Starting with a Friday night only appearance of the Grill ‘em All Truck and their patented heavy metal music burgers. The Grill ‘em All Truck was the season one winner of the Food Network’s “Great Food Truck Race”.

Anchoring the weekend will be fellow Food Network competitors The Nom Nom Truck with their Vietnamese Ban Mi sandwiches and Ragin’ Cajun with their famous Bayou Cuisines.

Joining them with lobster rolls will be the Lobsta Truck, the Cheeseball Wagon, ribs and roasts from Barbie’s Q and for dessert Coolhaus and their prize winning ice cream sandwiches.

Over 32,000 Maine lobsters were flown in fresh daily and cooked and served at the 2010 Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival. The festival expects to exceed that number this year. “All our food vendors do quite well at the Lobster Festival. By expanding the number of gourmet trucks this year we are pleased to bring more variety and quality beyond the normal “fair food” that you find at other festivals.” Said Jim Hall, festival producer.

First, let’s give you the scoop on the bands. We’ve got 19 of them, all handpicked by Mr. Shovel. Our headliners include Andy Clockwise on Friday, Vaud & The Villains on Saturday and on Sunday our very special guest, BERLIN featuring Terri Nunn. The Fling, The Taiko Project, Lady Dottie & The Diamonds, The Little Ones, Eastern Conference Champions and more are all on the bill. Check out our complete lineup at http://lobsterfest.com/music/.

Parking is still free, and this year even less of a hassle. No need to turn right on Harbor Blvd when you get off the 110 Freeway, instead just proceed straight and park in the Cruise Center parking lot. From there you can grab a Red Car or take a shuttle to the festival entrance.

Don’t forget, you can still save $2.00 on admission by printing your own discount admission coupon at http://lobsterfest.com/tickets/. Kids under 12 still get in free.

2012 festival hours are: 5 pm to 11 pm, Friday, September 16; 11 am to 11 pm, Saturday, September 17; 11 am to 7 pm, Sunday, September 18.

The Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival is sponsored by the Port of Los Angeles, Budweiser, KROQ, YELP!, OC Weekly and Ford. The festival has raised over $230,000 for local charities. Principal non-profit beneficiaries of the Lobster Festival are Harbor Interfaith Services, and the San Pedro Rotary Club.

“This is a major convenience for our guests, ” said Jim Hall, Lobster Festival producer. “Our research shows that over 85% of our guests come from more than 20 miles away via the 110 Freeway. Being able to utilize the Cruise Ship Parking lot means we can park and move guests to the festival more smoothly than ever before.”

Guests arriving via the 110 Freeway should heed the Cruise Ship Parking signs and take the Harbor Blvd offramp and proceed directly across Harbor and into the Cruise Terminal. Local residents are urged to park at 22nd & Sampson and either walk, ride the red car or take a free shuttle to the Lobster Festival entrance.

First Class tickets may be ordered three ways: Online at http://lobsterfest.com/tickets-firstclass/, by calling Harbor Interfaith at 310-241-0292 or in person during normal business hours at the Harbor Interfaith offices 670 W. Ninth St., San Pedro. Last year profits from the First Class ticket sales went to support Harbor Interfaith’s food bank and family intervention services and helped feed over 2,000 people for two months.

First Class Guests can choose from two options – with and without a lobster meal. With the meal tickets cost $41.00 (plus tax) and without the meal only $25.00. If purchased separately all the First Class benefits would cost  over $60.00.

First Class guests check-in at a private area at the entrance of the festival, have a special dining area reserved just for them, can come and go all weekend long for no extra charge, and get a special wristband that allows them to buy drinks and pickup meals without waiting in line. The First Class meal includes a slice of watermelon in addition to a 1.25 lb fresh steamed Maine lobster, potatoes, cole slaw, sweet bread roll, butter and lemon wedges. First Class guests also enjoy a welcoming beverage with their meal (must be 21 or older for alcohol), and a collectable full color poster from rock artist Jeff Nicholas’ Uprising Creative (while supplies last). For only $13.00 each they can also add extra lobsters to their plate. Credit cards are accepted at the First Class booth.

Tickets may be ordered by calling the Harbor Interfaith offices at 310-241-0292 or by logging on to the festival’s secure order page at http://lobsterfest.com/tickets-firstclass/ and click on the “ticket” image at the top of the page. There is no need to order in advance like other festivals, First Class Tickets are available for purchase on site each day.
“Our First Class Ticket is a real bargain. Best of all we’re able to deliver the benefits of First Class service and give our guests a choice in meals. A lot of folks told us they would pay a little more for a lot more convenience and that’s what a First Class Ticket gives them. We’ll still be selling the same great lobster meal for only $19.00 each – a price that has only gone up one buck in six years. There is no better dining and entertainment bargain in Southern California. Compare our First Class ticket with similar offers at other festivals, and see what a good deal it truly is.”

The Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival has raised almost $250,000.00 for local non-profit groups. Main beneficiaries of the 2012 Lobster Festival are Harbor Interfaith Services and the San Pedro Rotary Club.

Anchoring the weekend will be Ragin’ Cajun and the Coolhaus Ice Cream Truck. Coolhaus will be serving their famous ice cream sandwiches, a perfect dessert for a festival. On Friday night they will be joined by Nana Queen’s who will be serving their famous hot wings and banana pudding, great side dishes with a hot steamed Maine Lobster Meal.

Saturday the chef Michael Fox’s Fox Food Bus will join the Lobster Festival with probably the most unique food truck in the business — a double decker London bus converted into a wood fired pizza kitchen. They’ll be serving up lobster pizza and salads.

Sunday Nana Queen’s returns to wrap up the weekend.

“The Lobster Festival is about food, and our guests requested more variety and we are out to meet their appetites.” Said Jim Hall, producer. “This kicks us up a notch as a food event, but more important gives our guests a wider variety of food to choose from.”

The Ragin’ Cajun truck will be parked in the Lobster Festival all weekend so guests can “cajunize” their dining experience and meet Steve Domingue in person. Don’t miss a chance to try their fantastic gumbo chicken & sausage as the perfect side dish, or if you are not a lobster mobster, try one of their hearty combo plates.

The Nom Nom Truck will roll in Friday at noon ready to recruit or convert our lobster mobsters into loyal nomsters. The occasion will be the Lobster Roll Lunch, a benefit for the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce. Chef Jennifer Greene is creating a special Vietnamese Lobster Roll. One bite of their Vietnamese Ban Mi sandwiches will make you a believer. Perfect as a meal in itself, great to add on to one of our signature steamed Maine lobster meals.

“We’re really excited to be able to bring the latest trend in gourmet dining to the Lobster Festival,” said Jim Hall, festival producer. “I hope in the days ahead to have more exciting news about this year’s focus on food.”

The Guinness World Record holding 12th Annual Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival features $18.00 Maine lobster meals, 18 great bands including John Doe & Exene Cervenka of X, Dengue Fever and Saint Motel plus comedy, magic, pirates, fire performers and more…all located along LA’s historic waterfront in scenic Ports O’ Call Village. Quick and easy to reach from downtown LA we are only 20 minutes south on the Harbor Freeway at the Harbor Blvd exit. The Lobster Festival offers free parking and free admission to kids under 12. Discount adult admission coupons can be printed out from the Lobster Festival’s website at http://www.lobsterfest.com.

Don’t miss KROQ’s Kat Corbett at the Locals Only Stage on Friday night Sept. 17. Weekend entertainment includes: Fitz and the Tantrums, Gram Rabbit, Miss Derringer, Walking Sleep, Spider Problem, AWOLNATION, The Growlers, Tijuana Panthers, We Barbarians, Leslie Stevens & The Badgers, The Section Quartet and more.

Good food, good friends, great music. September 17, 18 & 19. For a map and directions click here http://lobsterfest.com/map/.

First Class tickets may be ordered three ways: Online at http://lobsterfest.com/tickets-firstclass/, by calling Harbor Interfaith at 310-241-0292 or in person during normal business hours at the Harbor Interfaith offices 670 W. Ninth St., San Pedro. Last year profits from the First Class ticket sales went to support Harbor Interfaith’s food bank and family intervention services and helped feed over 2,000 people for two months.

First Class Guests can choose from two options – with and without a lobster meal. With the meal tickets cost $39.00 and without the meal only $25.00. If purchased separately all the First Class benefits would cost  over $50.00.

First Class guests check-in at a private area at the entrance of the festival, have a special dining area reserved just for them, can come and go all weekend long for no extra charge, and get a special wristband that allows them to buy drinks and pickup meals without waiting in line. The First Class meal includes a slice of watermelon in addition to a 1.25 lb fresh steamed Maine lobster, potatoes, cole slaw, sweet bread roll, butter and lemon wedges. For only $13.00 each they can also add extra lobsters to their plate. First Class guests also enjoy a welcoming beverage with their meal (must be 21 or older for alcohol), a collectable full color poster from rock artist Jeff Nicholas’ Uprising Creative (while supplies last) and lobster beads. Credit cards are accepted at the First Class booth.

Tickets may be ordered by calling the Harbor Interfaith offices at 310-241-0292 or by logging on to the festival’s secure order page at http://www.lobsterfest.com/tickets_firstclass.shtml and click on the “tickets” link at the top of the page. There is no need to order in advance like other festivals, First Class Tickets are available for purchase on site each day.

“Our First Class Ticket is a real bargain. Best of all we’re able to deliver the benefits of First Class service and give our guests a choice in meals. A lot of folks told us they would pay a little more for a lot more convenience and that’s what a First Class Ticket gives them. We’ll still be selling the same great lobster meal for only $18.00 each – a price that has only gone up one buck in six years. There is no better dining and entertainment bargain in Southern California. If you choose the First Class with meal option, you will be saving over $15.00. Compare our First Class ticket with similar offers at other festivals, and see what a good deal it truly is.”

The Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival has raised over $200,000.00 for local non-profit groups. 2010 beneficiaries of the Lobster Festival include Harbor Interfaith Services, Pedro Pet Pals, and the San Pedro Rotary Club.

This will mark Arthur’s fifth appearance at the Lobster Festival and will be his first public appearance after taping the grand finale of America’s Got Talent.

Arthur made it as far as Las Vegas on the hit NBC show, but in a tough call lost the judge’s vote to go on to the semi-finals. Here’s your chance to judge for yourself Saturday and Sunday at the 2010 Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival.

“Good food, good friends, great tunes is what we are all about this year,” said Jim Hall, President of International Lobster Festivals, Inc., producers of the Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival. “From the plate to the stage, and everywhere in between there’s no greater entertainment value than the Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival.” Music acts will include everything from folk, to country to hard rock. A lot of young families bring their kids to the Lobster Festival to experience their first rock concert. We’ve expanded our genres to reflect their suggestions,“ said Hall.

Friday night, Sept. 18 kicks off at 7 p.m. on the KROQ Locals Only stage with SPIDER PROBLEM followed by an evening of hard rock and roll featuring VENUS INFERS and at 9 p.m. SAINT MOTEL. “KROQ’s own Kat Corbett will be on hand to host the stage Friday night. San Pedro is a town that works hard and plays hard, so Friday night is for the home team to let off some steam,” said Hall.

“Last year we set a Guinness World Record, too bad they don’t have a record for the best music lineup because this year we would break that record too,” said Hall. “Our headliner is DENGUE FEVER, fresh from their tour of Cambodia and Vietnam on behalf of the US State Department. Open your ears and mind and take in a totally unique rocking good time with DENGUE FEVER’s amazing show. First up though at 1 p.m. will be the folk rock duo of JUDSON & MARY, followed by the country folk group LESLIE STEVENS & THE BADGERS. Next on the menu at the San Pedro Lobster Ranch will be the new group THE COUNTRY and their luscious 4-part harmonies. We will start our rock offerings at 4 p.m. with WE BARBARIANS, followed by AWOLnation. Opening the evening show at 6 p.m. will be THE GROWLERS, then another great show from GRAM RABBIT followed by the hottest new band in the retro-soul revival, FITZ & THE TANTRUMS. All day long near the park area will be comedy and acrobatics from PROJECT DYNAMITE, and new for 2010, THE PIRATES OF THE RED SWAN and their amazing fire stunts, contortionists, and acrobats – it’s different, it’s zany and most of all it’s a rousing good show. Better yet, it’s all included in the price of admission.”

Sunday’s headliner is justifiably considered among the royalty of rock and roll. In an all acoustic act will be SEE HOW WE ARE: JOHN DOE & EXENE CERVENKA OF X. With only acoustic guitars and their voices they’ll be performing music from their solo projects as well as from the bands The Knitters and X. This is a rare not-to-be-missed opportunity to experience two of rock’s most influential artists in an intimate park setting.

Sunday’s entertainment kicks off with someone who is on the short list to become a big star, young blues prodigy DEVON EISENBARGER, then moves on to TIJUANA PANTHERS, who will roll on stage with their patented beach house party sound. And now for something completely different, WALKING SLEEP, the rock orchestra formerly know as Flying Turbillon. At 3 p.m. will be MISS DERRINGER and her spunky punkabilly show. THE SECTION QUARTET will wrap up the afternoon and set the stage for John & Exene with their unique take on classic rock hits as America’s reigning rock and string quartet.

Returning all day on Sunday will be PROJECT DYNAMITE and THE PIRATES OF THE RED SWAN.

“Compare and see for yourself: There is no better entertainment and dining bargain than the Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival,” said Hall. “We deliver a dynamic family entertainment package and a delicious fresh-cooked lobster meal for less than just the meal would cost in any restaurant. Any one of these bands would cost you at least $20.00 or more to see in a club, but at the fest they are free with the price of admission. Our motto is: “Come for the Feast, Stay for the Fun.”

Admission is $9.00 for adults, kids under 12 get in free. Discount coupons good for $2.00 off admission are widely available and even downloadable at lobsterfest.com. Conveniently located at the end of the 110 Harbor Freeway, parking and shuttle buses are free. 2010 festival hours are: 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Friday, September 17; 11 am to 11 p.m., Saturday, September 18, 11 am to 7 p.m., Sunday, September 19.

The Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival is sponsored by the Port of Los Angeles, Budweiser, Bud Light, KROQ, the Daily Breeze, OC Weekly, LA Weekly. Principal non-profit beneficiaries of the Lobster Festival are Harbor Interfaith Services, the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce, the San Pedro Rotary Club and San Pedro Pet Pals.

“Over 400 meals served every 13 minutes is great, in fact record setting, but we can do better,” said Jim Hall, CEO of International Lobster Festivals, Inc., and producer of the Port of Los Angeles Lobster Festival. “Next year we plan to almost double the capacity of the cooker and at the same time we’ll be increasing our seating to better serve our guests.” The result will be shorter lines and faster service.

“In 2010 our guests will enjoy a vastly improved meal service experience that matches our world record status. San Pedro Fish Markets has the savvy to make it happen and we couldn’t ask for a better partner,” Hall said. “They are willing to invest what it takes to make sure we remain a world class festival.”