A Los Angeles food festival that raises millions for cancer research is gaining national recognition.
The Concern Foundation Block Party ranked third on the 2026 USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards list for Best City Food Festival.
The list ranks the culinary festivals across the U.S., celebrating events that bring together great food, lively entertainment, and vibrant community experiences.
Concern Foundation Block Party in Los Angeles
The Concern Foundation Block Party has become a long-running Los Angeles tradition that combines a large food festival with a philanthropic mission. Each year, the event brings together thousands of attendees for an evening of food, music, and fundraising supporting cancer research.
According to USA Today, the event features dishes and drinks from local restaurants, chefs, and beverage makers as part of a large community food celebration.
The event is held at Paramount Pictures Studios, where the historic film studio lot is transformed into an outdoor tasting venue for the evening.
The event is organized by the Concern Foundation, a nonprofit that funds scientific research focused on understanding and treating cancer. Its funding supports research in areas including immunology, immunotherapy, genetics, and cell biology.
In 2025, the organization marked the Block Party’s 50th anniversary with an event attended by roughly 3,500 guests at Paramount Studios. According to the foundation’s website, the event raised more than $2.5 million that year to support cancer research.
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According to the foundation’s official X account, the organization has raised more than $74 million for cancer research worldwide since its early fundraising efforts.
The event is scheduled to return for its 51st annual Block Party on July 11, 2026, again taking place at Paramount Studios, according to the organization’s website.
The festival has also received recognition in previous years. In 2025, it ranked fifth on the Best City Food Festival list in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
Other Festivals on the 2026 List
Several other festivals across the country also appeared on the 2026 list, reflecting the diverse culinary traditions found in cities nationwide.
Queens Night Market in Queens, New York, ranked first on the list. The global street food event is inspired by open-air night markets commonly found across Asia. Taste of Buffalo in Buffalo, New York, placed second, highlighting the region’s restaurant and food truck scene.
Other festivals in the top 10 include The Inquirer Food Fest in Philadelphia; Euphoria in Greenville, South Carolina; Detroit Foodie Fair in Detroit; the World Food Championships in Indianapolis; the Columbus Food Truck Festival in Columbus, Ohio; Feast Wilmington in Wilmington, North Carolina; and the MN Food Truck Festival held in multiple cities across Minnesota.
The USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards recognize notable attractions, events, and destinations across the country. For the Best City Food Festival category, a panel of culinary experts first selects nominees, which are then voted on by readers.
Readers then vote to determine the final rankings, producing a list of festivals widely considered notable food events across the country.
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