EASTSIDE FOOD FESTIVAL 2018:

The annual EastSide Food Festival will return to Silver Lake’s iconic Mack Sennett Studios on Sunday, October 21 from 4 – 7 PM. Join us as Angelenos come together to mix, mingle, and celebrate the vibrant dining culture of LA’s east side communities at the fifth annual festival of food and fun, which will feature unlimited tastings from popular food & beverage vendors native to Silver Lake, Echo Park, Highland Park, and more. In addition, attendees will enjoy watching more live music than ever before from emerging indie artists on an all-new live music stage; dynamic demonstrations and thought-provoking discussions; and live podcast recordings and comedy appearances. Guests can purchase early bird VIP & GA tickets starting until this Friday, September 21 at 10AM at www.eastsidefoodfest.com/tickets.

The full lineup of programming is still to come; a sneak peek at confirmed vendors and entertainment includes:

• Unlimited tastings from over 35 vendors native to LA’s eastside neighborhoods, including first-time participants like Los Feliz’s Kismet and Highland Park’s new Otoño and Joy restaurants, who will be joining returning vendors like Kettle Black, Jeni’s Ice Cream, Homestate, Little Beast and more.

• A VIP happy hour from 3 – 4 PM featuring bonus tastings, a dedicated VIP lounge with perks and prizes, and an appearance by actor and comedian Eric Wareheim, who will be returning for a second year to pour wines from his label, Las Jaras.

• Announcing the Echo Echo Music Stage: For the first time, EastSide Food Festival will include the all-new Echo Echo Music Stage, curated by Echo Echo Wine. The music stage will showcase live performances from an eclectic line up of emerging indie artists from the Los Angeles music scene featuring rock, electronic and more. Artists include the electronic sounds of Neil Frances, pop artist Alex Winston and rock band The Radio Fliers.

• Comedy & food podcast recording: Actor and comedian Eric Andre is making a guest appearance for a live recording of Yelling About Pâté, a podcast from comedy-loving chef Joel Miller and food-obsessed comedian Karl Hess that features interviews with fellow chefs and comics about critical culinary and comedic issues of the day. Guest chef TBA.

• The New Expression of Wine: Enjoy a discussion panel hosted by Bon Appétit wine editor and author Marissa A. Ross exploring “The New Expression of Wine,” about the new generation of winemakers and consumers taking the experience of wine to the next level, becoming less stuffy and more accessible and fun. Guests will include Alex Bleeker of the band Real Estate, winemaker and former sommelier Adam Vourvoulis plus more TBA.

• Cocktail Mixology Demonstration: Popular Mixologist Brynn Smith, Bar Director at Rossoblu in DTLA, and former Bar Director of Sotto will demonstrate techniques to make simple yet exciting cocktails. She’ll share industry secrets and her favorite ingredients as she stirs up a variety of recipes, fun for the novice and expert alike.

• Live DJs curated by Restless Nites: For guests’ audio enhancement, the best DJ crews in Los Angeles will be spinning in the main vendor village, curated by the Los Angeles event authority, Restless Nites. The lineup includes DJs Dan T and Turbotito from the Los Angeles based party series Heatwave LA, KCRW Radio DJs Travis Holcombe and Mario Cotto, DJ Nina Tarr of Nightswim, and Olive Midori Kimoto & Paige Emery of the Cocteau Twins inspired dance party Heaven or Los Angeles.
• The Echo Echo Wine Experience: Take a trip down sensory lane with the Echo Echo Wine Experience, during which guests will be able to grab a taste of Echo Echo Wine at the bar and pop on a pair of headphones to listen to playlists of emerging artists specially-curated to enhance the sensory impact of each sip.

Music & food podcast recording: Watch a live recording of the Snacky Tunes podcast that explores and celebrates the cultural convergence of music and food, which will feature a live musical performance and interviews with the band and a chef.

• More: a discussion panel hosted by Farley Elliot (Eater LA), and more to come at EastSide Food Festival 2018!

More programming will be announced next month, and early bird ticket sales will end on September 21; tax-free Early Bird tiers include GA ($59 early bird) and VIP ($89 early bird), with non-drinker tickets also available. A raffle will also take place during the event to benefit PATH, a family of agencies working together to end homelessness for local individuals, families, and communities. For more information and to stay updated on vendor announcements and programming, visit www.eastsidefoodfestival.com and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

ABOUT THE 2018 EASTSIDE FOOD FESTIVAL:

Now celebrating its five year anniversary, the EastSide Food Festival has grown into much more than your typical food event; it’s a place where the community comes together annually to celebrate a thriving culinary and cultural scene. With a focus on the evolving and diverse scenes of Los Angeles’ eastside neighborhoods, the festival highlights all aspects of their communities and features food & drink tastings, cooking demonstrations, discussion panels, live music, and more. Highlights from past festivals include cooking demonstrations from Chef Steve Samson of Sotto & Rossoblu and Chef Spencer Bezaire of L&E Oyster Bar; panel dis cussions with the likes of Chef Craig Thornton (Wolvesmouth), Chef Jessica Koslow (Sqirl), and James Beard Award winning food writer Bill Esparza; and a live recording of Chefs Alvin Cailan & Nakul and Arjun Mahendro wildly popular podcast, The Super Amazing Awesome Restaurant Show.