A day of food, art and live performances from diverse cultures will soon hit the streets of Jackson Heights.
On Saturday, Sept. 15, from noon to 7 p.m., Viva La Comida returns for its seventh year. The food and music festival was created by the 82nd Street Partnership to highlight small businesses in the area and foster local entrepreneurship.
Guests have the option of feasting on over two dozen food options that represent cuisines from regions including South and Central America and Asia. Eateries include the iconic Arepa Lady, who has been serving arepas in the neighborhood for over 20 years and the Mom’s Momo food truck that sells Tibetan dumplings and Laping, two Himalayan fast-food favorites. A full list of vendors, restaurants and food trucks are listed below.
- Arepa Lady
- Capy
- Casa Rivera
- Chef Troy of Highline Ballroom
- CoCo Tea
- Cotton Candy Truck
- Delicias Colombianas
- Igloo Rolls
- Kung Fu Tea
- La Gata Golosa Bakery
- Las Americas
- M to N Buffet
- The Malaysian Project
- Mama Food
- Mom’s Momo
- Mystikk Masala
- Oscar’s Chuzos & Elotes
- Pina Coladas by Rosa
- Quick Deli & Grill
- Ricas Botanas
- Sabor Ecuatoriano Bakery
- Sagitario Bakery
- Solber Pupusas
- Tulcingo
- Yogurberry
- Zaytoun
Viva La Comida will also feature several live performances from local musicians like Salsa Masala: A Jackson Heights Block Party, co-presented by the Queens Council on the Arts and the 82nd Street Partnership. Conceived by composer and performer Neil Padukone, winner of one of QCA’s Artist Commissioning Program awards, Salsa Masala combines South Asian and Latin cultures to create a characteristically Jackson Heights experience.
“Walk down Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights, Queens, and you hear Bhangra and Bollywood on one side of the street, Cumbia and Bachata on the other,” Padukone said in a statement. “What would happen, I wondered if we all brought our instruments out and had one big block party? This project is the music that would provide the soundtrack.”
Padukone and the five other members of the “Indo-Latin-jazz-funk-hip-hop ensemble” will fuse elements from Indian styles like Bhangra, dandiya and ragas with Latin cumbias, bachata and salsa. Their two-hour set takes place from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Viva La Comida takes place on 82nd Street between Roosevelt and Baxter Avenues. For more information on this free event, visit vivalacomida.com or visit their Facebook page.
