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San Gabriel's Dumpling and Beer Fest Returns October 2 for Its 11th Year

  • 5 days ago
  • 6 min read


Eleven years in, and still one of the best free food events on the calendar.


The Dumpling and Beer Fest returns to San Gabriel's Historic Mission District on Friday, October 2, 2026. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the festival runs until 10 p.m. The City of San Gabriel presents it, MPD Events produces it, and organizers expect more than 7,000 people. The 2026 lineup is set: better than 20 food vendors, 17 beverage partners, a retail marketplace, and a new non-alcoholic beer garden tier that anyone can buy into.


General admission is free and all ages. That covers the food vendor rows, the retail marketplace, main stage entertainment and community activations. Food is purchased directly from each vendor. Only the beer garden is ticketed.


Who is serving dumplings


The food roster leans hard on the SGV, with a long dumpling bench and a spread of everything else. Presenting partner Lunasia Dim Sum House, the Michelin Bib Gourmand dim sum house that started in Alhambra in 2009, anchors the list. Confirmed food vendors:


  • Lunasia Dim Sum House

  • Dumplin' by ARO

  • Dumpling Dream

  • MAD Dumplings

  • Yumlong

  • 2ndrew Wonton Shop

  • Rice Balls of Fire

  • Makanal

  • Stop'Bye Indonesian Fusion

  • SES Thai Street Food

  • Chano's Tacos

  • Bison Burger

  • GO Fusion N Grill

  • The Tropic Truck

  • Rollies Pastries

  • Waffle Puffs & Stuff

  • Waffle Load

  • Lilu's Ice Cream and Boba

  • Moo Tea

  • Coconut & Co.

  • CI Tea Drinks

  • Church of Our Saviour


The beer garden, and who is pouring


Seventeen beverage partners are confirmed for 2026, a mix of regional breweries, a local bottle shop, a mixology outfit and two San Gabriel neighbors:


  • Arts District Brewing

  • Brewery X

  • Brewyard Beer Company

  • Cerveza Cito

  • Common Space Brewery

  • Grapevine Central San Gabriel

  • Hop Merchants Bottle Shop and Taproom

  • Lazy Dog

  • Luchador Brewing Company

  • Mt. Lowe Brewing Co.

  • Ogopogo Brewing

  • Old Stump Brewing Co.

  • Steady Brew Beer Co.

  • Stone Brewing

  • Study Break

  • Vera Mixology

  • Whittier Brewing Co.


A general beer garden wristband is 21 and over with valid ID, and covers unlimited tastings from participating breweries, brewery activations and specialty pours, plus a commemorative tasting glass while supplies last.


New for 2026 is a VIP Beer Garden, a limited-capacity hospitality tier with a separate VIP area, VIP-only breweries and specialty selections, shorter tasting lines, lounge seating, private restrooms and a gift bag.


Also new, and genuinely useful: a non-alcoholic beer garden pass. It is all ages, it is the cheapest ticket on the board, and it gets you the full garden atmosphere without the alcohol. Very few beer festivals bother with this.


Tickets and pricing


  • General admission: free, all ages

  • Beer garden, non-alcoholic: $25 plus $3.52 fee, all ages

  • GA beer garden, early bird: $45 plus $4.87 fee, limited availability

  • GA beer garden, regular advance: $55 plus $5.54 fee

  • GA beer garden, at the gate: $65 on event day

  • VIP beer garden, early bird: $85 plus $7.55 fee, limited capacity


Tickets are sold through Eventbrite and can also be bought on site. Beer garden and VIP passes are non-refundable, though they may be transferred to another attendee. The early bird tiers are the real savings here, and the $20 jump from early bird to the gate price is the argument for buying now.


The retail marketplace


The shopping side is free to browse and runs to makers, artists and community groups:


  • Fresh Goodsville

  • San Gabriel Valley Symphony

  • Fright Ink Studios

  • US Kung Fu Center

  • Chibi-chan Handmade

  • The Art of Sketch

  • Locked & Jeweled

  • Chef Pascual


Presenting partners and sponsors


Three presenting partners are behind the 2026 edition: Lunasia Dim Sum House, Delta and 99 Ranch Market.


The sponsor bench is deep, and worth reading as a snapshot of who is investing in the SGV right now: OLIPOP, SoCalGas, Renewal by Andersen, RKA Consulting Group, Asian Pacific National Bank, Blossom Market Hall, Yama, Athens Services, Crunchyroll, Fly By Jing, Global Energy Services, Hyatt Vacation Club, JoySauce, Kaleo Marketing, Pacific Plaza Premier and Rose Hills Memorial Park & Mortuary.


A few of those are worth pausing on. Blossom Market Hall sits at 264 S. Mission Drive, essentially inside the festival footprint, and has been the SGV's most reliable small-business food incubator since 2021. Fly By Jing and JoySauce both signal that the festival is pulling national Asian American food brands, not just local ones. And Crunchyroll as a sponsor of a dumpling festival is the kind of cultural crossover that tells you who the organizers think is coming.


The festival is also presented in partnership with the Asian Youth Center. Vendor and sponsorship applications run through the City of San Gabriel, with a sponsorship packet and background on the city's festival page. Inquiries go to hello@dumplingbeerfest.com.


Why it exists


The festival launched in 2015 as a local twist on Oktoberfest, built to spotlight San Gabriel's culinary scene and pull people into the Mission District. It now draws between 5,000 and 7,000 people a year and has grown into a genuine community event rather than a promotional exercise. The dumpling focus is not arbitrary either. The San Gabriel Valley holds one of the densest concentrations of regional Chinese cooking in the country, and a festival built around a single format is a reasonable way to show that range in one night. For 2026 organizers are promising expanded food offerings, more breweries, more retail and new interactive brand activations.


Getting there


The festival is centered at 250 S. Mission Drive in the Historic Mission District. Public parking is available throughout the district including nearby city lots and street parking, but spots fill quickly, so arrive early. Designated rideshare pickup and drop-off zones will sit near the main entrance, and organizers are pushing rideshare and transit over driving. The official parking guide and recommended lots will be posted closer to the date. Expect street closures around Mission Drive on festival day.


Frequently asked


When is Dumpling & Beer Fest?

Dumpling & Beer Fest 2026 takes place on Friday, October 2, 2026. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the festival runs until 10 p.m.

General admission is free for all ages. It includes access to the food vendor rows, the retail marketplace, main stage entertainment and community activations. Beer garden tickets are sold separately, in advance and on site.

General admission beer garden runs $45 early bird, $55 regular advance and $65 at the gate, all plus fees. A non-alcoholic all-ages beer garden pass is $25, and the new VIP beer garden starts at $85 early bird.

New in 2026, it is a limited-capacity hospitality tier that includes everything in general beer garden admission plus a separate VIP area, VIP-only breweries and specialty selections, shorter tasting lines, lounge seating, private restrooms and a gift bag.

Yes. A $25 all-ages non-alcoholic beer garden pass gets you the full festival atmosphere without the alcohol.

Yes. Children are welcome and general admission is free for all ages. The beer garden is strictly 21 and over with valid ID.

Yes. The festival welcomes pets.

Seventeen beverage partners are confirmed for 2026, including Arts District Brewing, Brewery X, Brewyard, Cerveza Cito, Common Space, Hop Merchants, Lazy Dog, Luchador, Mt. Lowe, Ogopogo, Old Stump, Steady Brew, Stone Brewing, Study Break, Vera Mixology, Whittier Brewing and Grapevine Central San Gabriel. Participating breweries are subject to change.

General admission is free, so no refund is needed for standard entry. Beer garden and VIP passes are non-refundable but may be transferred to another attendee.

Public parking is available across the Historic Mission District including city lots and street parking, and it fills fast. Rideshare drop-off zones will be near the main entrance, and transit is encouraged. The official parking guide will be posted closer to the event.

Vendor applications are open to restaurants, food trucks, breweries, retailers and makers through the City of San Gabriel, and sponsorship packages run through the city's Economic Development Division. Email hello@dumplingbeerfest.com or call 626-308-2806.


If you go


  • When: Friday, October 2, 2026, gates 6 p.m., festival until 10 p.m.

  • Where: Historic Mission District, 250 S. Mission Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776

  • Admission: free, all ages

  • Beer garden: $25 non-alcoholic all ages, $45 to $65 for 21-plus GA, $85 VIP early bird

  • Contact: hello@dumplingbeerfest.com, or Economic Development at 626-308-2806


For more of what is happening around town, browse food events in Los Angeles, or see our guide to the best food in Los Angeles.

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