I've been going to the 626 Night market every year for the last couple of years. Although I feel…read morelike prices have rose pretty significantly in the past couple of years this is an event I'm always excited for. It is peak summer where you are able to be out in a comfortable summer night and browse what feels like any and all food there is. I thought this year was especially great with the DJ and the location. Previous years they always had the DJ tucked away all the way in the back but having them front and center of the event was a great call. Always have that awesome music in the background added a lot to my experience. Some of the standout thing we got was Japadog which is a wagyu hotdog that will make you rethink what a hotdog can be. We got a truffle katsu sandwich there too which is as fabulous as it sounds. Also had salt bread which was especially exciting considering I have been craving them ever since visiting Korea. Lastly, I got a fried Reece's cup which I have been in the hunt for some time since they seem pretty rare, so of course that hit the spot. Overall, this was an awesome 626 night market better than previous years. This is something I'll continue to look forward to every year!

Full Disclosure: I had never gone to 626 Night Market before this year, so my review is from my…read more626NM experience on Friday, August 14th. First of all, the festival's check-in went smoothly and quickly. I bought these tickets in advance about a month ago online, so we just showed the QR codes at the gate and walked right in. Secondly, the majority of the festival's food stalls were Asian or Asian-inspired. There were Korean BBQ, Japanese ramen, Thai street delicacies, Filipino lumpia, etc. We tried every little appetizer, noodle bowl, and rice concoction that could fit into our tummies. And every single food item was delicious! We would absolutely come back to this yearly gastronomical festival again. (626NM has been going on for 12 years.) Be prepared to come with an empty stomach. You will not be disappointed. Definitely come hungry. In addition to the festival's food being the main attraction, there were non-food stalls selling a variety of jewelry, clothing, baseball caps, toys, etc. The music artists and/or bands were all fantastic too. 10 out of 10

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!

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!

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!

BIG TREES! I wish I could say more about this but it is not like the other where you see hella…read moreChristmas decorations on the house. Just really big trees that are decorated. It cool if you happening to pass by, not to seek out and visit. Just remember BIG trees!

I expected a Bridgerton wistaria bloom but instead the flower petals had fallen from the vines and…read morewere all on the ground! There was one bush with wistaria that had not fallen. Disappointed is to say the least of what our group was. There was no point in going there. Staff said the 101° heat the week before caused the flowers to fall. Heavy rain might make the flowers fall too. Also, this festival is in a person's backyard. Admission is not free. We paid $5 a person. I don't trust LA's flower gardens. The only pro of this experience was learning the home's wistaria history.

Until this weekend I had never heard of the Wisteria Festival before. The rescue that I foster with…read more(PupCulture Rescue) was having a tent at the festival and so I drove up to Sierra Madre for the event. I learned that the Wisteria Festival happens once a year and it is centered around the largest Wisteria plant in the world, and if I'm correct this Wisteria is also in the Guinness Book of World Records as being the largest blooming plant in the world, unfortunately they can't predict so far ahead of time when the plant will bloom, so each year they apparently try to schedule the festival when they think it will bloom, but this year due to the weather being so hot the plant prematurely bloomed last month. The festival is massive, with a couple of blocks or more that are blocked off and so many tents to stop by and visit. PupCulture Rescue had one tent towards the middle which was great with allot of foot traffic. I sat with the rescue and my foster Drew (check my photos, he's a very sweet Bone Face Shar Pei and still looking for his forever home) for a few hours and then I left him there with the group so that I could explore with my friends for a bit. There were so many tents with beautiful pottery, or food/coffee/drinks, and other goodies to look at. My friends and I found the bus that would take us to the famous Wisteria Plant, it's $15 / person to ride the bus up the hill to the house. Once at the house a guide gives a brief history of the plant, and it's amazing that back when it was first planted it was only 75 cents. Now it's really this massive giant. Too bad the blooms were already gone, but despite this you will still be in awe of its massive size. I can only imagine how gorgeous it must be when it's in bloom. I think one thing they should do at the bottom of the hill before you buy tickets is let you know if it's not in bloom so you can decide at that time if you still want to go. I saw many people express severe disappointment when they realized there were no blooms, however I had heard randomly from someone before going that the blooms were gone so I came with that knowledge already and wasn't disappointed since I already knew. You can either take the bus back down the hill or for a short walk downhill you can stop by the two churches that are on the way back to the festival. Both churches are rich in architecture and beautiful landscape. Until next year!

My family and I visited Thanksgiving weekend and had a blast wandering around all the light…read moredisplays in the garden! This isn't necessarily a holiday-themed "Christmas" light experience, but it put us all in the holiday mood nonetheless. The themed light displays are well curated, the event is organized, staff are friendly, and the free parking is orderly and well managed. There are ten different themed exhibits found on the mile-long path. By far our favorite was the Ancient Forest, but the Garden of Good Fortune and the Fantasy Forest were close seconds! They do a wonderful job of using the light displays to really compliment and highlight the giant oak trees and other featured plants - as well as excellent music choices to really immerse you in a serene fantasy forest type experience. Some of the exhibits are interactive, like the Symphony of Oaks where you can step on the lights to make them change colors and sing - so fun! They also had a large village of tiny stained glass houses and other buildings you could actually enter and walk through - really beautiful. Another display I loved was the giant light built to resemble the moon - it was placed directly over one of the ponds and the reflection was magnificent! And everyone loves the massive, sprawling field of tulip lights which has a rotating show that will occasionally send waves of lights towards you. We spent a good hour and a half meandering around the path, which is well maintained and mostly flat with plenty of maps to find your way around the exhibits. The staff did a great job of respecting ticket entry times and the exhibits are so well laid out that we hardly noticed the crowds. Very well done! They don't sell tickets at the door so be sure to purchase online in advance. Booking our timed entry tickets was very easy via their website. They also take advanced reservations for their on-site Farmhouse restaurant and for valet parking. The restaurant and gift shop area was packed so I'd recommend restaurant reservations. But the parking was ample, even at 6pm on a Saturday and so well staffed and managed that we found a spot easily with zero chaos. This was my first visit to Descanso Gardens and now I'm wishing I had seen it in the daylight so I could compare haha! Tickets are a tad pricey but ee loved their Enchanted Forest of Light and can highly recommend it. Plus you're supporting a local botanical garden! I'll definitely be back to see all the splendor of the garden in the daytime.

Wow! What an unexpectedly cool experience!…read more Pro tips: 1. Bring whatever you like to keep you very warm in weather that seems cool normally but in the woods is icy cold. It was 51 and according to the weather app felt like 47 but I'm here to tell you it was COLD COLD more like 32 imho and head, hands, neck and feet coverage is a must so you can enjoy it. Suggest a warm beanie, gloves, and a down type jacket. Definitely jeans or long pants. I grabbed a blanket from my car to wear! 2. It's an easy walk, but for those with wheelchairs or canes or walkers it can be bumpy and some areas are a bit tricky. Also given all the rain, it can be dirty dusty muddy so wear shoes you don't care about. 3. Bring your best camera bc the photo ops both with people and without are plentiful. Make sure everything is charged as there's no common area to charge things easily. I'm sure you can try the restaurant or store in case of emergencies. Or go back to your car. 4. Be prepared to walk a very slow mile. Lots to see and photograph. Took me about 1:15 and I took my time. You can definitely do this much faster if solo and not easily amused or maybe not big on pics. And you can take a lot longer if you like detail and creativity amidst a natural space. 5. It's dark despite tons of lighting so be wise when walking. 6. Parking is free and easy. Just follow the signs or people. There is a walk to the line from the car. Lots of walking in general. 7. Our park reservations were for 6pm. I arrived around 6:10 and the line took about 20 mins. Was done by 7:40. 8. Cute shopping at the beginning before entering an next to the line to get in. It is an outdoor nursery type shop and two small indoor Knick knack type stores. Prices are typical tourist type prices. Also next to it is a coffee and pastry stand but you have to go first and then get in line or get out of line if you have people to hold your place as there's a line to get goodies. 9. Farmhouse is a restaurant on site. Checkout their Yelp. Make reservations as they book up fast. Good for groups. Food imo is average. Standouts were the beet salad, French fries, short rib appetizer, salmon and halibut. They use minimal seasoning at this place so if your health requires less sodium you're good! Get the pan fried crispy skin salmon lol. 10. If you're trying to cut costs there's an El Pollo Loco right as you exit the freeway coming here and before going up the hill to the park. 11. Great holiday thing to do with a large group. Entertainment for most everyone. If you're an outdoorsy, artsy, creative loving, enjoy exercise and family time type, this will be right up your alley!

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.