Food-Friendly Events, May 16-18

The 32nd annual Ukrainian Festival
Friday, May 16, 4:00-11:00; Saturday, 11:00-11:00; Sunday, 1:00-5:00
East 7th St. between Second and Third avenues; free admission
This small street fair, sponsored by the St. George Catholic Church, features music and dance performances, traditional arts and crafts, and assorted belly-filling Eastern European grilled meats, dumplings, and pastries.

The 35th annual Ninth Avenue International Food Festival
Saturday, May 17, and Sunday, May 18, late morning-6:00
Ninth Avenue between 37th and 57th Sts.; free admission
It can be an absolute mob scene, but if you're keen on packing away food from Greece, Thailand, Italy, Indonesia, Brazil, and Cajun country — plus dessert — within the space of 20 city blocks, arrive as early as you can, ideally, before noon. You might want to start with the seafood stalls at the 37th St. end, and walk north, with your back to the sun.

Taste of Tribeca
Saturday, May 17, 11:30-3:00
Duane St. at Greenwich St.
www.TasteOfTribeca.org
$45 secures you six 4-oz. tastes supplied by your choice of 50 of the city's best restaurants; proceeds benefit a pair of New York public schools.

Viking Festival
Saturday, May 17, 12:00-5:00
Owl's Head Park, Colonial Ave. at 68th St., Bay Ridge, Brooklyn; free admission

Seventeenth of May Parade
Sunday, May 18, beginning at 1:30
From Fifth Ave. and 89th St., Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, up to and along Leif Erickson Park, at 67th St.
www.May17ParadeNY.com
There's not a whole lot of Norwegian food at Saturday's festival, and even less at Sunday's parade, but either one might give you occasion to see how Bay Ridge has evolved from a Scandinavian to a largely Middle Eastern community.

Park Slope Fifth Avenue Festival
Sunday, May 18, 11:00-6:00
Fifth Ave. between 12th and Sterling streets, Park Slope, Brooklyn; free admission
Though it's sponsored by one of those companies that blanket the city with street fairs each summer, the Fifth Avenue festival offers good food from the restaurants that line the route; there's live music, and activities for the kids, too. And though it's crowded later in the day, the Fifth Avenue Festival has a certain relaxed feel, as you can see from the photo above.

Buddha's birthday celebration and vegatarian food fair
Sunday, May 18, 11:00-3:00
Buddha's Light International Association, 154-37 Barclay Ave., Flushing, Queens
I've never been; can some helpful reader enlighten us?