Taste of South Pasadena food festival

The Rotary Club of South Pasadena is staging the 12th Annual Taste of South Pasadena on Tuesday, May 19, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., according to the club’s event page and press materials. The tasting route runs along Mission Street and Fair Oaks Avenue in the city’s downtown core, with food sampling, live music and a separate wine-and-spirits component for guests 21 and older. We Like L.A. included the event in its May 18-22 roundup of things to do in Los Angeles this week. Adult general-admission tickets start at $50, the listing said. ### When exactly is the event happening? Tuesday, May 19, is the confirmed event date, and the public tasting hours are 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., according to the Rotary Club of South Pasadena and the Eventbrite ticket page. That matters because some calendar listings describe the event as part of the broader May 18-22 week, but the food festival itself is a one-night event. (southpasadenarotary.org) The Heart of South Pasadena, described on the ticket page as the area around Fair Oaks Avenue and Mission Street, is the main event footprint. The Rotary Club said guests can walk the route or use a free shuttle service during the tasting tour. ### What do attendees get with a standard ticket? More than 30 food and drink participants are listed for the 2026 event, according to We Like L.A. and the Eventbrite page. (southpasadenarotary.org) The ticket listing says food tasting begins at 5 p.m. and continues through 8 p.m., with wristbands required to sample from participating restaurants and vendors. Participating names on the Eventbrite page include Canoe House, Griffin’s of Kinsale, Gus’s BBQ, Handel’s Ice Cream, Heirloom Bakery and Cafe, Mamma’s Brick Oven Pizza, Mike & Anne’s, Radhika Modern Indian, Tomato Pie Pizza Joint, Trader Joe’s, Yuca’s Pasadena and others. The Rotary Club’s press release separately highlighted longtime businesses such as Gus’s BBQ and Griffin’s of Kinsale, along with newer additions including Handel’s Ice Cream and The Giddy Ostrich. (welikela.com) ### How does the wine-and-spirits portion work? The VIP wine-and-spirits tasting is a separately ticketed pre-event held at Canoe House, 805 Fair Oaks Avenue, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., according to the Eventbrite listing. The page says at least 20 wine and spirits stations are planned for ticketholders 21 and older, and only guests with special wristbands may sample alcohol. (southpasadenarotary.org) Canoe House is also the site where drinks must remain on the property, the ticket page says. No open containers may be taken onto city streets. Listed beverage participants include Wilson Creek Winery, Vandella, Riboli Family Wines of San Antonio Winery, Xolo Tequila, Koval Distillery and PRP Wines International. ### Who is organizing it, and where does the money go? (eventbrite.com) The Rotary Club of South Pasadena is the organizer and says proceeds will support Eaton Fire Relief, local high school scholarships, the South Pasadena Interact Club and the Corazón House Build in Mexico. In its 2026 press release, the club said last year’s Eaton Fire Relief edition raised more than $40,000 and that all proceeds were used to buy items for more than 500 fire survivors affected by the January 2025 fires. (southpasadenarotary.org) The Rotary Club describes Taste of South Pasadena as its annual fundraiser and as a community event built around local restaurants, bakeries and beverage makers. Its event page calls the festival the city’s signature food-and-wine celebration. ### What else is happening on site? Katie Ferrara is scheduled to perform from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Metrolink Park, according to the Eventbrite page. (southpasadenarotary.org) Carbé and Durand, a Spanish guitar duo, are listed for the same hours at Canoe House. The Rotary Club’s press release also said Ferrara would perform at the Metro Rail Plaza and that Carbe and Durand would play during the Canoe House portion of the event. (southpasadenarotary.org) Tuesday’s event information remains available through the Rotary Club of South Pasadena and its Eventbrite ticket page, and We Like L.A. continues to list the festival in its events guide for the week of May 18-22. (welikela.com) (southpasadenarotary.org)