Like Vietnamese food? This festival has more dishes than an average restaurant

Like Vietnamese food? Then there’s some good — and bad — news about St. Anthony Catholic Church’s annual Lunar New Year Festival.

The predominantly Vietnamese church at Second and Ohio is holding its annual festival Feb. 2 and 3.

The good news is food and festivities — including games for children and adults — start at noon Feb. 2, and there is more food on the menu than an average restaurant.

That includes an incredible range of Vietnamese staples, such as spring rolls, charbroiled meatballs, sticky rice and dumplings, along with dishes not often found in Vietnamese restaurants in Wichita, such as hot pot goat, Laotian sausage, crispy Vietnamese pancakes and beef jerky.

The bad news is tickets for tables at the church’s formal nine-course dinner on Feb. 3 are sold out already, although guests are welcome to come for free, purchase food and sit in chairs behind the tables to enjoy musical entertainment, dragon dancing and an auction.

Food is available to go both days.

There also is music and karaoke Friday night starting around 6:30 p.m.

Food and festivities start again at 10 a.m. on Feb. 3.