Taste of Soul takes over Crenshaw Boulevard on Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free and no ticket is required. This is the 21st edition of the family festival, and the vendor directory already lists 199 confirmed booths. Think smoked brisket, oxtails, banana pudding, and a lemonade stand that claims more than 100 flavors.
We covered the announcement in Taste of Soul Returns to Crenshaw Boulevard for Its 21st Year. This guide is the planning side: what to eat, where the kids go, how people got there last year, and what the organizers still have not posted. Details come from the official Taste of Soul 2026 site as of September 28, 2026.
The quick version
| When | Saturday, October 17, 2026, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Where | Historic Crenshaw Boulevard, South Los Angeles |
| Highlights | 199 confirmed vendors, three live music stages, Children’s World, free health screenings |
| Admission | Free, no ticket required |
| Ages | Family festival, open to everyone |
| Presented by | Bakewell Media and the Los Angeles Sentinel |
| Official site | lasentinel.net/taste-of-soul-2026 |
What’s on the menu
The official directory sorts vendors by category, and as of September 28 it counts 104 food and drink booths out of the 199 total. Food vendor spaces for 2026 are sold out, though the organizers say new vendors are added to the directory as they are confirmed. The biggest food groups are drinks (18 vendors), desserts and sweets (13), and barbecue, soul food, and fair-style snacks (11 each).
Build your plate
Nearly three miles of booths is a lot of walking between bites. Here is a cheat sheet pulled straight from the vendor directory, so you can plan a route instead of wandering.
| If you want… | Look for |
|---|---|
| Barbecue | Smoked N’ Blazed BBQ (brisket, pork ribs), Saucy B’s BBQ (brisket, ribs, pulled pork), Red’s Smokin BBQ, Texas Style Barbecue |
| Soul food classics | Harold & Belles (fried catfish, gumbo, red beans), Throwdown Soulfood (oxtails, fried chicken, yams), Tha Gumbo Lady (gumbo, jambalaya) |
| Plant-based | Soul Feels Good Vegan Garden (vegan ribs and hot links), Hugh’s Hot Bowls (jackfruit, agua fresca) |
| Seafood | Lobsterdamus Inc. (lobster fries, lobster mac n’ cheese), Mussels and Pearls (grilled oysters and mussels), Blasian Eats (seafood boil, hot honey shrimp) |
| Wings | Uncle Artie’s Chicken Wings, Unique Wingz, Wangs N Thangs, ComfortWingz |
| African and Caribbean | Nourizio (jollof rice, egusi soup, fufu, meat pie), Sould Out (oxtail sandwich, jerk chicken), Island 2 Table Patty Hut (Jamaican patties) |
| Something different | Pinoy Kanto Eats (pork BBQ, adobo, turon), Sending Noods (garlic noodles and wings), Toum Boom (shawarma), Taste of Lao Paradise (beef skewers, egg rolls) |
| Dessert | The Kobbler King (cobblers, sweet potato pie), Elaine’s Bread Pudding, Beignet Spot, Mr. Gramps Gourmet Cheesecakes, Nana’s Pudding |
| A drink | Lemondade Stands R Us (more than 100 lemonade flavors), JuJu’s Dirty Sodas and Lemonades, Los Colorines and Que Maiz (aguas frescas) |
| A snack for the walk | Wut-A-Pickle (flavored pickles), Just Squeezed (Kool-Aid pineapples and pickles), What The Funnel (funnel cakes), Pecan Amor (roasted pecans) |
Vendor names and dishes are as listed in the official directory. Menus and prices are set by each vendor and have not been published.
Music and stages
Three live music stages run through the day with R&B, soul, gospel, hip-hop, and local talent, plus a Children’s World stage with performances for young audiences. The official run of show and performer announcements are listed as coming soon.
Children’s World and health on the boulevard
St. John’s Community Health presents Children’s World this year: interactive games, educational activities, toys, and bubbles, with sensory-seeking and sensory-sensitive activities designed for children with different needs. Kids can also get free eye and dental exams there.
St. John’s is also on the boulevard for adults, with mobile care and physical exams, screenings and prevention resources, and help with benefits enrollment and insurance. The directory lists 58 community and resource booths, including voter registration with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, an LA NAACP membership drive, employment information from the EDD and Chrysalis, and education booths from CSUDH, Antioch University, and ICEF Public Schools.
Getting there
The official site says transit, rideshare, street closure, and parking details will be posted closer to the event. For planning purposes, here is what the Los Angeles Sentinel told festivalgoers last year, in 2025:
- Metro was the official transportation partner. The Sentinel pointed guests to the K Line, running every 10 to 12 minutes, to Leimert Park or MLK/Crenshaw stations, or the E Line to Expo/Crenshaw station, each a short walk to the festival.
- Driving was tough. The Sentinel warned of heavy traffic and limited nearby parking.
- The footprint was big. In 2024, the Sentinel reported, attendees filled Crenshaw Boulevard, Stocker Avenue, and Obama Boulevard.
Check the official page in the week before the festival for 2026 closures and transit details.
Tips for the day
- Pace yourself. With more than 100 food and drink booths, split plates with your group and try more.
- Make a short list. Pick three or four booths from the cheat sheet above before you go, then leave room for whatever smells best on the way.
- Drink water between the lemonades. It is a long day outdoors on pavement.
- Wear walking shoes. The festival covers nearly three miles of the boulevard.
- Bring a bag for the shopping. Clothing, jewelry, books, candles, and body care booths are mixed in with the food.
Family notes
Taste of Soul bills itself as a family festival and is free for everyone. Children’s World is the kids’ home base, with its own stage and the free eye and dental exams. The directory also lists Hoop Los Angeles, a mobile arcade.
Accessibility
The festival has not published accessibility information for 2026 yet. The festival map, which the site says will show stages, pavilions, restrooms, and guest services, will be posted before festival day.
Still to come
The run of show and performers, the festival map, and the transit, rideshare, street closure, and parking details are all listed as coming soon on the official site. The 824 Journal will update this guide when they are released.
Sources
- Taste of Soul 2026, official site (Los Angeles Sentinel) (date, hours, admission, stages, vendor directory, Children’s World, St. John’s, history)
- Children’s World 2026, Taste of Soul
- Los Angeles Sentinel: Catch the Metro K Line for the 20th Annual Taste of Soul Family Festival (2025)
- The 824 Journal: Taste of Soul Returns to Crenshaw Boulevard for Its 21st Year
Featured photo: Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
