What to Know
- Friday, Oct. 4
- San Gabriel Mission District
- $24-$29 advance/ $40 at door from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Oktoberfest is Oktoberfest is Oktoberfest, and the hallowed festival's locked-in-time traditions are not to be played with, or imaginatively reinterpreted, under any circumstances.
Well... that's not true at all. For the falltime festival has several components that are ripe for rethinking, at least now and then, if a little regional flair is in the air.
Look to the San Gabriel Mission District for one of its most popular annual happenings, which is billed as "A Local Twist on Oktoberfest." And so it is: It's the fifth annual San Gabriel Dumpling and Beer Festival, which takes two of the beloved Oktober-based components and adds a savory, SGV spin.
That spin is in on Friday night, Oct. 4 near the historic mission, and tickets are still available. If you get yours in advance it is $24-$29, but there? You can still buy one, from 6 to 8:30 p.m., for $40.
A whole caboodle of hops-and-wheat powerhouses'll be pouring at the festival, including Sapporo, Wingwalker Brewing, and SLO Brew.
There shall be dumplings, too, to nosh, as well as some dumpling-oriented events, which, truth be told, are some of the best events in the world.
The Scene
Want to find new things to do in Los Angeles? The Scene's lifestyle stories have you covered. Here's your go-to source on where the fun is across SoCal and for the weekend.
A dumpling-eating contest, and a competition focused on the best dumpling, will also pop up on the get-stuffed schedule. The search for "Most Original Dumpling" will also be afoot.
So how is the Dumpling and Beer Festival like Oktoberfest? Consider that many classic Oktoberfest dishes rock a strong dough-based spirit, as well as meaty or veg-hearty fillings galore.
Dumpling devotees will easily recognize those elements in their own favorite dish.
Thus it makes beautiful and appetizing sense to throw a San Gabriel-style Oktoberfest, less the oompah but with plenty of oomph, as October begins.
