Des Moines World Food and Music Festival

Great food, awesome music, cooking demonstrations from some of the best Chefs in Des Moines.  It doesn't get much better than this.  Except that you can get a "taste" portion at any of the 45+ food vendors for only a $1! And all entries are priced at $5 or less! 

This annual event is definitely one of the best festivals of the year.  The 2013 festival runs September 20th to 22nd on Locust street in the East Village of Downtown Des Moines.

For more information including a complete list of vendors, hours, parking info, music schedules and cooking demonstration schedules, visit their website here.

As lots of the food vendors don't have brick and mortar restaurants and only participate in this festival each year, it might be the only time you get to try some of their delicacies.

You can get some wonderful Italian, BBQ, Mexican or Thai food, but you can also venture out and try something like Ethiopian, Korean, Czechoslovakian, Mesopotamian or Filipino cuisine!  There is something for everyone.

Some of my favorites this year were:

1. Hawaiian Chicken from Alohana 

2. Chicken Stew from Czech up Time 

3.Pasta from Street of Europe 

4. Larp from Blu 

5. Tabsi Tayuk from Afiyet Olsun 
(Mesopotamian) 

6. Chicken Kabob from Yanni's 

7. Chickencubes from The Ethiopian assoc. 


8. Fried banana roll from Cafe Fuzion 

9. Fried fish and potato on a stick with juice 
and chocolate covered strawberry from Sims 

10. Beef taco from Taco Loco

And every item I had was only $1!  Can't wait til next year!