A Food Festival To Celebrate Heirloom Beans
There’s a certain kind of food festival that hits different. The kind that doesn’t need a Ferris wheel or a beer garden to make it sing. It starts with just a humble bean. Then it unravels into a weekend so packed with flavor, culture, and soul that you’d swear you stumbled onto the set of a documentary, not a downtown market. The Heirloom Bean Encuentro is agritourism at its finest in the Golden State.
Introducing Your Hosts for The Heirloom Bean Encuentro
Now, this isn’t just a glorified bean cook-off. Oh no. This food festival is a layered love letter to legumes in all of their forms, complete with courses upon courses of delicious bean-based dishes cooked by the pros. Drag Bean Bingo? Yep! Mezcal tastings? Yeah, it’s got that too. It’s a feast of culture, music, storytelling, art walks, indie films, and of course, delicious heirloom beans – all hosted by our friends at Alta Baja Market and Rancho Gordo Beans.
You can learn more about our bean-loving festival hosts in the articles below.
How Rancho Gordo Has Turned The Humble Bean Into A Cult Commodity
Rancho Gordo heirloom beans are the darling of the culinary world. These colorful, flavorful legumes are beloved by both in-the-know home chefs and celebrity chefs worldwide.
Click here to learn more about Rancho Gordo Beans.
Alta Baja Market; Santa Ana’s Source for Heirloom Beans
Let’s cut to the chase—if you’ve ever strolled through downtown Santa Ana, you’ve probably felt it. That vibe. The inviting environment of a casual neighborhood where history, culture, and small businesses are an integral part of the area’s fabric. And smack dab in the heart of it is Alta Baja Market.
Click here to learn more about Alta Baja Market
What types of dishes are served at the bean dinner?
Well, as one may assume, all of the dishes are inspired by beans or meant to pair with beans. Below are a few of the menu items from the multi-course meal in 2024.
- Beans Braised in Coconut Milk and Herbs made with Ayocote Blanco Beans created by Chef Diep Tran of Banh Chung Collective
- Rancho Gordo X Guelaguetza Mole Starter Chili Bowl made with Chiapas Black Beans created by Chef Bricia Lopez of Guelaguetza.
- Taco de Rajas y Frijole made with Mayocoba Beans created by Chef Eric Linares of Heritage BBQ.
- Ceci e Pepe made with Alubia Blanca Beans from Chef Carlos Salgado of Taco Maria.
Want in? Here’s how to snag a seat at the table.
This food festival isn’t your average stroll through a farmers’ market situation—it’s intimate, in-demand, and often sells out faster than the blink of a black eyed pea. Dates for the 2025 Encuentro are October 17-19, with the official bean supper scheduled for the 19th.
If you want a shot at scoring tickets for the bean-filled Sunday supper, your best bet is to sign up for newsletters from both Rancho Gordo and Alta Baja Market.
That’s where the ticket drops happen first, often with early-bird access and insider updates. Trust us, refreshing your inbox is a small price to pay for front-row seats to one of the most soulful food events in California.