Top 4 Weekend Food Events: Fiesta Fridays, Chinese New Year Festival, Cupcakes and Cocktails + MSG Pop-Up

Tessie Navarro

Chinatown

Fiesta Fridays
Every third Friday of the month, food vendors set up shop at the weekly Boyle Heights farmers market at Mariachi Plaza. Live music from singers, bands and DJs completes the fiesta.
WHAT: Fiesta Fridays
WHEN: Friday, Feb. 15, 5-10 p.m.
WHERE: Mariachi Plaza,1836 E. First St., Boyle Heights
COST: Free entry

Chinese New Year Festival
Ring in the Year of the Snake in L.A.'s Chinatown with live performances, craft vendors, children's workshops and the creation of a gigantic snake out of 80,000 individually folded pieces of paper. The classic Golden Dragon Parade takes place Saturday from 1-3 p.m. Celebrate with food, too! Choose from Chinatown's many restaurants or grab a bite at food trucks including Kogi, Cool Haus, Calbi BBQ, Crepe N Around, Frysmith, Gourmet Genie, Greasy Wiener, Jogasaki Burrito, Sweet E's Bake Shop, Trailer Park Truck, Tropical Shave Ice and Yalla Truck. Eagle Rock Brewery will host a beer garden including Angel City and Monkish brews. The L.A. Weekly is an event sponsor.
WHAT: Chinese New Year Festival
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 16, 12-8 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 17, 12-5 p.m.
WHERE: Chinatown's Central Plaza (943-951 N. Broadway), West Plaza (943 N. Hill Street) and Mandarin Plaza (970 N. Broadway), Los Angeles.
COST: Free entry

Cupcakes and Cocktails Fundraiser
Join pastry chef Albert Ontiveros (aka "Sir Cakes a Lot") and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (a gay advocacy group whose members dress in drag as nuns) for a four-hour cake-decorating class -- plus the excuse to snack on cocktail-flavored cupcakes. The proceeds benefit AIDS/Life Cycle.
WHAT: Cupcakes and Cocktails Fundraiser
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 16, 3-7 p.m.
WHERE: Micky's, 8857 Santa Monica Blvd., W. Hlywd.
COST : $15

MSG Pop-Up
Imagine beets prepared with hibiscus, hoisin and buttermilk. Carrots cooked with an African spice blend and whipped tofu. These are just a couple of dishes you might see on the Asian-flavored New American menu at MSG -- a pop-up from Derrick de Jesus (most recently chef de cuisine at Alma) happening every other Monday night at City Sip. Email ilovemsgtm@gmail.com for reservations.
WHAT: MSG Pop Up
WHEN: Monday, Feb. 18, 6:30-10:30 p.m.
WHERE: City Sip
COST: Menu prices

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