Church/ethnic fairs

[Karen_Schaffer]

What interesting (food-wise) church/ethnic fairs do you recommend? I'd love to make a compiled list (if one doesn't exist already) of interesting fairs, approximately when they happen (e.g., first weekend in June), a link (if it exists) to the sponsoring organization, and recommendations of what's particularly good there. I've almost always enjoy the ones I stumble across, but I know there are many more I never hear about. I just read the post about the Indonesian-Dutch Bazaar -- must catch that one next year!

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

More suggestions?

[hhc]

I totally think the Fremont thai temple is awesome. I haven't been in a long time but love it.

here is my old post w/ pictures: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[Maya S]

According to the Fremont Thai Temple website they will be celebrating the Queen's birthday this Sunday...

http://www.watbuddha.iirt.net/calenda...

Does anyone happen to have more info on this event? I tried the phone number but no one answered. I love doing the Sunday Thai Temple thing and this sounds like the perfect opportunity to check out Fremont but Berkeley's so much closer, it would be great to know if it's worth the drive. Thanks.

[Ruth Lafler]

One more:

There's a soul food festival in the Bayview/Hunter's Point in San Francisco every year, sometime in the spring. It doesn't seem to get much publicity (I think it's sponsored by one of the radio stations with a predominently "black" audience, but I don't think it gets much mainstream press), and web searches turn up nothing. The only place I ever hear about it is on the day-of, when Gene Burns Dining Around on KGO does a remote from there. I think it's affiliated with a Community Center, but I can't seem to find that, either. Maybe I'm just not hitting the right search terms.

As far as I know it's never been reported on here, although one year I did post a "heads-up" (again, it was day-of, and too late for anyone to get out there).

[chocolatetartguy]

There used to be some sort of festivity with food at an Oakland church on San Pablo at the foot of Alcatraz. I went there once and had red beans and rice and peach cobbler.

[Karen_Schaffer]

Thanks, everyone, these are great! I'm working on putting together a list.

[Cynsa]

Story Road Tamale Festival in San Jose

http://www.storyroadtamalefestival.org/

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/46321

December 12th - Guadalupe Festival
St. Paul Church
1845 Church Lane
San Pablo, CA

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[rworange]

Well, to follow up on that

Aztec warriors, spicy hot chocolate & bunuelos - Guadalupe Day, the beat goes on
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/42007

Richmond - Big Brazilian festival - Festa Junina today 6/10
(with info about other celebrations of this festival
)http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/46568#231455

El Cerrito - Nigerian Yam Festival
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/40497

Hercules - Simbang Gabi - Philipino Christmas Breakfast 12/16-12/24
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

The public is welcome to any of these events just like the Budist or other types of festivals. Not all are announced on websites, usually because of limited staff to update the websites.

[vespaloon]

Yes, completely agree. I have only been to the buffet line once - likely the first year we went - we usually eat at all the grilled stands outside and then do the take out just inside the door to the gymnasium. I can't wait for this year's festival!

[vespaloon]

The Greek Festival at the Annuciation Cathedral in the Mission District of San Francisco, 245 Valencia, is always a delight. We have gone for the past 4 years or so. This year's is Sept 29-Oct 1. We find Friday night the most lively. Food is great, different kind of spit roasted lamb and other appetizers like fried cheese one year. The gyros are wonderful as are the sausage sandwiches when they have them. We always get several boxes of food to take home with us. Can't beat the home cooking. : )

[Melanie Wong]

Here's the chowdown report from 2 years ago that recommends skipping the buffet line, and where to find tastier treats.
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[dunstable]

I went this year. I generally agree with you, although my impression this year was more favorable than yours two years ago. I rather enjoyed the pastitso and moussaka, which had a great cheese layer. The meats... well, they weren't terribly interesting. The souvlakia was a bit dry, and the lamb was rather dull (and skimpy!!!). Considering the serving conditions, this was understandable, but the lamb cost $14, and you can get some pretty nice entrees in SF for that much money -- and without waiting up to an hour in a buffet line. The prices were reasonable (except for the lamb)... except that doesn't include the five dollar cover charge. Meh.

If there existed a local Greek diner that served that food at those prices (without charging a cover), I'd probably be a regular, but there's no compelling reason to go to this festival, unless you happen to be in the area or something. Better off just visiting your favorite estiatorio.

[Maya]

The Russian Center on Sutter in SF has a Russian Festival in February - I've never been to it though.
http://www.russiancentersf.com/

[Marsha]

Also, the annual teriyaki feast at the Enmanji Buddhist Temple in Sebastopol; http://www.sonic.net/~enmanji/

[Peter Yee]

There used to be a list maintained on the California Academy of Sciences website (by the dormant Traditional Arts Program, I believe), but since they re-organized the site and TAP went on hiatus, it seems to have gone AWOL. TAP had a comprehensive listing for festivals throughout the Bay Area, so we can only hope they pick it up again in 2008 when the Academy re-opens in Golden Gate Park.

[Marsha]

Glendi, put on by the Orthodox Church in Santa Rosa, is September 16 and 17 this year; they have Eritrean food as well as lots of Russian, Balkan, Middle Eastern, and Greek. Check out http://www.glendi.net/main.html. The Eritrean pancake/bread was something I'd never seen before. They dance, too!

[Sitka]

San Mateo Buddhist Temple Bazaar, held the last weekend in June, has really good food - yaki soba, tempura, chicken box lunches (other box lunch sales are in March and Sept), sushi, oysters, kuri manju, Imayagawaki, udon as well as hot dogs and hamburgers.
www.sanmateobuddhistemple.org

[Kitchen Imp]

Portugal Day celebration in San Jose every year, sometime in the second week of June. (Dia de Portugal is June 10 in Portugal.) They have food booths with Portuguese comfort foods -- grilled sardines (mmmm! big ones, not like the little ones in a sardine tin), grilled meats and stews, Portuguese deserts & breads, etc. This year there was a booth with food from Macau, too. And the parade and folkdancing are fun.
http://www.diadeportugal.com/

[Ruth Lafler]

The Serbian Orthodox Church in Moraga has a festival every year in October -- I've never been because it conflicts with my annual October trip, but my parents went one year and enjoyed it (my Mom finally got her cevapcici fix, after 30 years!).

[Peter Yee]

Do you have a pointer for the festival, Ruth? The website for the church doesn't make mention of it, but it also doesn't seem to get updated that quickly either.

[Ruth Lafler]

Here are a couple of past mentions, courtesy of our newly improved search engine:

The announcement of last year's festival:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/40050?user_name=&query=serbian+orthodox

My Mom's report on the 2003 festival:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/26751?user_name=&query=serbian+orthodox

It appears that it's usually the third Saturday in October, as the two known dates have been 10/15/05 and the Saturday after my 10/13/03 posting.

My search also turned up a report on a food festival held by a Serbian Orthodox Church in San Francisco, which is presumably also an annual event:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[Peter Yee]

Thanks, Ruth. I'm going to have to see what I can find out before October rolls around. Nobody answered the phone when I called just now, but I'll keep searching for an answer.

[Ruth Lafler]

In past years the info has been on their website, so presumably they just haven't gotten around to it yet.

[Ruth Lafler]

Here's the info for this year:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[redneck]

I'd appreciate info on it as well.

Hope they also have budic. And "mixed meat platter."

Of course, Rakiya. That could be dangerous. :-)

[hhc]

obon festival in Palo Alto was this weekend Aug 5-6, 2006.

SJ Obon/Bazaar: (every year in mid July) Japantown's largest festival with two days of game booths, food booths, cultural exhibits and demonstrations, the Chidori Band, San Jose Taiko and over 500 dancers in full costume each evening. A San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin event. Contact [phone] or visit the website at www.sjbetsuin.com

Mountain View: July 16-17, Buddhist Temple, 575 N. Shoreline Blvd. Bazaar: 4-10 p.m. Saturday, noon-9 p.m. Sunday. Dancing: 7 p.m. Sunday. [phone].

Union City obon festival-date I can't find, but I went before. http://www.geocities.com/sacbcnet/

Oakland Greek festival-was May 19-21, 2006, do a search on this, I reported before: http://www.ascensioncathedral.org/

Hayward Greek Festival-
Resurrection Greek Orthodox Church
Centennial Hall, 22292 Foothill Blvd., Hayward, CA, [phone]
http://cvresurrection.org/festival.htm
Friday, 10/6/2006, Time: 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Saturday, 10/7/2006, Time: 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Sunday, 10/8/2006, Time: Noon to 7:00 PM

San Jose Greek Festival-over for 2006; was June 2-4, 2006

Thai Temples in Fremont, Berkeley, San Bruno-do a search on this board!! Lots of posts on all three.

[Sitka]

The Obon Odori (Japanese dancing) at San Mateo Buddhist Temple posted above is on Saturday, Aug. 11 this year - not on the 14th which is a Monday.

[Karen_Schaffer]

Do all of these have interesting food? I'm guessing the one you marked 'Dancing only' might not. I really want to concentrate on listing festivals where Chowhounds have particular food recommendations.

[Robert Lauriston]

The Berkeley Thai temple's food is great. Every Sunday 9-2, 1911 Russell St.

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/36472

Ascension Cathedral has some good food.

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[Debbie M]

I went to San Mateo bon odori a few years ago, and they only have dancing, no food. For food, you would want to try to hit the bazaar mentioned below. A lot of the other temples do have food available at bon odori, as well as bazaars during the summer, so you might want to check them out next year (since the season is almost over).

[Jefferson]

Obon food is like a Japanese family picnic. In decreasing order of appeal to me: grilled BBQ eel over rice (the eel probably was frozen and imported from Japan), corn on the cob, grilled beef kushiyaki (small pieces of meat on a stick with a teriyaki like sauce), grilled chicken teriyaki, and mochi/manju confections. Feel free to skip the little polystyrene trays of simple, mass-produced, rapidly-drying-out nigiri, maki, and inari sushi. Some obon also have noodles, if there is a sit-down area.

[rworange]

St John the Baptist Church in El Cerrito has over 60 different nationalities attending. They do lots of celebrations. I attended a Brazilian Junio festival in ... well, June. There was the Nigerian Yam festival in the fall. They have services for a Filipino sunrise festival prior to Easter. St Patricks in Rodeo also has that celebration.

The Catholic church on Church lane in San Pablo has the most AMAZING pre-christmas celebration, I forget the name .. but it is almost pagan ... there are people in aztec dress, drums beating ... just blew my mind. Nice food later by the ladies of the church.

The Portuguese have their festas about 40 days after Easer. The biggest is in Monterey, but San Jose also has a big one and I've heard the one in Mountain View is pretty cool too.

I got to sample lots of different food at all of these festivals. St John the Baptist is the one to keep an eye on, though. In the fall they have a big blowout that I missed last year where all nationalities get together contributing dishes from each specific culture.

[Karen_Schaffer]

St John's sounds intriguing, but they're not admitting to having any festivals, at least not anywhere on their website that I can find. See if you have any better luck! (I'm not doubting you, just faulting their website.)

http://www.saintjohnthebaptistchurch....

[Cynsa]

San Francisco Aloha Festival at the Presidio Parade Grounds
August 5-6, 2006
http://www.pica-org.org/

[artemis]

i went on saturday. malasadas from the hawaiian arts booth were fine, but not great (not leonard's, basically). but it was so exciting to have shave ice, even if it was $5. mmmm!

general plate lunch-type items like katsu curry and lau lau were also available.

lots of booths selling various goods, including some jarred lilikoi butter that i picked up.

[Cynsa]

I'm still sucking on seeds...Li Hing Mui "Akamai Snacks. Yum.
btw the lau lau was good.

[Robert Lauriston]

There's a great fair at the Armenian school on Brotherhood Way in SF. This year's is Sept. 15-17.

http://kzv.org/calendar.htm

[Peter Yee]

St. John's Armenian Apostolic Church on Olympic Way also has one of these yearly, although I can't seem to find a link for this year's at the moment.

[Cynsa]

2005 post
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/40674

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[Peter Yee]

Looks like they might hold the 64th annual festival at around the same time as the Serbian Orthodox church holds theres. That could be a belt loosening weekend indeed!