Taste of France

This is the second annual Taste of France show, taking place in Bryant Park Sat. ⁹⁄₂₈^th & Sun. ⁹⁄₂₉ this year. There’s a mix of demonstrations, merchandise, performances, tourist information, technology showcases, and of course, plenty of FOOD!
I know plenty of people that ended up here accidentally, but my friend and I planned a lazy/​relaxing day here, circulating the booths for some free samples, grabbing some more substantial food/​wine, and taking in the musical performances on the lawn (culminating with some Metropolitan Opera singers!) It got a bit crowded at times, but not nearly as much as the San Gennaro Feast two weeks earlier in Little Italy!
Expect to pay $ 8-​$ 12 for a «lunch-​sized» dish of anything, or nibble on smaller (and less expensive) snacks, or even some of the free samples that are scattered around the park. Speaking of money, they have information/​exchange booths where you exchange your money for Mariannes (paper coupons — the official «currency» of the festival). It’s a 1:1 exchange and all the booths are SUPPOSED to accept only Mariannes, but most will also take cash. I’d prefer paying the cash because you really have no idea how much you’re going to spend, and I certainly don’t want to be left holding unused Mariannes at the end of the day…
The food we tried (escargots, charcuterie, plenty of cheeses, cod & potato, duck liver, chicken sausage) was delicious, but the day was enhanced tenfold with all the terrific performances going on on the main stage. Ranging from cooking demonstrations (and more free samples!) to singers and dancers, and finally to the aforementioned Metropolitan Opera singers, there was always something entertaining to watch!
All in all a day well-​spent, and considering it’s only a few blocks from my condo, it was an easy journey to «France.»