ALLENTOWN, Pa. — You'll be able to feast on Puerto Rican, Mediterranean and Greek eats while enjoying tunes by local indie rock bands at this weekend's World of Food Festival.
The festival will take place from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday at 19th and Liberty streets in Allentown.
Admission is free.
The festival calls itself "a celebration of Allentown’s diverse cultural community, filled with finger lickin’ food, electric musical acts, and varieties of beer, wine, art and crafts for the kids."
"This is a block party," the festival home page says. "Good live music, all day, all for free. Did we mention there are beer and wine tents?
"You might come down to 19th Street on September 21st to eat and drink, but you’ll stick around to mingle."
Nearly 20 food vendors will serve food and desserts at the festival, which is in its ninth year and organized by the West End Alliance.
"We've really expanded this year," West End Alliance Managing Director Liz Martin said. "We have favorites coming back like Cousin's Maine Lobster, Take a Taco and Greek Street, but we also have some new food options from La Frikitona and Cravings by Docaris.
"We're really excited. I feel like we've diversified our food vendors more in 2024."
All the food offerings
Among the festival's food options will be Aroi Sticky Rice (Thai fusion), Atomic Hogs (loaded hot dogs), Bananarama (frozen ice cream) and Cousins Maine Lobster (lobster rolls, lobster Mac and cheese).
Also, Cravings by Dorcaris (cakes and pastries), Danny's Fine Foods (chicken wings, hamburgers), Got Chocolate, and Greek Street (gyros, crispy spanakopita) and Kou Kitchen (African-flavored pork and chicken, okra).
Also, La Friktona (Puerto Rican sofrito, arroz con pollo, gandules), Latin Flavor (Domincian and Puerto Rican pasteles), Matt-Hat Jerky (flavored beef jerky) and Mattie's Strudel Haus (Hungarian strudel).
Also, Passanante's Home Food Service (pasta, sandwich wraps), Poppin' Kettle Corn (flavored popcorn) and Puerto Rican Cultural Preservation (empanadas, tostones, arroz con gandules, chicken and pork).
And Sherri's Crab Cakes (crab cake sandwiches; Crab Mac and cheese), Take a Taco (pork, shrimp and chicken tacos) and Una Taqueria (Mexican street food, spicy tortillas).
For the over-21 crowd, there will be a beer tent with craft drinks by Bru Daddy's, Illumination Brewing and Sleepy Cat Urban Winery.
Dance lessons, indie rock concerts
West End Alliance was founded 10 years ago to support local businesses and entrepreneurs within the city's Theatre District — an area that has experienced revitalization in the past decade.
In July, the West End Theatre District was chosen among the Top 20 underrated neighborhoods for nightlife by Wealth of Geeks, a pop culture and gaming website.
"We have so many diverse options in the West End Theater District. Anyone from a college student to someone in their retirement can enjoy great bars, great restaurants."West End Alliance Managing Director Liz Martin
"At the West End Alliance, our number one goal is to promote the businesses and having that nightlife recognition," said Martin, the alliance managing director.
"We're really proud because we know that we have these great restaurants establishments to enjoy.
"We have so many diverse options in the West End Theater District. Anyone from a college student to someone in their retirement can enjoy great bars, great restaurants. There's a spot for everyone."
The festival's free entertainment will begin at noon with a performance by Mike Lorenz & Friendz, a local jazz group.
At 2 p.m. the Dance Dietitian will hold a ballroom dance lesson.
The Food Truck Band will perform at 4 p.m., followed by Dukes of Destiny at 5 p.m. and Bethlehem-based indie rockers We're from Antartica close out the day at 7:30 p.m.
