Free gastro-festival celebrates 10 years in Oakland starting Friday

They call it a state fair, street food festival and block party all rolled into one.

You know it as Eat Real, the free-to-attend festival that has taken over Oakland’s Jack London Square for a summery weekend each year for the last decade. This year, the festival takes place Friday to Sept. 16 at Broadway and Embarcadero and benefits the Food Craft Institute, an educational nonprofit that helps aspiring food entrepreneurs start their own businesses.

It’s still what you love — more than 50 of the Bay Area’s hottest food, craft beer, wine and cocktail vendors whipping up gastronomic goodies in a family-friendly setting. But this year, organizers are stepping it up with a handful of affordable, new ticketed food experiences, including a workshop on how to make Grocery Cafe’s tea leaf salad with ownerpairing founder William Lue, and a food and beer featuring Dyafa and 21st Amendment. Find details and purchase tickets ($5-$35) through www.eventbrite.com.

This year’s extensive Eat Real vendor lineup includes Gerard’s Paella, Southern Comfort Kitchen, Poki Time, Frozen Kuhsterd, Bombzies, alaMar Kitchen & Bar, Clove & Hoof, Jeepney Guy and Aburaya. Looking for vegan offerings? Try VegeNaa.m. tion, Core Kitchen and No Worries.

Eat Real runs from 3 to 10 p.m. Friday, 11 to 10 p.m. Satmore urday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 16. Find information at eatrealfest.com.