Robert Brennan
Aug 11, 2026
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Long Beach Taste of Downtown Returns to Pine Avenue for a Summer Celebration |
Food, music, and community come together August 22 as Taste of Downtown joins KCRW Summer Nights for a full day in Downtown Long Beach. |
Downtown Long Beach is getting ready for one of its biggest food celebrations of the summer as Taste of Downtown returns to Pine Avenue on Saturday, August 22. The event brings together local food, drinks, music, and community for an afternoon and evening designed to give people plenty of reasons to stay, explore, and discover something new.
This year, Taste of Downtown is once again partnering with KCRW Summer Nights, turning the event into a full day experience that begins with food and continues into the evening with music from KCRW DJs. The Downtown Long Beach Alliance (DTLB Alliance) is promoting the event as a free, all ages celebration of food, music, and community in the heart of Downtown.
Long Beach Taste of Downtown Starts With Food
The food portion begins at 2:00 p.m., giving visitors several hours to walk Pine Avenue, explore Downtown, and enjoy Taste of Downtown before the music takes over later in the evening. KCRW is specifically encouraging guests to arrive early and explore the food festival first, making the event feel less like a short concert and more like an entire summer day Downtown.
That is what makes Taste of Downtown especially appealing for local food lovers. Instead of choosing one restaurant for dinner, visitors can spend the afternoon moving through Downtown and sampling the atmosphere of the city's food scene while discovering places they may want to return to later.
The official event page has not yet published a complete 2026 restaurant lineup, so there is still a little mystery surrounding exactly which local kitchens will be represented. But the format remains centered on food, drinks, and the businesses that help give Downtown Long Beach its identity.
KCRW Summer Nights Keeps the Party Going
As the afternoon moves into evening, KCRW Summer Nights takes over with two DJ sets. Nassir Nassirzadeh is scheduled from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., followed by Raul Campos from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The music portion is free and open to all ages.
KCRW has built its Summer Nights series around outdoor gatherings throughout Southern California, pairing music with cultural destinations, food, and local communities. Bringing that format into Downtown Long Beach gives Taste of Downtown another layer, especially for people who may come for the food and end up staying for the music.
A Summer Night Built Around Downtown Long Beach
The event stretches along Pine Avenue between Broadway and Third Street, putting visitors directly in the middle of one of Downtown Long Beach's most recognizable dining and entertainment corridors. The location makes it easy to turn Taste of Downtown into something bigger than the event itself, whether that means stopping at a nearby business, meeting friends before the music begins, or continuing the evening after the official program ends.
For local restaurants and businesses, events like this also create an opportunity to meet people outside their normal customer base. A visitor may come Downtown for one afternoon, discover a new place along the way, and return weeks or months later. That kind of discovery is part of what makes a food event valuable beyond a single day.
For residents, Taste of Downtown offers another reason to spend a summer Saturday close to home. For visitors, it becomes an introduction to the restaurants, music, streets, and energy that make Long Beach different from anywhere else in Southern California.
Plan Ahead for Taste of Downtown Long Beach
Taste of Downtown begins at 2:00 p.m., while the KCRW Summer Nights music program begins at 6:00 p.m. Visitors who want the full experience should consider arriving early enough to enjoy Downtown before the evening crowd builds.
The event is scheduled to continue until 10:00 p.m., giving guests plenty of time to make a full day of it. With food first, music later, and Downtown Long Beach surrounding the entire experience, Taste of Downtown is shaping up to be one of the city's strongest reasons to get out and enjoy a summer night.
Looking for more restaurant discoveries, food events, and hidden gems around Long Beach? Sign up for Long Beach Local Bites and stay connected to what is happening across the city's food scene.
Event Details
Taste of Downtown With KCRW Summer Nights
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