Food festivals celebrate our love for culinary delights in the most exciting ways possible. From coast to coast, these events bring together amazing chefs, unique ingredients, and hungry crowds looking for unforgettable flavors.
Whether you’re a devoted foodie or just someone who enjoys good eats, these festivals offer a chance to taste specialties you might never find anywhere else.
1. Knott’s Boysenberry Festival, Buena Park, CA
Purple paradise alert! This springtime celebration transforms Knott’s Berry Farm into a boysenberry wonderland where everything—and I mean EVERYTHING—comes infused with the park’s signature berry.
Sample boysenberry pizza, boysenberry barbecue wings, and even boysenberry beer while wandering through the theme park. The festival originated to honor Walter Knott, who popularized the boysenberry in the 1930s.
2. Picklesburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Dill-icious madness takes over downtown Pittsburgh each summer when pickle enthusiasts gather for this briny celebration! Spanning the Roberto Clemente Bridge, Picklesburgh has been named America’s #1 specialty food festival.
Forget ordinary pickles—here you’ll find pickle ice cream, pickle cocktails, and even pickle-scented candles. Competitive eaters face off in the pickle juice drinking contest while live music keeps the atmosphere lively.
3. Maine Lobster Festival, Rockland, ME
Claws out for New England’s most mouthwatering maritime celebration! Since 1947, this legendary five-day feast has drawn seafood lovers to Maine’s picturesque coast where over 20,000 pounds of lobster get steamed, buttered, and devoured.
The Great International Lobster Crate Race—where participants run across floating lobster crates—provides hilarious entertainment as contestants inevitably splash into the harbor. Cooking competitions showcase creative ways to prepare the state’s famous crustacean.
4. French Quarter Festival, New Orleans, LA
Jazz rhythms and spicy aromas collide at this free musical feast celebrating everything New Orleans! Unlike its famous cousin Mardi Gras, this April festival focuses squarely on local flavors and homegrown talent.
Over twenty stages scattered throughout the historic French Quarter pump out authentic jazz, blues, and zydeco while 60+ food vendors serve up crawfish étouffée, jambalaya, and powdery beignets. Dancing in the streets isn’t just allowed—it’s practically mandatory!
5. South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Miami, FL
Glamour meets gastronomy at this star-studded beach bash where celebrity chefs and Food Network personalities mingle with foodies against Miami’s stunning oceanfront backdrop! Founded in 2002, this February festival has raised over $30 million for culinary education.
Signature events include Burger Bash (hosted by Rachael Ray), the Grand Tasting Village, and intimate dinner experiences prepared by Michelin-starred chefs. The beachside BBQ features grillmasters cooking over open flames as waves crash nearby.
6. Epcot International Festival Of The Holidays, Orlando, FL
Santa meets sushi at Disney’s global holiday extravaganza! This wintertime celebration transforms Epcot into a worldwide Christmas market where you can literally eat your way around the planet without leaving Florida.
Holiday kitchens representing 11 countries serve traditional seasonal treats like German stollen, Chinese dumplings, and Mexican tamales. The Candlelight Processional features celebrity narrators telling the Christmas story accompanied by a massive choir and orchestra.
7. National Buffalo Wing Festival, Buffalo, NY
Holy hot sauce, Batman! Labor Day weekend in Buffalo means only one thing—America’s spiciest pilgrimage where 40+ restaurants serve over 100 styles of chicken wings to 70,000 devoted fans.
Inspired by the movie “Osmosis Jones,” this festival was created when Bill Murray’s character dreamed of attending such an event. Now it’s real, complete with the U.S. Chicken Wing Eating Championship where competitors demolish pounds of wings in minutes.
8. SoCal Taco Fest, San Diego, CA
Taco heaven descends on Waterfront Park when San Diego’s hottest chefs compete for taco supremacy! This fiesta combines unlimited taco tastings, lucha libre wrestling matches, and chihuahua beauty pageants into one epic day of Mexican-inspired madness.
Margarita cantinas and craft beer gardens keep the party flowing while live bands and DJs create a soundtrack for your taco adventures. The festival’s “Tiny Taco Dog Beauty Contest” draws surprising crowds as adorably dressed chihuahuas strut their stuff.
9. Taste Of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Monster-sized appetites welcome! Since 1980, this mammoth food festival has taken over Grant Park each July, becoming the world’s largest food festival with over a million hungry visitors devouring Chicago’s diverse cuisine.
The famous “Taste portions” let you sample dozens of restaurants without exploding, from deep dish pizza to Garrett’s caramel popcorn. Alongside established eateries, pop-up food trucks and emerging chefs showcase the city’s evolving culinary landscape.
10. Beignet Fest, New Orleans, LA
Powdered sugar paradise! New Orleans celebrates its iconic pastry with this sweet festival where traditional and creative beignets battle for supremacy in City Park.
Beyond the classic version from Café du Monde, innovative chefs serve crawfish beignets, crabmeat beignets, and even dessert versions stuffed with Nutella or bananas foster filling. The “Best Beignet” competition gets fierce as restaurants vie for bragging rights in multiple categories.
11. The Great American Foodie Fest, Las Vegas, NV
Food truck fantasy camp hits the desert when over 50 celebrity food trucks and specialty food vendors from across America converge on Las Vegas! Featured on shows like “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” and “The Great Food Truck Race,” these mobile kitchens bring their A-game.
Carnival rides and games create a state fair atmosphere while eating competitions test the limits of human stomach capacity. The VIP experience includes unlimited alcohol tastings and front-of-line privileges—crucial when popular trucks develop hour-long waits.
12. Lexington Barbecue Festival, Lexington, NC
Smoke signals alert barbecue fanatics when this small North Carolina town (population 20,000) welcomes 160,000 visitors for America’s premier pork celebration! Lexington-style barbecue—pork shoulders slow-cooked over hardwood coals with a vinegar-based sauce—takes center stage.
The festival shuts down Main Street for a barbecue wonderland featuring local pitmasters who’ve maintained the same cooking techniques for generations. Beyond eating, attendees enjoy the national “Pig Tales” writing competition, pig-themed sand sculptures, and the Tour de Pig cycling race.
13. Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, Orlando, FL
Mouse ears meet Michelin stars during this 75-day culinary marathon at Disney World! The longest-running theme park food festival transforms Epcot into a global marketplace where 30+ countries serve small plates and beverage pairings.
Celebrity chef demonstrations and mixology classes provide educational entertainment between eating adventures. The “Eat to the Beat” concert series features nostalgic acts performing while guests sample international wines and craft beers.
14. Cheese Curd Festival, Ellsworth, WI
Squeaky cheese heaven! Wisconsin’s dairy obsession reaches its peak during this two-day celebration of fresh cheese curds in the town officially designated as the “Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin.”
Deep-fried curds get creative makeovers with toppings ranging from buffalo sauce to chocolate drizzle. The “Curd Crawl” challenges visitors to sample signature curd dishes from multiple vendors while tracking favorites on a passport. Cheese curd eating contests separate the amateurs from the professionals.
15. Kaua’i Poke Fest, Koloa, HI
Paradise gets even better when Hawaii’s beloved raw fish dish takes center stage at this island celebration! Set against Kauai’s stunning south shore beaches, local chefs compete to create the most innovative poke bowls using just-caught ahi tuna, octopus, and salmon.
Traditional Hawaiian music and hula performances create an authentic backdrop for this showcase of Hawaii’s favorite food. Visitors learn to make their own poke with workshops covering everything from proper fish selection to knife techniques.