The Filipina rice cakes called bibingka are particularly associated with the Christmas season. In New York they're typically baked indoors, in an oven, and perhaps rival the size of a large muffin. Until my visit last month to Little Manila, I'd never seen the traditional preparation, over (and under) charcoal, in a size that's probably best to share. At that street festival I was traveling solo and took half home; on Sunday I plan to bring a dining buddy.
Opening day: Union Square Holiday Market
Thursday, November 13, 11:00-9:00; continues daily through December 24
Vicinity of 14th St. and Union Square West, Manhattan
https://www.urbanspacemarkets.com/union-square-holiday-market-1
Free admission
Harvest in the Square
Thursday, November 13, 7:00-9:00
Civic Hall @ Union Square Park, 124 East 14th St. (at Irving Pl.), Manhattan
https://www.harvestinthesquare.nyc/
General admission: $125; proceeds benefit Union Square Partnership's work throughout the neighborhood
NYC season finale: JapanFes
Saturday, November 15, 10:00-6:00
Astor Pl., Manhattan
https://www.japanfes.com/new-blog/2025/nov-15-east-village
Previously: https://www.Flickr.com/search/?user_id=61177627%40N00&sort=date-taken-desc&view_all=1&text=japanfes
Free admission
Hungarian Artisan Market
Saturday, November 15, 10:00-2:00
American Hungarian Foundation, 300 Somerset St., New Brunswick, New Jersey
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1242473551258145&set=a.622545829917590
Free admission
NY Cider Festival
Saturday, November 15, noon-3:00
City Winery, 25 Eleventh Ave. (at Pier 57), Manhattan
https://citywinery.com/new-york-city/events/ny-cider-festival-ifakw7
Tickets: $48, or $60 for hour-earlier VIP entry; ages 21 and over only
New Jersey VegFest
Saturday and Sunday, November 15-16, noon-7:00
Lackawanna Plaza, Montclair, New Jersey
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-jersey-vegfest-montclair-tickets-1626569395849
Tickets: per day, $19.03
Universal Pasteles Contest
Saturday, November 15, doors 2:00-9:00, contest 2:30-4:30
El Barrio Artspace, 215 East 99th St. (Second-Third Aves.), Manhattan
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1132820068964519&set=pcb.1132822135630979
Free admission
Việt Vui Night Market
Saturday, November 15, 5:00-9:30
Welcome to Chinatown Hub, 115 Bowery (Hester-Grand Sts.), Manhattan
https://www.instagram.com/p/DQKJTL0EVEF/
Free admission
Via Andrew Truong
Little Manila Fall Festival
Sunday, November 16, 10:00-6:00; repeats November 23
Little Manila, Roosevelt Ave. between 69th and 70th Sts., Woodside, Queens
https://www.facebook.com/events/1127596712463654/
Previously: https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=61177627%40N00&sort=date-taken-desc&view_all=1&text=little%20manila
Free admission
Grand Bazaar NYC
Sunday, November 16, 10:00-5:00; repeats weekly
100 West 77th St. (at Columbus Ave.), Manhattan
https://grandbazaarnyc.org/
Previously: https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=61177627%40N00&sort=date-taken-desc&view_all=1&text=%22grand+bazaar%22
Free admission
Plaza Cuauhtémoc
Sunday, November 16, 11:00-9:00; repeats weekly
219 Cook St. (White-Bogart Sts.), Bushwick, Brooklyn
https://www.instagram.com/p/DQFdV9zETOE/
Free admission
New York BagelFest
Sunday, November 16, 1:00-4:00 (the morning session is sold out)
Heineken Diamond Lounge, Citi Field, Willets Point, Queens
https://www.bagelfest.com/
General admission: $69
The Bronx Vegan Bazaar
Wednesday, November 19, 4:00-9:00; repeats monthly
The Andrew Freedman Home, 1125 Grand Concourse (McClellan-East 166th Sts.), Bronx
https://www.thebronxveganbazaar.com/
Free admission
Talk and Taste: All About Pickles
Wednesday, November 19, 6:30-8:00
Essex Market, 88 Essex St. (at Delancey St.), Manhattan
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/pickling-history-tasting-event-at-essex-market-tickets-1205689944079
Tickets: $10
Macy's Holiday Square Outdoor Market by Urbanspace
Continues daily through January 3
Herald Square, Manhattan
https://www.instagram.com/p/DQb3aSkjtXn/
Free admission
Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off 2025
Continues during museum hours through January 19
Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Ave. (at 103rd St.), Manhattan
https://www.mcny.org/exhibition/gingerbread-nyc
Admission: for New York City residents, pay what you can; see website for more details
Winter Village in Bryant Park
Continues daily, generally 11:00-8:00, through March 1
Bryant Park, between 40th and 42nd Sts. and Fifth and Sixth Aves., Manhattan
https://bryantpark.org/downloads/holiday-shops-directory.pdf
Free admission
by EatingInTranslation
18 Comments
That Bibingka would go excellently with coffee or tea, and it is usually not too sweet at all.
Thank you for compiling this!
You’re so nice for doing this regularly thank you
Thank you so much for this!
🙏
Hot damn that charcoal baked bibingka looks incredible.
Thanks again for sharing and the tip!
That bibingka looks amazing! Would you happen to know/did she mention if she’ll be at both dates?
forget all the events, I just want to try the food pictured
All of them looks so tempting
What are people’s thoughts on bagelfest?
Not a weekend, but tomorrow Friday night in Red Hook is a pre-party for cider fest!
185 Van Dyke Street – 7pm to 9pm – Red Hook Cidery.
Seems to be open to all cider lovers but it might just be a pay as you go kind of event (I haven’t found more details) but it’s something fun to do tomorrow for those who want to pre-game or don’t necessarily want to go to Cider Fest with the ticketed admission
This is the first I am seeing this kind of list. Thanks for putting together. Enjoy the upvote.
Thank you for posting this!!
Love this thank you
I appreciate you so much! Thank you!
I freaking love Bibibingka. I hope you enjoyed yours!
I am FilipinoAm and wish I had been around this weekend for these events!!!!! Thank you so so much for compiling and will be on the lookout for your next posts!!!
This is amazing. Wish I lived in New York!