Taste of Arcadia Returns to the Santa Anita Paddock September 19

Unlimited tastings in a racetrack paddock garden, and one rule that catches people out every year.

Taste of Arcadia returns on Saturday, September 19, 2026, taking over the Paddock Garden at Santa Anita Park from 2 to 6 p.m., with last entry at 5. It is the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce's signature event and draws more than 1,500 people from across the San Gabriel Valley.

The setting is the argument. Santa Anita's paddock garden is one of the more beautiful pieces of ground in the Valley, and the Chamber makes the point that Arcadia's founder, Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin, would likely have approved of the venue. It moved here from the Los Angeles County Arboretum, where the event ran for years, and it has also shifted from its traditional last-Monday-in-September slot to a Saturday afternoon.

The rule that catches people out

This event is 21 and over, with no exceptions. The organizers state it plainly and repeat it: that includes all infants and children regardless of age. No one under 21 is admitted. If you are planning a family Saturday in Arcadia, this is not it.

What the ticket covers

General admission runs $69, and it is genuinely all-inclusive rather than a stub you spend against:

• Unlimited food and drink tastings from every vendor on the floor.

• A commemorative tasting plate and a gift bag of swag. Past attendees have noted the plate is the item that actually earns its keep, since you will be carrying food and a cup at the same time.

• Entertainment and a dance floor, emceed by DJ John Villa of Dance Syndicate.

• An auto showcase with new cars from Longo Toyota and others.

• Business booths circling the paddock with promo items, games and prizes.

The VIP option

The VIP tier is built around tables of 10 rather than individual upgrades, though pairs are available.

• VIP table of 10: $1,000. The Chamber ran an early-bird rate of $900 before August 1.

• VIP tickets sold in pairs: $200 for two.

• What it gets you: early entry at 1 p.m., a full hour before general admission, guaranteed seating in shade, a VIP-exclusive bar area and VIP restrooms.

The shade and the seating are the real value here. This is an outdoor afternoon event in the San Gabriel Valley in mid-September, and the early entry hour means you get to the vendors before the lines form.

Who is pouring

The full 2026 roster is published in the Taste of Arcadia digital program, which the Chamber posts closer to the date. Vendor registration closed August 7, so the lineup is set even where it is not yet public.

The mix is the point of this event. Recent editions have run more than 50 food and drink vendors alongside 30-plus business booths, drawn from restaurants, breweries, wineries, bakeries, cafes and local distillers across Arcadia and the wider San Gabriel Valley. Past years have combined independent San Gabriel Valley kitchens with recognizable national names, and attendees have consistently noted the range as the reason to come.

One category worth watching: the Valley's senior living communities send their own chefs, and past attendees have singled them out as an unexpected highlight. It is the kind of thing that only happens at a Chamber event.

Restaurants and beverage producers wanting a booth in future years can apply through the Food and Drink page.

Where it came from

The event dates to 1970 and started considerably smaller. It began as the Wine Shed Mixer, subtitled A Taste of Arcadia, and existed to raise money for the Arcadia Tournament of Roses Association to build its Rose Parade float. The volunteer group worked out of the Chamber's round building on Huntington Drive. Fifty-six years later it fills a racetrack paddock. The Chamber's history page traces the rest.

The Chamber also runs a Tasting Arcadia podcast year-round, interviewing local operators about their favorite dishes, which is a decent way to scout the floor before you go.

If you go

Taste of Arcadia takes place in the Paddock Garden at Santa Anita Park, 285 W. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007. The Arcadia Chamber of Commerce is at 388 W. Huntington Drive and can be reached at (626) 447-2159 weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Date and time: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 2 to 6 p.m. Last entry is 5 p.m., so a late arrival costs you real tasting time.

• VIP early entry: 1 p.m.

• Refunds: none processed after September 18. Requests go to the Chamber directly.

• Parking: Santa Anita Park has extensive on-site lots, which for a Valley event of this size is a genuine advantage over a street-festival format.

• Getting there: the track sits just south of the 210 at Baldwin Avenue. The Metro A Line stops at Arcadia station, a short ride from the track.

• Selling out: past editions have sold out, and the ticket page shows live inventory, so it is worth checking before you plan around it.

Tickets and current details are at tasteofarcadia.com, the event posts on Instagram, and the Arcadia Chamber maintains its own listing.

Dates, pricing and vendor lineups are set by the organizers and can change. Confirm before you go.

For more of what is coming up, browse food events in Los Angeles, or catch up on LA restaurant news.