Edible Events: August 2016

There are all manner of fun, food events taking place in New York on a daily basis — from lavish, charity-driven galas to crowded, walk-around tastings and an endless array of pop-ups.  But unless you have the time and money to party seven days a week, you’ll have to be somewhat discerning about what goes onto your calendar.  So here are just a few worthy food celebrations we recommend getting tickets (or making reservations) for now!

Taste on the Beach (8/5): Lucky enough to spend the summer at or near Long Beach?  Rejoice in your good fortune (and benefit a local soup kitchen!) by taking in a series of short films at a custom-built movie theatre erected along the Atlantic Ocean, followed by nibbles and drinks on the sand from a revolving roster of participating eateries; past treats include Lobster Rolls from Minnesota’s, Octopus Ceviche from Grotta di Fuoco, and Beer-Braised Duck Tacos courtesy of Speakeasy.

Bronx Food and Wine Festival (8/12): Tired of taking a gastronomic backseat to the rest of the city, the Bronx debuted this charitable event last year; both to provide a showcase for noteworthy, local restaurants, and to raise funds for the Food Bank of NYC.  Held at the zoo’s spacious Dancing Crane Pavilion, guests will sample bites and drinks from the neighborhoods best chefs, eateries, distilleries, wineries and breweries, all while helping to create awareness and combat hunger throughout the five boroughs.

African Food Festival (8/13-14): Don’t miss the debut of this weekend-long festival, which ceremonializes Africa’s cultural and culinary traditions with live music, cooking demos, food vendors, brunch parties and seated dinners curated by popular restaurants and rising star chefs, showcasing fare from around the globe with an African twist.

Secret Summer 2016 (8/14): Back for its second season, this farm-to-bar cocktail festival promises to be bigger and better than ever.  Taking place at LIC’s historic, 12-room The Foundry venue (featuring an outdoor courtyard, an indoor greenhouse and a rooftop terrace with views of the skyline), the event boasts all-you-can-drink craft tipples from the city’s top mixologists and brands, along with singing buskers, a ping pong garden, an agave harvest, aerialists, art installations, and fare from vendors like Korilla BBQ. La Pulperia, Van Leeuwen ice cream and Cinnamon Snail.

The Great Food Truck Derby (8/19): Bringing a bit of gourmet NYC flavor to Bridgehampton, tickets to this family-friendly event include tastes and drinks from all assembled food trucks, including Pizza Luca, Island Empanada, Nice Buns Slammin’ Sliders and Rolling Smoke Grill.  And best of all, proceeds are funneled towards Hayground schoolyard projects in the region, which provide culinary arts training for local kids.

Blues BBQ (8/20): Granted, Hudson River Park’s annual, end-of-season event on Pier 97 is somewhat bittersweet, as it marks the unofficial close of fun-in-the-sun summer celebrations.  And once there, it’s easy to indulge your blues with sets from artists like the Cash Box Kings, Gaye and the Wild Rutz and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, but possible to drown them just as readily in sauce; in the form of barbecue from local, pit-smoking specialists like Arrogant Swine, Mighty Quinn’s and Dinosaur.