Food Festival Weekend: Eat. Drink. Dance. Repeat.

There are a few ways to detect a change of season in LA, most of which have little to do with the weather. School is back in session. The sun is ever so slightly lower in the sky. And the food. As this weekend, with its abundance of food and music festivals shows, Angelenos are winding down bikini season and getting ready, once again, to *eat*.

Where's the action? Here at three annual favorites:

TASTE OF SANTA MONICA: Promising to be “Bigger, Better, Tastier”, the Taste of Santa Monica will, in theory, have even more food and music than past years (which was pretty big and tasty). Plus this year they’ve got a partnership with (and free tickets to, for lucky winners) Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA.

Held at the just-turned-100 year old Santa Monica Pier, Taste features food from 50 local eateries, from El Cholo and Bombay Café to Library Ale House and Border Grill. And bands. Lots of bands. We’ll be enjoying the Sunset Happy Hour, listening to live music, beer in hand. Wave to us. Sunday, 1-5. More info at tasteofsantamonica.com.

LA GREEK FEST: We’re not sure if either Tom Hanks or Rita Wilson is Greek, but they sure love this festival. The couple will be celebrity-hosting the weekend’s LA Greek Fest, again, which is held at the Saint Sophia Cathedral on Normandie at Pico. Greek food (think mass quantities of olives, bread, souvlaki and tzatziki) is at the heart of this cultural fest, and attendees will enjoy – ok, devour – the cuisines of Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, and beyond. Friday - Sunday. More info at lagreekfest.com.

LONG BEACH LOBSTER FESTIVAL: Lobster. Big baskets of succulent lobster. Mouth watering yet? Throw in three days of great music – a disco cover band, some Zydeco, swingin’ Jazz and Blues – and you’ve described many people’s perfect weekend. Sit. Eat. Watch music. Repeat. Hard to argue with that. There’s also a kids’ stage, a dance floor and a beach bar. Friday - Sunday. More info at originallobsterfestival.com.

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