Taste of South Pasadena Food Festival

The Rotary Club of South Pasadena staged the 12th Annual Taste of South Pasadena on Tuesday, May 19, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the heart of South Pasadena, according to the group’s event listing and local event coverage. The festival sent attendees along Mission Street and Fair Oaks Avenue for food samples, drinks and live entertainment. Eventbrite listed the event as held at “Heart of South Pasadena,” while We Like L.A. described it as a family-friendly tasting event with more than 30 food and drink stops and a VIP component for wine, beer and spirits. ### When did the festival happen, and who organized it? Tuesday, May 19, was the date for the 2026 event, and the Rotary Club of South Pasadena was the organizer, according to Eventbrite and a Rotary-linked press release page indexed online. Eventbrite showed the event as “12th Annual Taste of South Pasadena” and said sales had ended after the 5 p.m. start time. (eventbrite.com) The Rotary Club said in coverage published by The South Pasadenan on March 20 that the event would raise money for community charities. That report described the evening as an annual restaurant tour built around local businesses in South Pasadena’s downtown core. ### What did a ticket include? We Like L.A. said adults’ general admission tickets started at $50 for the May 19 event. (eventbrite.com) Its weekly events roundup said attendees could sample food along Mission and Fair Oaks and hear live music during the three-hour program. More detailed promotional coverage in The South Pasadenan said the event included more than 20 tasting stations, while We Like L.A. put the count at more than 30 food and drink stops. (southpasadenan.com) Both descriptions said alcohol-related offerings were set aside in an added section for adult guests. The South Pasadenan said guests 21 and older could access a wine and spirits experience featuring Wilson Creek, Vandella Wines, Xolo Tequila and San Antonio Winery. (welikela.com) ### Which restaurants and performers were named? Gus’s BBQ, Griffin’s of Kinsale, Handel’s Ice Cream and The Giddy Ostrich were among the businesses named in The South Pasadenan’s March preview. The same report said Canoe House and Eats on the Streets were tied to music stops at opposite ends of the route. Carbe and Durand Duo of Incendio and South Pasadena performer Katie Ferrara were the musicians identified in that coverage. (welikela.com) The article said one performance point was near Metro Rail Plaza, while the broader tasting route ran through the Mission Street and Fair Oaks Avenue area. ### What was the fundraiser tied to this year? (southpasadenan.com) The South Pasadenan reported that 2026 proceeds would support Eaton Fire Relief, local high school scholarships, the South Pasadena Interact Club and the Corazón House Build in Mexico. The same article said a prior relief-focused edition had raised more than $40,000 for more than 500 survivors of the January 2025 fires. (southpasadenan.com) That fundraising purpose came directly from event promotion tied to the Rotary Club. Neither Eventbrite nor We Like L.A. gave a post-event total as of Thursday, May 21. ### Where can people still find details? Eventbrite continued to host the archived listing after the event, showing the organizer, venue description and date. (southpasadenan.com) We Like L.A.’s May 18-22 events guide also still carried a short entry with the ticket starting price, hours and location references. The Rotary Club’s own promotional material remained accessible through pages indexed online, and The South Pasadenan’s March 20 article preserved the fullest public rundown of participating businesses, beneficiaries and sponsors. (eventbrite.com) As of Thursday, May 21, those pages were the clearest public sources for anyone checking what was included in this year’s Taste of South Pasadena. (southpasadenarotary.org)