Persian Food Festival - Los Angeles Hotels .com

For one weekend in April, 10,000 people flock to the Tarzana district in LA's San Fernando Valley to have their senses awakened with saffron-infused kababs, pomegranate and walnut stews, and the scent of diced limes, cumin, mint, coriander, rose, and cinnamon filling the air -- all at the Persian Food Festival.

Some festival-goers come to try dishes and flavor combinations that they may never have experienced before, while others come seeking the meats, spices, and deserts remembered from homes or families in the Middle East. Many of the food vendors give free samples of their Persian cuisine, and the festival also features live musical entertainment, cultural booths, arts and crafts, and carnival rides.

From noon until 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, the Persian Food Festival takes place at the corner of Oxnard Blvd. and Lindley Ave., and admission is free.