiwanis! I've been meaning to…read moreattend one of these Taste of Old Town Monrovia events ever since I moved to Monrovia 3 years ago, but something always came up during my October weekends and I would have to skip out. Finally, this year, everything fell into place and at 5 pm on Sunday, with my pre-bought ticket in hand (you save $10 not buying at the door!), I was ready to taste and drink my way through the main street on Monrovia on Myrtle Ave with the over 50+ vendors from Monrovia and the surrounding areas. The entire street of Myrtle is blocked off from Lime to Colorado. Upon check-in (and checking your ID to make sure you're over 21), you're handed a reusable tote bag with a wine glass and reusable food tray (with handy slot to house your wine glass). The tote bag is great in holding coupons and menus and business cards handed out by the various vendors. Some vendors have storefronts right here on Myrtle while others are in nearby cities (like Duarte, Azusa or Pasadena) or can provide catering and private orders! You definitely will not go home hungry! A tip learned from this trip is that it may be worthwhile to do a walk through first to see what's out there and pick what piques your interest. Otherwise you'll be full before you hit the halfway point! Plenty of food and availability to go back for seconds on your favorites! The lines were very reasonable, with the max being maybe 4 people ahead of you in line. The BF and I tried plenty of sweets (cupcakes, bundt cakes, ice cream!), BBQ foods, Mexican food, comfort food, and so much more! Plenty of alcohol flowing here too! I love that everything is included in the ticket price so you don't even have to bring your wallet if you don't plan to bar hop afterwards! Other than the food, there's a live band (Time Bomb) providing some great tunes through out the night, in front of an area set up for dancing to work off the food. A photo booth was nearby as well to capture your picture pre or post food coma. I have to give major props to the Kiwanis Club of Monrovia for such a well run event. Tickets could be purchased online (with a small convenience fee) or at a couple of different Monrovia merchants in person (cash or check only). The day of the event, checking in ran super smooth and the Kiwanians were all over the event -- making sure trash cans weren't overflowing, providing bottled water at their booths, and making sure everyone was having a great time! If I wasn't already a member of another Kiwanis club, this event would motivate me to join their club! And of course, the proceeds of the tickets all go towards benefiting the youth programs they organize in the community. What a win-win situation -- the kids supported by Kiwanis wins and my tummy wins in trying out so much variety of food! Of course, I have to comment that I had no problems finding parking as well. There are plenty of street parking and spots at the various free public parking lots next to Myrtle Avenue. Just turn on one of the side streets one or two blocks before you hit Line or Colorado to avoid the buildup of traffic from the blocked off streets. As I was heading out, stuffed to the brim at 7:30 pm, I saw a sign saving the date for the event next year - October 15, 2017. You can bet it will be on my calendar and it should be on yours too, especially for any first timers!

An absolutely wonderful time during the Christmas season with the family after a dinner in Sierra…read moreMadre we spent the evening wandering Christmas tree lane in all of its splendor

Christmas is in the air! After the tree lighting ceremony in San Marino, my boyfriend and I took a…read morenice, scenic walk along Christmas tree lane (AKA, St.Alban's street right off of Huntington drive). It's a hop, skip, and a stone's throw away from the San Marino Christmas Tree/Fire Department! It was a nice, quiet walk past the beautifully decorated million-dollar homes. Although it's not as vast and expansive as most Christmas Tree lanes in Southern California, it is definitely a sight to see each year!

I got my tickets discounted with early bird access months ago via Fantuan. I believe you can still…read moreget them slightly discounted through Fantuan if you order them through their app. Just know that with this, you can skip and go to their "VIP" line to the side. Also do NOT pay for parking, it is completely free. I have no idea how people are paying for parking because you can just drive up for free, but I guess it's the people ordering their tickets online not via Fantuan. Before I jump into this review, I gotta say first that I am not Chinese and I had no idea what was going on most of the time when I was there and most of the staff will speak to you in Chinese. The entire check in process was done in Mandarin when I understood none of it and lots of signs are only in Chinese, but that's not to say that some will try to speak to you in English and that there are vendors who are not Chinese there. As many other reviews have said, it's not the biggest lantern expo out there and the lanterns are quite spaced out. There are some larger more impressive set ups, with some smaller ones interspersed between. There are 2 medium sized Christmas themed "lantern displays", 2 larger Halloween ones, a Dia de Los Muertos one, and some "lantern walkways" with some varying designs for you to take photos of. There are some medium sized Chinese cultural lantern displays including one of a phoenix and a tiger, but the eye-catching ones are definitely that blinking lady who looks like she's from Genshin Impact and the walkway in. As for the smaller ones, there's one of all the Chinese Zodiac animals. For other entertainment, there's carnival games and such (but they were mostly dead), a live stage for performances by the community, some kiddy rides (think those little animal cars at the mall), some shopping vendors (I really liked the cat rescue with an actual rescue cat relaxing there), and some food vendors. They were giving away free plushie straps of your Chinese Zodiac animals so everyone in my family got one, which is a really nice way to teach people about the culture. There was also sugar art of animals, which is really intricate and neat to look at. I think aside from the "limited" number of lanterns since based on ads you would definitely expect a bit more, I was largely disappointed in the lack of variety for vendors. Many of the vendors are from businesses I generally see at the 626 Night Market or at anime cons or are just tanghulu and skewers. I could have sworn I saw other Yelpers and ads on social media for food vendors with more variety, such as kawaii baos and one that specializes in Thai tea, but they were nowhere to be seen. I think also since the day before it rained and the fact that the even started an hour later on the Sunday that I went, lots of the vendors dipped making the event much emptier than I think it was intended to be. I think another thing that was a bit of an issue was the lack of lights (and I'm not talking about the lanterns). Unless you were closer to the festival, there were NO lights in the parking lot making it a bit of a hazard at worse, and an annoyance to find your car at the very least. There were also NO lights where the port-a-potties were and my dad said he almost dropped his phone inside (thank god he didn't), so those were some issues with the event. For each entry ticket, you did get a set box of 2 hot sauces which I'm excited to try out later. If you have the time to kill and can get the discounted tickets and don't mind splurging a bit for food, it's a good way to spend a couple hours, but it's not something I super recommend in the area.

It was cool but a little unorganized and random. First of all do not pre-pay for parking. Parking…read morewas free. Line to get in was super long and just snaked around the front entrance with no rhyme or reason but they had one guy checking with a metal detector wand. For a Saturday they should have anticipated a crowd. Once you got it there were pockets of crowds and then not so much but the displays were oddly placed throughout. No real theme based on the area and map definitely showed more vendors and food. Lines were food were ridiculously long so we ended up eating elsewhere. The displays were cool though. They had a few Halloween and Christmas themed displays in addition to the Chinese themed ones. We were there for about an hour and we were able to go through everything. Although if we ate there probably could have been there for a couple more hours since the lines were long.

This was our first time visiting this annual event, thanks to Yelp, a sponsor. This combination…read morefood festival and local business showcase has been around in one form or another since 1970. Most recently, it has been held in the infield of Santa Anita Park, the Arboretum, and since last year, the Paddock area of Santa Anita Park, which is the entry plaza to the racetrack. The Paddock area expands nearly the entire length of the Park's bleachers, with all the vendors set up in tents throughout the area. There were VIP and general admission tickets; VIP's were for tables of 10. The VIP's gained one hour early admittance plus access to a shaded area with tables, its own bar and restrooms. Regular folk made do with scattered standing tables, permanent Paddock benches and the racetrack's huge restrooms. Beyond the restrooms, you could get a peak at the racetrack and infield, with the beautiful mountains beyond. Note there is minimal shade; a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen are advised. Everyone gets a swag bag, whose most valuable item was a plastic plate for holding all the food you'd soon eat. I was surprised how many hotels are in the area; all had booths, some with food. The Hilton Doubletree had their signature cookies! The food vendors had a larger presence, with representation from Arcadia as well as neighbouring cities. A huge variety of cuisines were offered, as well as many wine and alcoholic beverage vendors. Many restaurant vendors offered their own beverages as well. The event is for those over 21 for this reason (ID's are checked and you are given a wristband). We discovered many new local places to try; Girasol and Little Provence Cafe come to mind. And our old faves, The Derby and Cabrera's were there, with The Derby offering their classic prime rib with horseradish cream and their bread pudding. The Arcadia High School drum corps ushered us in. There was live music inside, as well as a DJ and dance floor. Overall an enjoyable and gluttonous afternoon, worth repeating annually.

Taste of Arcadia is back! Had 2 events since 2020 and it's bigger than ever inside Santa Anita…read moreracetrack area. Tickets were $85 and VIP I think was $110 (excluding early bird discounts). Large selection of restaurants like Marugame (yes Honolulu franchise), Outback, Max's, Fogo De Chao, Domenicos and Cabrera's were my favs. Lots of alcohol from tequila, gin, rum, beer and wine (Daou was my fav). Lots of hotels like a Hilton and Marriott was there. Deserts Nothing Bundt was my fav. Portions overall plus selections were great. I'm super impressed and grateful for the chamber and vendors running this fabulousness event. Parking was free and plentiful too. Bring a hat and sunscreen bc it's outdoors. See you next year.

Happy that I'm part of the camellia festival parade. My daughter works at the library and they…read morehave their own group parading. It was a beautiful day with a spectacular weather a week after the rain storm. Everyone was excited to enjoy the festival. I saw city residents happily cheered for the parade groups. Marching bands provided good spirits. I could see vendors and restaurants on Las Tunas enjoyed extra business. Great job Temple City for organizing this event.

02/25/2017 This weekend marks the 73rd Annual Temple City…read moreCamellia Festival. The parade starts on Saturday at 10am. You will definitely see many school marching bands participating in this parade. Junior high and high school bands compete for a huge trophy as Temple City High School band plays host each year. There are little floats decorated by different local groups. There was one I saw that was decorated by all elementary students which won an award. This would not be a complete parade without Miss Temple City and her royal court. Two of the girls were rolling in a convertible Bentley and another two in a fancy Model T. Vehicles that participate in the parade pulls off a street before the carnival area. I really don't know what the officer and volunteer were doing. They didn't do a good job calling out for people to halt foot traffic for these vehicles to exit. I didn't hear it until I was more than halfway across. The parade usually lasts for a few hours. Stroll down after to Temple City Park for the carnival. This year is finally a bigger event as they shut down this part of the street for the bigger rides. More booths and games if looping rides are not your thing. I do wonder how one of the rides that has a coaster going round and round which plays music loud. They play music with explicit lyrics which is great for the kids riding or waiting for the ride. That's one way to not be censored. I don't see anyone around not having a problem with this.