UVSA Tet Festival

Song Parody #548
Review 1,370
Unilocal 365 2016 Review #23
4.4 180 501 130 914 071 314 432 000
I was impressed by the venue, the effort put into the dress, the volunteers, the pageantry and the entertainment.
I did not see too many Vietnamese food trucks but there was plenty to eat.
If you bring kids, there are plenty of rides to get on, some have a height requirement or require an adult to get on with them.
The Ball-​Toss vendors were out and husslin, which is good, it is their job, but, too pricey for me, maybe next time, when I have some cash to blow.
Free parking, unless you want to pay for VIP
Plenty of vendors in the front entrance, like a swap meet of clothes, bikes, furniture, eateries and more, including Minions stuff.
Shout out to the young woman at Golden Koi Express, who helped me with some Vietnamese
Shout out to all the lovely Vietnamese ao dai’s.
Song parody of Bloodstone’s 1973 song «Natural High»
You always, stay on my mind
In these loving rhymes
Even though I barely know you
Fireworks, every day
In this dragon’s heart, here to stay
Even though I barely know you
Feed me your Viet-​nom
I love all your Viet charms
And I’ll walk to the lines, on a natural high
Spinning around till I say goodbye
And I’ll walk to the lines, on a natural high
Eating some more
If you want Seafood or B-​B-​Q–
Call me and I will get it for you
And I don’t even know you
If I only had one fish to give
I would make any sauce that you wish
Forever and a day
When I see you eating treats
My heart skips a beat
And I’ll walk to the lines, on a natural high
Spinning around till I say goodbye
And I’ll walk to the lines, on a natural high
Eating some more
I’ll wear that hat for you
Dress like a dragon if you say too
And I’ll even do a dance
Glad to be supporting, to do something, oh yea
And I want to show love too
Feed me your Viet-​nom
I love all your Viet charms
And I’ll walk to the lines, on a natural high
Spinning around till I say goodbye
And I’ll walk to the lines, on a natural high
Eating some more
And I’ll walk to the lines, on a natural high
Spinning around till I say goodbye
And I’ll walk to the lines, on a natural high
Eating some more
And I’ll walk to the lines, on a natural high
Spinning around till I say goodbye
And I’ll walk to the lines, on a natural high
Eating some more

Uhm… well…I don’t want to be mean because I know this event is mainly done by volunteers and not professional organizations.
The event was small, and the people working the booths were mostly high school kids on their phones so «service» is more of an idea than a reality here.
The food selection was a bit redundant, and the quality was pretty terrible. For an Asian festival, I expected much better. And no, it’s not because I don’t like Vietnamese food. I really enjoy Vietnamese cuisine, but I don’t enjoy fishy squid, rubbery pork, sinewy beef, and dry rib floss.
I was glad that I visited and it was a nice way to spend 2 hours, but I doubt I’ll be coming again.

The festival is very small here, so the only reason to come is mainly for the food. And even then, the food is mostly the same thing you find at every other festival. That’s fine, of course, since you don’t go to a festival every day. Just don’t be expecting anything new or out of the world.
Parking is paid if you park right at the fairgrounds, but if you park at OCC on the weekends, it’s free. Not a far walk at all too, so the walk may be worth the savings.
Don’t expect to spend too much time here if you’ve been to any other Tet Festivals. It’s going to be rehashed with the same things.

Tickets courtesy of Unilocal giveaway. We came here on the opening Friday evening. I think there was a little confusion there — we just followed people walking through the gate and checked in at the Unilocal table for free fortune cookies. Not sure if we were supposed to pick up the tickets at another location, we might have missed it.
Maybe it was the opening night so there wasn’t a huge crowd. There was an event village, booths selling all sorts of stuff, game stalls, rides, and of course FOOD. Honestly I wasn’t impressed with the food selection — there’s the usual bbq food, hotato potatoes, stuff on skewers, burgers etc. Stuff that you find at these types of fairs. I did like the lychee lemonade from Main Squeeze that came with lights in a mason jar. Overall it was alright, I’ll probably not come on the opening night next year.

Thanks to #Yelpoc for the chance to win tickets! I had a good time here! The food was super yummy and all the cultural stuff was cool too!
The entrances were decorated with a what looked like a temple entrance. As everyone kept walking in there was a line of Vietnamese soldiers standing and guarding everyone (they were young kids in a costumes but looked good!).
It was like we were transported to a small village in Vietnam. There were so many people in costume walking around and there was a village even built! I loved the tree of wishes! I made sure to write one down!
All the way at the end of the festival was the food. So many choices! I definitely had to have the Phở burger. How they get all the flavors of phở into it, I will never know. It was so good though. I even liked the bun, which I usually don’t. The lobster nachos were Delish too! I washed it down with a free smoothie provided by McDonald’s! Thanks for that!
Parking was a bit steep… $ 8 but there was an option to park in Westminster at a park for free and a free shuttle was offered for drop off and pick up.
All in all, we had a good time. Good place to spend an afternoon.

The Tet Festival at the OC Fairgrounds brings that Vietnamese flavored ruckus.
Unilocal was kind enough to kick down a pair of tickets to the recently relocated annual Tet Festival which was great as I got to immerse myself in Vietnamese culture and cuisine. The revelers really get into it and it was pretty cool to see all of the people dressed in their traditional garb and dropping that little Saigon knowledge. There were countless tents and attractions along with music and yes… street food.
Easily the biggest attraction for me had to be the Phở Burger. This really is the best Burger concept since the KBBQ Burger and the execution was spot on (unlike the poorly fated Ramen Burger). A ¹⁄₃ pound medium rare all beef patty is topped with all of the cliché Phở accouterments such as Onions, Thai Basil, Jalapeños, Bean Spouts, Onions, Lettuce, Cilantro, and Crispy Rice Vermicelli Noodles and then a large smear of «Phở Spread» which is what really put this Burger over the top. It miraculously combined the perfect mix of star anise, roasted ginger, black cardamom, coriander seed, fennel seed, and clove that you expect in a great bowl of Vietnamese style slurpables. How they did this I do not know but thank god that they did; If nothing else, you need to check out the Tet Festival to try this Burger.
I really enjoyed my afternoon at the Tet Festival and fully intend on going again next year with some culinary adventurers to get another one of those delicious Phở Burgers. Thanks Unilocal

Throughout the years, this is only my second time going to a Tet Festival… which is the Asian Lunar New Year’s celebration carnival. The Tet is more geared towards the Vietnamese culture and its community. Of course everybody is welcomed!
The first time, quite a few years ago, it was at a park. It was festive, but too many flies. This time around, the festival is located in a college with plenty of parking ($ 8), and lots of open space. Too much space that it didn’t have to be that big.
It was quite a distance to walk from the end of the parking lot. Tet also offered trams from the front of the parking area to the main entrance. It’s there more so to accomodate families with children and the elders. The cover charge to get into the festival was $ 6.00 per person.
There was quite a few food stands inside the festival. It kind of reminds me of the 626 Night Market, but not as big because there were also carnival rides and game booths. The rides are rides such as the famous Ferris Wheel is needed to attract people. It’s well lit, it stands big, and you could see it far away. Kudos for that!
Some of the memorable food stands I saw was a Phở Burger, a different flavor churros… which I tried a nutella nut churro. Lobster Sandwich, Korean BBQ, and media companies along with self care health products businesses. There was also an auditorium with performers who dance and sang to the audience through out the evening while I was there.
It’s a very enjoyable and safe environment for everybody since I didn’t see any knuckle heads causing problems. Perfect for a date since it’s not that expensive, and great for families too.
Happy Lunar New Year! Gung Hay Fat Choy!

I’ve never been to the Tet Festival at OC Events Center, so I was excited to receive free tickets from Unilocal OC! We had a good time overall, but it didn’t start out so well. Headed down on Sunday, and parking was super confusing! There was a swap meet going on at the same time, but it was not clear if the lots were available for the Tet Festival also. We could see the edge of the Tet Festival from one lot, but it was all fenced off with no entrance. We went around the block looking for the correct entrance, but there were no clear signs directing us to the appropriate entrance. Parking was $ 8…more than the price of a single admittance ticket! For the most part, the parking lot and facilities were clean, so I guess the fee is going towards that.
The festival entrance process was pretty smooth. Greeters were friendly and handed us a map/​program. The festival was well-​laid out, so it was easy to find everything. Our first stop was the food booths!
— The Phở Burger — Phở spread, fried banh phở rice noodles, herb mix, pickled onions, seasoned beef patty, and lettuce on a toasted burger bun for $ 8. I really enjoyed this burger! It was tasty and included just the right amount of phở elements!
— Main Squeeze — A variety of lemonades in a huge glass mason jar. $ 7 is pretty steep for a drink, but at least refills are $ 5. I had the lychee lemonade, and it was pretty good! Only two whole lychees at the bottom of the jar though…
— Hotato Potato — Always a fun festival food! I tried it with the chili lime flavor, and it was a nice mix of spicy and sour! It was a little crispier than I remember… more like potato chips than mojo potatoes.
— Gdpt Truc Lam — Bot Chien Fried Rice Cake and Green Milk Tea. Rice Cakes were cut into cubes and had egg in a sweet sauce with sriracha. Green milk tea was SUPER sweet!
— Café 949 — Popping fish balls filled with roe and served with a sweet and sour sauce. Crispy and delicious!
— Unilocal/​Info booth — Free fortune cookie with check-​in! They also gave away Tet Festival bookmarks and buttons.
Two covered tents were available to sit at while eating, but since it was so hot out, it was difficult to find a spot!
There was a nice variety of food booths, game booths, and vendors. I also enjoyed the cultural exhibit at the entrance featuring traditional dresses and a wishing tree.

Yay! My first elite event since 2014! I received tickets from Unilocal and was excited to attend because I had never been to this event and I love events that have food, rides, and games.
Parking was not too bad– it was $ 8 and a little bit of a walk from the event. I had to ask about 6 people where will-​call was to pick up my tickets, but at least the entrance lines were short.
The festival was laid out pretty nice– not too closely spaced together, and you probably only need about an hour or two to walk to around and see everything. I went at about 2:00pm on Sat, so it wasn’t too crowded yet. It was definitely more full in the parking lot when I left.
The food was really good. I tried the beef skewers with a giant lemonade which ran about $ 10. I was going to get a churro and I completely forgot to go back.fail. The food area I wish was laid out a little differently because some of the lines were running into each other. I really wanted a coke or pepsi, but no one seemed to be selling soda. I did find a hot dog vender near the front that did sell soda though. Score!
I played a few of the games and totally was beat twice by the same little girl on a racing game lol. They did have a shooting game (where you can choose to use a rifle or handgun) which I LOVE, and you just had to shoot at targets. My aim is pretty spot on. and I struggled. The top targets were a little bigger, and the bottom row was very difficult to aim at. I only managed to hit 4 of the 6 targets but the guy running the booth said, «not bad for a first time!» But my aim is usually so good! Oh well.
I went to the Toyota and AT&T booths which were handing out prizes. For toyota, you fill out a little form and get to spin the wheel. You also get a pocket thing to attach to you phone if you like them on facebook or instagram. I actually won so I got to take home a bag and a selfie stick. For the AT&T booth, you play a game and get a keychain. Then you take a 10 question quiz and get to take home an attachment for your phone camera which can change the lens to a fisheye, wide, or closeup. That’s pretty darn cool.
All and all, it was a pretty fun event. I was outside, got some exercise, and got to experience a new culture.

Growing up in an Asian family, I’ve always celebrated Lunar New Year. I’ve known about the Tet Festival for awhile now since they advertise it pretty heavily during this time every single year but I’ve never gone before. I was lucky to have received free tickets through Unilocal and we parked our car at OCC so I was able to attend the event completely free. But for all you non-​rebels, general admission tickets were $ 6 and parking was $ 8. If you follow them on social media, they offered a couple of opportunities to win free tickets.
As far as festivals go, this was your typical run of the mill except that it was obviously very culturally focused. I was able to see some pretty cool Vietnamese art and take some cute/​funny photographs with my boyfriend. Could it have been better? Of course but it wasn’t bad. I was really hoping that they would have some more culturally authentic Vietnamese food vendors, but they had the typical fair food. Think Vietnamese fusion rather than authentic Vietnamese. The best part of the fair was probably the Lion Dance even though it was hard to actually see the dance since they moved throughout the fair but I heard if you go during their actual opening ceremony, you can see an actual dance! I think I might have appreciated it more if I was actually Vietnamese but still, for free it wasn’t a bad place to kill an hour or two. ³⁄₅

This is without a doubt one of the most organized festivals I have attended and I scored a pair of free tix thanks to Unilocal Orange County!!!
As you walk in, there are many greeters. We went on their first night (Friday) and the crowds were not bad at all.
The line to buy the tickets went very quick too. I believe tickets were $ 5 – 6 each and it’s cash only as well as many vendors so make sure to bring some. Otherwise, they also have an ATM machine right by the entrance.
Then they give you a map that’s actually pretty easy to follow: Cultural village to the left, vendor booths in the middle and then the food vendors.
We took some pics at the Cultural village wearing straw farmers’ hats and carrying poles (donations suggested). Definitely not an easy task! I can’t imagine how people used those back in the days, or even in the present.
Then we passed by the vendor booths where you can try free samples of goat milk lotions, entertainment systems, etc
There was a Big tent with lots of communal tables and chairs which made it convenient to meet up and eat.
While waiting for the food, there was a Lion dance performance so that was pretty cool.
My friends and I shared many items. Some were as low as $ 1 – 2 with the bigger entrees on the $ 8 – 10 range. We had grilled squid, skewers, ribs, spring rolls… All pretty good. My friend also tried a balut.
The Phở burger was very interesting with crunchy fried noodles, mint, and other phở ingredients. I really liked the patty which was tender and the cream had a unique Asian taste as well.
Main Squeeze had unique lemonade flavors with lighted ice cubes. The blueberry one was very good.
The perfect way to end the night was a green pandan waffle, so crunchy and lightly sweet!

I received free tickets from Unilocal OC to go to the Tet Festival at the OC Fairgrounds. Turns out I didn’t need them when I went on Sunday because they were letting people into the festival for free from 11 am to 1 pm. Parking was $ 8. Free Unilocal fortune cookie with check-​in. I met up with Mari H. around noon to go and we walked in without a problem. I ended up seeing my cousin, her fiancé, and my uncle too while they were in line for food. Tet in Vietnamese means new year, so the festival is a celebration of the Lunar New Year.
I love how spacious this festival was and I liked how things were spread out. The food was in the back and it forced you to walk by all the cultural booths, store booths, etc. The atmosphere was lively. There was plenty of shaded seating but that was mostly full due to the time. They had live music in one of the halls and even a lion dance welcoming visitors. We grabbed some great eats from some of the food booths. I had meatballs, BBQ pork baos, che Thai, and this awesome basil seed and kumquat drink. Definitely bring cash with you to this festival! Some booths took credit cards as well but most dealt in cash. There were rides, games, and tons of free stuff. They had an ATM on site for use. It was really well run and I look forward to checking it out again.

Like another reviewer, I was disappointed at the lack of food booths, that was the main reason I was so excited to come this year. Tickets were only $ 6, so the price was low, a plus. I tried a nutella churro and I must say I was touched that the booth was run by a group of Asians. I also had the lemonade that was floating around and it was delicious. I had a fruit freeze that was good. Parking wasn’t as bad as when the OC Fair is going on but it still cost $ 8.
Overall, I doubt I’d come back for what it was.

Vietnamese culture overload here. I love how cultural this festival is. This was the first time I have ever been to the Tet Festival. [I heard there was another similar festival in Garden Grove this year, but not sure whether that is true.] They did a really good job setting up displays, shines, and exhibits that showed off the Vietnamese culture. I liked seeing all the Vietnamese women’s dresses because they are so colorful and beautiful. I came too late to see the lion dancing or banh mi eating contest, but there’s always stuff going on in the auditorium. You hear songs being sung or played in Vietnamese everywhere.
Admission: $ 6/​person at the door ($ 5 online, plus fee)
Parking: $ 8 (Gate 3 on Fairview at OC Fairgrounds)
I admit came to the festival to eat. I wanted to see what Vietnamese street food was about. However, they arranged the festival so that all the food vendors were in the back. You have to walk across the cultural exhibits and shows and other business/​volunteer booths to get to the food. I was a bit disappointed because there were not as many vendors with Vietnamese food as I had hoped. I saw LA bacon-​wrapped hot dogs, Korean BBQ skewers, Japanese takoyaki, and those potato tornado things. The classic Lee’s sandwiches was represented. I think they had the biggest sign. I expected to see 7 Leaves or Roasting Water because they are so popular in the Garden Grove/​Westminster area. There were no boba drinks at this festival :(Just Main Squeeze for lemonade in mason jars and Vietnamese sugar cane drinks.
Other than food and performances, there were vendors giving out free things. I like how local everyone is. For example, there were some representatives from the Democratic party of Orange County (empty booth because they didn’t pass out freebies lol), the Buddhist Hsi Lai Temple, the local Sam’s Club, a beauty college, and booths from Vietnamese Student Association collegiate chapters in the area.
Their website is outdated in terms of information for parking. I would like to see that updated because that leads to a lot of miscommunication and unhappy guests. Otherwise you can find other vendor or sponsor information on the website. Bring cash and be prepared to wait in lines for food.

Thanks Unilocal for the free tickets to the Tet Festival!
I think it was an «okay» festival. I honestly thought there would be more food since that’s usually why I go to festivals. I was hoping there would be more of a selection, especially with the Vietnamese vegetarian dishes… Looking back at that idea, now I feel so silly since most fairs don’t focus on vegetarian dishes to begin with!
While it was held in the OC Fair venue, it was a very small Tet Festival to begin with. Most of the stands were just major corporations asking you to play their corporate games in hopes to put you on some list or to enroll you into something…
I liked all the places you could take pictures at! They had little places where you could stick your head through, places where you could take pictures holding those water stick thingies (those things that help you carry water from point a to point b) and a lot of stores set up.
I did like the Dragon Dance that went around the venue. I hope that the dragon does bring good luck for all the people it saw the day we came!

The OC Tet festival is crowded but a must for anyone who wants to see New Years done Vietnamese style. The biggest difference between this Vietnamese New Years event and a Chinese one is that instead of Chinese people, you have Vietnamese people.
I came Sunday and it was super hot! Bring a hat and sunscreen if you’re coming Monday to the only Vietnamese New Years event for all of OC to enjoy.

Another fun year at the oc tet! Lots of fun picture opportunities in the cultural village. I really like all the handmade decorations. There were lion dancers walking around and lots of people in traditional Vietnamese dress.
I like that the festival is part cultural, part food fest and part regular carnival, fun opportunities for everyone. For me, the objective was to eat everything and spin wheels at every booth to win things I don’t need.
The lines were great today, nothing too long! Some of the same vendors as 626 with no line! There was no line at main squeeze, the lychee lemonade was so good!
My favorite of the day was the almond churro at ridges! That is a must! If I wasn’t so full, I would have tried another flavor.
Lobsterdamus was good! Lobster nachos were a little pricey, for the size, but tasty! The lobster balls were good, too!
Takoyaki was yummy! I usually don’t like takoyaki, but I think I’m a fan now!
I loved the phở burger last year, this year I thought it was just ok. The bun ruined it. I think it needed to be grilled.
Pandan waffles always a winner!

Went on opening night and was a little disappointed. Either all the venders were not there yet, or they spread everything out to make it look full. Several corporations with simple games of chance to win corporate swag. The carnival was a typical carnival you would see in the parking lot of a mall. The food court are fairly decent, but again, some standard fair food like funnal cakes, made it just seem ordinary.
That being said, it appeared high school kids were running the place. They were all super friendly and you could tell they were having a good time. So good job there!
It’s possible more will be happening on the weekend, but for a Friday night, it held my attention for about an hour. Throw in $ 8 to park, and it was just an OK experience.

Was it cause I went on opening day?! I came at 6 – 7 on Friday and stands were still being set up. I liked it cause it wasn’t too busy yet! This is an Asian event so bring cash ;)! 8 dollars to park and 6 dollars for entry. Keep an eye out for photo opportunities such as Dragon Ball Z cut outs!
The food stands were a bit disappointing, maybe they weren’t all there today? Probably about 15 stands almost selling the same stuff and a tad over priced.
Phở burger was good and tasted almost like phở, it was 8 dollars. We tried some meat sticks at the Korean BBQ stand for 3 dollars. We decided to save our money eat out instead. They had a couple of varieties such as meat on a stick, squid on a stick, some Vietnamese broths, Lee’s sand which, yakitori, and a couple boba stands.
Free McDonald’s smoothies, great free bags at the Toyota stand, and the att stand if you answer all 8 questions you get an ollie clip type thing (fish lens, macro, and wide).
You get to see girls in traditional Vietnamese dresses. They’ll have performances as well and dragon dances. They have carnival games where you buy tickets and try them out and also carnival rides as well!
Overall, decent to check out. Don’t compare to 626 night market or you’ll be very disappointed. Everyone’s nice and the workers are very helpful.

Took a road trip with my girlfriend and some friends to check out this festival. We entered the wrong gate and parked at the lot for the swap meet, and ended up walking 10 minutes to the festival. Don’t be like us and look for the signs! On a brighter note, the ticket office for the swap meet gave us $ 3 off coupons for the festival, so we just paid $ 3 per person!
Finally got to the ticket booth, and it was crazy crowded! It’s understandable it’s crowded, but being so unorganized really isn’t. Four ticket booths, and a humongous crowd in front, no lines whatsoever. Inside, same huge crowd of people. If you’re claustrophobic, it’s not your scene. Lots of different booths, games, rides, and most importantly, food! I liked that there were a variety of food choices, I didn’t like that the food was way overpriced. $ 3 for a stick of nem nuong! But then again, it’s nothing short of what you’d expect from a festival or a big event.
This festival seemed like it’s much bigger than the one at Qualcomm stadium in San Diego, but probably had mostly the same booths and attractions. It was nice to check out once, but maybe we’ll stick to the one in SD next time.