The Lower East Side slurped today as Dumpling Fest packed Sara D. Roosevelt Park. Over 6,000 munched 30 vendors—pork buns, shrimp gyoza, vegan potstickers—sold 10,000 dumplings. A Chinatown chef’s $6 soup dumplings—400 gone—won X polls. Chopstick races at 2 p.m.—kids laughed; 74°F sun glowed. NYC’s food love—LES eats big.
Vendor Wei Chen, 50, dished 500 chicken dumplings—his chili oil a hit. A dumpling-making demo drew 200—teens rolled dough like pros. New compost bins diverted 200 pounds—park stayed clean. Local band played lo-fi—100 danced near Pitt Street. Dumpling joy—NYC’s flavor town.
It’s not all tasty—lines hit 20 minutes; tempers flared. Some prices—$8 plates—raised brows. Still, 30 vendors, 6,000 bites—fest’s a smash. Post-event, Orchard Street buzzed—eaters lingered. Annual hit—NYC chows down.
Chen’s 50—dumpling king? Band’s 20s—LES sound. NYC slurped; LES shone. Dumpling Fest—bite on.