Long Beach CA Best Food and Drink Festivals 

Long Beach, California, is not just a picturesque coastal city, it's also a hub of diverse culinary experiences and vibrant festivals that celebrate the rich flavors of California.

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Long Beach Craft Beer Festival: September

 

The historic Rancho Los Cerritos adobe estate fills with craft beer enthusiasts eager to experience regional brewing excellence. The Long Beach Craft Beer Festival showcases premier local breweries including Beachwood Brewing, Dutch's Brewhouse, Ten Mile Brewing, and Long Beach Homebrewers, each bringing their signature craft selections to the sprawling garden venue. Guests wander the drought-resistant gardens sampling unique brews while live acoustic performances create an intimate atmosphere on the garden terrace.

 

Food trucks line the historic property's pathways, offering artisanal pairings designed to complement featured beer selections from these established Long Beach area breweries. The festival embraces the venue's unique character by incorporating guided tours of the adobe home between tasting sessions. Visitors particularly enjoy the sunset beer garden experience, where string lights illuminate the historic grounds as guests sample seasonal releases and limited-edition brews while learning about the property's significance to California's history.

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Original Lobster Festival: September

 

This family-friendly seafood celebration in Orange County has become one of Southern California's most anticipated food events. The Original Lobster Festival, hosted at the expansive Fountain Valley Sports Park, features more than 40 local vendors serving fresh Maine lobster, grilled seafood, and coastal-inspired dishes. Festival attendees, typically numbering around 3,000 over the weekend, enjoy live music from local bands on the main stage while sampling specialties from vendors like Captain Jack's Seafood Shack and The Lobster Trap.

 

The festival's signature dish remains the whole Maine lobster dinner, served with drawn butter, corn on the cob, and coleslaw, while the craft beer garden offers local brews and wine selections. Interactive cooking demonstrations by regional chefs take place throughout each day at the culinary stage, showing proper lobster preparation techniques. The event includes a dedicated kids' zone with face painting and nautical-themed activities, plus an artisan marketplace featuring ocean-inspired crafts and artwork.

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LA Wine Fest: May

 

Thousands of wine enthusiasts gathered at Harry Bridges Memorial Park in Long Beach for the LA Wine Fest, featuring over 200 diverse beverage options from premium wineries, craft breweries, and artisanal beverage makers. The festival's centerpiece, "The Garden," showcased boutique and premium wines paired with gourmet bites from Fuego Restaurant and Fior del Latte Charcuterie. Notable vendors included San Antonio Winery, Doffo Winery, King Frosch, and New Zealand Wine Navigator, while Hop Valley Brewing Company maintained a dedicated pouring station called "The Wall."

 

VIP guests enjoyed exclusive access to premium tastings and special food pairings in designated areas of the waterfront venue. Los Angeles Magazine, Hotel Maya, Jackson Family Wines, and Ron Zacapa Rum were among the prominent sponsors supporting this well-attended celebration of wine culture.​

 

Whether you're a beer enthusiast, a food connoisseur, or a wine aficionado, these festivals provide an opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich flavors that define Long Beach's gastronomic identity.