Eating In Translation

Indonesian food bazaar this Sunday

Sunday, July 20, 10:00-4:00
Outside the Al-Hikmah Mosque, 48-01 31st Ave., Queens; free admission
"The food is authentic, the vendors mostly sell the food at their home or special order only," writes the Eating In Translation fan who sent me news of this event. "I was there last year & will recommend the satay corner," she adds, the "peanut dressing is home made & excellent. The dessert (es cendol & es teler) is also a favorite...I love the fermented black rice & cassava."

Food-Friendly Events, July 18-20 (updated)

Festival Popular Duartino
Friday through Sunday, July 18-20; hours vary
Clay Ave. between 173rd St. and Webster Ave. (alongside Claremont Park), Bronx
This "Dominican family festival," which continues next weekend in conjuction with the annual Bronx Dominican Parade along the Grand Concourse, also features a carnival and live music.

Kyushu and Okinawa food fair
Friday through Sunday, July 18-20, 11:00-8:00
Mitsuwa Marketplace, 595 River Rd., Edgewater, New Jersey (accessible by shuttle bus from Port Authority)
http://www.mitsuwanj.com/en/
Kikuya ("pie fresh custard pudding on choux") and hiranoya (saba mackerel sushi) will be freshly made at this Japanese market; suginaga kamaboko (fried fish cakes), sata andagi (Okinawan doughnuts) and purple sweet potato sesame balls will also be served hot for your enjoyment.

Eldridge St. Block Party
Saturday, July 19, 1:00-5:00
Eldridge St. between Grand and Hester Sts.
No further details are available, but worth a look if you're in the neighborhood.

Indonesian food bazaar
Sunday, July 20, 10:00-4:00
Outside the Al-Hikmah Mosque, 48-01 31st Ave., Queens; free admission
"The food is authentic, the vendors mostly sell the food at their home or special order only," writes the Eating In Translation fan who sent me news of this event. "I was there last year & will recommend the satay corner," she adds, the "peanut dressing is home made & excellent. The dessert (es cendol & es teler) is also a favorite...I love the fermented black rice & cassava."

Colombian Independence Day Festival
Sunday, July 20, 10:00-6:00
Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens
www.NYCGovParks.org/sub_things_to_do/upcoming_events/events.php?id=36046
Crowds that may top 100,000 will be waving the yellow, blue, and red at this colorful annual event. Grilled meat? Count on it.

Pig Roast and Dance Party
Sunday, July 20, 4:00-9:00
3rd Ward, 195 Morgan Ave. (at Stagg St.), East Williamsburg, Brooklyn
www.3rdWard.com/news/view/pig-roast-awesome
DJs all afternoon, live music from 6:00, and a roast pig prepared by Tom Mylan (of Diner, Marlow & Sons, and Bonita); pork tacos, Mexican cole slaw, corn on the cob, and beans will be available for purchase.

North Brooklyn Development Corporation Festival
Sunday, July 20, 11:00-???
Manhattan Ave. between Bedford and Greenpoint Aves.
There's plenty of Polish food along this stretch; why not stop by Peter Pan (shown) for an egg cream and a donut, too?

Polish Heritage Celebration
Sunday, July 20, 11:00-7:00
Kensico Dam Plaza, Valhalla, New York (near the Valhalla Metro-North station; free admission
That's a long way to go for Polish "food, music, dance, entertainment and arts and crafts," but it's a lovely setting, I've heard.)

Arab Heritage Celebration
Sunday, July 20, 3:00-7:00
Tibetts Brook Park, Midland Ave., Yonkers, New York; free admission
Chow situation unknown; if you find yourself in the vicinity, post a comment to let us know how it went!

Rakhaing Thingyan Burmese New Year Water Festival

Shwe yin aye — literally, something that cools and refreshes — is probably just as effective on a Yangon street as it was on a blacktop schoolyard.

Bastille Day Festival

I squeezed past plenty of crepe stands to get here.

Food-Friendly Events, July 12-13

Free South African food, drink, and music
Saturday, July 12, 1:00-6:00
499 Van Brunt St., Red Hook, Brooklyn; free admission
At this preview of the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition's "Hot!" summer art show, Fort Greene restaurant Madiba (shown) will serve the curried Cape Malay meatloaf called bobotie, with malva pudding for dessert. Music by Mathi Ghabashe.

14th Annual Rakhaing Thingyan
Burmese New Year Water Festival
Sunday, July 13, 11:00-4:00
Schoolyard at the corner of Madison and Montgomery streets, on the Lower East Side; free admission
Menu of food and drink
This lively festival is held on a blacktop junior-high schoolyard, but among the food and drink at last year's event, I found at least one offering particularly inclined to "make you cool."

Bastille Day, Brooklyn
Sunday, July 13, 12:00-10:00
Smith St. between Bergen and Pacific Sts.
www.BarTabacNY.com
Merguez sandwiches on the grill, pétanque in the street.

Bastille Day, Manhattan
Sunday, July 13, 12:00-6:00
60th St. between Lexington and Fifth Aves.
www.BastilleDayNYC.com

Second Annual Bay Ridge Arab American Bazaar
Sunday, July 13, 12:00-7:00
Shore Road Park, 79th St. and Shore Rd., Brooklyn
"Savory Middle Eastern cuisine, henna art, kids arts and crafts, kids rides, homemade Middle Eastern ice cream, live music, free dance workshops, and so much more!"

Food-Friendly Events, July 3-6

The 37th Annual International African Arts Festival
Thursday, July 3, through July 6, 10:00-9:00, rain or shine
Commodore Barry Park, Navy St. between Park and Flushing Aves., Brooklyn; admission by donation
http://www.iaafestival.org/
Last year's festival was much stronger on arts, crafts, and fashion, but I also came across Caribbean and Southern chow as well as one stall featuring cuisine from the Brazilian state of Bahia (shown).

Nathan's Famous 2008 Hot Dog Eating Contest
Wednesday, July 4, noon
Corner of Surf and Stillwell Aves., Coney Island
Free admission (also televised on ESPN); San Jose native Joey Chestnut defends his title against contenders including six-time champion Takeru Kobayashi of Japan

Faicco's Pork Store

Small appetites, step aside.

Burmese Food Bazaar

It's not often that the tofu brightens up the salad.

Food-Friendly Events, June 27-29 (updated)

Just Added: Burmese Food Bazaar
Saturday, June 28, 12:00-5:00
P.S. 150, 40-01 43rd Ave., Sunnyside, Queens
This fundraiser "for the victims of cyclone in Myanmar (Burma)...will have different kind of authentic Burmese food, cold and hot drinks, gift items, and T-shirts." I have my eye on the Shan noodles with chicken and the fried sorrel leaves.

Feria Chapina
Friday, June 27, 2:00-8:00; Saturday, 10:00-10:00; Sunday, 10:00-8:00
York College campus (last stop in Queens on the E, J, and Z), between Liberty Ave., South Rd., and Guy R. Brewer Blvd.; $5 admission
www.FeriaChapina.com.gt
"Visitors to the fairs [another will be held in Los Angeles] will enjoy traditional dishes and drinks from Guatemala and there will be rides for the children. There will also be musical groups playing live Guatemalan songs."

New Amsterdam Market
Sunday, June 29, 11:00-4:00
On the plaza of the New Market Building at the South Street Seaport; suggested $5 donation
www.NewAmsterdamPublic.org
More than 50 "farmers, food producers, distributors, purveyors, bread bakers, chefs, caterers, and advocates of regional and sustainable food production" will gather with the ultimate mission of creating "a year-round, indoor public market." The previous market offered lots of wonderful food, some for sale, some for sampling, like lamb mini-sandwiches from Jimmy's No. 43 (shown above).

The 2nd annual UnFancy Food Show
Sunday, June 29, 12:00-6:00, rain or shine
East River Bar, 97 South 6th St., Wiliamsburg, Brooklyn; suggested $5 donation
www.UnFancyFoodShow08.tumblr.com
Meat, cheese, honey, chocolate, pickles — even pizza from a mobile wood-fired oven — will be available for purchase. The Javits Center, it's not, and that's the beauty of it.

Swedish Midsummer Festival

The Swedes have a hot dog of their own, but you won't find it at the Red Hook Ikea unless you assemble it yourself.

Bronx Food and Arts Festival

Hand me a steak sandwich with onions and hot sauce, and I'm in clover. Usually.

Food-Friendly Events, June 20-22 (updated)

Swedish Midsummer Festival
Friday, June 20, 5:00-8:00
Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Park, near Battery Pl.; free admission
www.SwedenAbroad.com
In addition to many family-friendly activities, "food stands will offer traditional delicacies from New York's finest Swedish restaurants."

NYC Food Film Festival concludes
Friday, June 20; films begin 8:30, rain or shine
Water Taxi Beach, 2 Borden Ave., Long Island City, Queens; free admission
www.NYCFoodFilmFestival.com
Outdoor screenings on a variety of short subjects, both silly and serious; award-winning burgers plus more food and drink available for purchase beginning about an hour before showtime.

18th Century Cooking Demonstration
Saturday, June 21, 12:00-2:00
On the lawn of Phillipse Manor Hall, 29 Warburton St. (at Dock St.), Yonkers, New York; free admission
18th Century Cooking Demonstration
"The Phillipse family ate well, but what about the men and women they kept as slaves? Join us as we cook up ham hocks, intestines, pig's ears and feet, and more!"

Cancelled: Indonesian food bazaar
Sunday, June 21, 11:00 a.m-???; no rain date
Outside the Al-Hikmah Mosque, 48-01 31st Ave., Queens; free admission
"The food is authentic, the vendors mostly sell the food at their home or special order only," writes the Eating In Translation fan who sent me news of this event. "I was there last year & will recommend the satay corner," she adds, the "peanut dressing is home made & excellent. The dessert (es cendol & es teler) is also a favorite...I love the fermented black rice & cassava."
To repeat: Sunday's food bazaar has been cancelled, but another is planned for July; stay tuned.

Bronx Food and Arts Festival
Sunday, June 22, 1:00-???
Mosholu Parkway South & Van Cortlandt Avenue East, Bronx; free admission
www.ILoveTheBronx.com
BBQ from Mo Gridder's (shown above in its more usual setting), Jamaican from Fauzia Delights, Italian-American from Mike's Deli, and more.

Smith Street Fun Day Fair
Sunday, June 22, 11:00-6:00; no rain date
Smith St. between Bergen and Union streets; free admission
Live music, food and drink for sale, and the second annual Stinky Bklyn cheese-eating competition (begins at 3:00; to sign up, call 718-522-7425 asap).

Mamaroneck Historic Harbor Street Fair
Sunday, June 22, 11:00-5:00
Near Mamaroneck Ave. and the East Boston Post Rd., Mamaroneck, New York; free admission
www.MamaroneckStreetFair.org
The "international food court" may be only an afterthought to the live music, dancing, storytelling, historic role players, tours of tall ships, marine life "touch tanks," and much more fun for all ages.

Food-Friendly Events, June 13-15

23rd annual Ukrainian Heritage Festival
Friday, June 13, 7:00-10:00; Saturday, 1:00-10:00; Sunday, 1:00-7:00
Grounds of St. Michael's Ukrainian Catholic Church, 510 North Broadway at 21 Shonnard Pl., Yonkers, New York; free admission
www.brama.com/YonkersUkrainianFest
"Grab a plate of delicious varenyky....Eat, drink, and be entertained by the dancers, singers, and musicians."

NYC Food Film Festival
Films begin 8:30 p.m on June 14, 16, 17, 18, and 20, rain or shine
Water Taxi Beach, 2 Borden Ave., Long Island City, Queens (except June 17); free admission
www.NYCFoodFilmFestival.com
Outdoor screenings on a variety of short subjects, both silly and serious; award-winning burgers plus more food and drink available for purchase beginning about an hour before showtime.

All Saints' Episcopal Church Annual Strawberry Fair
Saturday, June 14, 11:00-6:00
46th St. between Queens Blvd. and 43rd Ave., Sunnyside, Queens; free admission
In addition to "great bargains" from more than 60 vendors and an "international luncheon downstairs," hamburgers, hot dogs, strawberries, and ice cream will be available outside.

International Immigrants Foundation Street Fair
Sunday, June 15, 11:00-6:00
Sixth Ave., primarily between 45th and 48th streets; free admission
www.ImmigrantsFoundation.com
In addition to "music, colorful costumes, and traditional dancing," sample food from who-knows-where; last year the lineup included Vietnamese (shown), Brazilian, and Bahamian.

Egg Rolls and Egg Creams
Sunday, June 15, 12:00-4:00
Eldridge St. between Canal and Division streets; free admission
www.EldridgeStreet.org/programs_c.htm
"Klezmer music, Chinese opera and acrobatics, language lessons, scribal art, folk art demos, crafts, tours and, of course, kosher egg rolls and egg creams!" Not a belly-filling event, but it's certainly charming.

Seventh Heaven Street Fair
Sunday, June 15, 11:00-6:00
Seventh Ave. between Flatbush Ave. and 16th St., Park Slope, Brooklyn; free admission
One of the borough's larger such events; all the usual street-fair food offerings should be on hand.

Ecuadorian Heritage Festival
Sunday, June 15, 10:00-7:00
Croton Point Park, Croton-on-Hudson, New York; free admission, $10 parking fee
Though it promises music, crafts, dance, and food, this event is an unknown quantity; if you go, help us fill in the blanks!

Portugal Day Festival

Featuring a guest star from Bahia.

Big Apple Barbecue Block Party

The (relatively) cool evening before the barbecue is a wonderful time to get a taste of things to come.

Word of Mouth: Mississippi Picnic

Madison Square wasn't the only park to host Southern food lovers on Saturday. Garry Roark, the personable pitmaster of Ubon's "Champion's Choice" (here, holding forth on Big Apple Barbecue eve), told me of an event I hadn't heard of in its 29 years: the annual New York Mississippi Picnic in Central Park. Some 2,000 folks were enjoying Mississippi blues, fried catfish, and sweet tea at the very hour I was polishing off the last of my pulled pork, whole hog, and baby back ribs, so I didn't have the time or the capacity to do it justice. However, the picnic is just a one-day affair, so if you find yourself at Ubon's on Sunday, expect to rub elbows with Mississippi delegates who haven't yet eaten their fill.

New York Missisippi Picnic
www.NYMSPicnic.com/Templates/welcome.htm
Early June

Sts. Constantine and Helen Cathedral Greek Festival

An entree that didn't stuff me left room for a second dessert.

Food-Friendly Events, June 6-13

Sts. Constantine and Helen Cathedral Greek Festival
Continues Friday, June 6, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 a.m.; Saturday, 1:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.; Sunday, 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
64 Schermerhorn St. (Court St.-Boerum Pl.), Brooklyn; free admission
www.StConstantineAndHelen.org/festival.asp
Dancers and music, hot entrees, and desserts including massourakia, kourambiethes, koulourakia, and loukoumades.

Gateway to Nations NYC Native American Heritage Celebration
Friday, June 6, 10:00-4:00; Saturday and Sunday, 11:00-7:00
Floyd Bennett Field, Gateway National Recreation Area, 50 Aviation Rd., Brooklyn; $10 adult admission
www.RedhawkCouncil.org/calendar/june19.htm
Whatever venison, buffalo, or frybread you might find, the bigger attractions are the crafts, and the costumed singers, drummers, and dancers.

Big Apple Barbecue Block Party
Saturday and Sunday, June 7 and 8, 12:00-6:00
In and around Madison Square Park; free admission
www.BigAppleBBQ.org
Though this festival is professionally managed, expect big crowds and plenty of waiting on line, whenever you show and whatever you do. For the opportunity to sample the wares (at $8 a plate) of some of the nation's finest pitmasters, many 'cue lovers insist it's worth all the effort.

The World of the Number 7 Train
Saturday, June 7, 10:00-5:30
From Grand Central Terminal to Flushing, with many stops in between; $35 plus an unlimited MetroCard
Reservations required; contact jaconet@aol.com or 718-961-8406
Tour leader Jack Eichenbaum holds a Ph.D in urban geography, and the tour focuses on historical geography and ethnic and technological change, but after riding the number 7 for more than 50 years, he has some thoughts on food, too.

Grillin' on the Bay
Saturday, June 7, 10:00-midafternoon
St. Mark School, East 18th St. at Ave. Z, Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn; free admission
www.GrillinOnTheBay.org
A grilling contest, sponsored by the Kansas City and New England barbecue societies, in the categories of chicken, fish, pork, and chef's choice. "There will be food and beer for sale," according to the organizer, "and a battle of local bands." Proceeds benefit the host, the St. Mark School.

Portugal Day Festival
Saturday and Sunday afternoon and evening, June 7 and 8
Ferry St., Newark, New Jersey (in the Ironbound District)
http://dailynewarker.com/2008/05/13/portugal-day-festival-2008/
As you might guess from the photo above, this festival is heavy on the meat, though much of it has a Latin American flavor. Even without the alcohol — here, it's legal to drink in the streets — things can be raucous later in the day.

116th St. Festival
Saturday, June 7, all day
116th St. between Lexington and Second avenues, and Third Avenue between 106th and 122nd streets; free admission
www.116thStFestival.com
The day before the Puerto Rican Parade, this "largest Latin festival in New York" expects more than a million attendees. Someone's got to feed these guys.

Together in New York Community Festival
Sunday, June 8, 11:00-6:00
Asser Levy Park, Brighton Beach, Brooklyn
It's "part of the Russian Heritage Festival" and offers "traditional Russian foods," but I've never been and don't know anyone who has. Worst case: You pick up some snacks in the neighborhood; there's all that food along the Coney Island boardwalk, too.

Albanian Heritage Festival
Sunday, June 8, 12:00-7:00
Kensico Dam Plaza, Valhalla, New York; free admission
The celebration will feature "Albanian-American singers, comedians and dancers. Traditional Albanian art and craft items will be available for purchase. In addition there will be delicious Albanian foods and beverages for sale." Blankets and chairs OK; coolers, not. I've never been, but at least it's close to the Valhalla Metro-North station.

Taste of Long Island City
Wednesday, June 11, 6:30-???
The roofdeck of 4705 Center Blvd. Long Island City, Queens; $45 in advance, $50 at the door
www.ChocolateFactoryTheater.org/e_tasteoflic08.html
Food and drink from 30 neighborhood providers; proceeds benefit The Chocolate Factory Theater.

Cuban Festival at Schuetzen Park

Found the flag; the food was another story.

Taste of Times Square

Hope it really is on the regular menu.

Philippine Independence Day Festival

Festival-goers and chefs both felt the squeeze.

Festival Cultural de la Calle 152

At this tuneful, lively festival — sponsored by the organization that runs the immense Puerto Rican Day Parade on Fifth Ave. — this table caught my curiosity, and one of the ladies there caught me looking.

Food-Friendly Events, May 30-June 2

Michael Arnone's 19th annual Crawfish Fest
Friday, May 30, 4:00-10:00; Saturday and Sunday, 10:30-10:00
Sussex County Fairgrounds, Augusta, New Jersey
www.CrawfishFest.com
"The Louisiana and New Orleans style music, food, and camping festival" can't possibly be a patch on the menu during JazzFest, but for a $20.50 express bus ticket, $35 one-day admission, and the cost of food, you can kick back Big Easy style for an afternoon, and maybe an evening.

Festival Cultural de la Calle 152
Saturday, May 31, 10:00-6:00
152nd St. between Jackson and Union avenues, Bronx; free admission
www.NationalPuertoRicanDayParade.org
I've never been, but this festival is sponsored by the same outfit that's organizing next week's immense parade on Fifth Ave., so maybe this is their version of carbo-loading, or perhaps frituras-loading.

Philippine Independence Parade and Street Fair
Sunday, June 1, 12:00-6:00
Madison Ave., 24th-26th Sts. (parade marches down from 40th St.); free admission
http://www.aratilis.org/pidci/
It helps to like pork, and it helps to like fried; try some chicharron bulaklak with a friend, and don't bungle your balut like I did. The folks running the food tables are generally smiling — perhaps because they're waiting to see what you're getting yourself into. That's a shot from last year's festival above.

Cuban Parade and Festival
Sunday, June 1, 12:00-10:00
Festival at Schuetzen Park, 32nd St. at Kennedy Blvd., North Bergen, New Jersey; parade begins 5:00 at 79th St. and Bergenline Ave., North Bergen
www.desfilecubanodenj.com/paradeandfestival2008.htm
Never been, don't know about the food, but North Jersey is one of the last strongholds of Cuban Americans in the tristate area.

Japan Day at Central Park
Sunday, June 1, 10:00-5:00
East Meadow, Central Park (enter at Fifth Ave. and 99th St.); free admission
www.JapanDayNYC.org
Activities, performances, and (beginning at 11:00, while supplies last) free samples of gyoza, udon, curry, and the like. Last year, at 11:30, the line just to get in was so long that I kept on walking.

Jamaica Day
Monday, June 2, 11:00-7:00
South Street Seaport, Pier 17; free admission
www.NYJamaicaDay.com
Some arts and crafts, some music, some "authentic Jamaican cuisine from hot and spicy to cool and sweet," they say.

Taste of Times Square
Monday, June 2, 5:00-8:30
West 46th St. (Broadway-Ninth Ave.); free admission
www.TimesSquareNYC.org/about_us/events_taste.html
Many participating restaurants, strongly leaning toward the touristy, but I'd like to see what Chop Suey and Toloache have on offer.

Sts. Constantine and Helen Cathedral Greek Festival
Monday, June 2, through Sunday, June 8, 11:00 a.m.- late evening (hours vary)
64 Schermerhorn St. (Court St.-Boerum Pl.), Brooklyn; free admission
www.StConstantineAndHelen.org/festival.asp
Entertainment on the closing weekend features dancers and music; during the week, enjoy hot entrees as well as desserts including massourakia, kourambiethes, koulourakia, and loukoumades.

Dance Africa Bazaar

The bazaar was crowded with shoppers — hungry shoppers.

Ecuadorian Independence Festival

That's not the fast track.