The final 626 Night Market of the year is this weekend. Pictured above is one of my favorite foods there: grilled squid. While it’s not as good as Gerry’s Grill, it’s my go-to food at these outdoor shindigs.

The 626 Night Market is a huge Asian-themed food festival, but it’s much more than that: there’s vendors of all sorts, live music, DJs, artists, and a great people-watching scene, as well as a growing number of non-Asian food choices. It gets bigger every year and, honestly, you’re better off going to any of the nearby San Gabriel Valley eateries to get quality Asian food at non-festival prices (aka cheaper).

Still, for only $3 (and free parking), it’s worth it for the entertainment value alone. I can only handle a few hours of the madness, though, since these days I’m more of a eat-my-squid-and-go-home type of guy.