If I had to choose one thing that I loved about summer, it wouldn’t be the outdoor activities or beach weather (although I do love those things), it would be the variety of food festivals that inevitably pop up when it gets warm outside.
A food festival is just like any other festival, except it celebrates food – or more specifically a type of food (whether that’s a bar-b-que festival, a food festival celebrating Chinese cuisine, or a shindig that’s all about food from a truck. Food festivals happen all over the world, and whenever they do, I try to be there. Because who doesn’t like giant parties that all center around eating? Here’s some of my favorite.
1. Mistura Festival (Peru)
If you haven’t had Peruvian cuisine, you’re missing out. Mistura is a word that means “mixture” in Spanish, and like the definition, the Mistura Festival is a mixture of food and culture and it’s the largest food festival in South America. In fact, they expect over 600,000 attendees this year. It happens in early September and features all kinds of Peruvian cuisine from traditional dishes to interesting fusion dishes. It’s a huge deal in South America, so if you want to go, start planning early.
2. Maine Lobster Festival (U.S.)
Maine on the Northeast coast of the U.S. is known for its lobster – more specifically, for its delicious lobster rolls which are a staple of summertime in the region. The Maine Lobster Festival takes place from July 29th – August 2nd in Rockland, Maine and has events ranging from arts and crafts, music, a parade, and even a lobster crate race. They also have lots and lots of different types of lobster dishes, along with a winner-takes-all cooking contest to find the best lobster dish.
3. Cheese 2015 (Italy)
What could be more appealing than a food festival dedicated to the most delicious of dairy products: cheese? In Bra, Italy, the aptly named Cheese Festival is held every two years (lucky for you, it’s happening September 18-21, 2015) and is one of the largest cheese festivals in the world, attracting around 150,000 visitors. It was started to help promote local cheese makers, and has become an integral part of the local economy for the city of Bra. The festival has lots of types of cheese to choose from, along with educational classes and lectures where you can learn about cheese production and new and lesser-known types of cheese.
4. Brussels Food Truck Festival
What’s better than a food truck? Lots of food trucks lined up with all types of fare to choose from, of course! Many cities have their own version of a local food truck festival, but Brussels does it the best with over 80 food trucks from Belgium, France, Luxembourg, and Holland. Even better, admission is free (although food is not). It happens every year in early May (this year it was the 8th-10th), and draws a large crowd of around 80,000 food truck fans.
5. International Bar-B-Que Festival
A food festival roundup just wouldn’t be complete without some kind of celebration of bar-b-que. Good bar-b-que is the backbone of summer outdoor dining, and there are quite a few food festivals that celebrate this fare. A favorite, though, is the International Bar-B-Que Festival that happens every year in Owensboro, Kentucky in May. Owensboro is known as one of the best American cities for Bar-b-que, so it makes sense that they would host this global bar-b-que feast. The festival features all kinds of bar-b-que foods, from chicken to ribs to brisket. They also have tons of events like a 5K Run (to work off all that meat), a car show, a keg toss, pie eating contests, and arts and crafts.
What’s your favorite food festival? Why do you enjoy going? If you could choose any food festival in the world to attend, where would it be and why? Let us know in the comments!
