After taking over the East Village in September, the town will turn purple again for a holiday edition of UbeFest on Dec. 16, with dozens of vendors returning to celebrate the beloved Southeast Asian dessert.
The event, which is free to attend, will begin at 3:30 p.m. and go until 9:30 p.m. on First and Linden. First Street will be closed between Linden Avenue and Elm Avenue so vendors and festival goers can enjoy the atmosphere worry free.
The Pasko-Holiday Edition (Pasko is Tagalog for Christmas) event, which is organized by Long Beach UbeFest, will feature a handful of Long Beach eateries as well as food vendors from outside the city.
Little Coyote, Long Beach Taco Company, East Village Cafe will participate once again and Salamat Cookies, Gulung bake shop, Magoodie’s Cookies and more will also be serving up limited edition ube-focused creations.
Ube is a purple yam and is a staple in Southeast Asian desserts, specifically in Filipino recipes. It is often described as having a mild, nutty flavor profile with some notes of vanilla.
In addition to tasty bites, the festival will have live music and a marketplace with local merchants like Bel Canto Books, Kubo Long Beach, Native Sol and many more.
Food sold out quickly last time around, so arriving early is recommended. The festival has become so popular, organizers recently held an UbeFest in Indiana.
Check out our visit to September’s event here. Follow along on Instagram for updates here.