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Rolling farmland of the Palouse in the American Northwest
Dana Hutchinson, CC BY

United States

Food festivals and culinary experiences across the United States, from Miami Beach in February to Austin in November, with dates checked against official sources.

  • 22food festivals
  • 14culinary experiences

Food festivals in the United States

Ocean Drive and Art Deco hotels in Miami Beachchensiyuan, CC BY-SAWineFeb 25 to 28

South Beach Wine & Food Festival

Miami Beach’s four-day wine and food festival, from 25 to 28 February 2027: wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities.Miami BeachView
Pastel Rainbow Row houses in Charleston, South Carolinaw_lemay, CC BY-SAWineMar 3 to 7

Charleston Wine + Food

Charleston’s wine and food festival, from 3 to 7 March 2027: tastings, demos, classes and music across the city, run by a nonprofit.CharlestonView
Cliff and cypress trees along the Pebble Beach coastlineBernard Gagnon, CC BY-SAWineApr 1 to 4

Pebble Beach Food & Wine

Pebble Beach Food & Wine, 1 to 4 April 2027: chefs, winemakers and grand tastings on 17 Mile Drive, with tickets à la carte or in packages ($1,750 and up in 2026).Pebble BeachView
Festival crowd in Jackson Square with St. Louis Cathedral behind, New OrleansCarnaval.com Studios, CC BYStreet foodApr 8 to 11

French Quarter Festival

New Orleans’s free music festival in the French Quarter, 8 to 11 April 2027, seen from the plate: where the food booths are and what to eat.New OrleansView
Cajun boudin shop in a cottage under live oaks, Breaux Bridgejc.winkler, CC BYSeafoodApr 30 to May 2

Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival

Crawfish and Cajun culture at Parc Hardy, Breaux Bridge: the 2027 festival runs from 30 April to 2 May, with day tickets from 5 to 15 dollars in 2026.Breaux BridgeView
Lace-iron balconies with hanging ferns and a crowd on a French Quarter street cornerrboed*, CC BYWineJun 9 to 13

New Orleans Wine & Food Experience

The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience, 9 to 13 June 2027: a week of wine tastings and chefs’ dinners for charity, with the Grand Tasting ($165 in 2026).New OrleansView
Parade at the National Cherry Festival in Traverse CityPetty Officer 2nd Class Levi Read, Public domainFruits & vegetablesJul 3 to 10

National Cherry Festival

Traverse City’s eight-day cherry festival, from 3 to 10 July 2027: cherry products to taste, parades, air shows and fireworks, with most events free.Traverse CityView
Visitors walking across the sunny Gilroy Garlic Festival grounds with white tents under blue skyFASTILY, CC BY-SAFruits & vegetablesJul 23 to 25

Gilroy Garlic Festival

Gilroy’s garlic festival at the Hecker Pass Outdoor Events Center, 23 to 25 July 2027: garlic food, cooking demonstrations, hours, tickets and access.GilroyView
Visitors on a lawn among food stalls at the Bite of SeattleRandy Stern, CC BYStreet foodUsually Jul

Bite of Seattle

Seattle’s free food festival at Seattle Center, running for over 40 years: 300+ vendors, beer and wine gardens, cooking demos. 24 to 26 July in 2026. 2027 dates not yet published.SeattleView
Crowd on the street at Taste of Chicago with the downtown skyline at duskBriYYZ from Toronto, Canada, CC BY-SAStreet foodUsually Jul

Taste of Chicago

Chicago’s free food festival in Grant Park, run by the city since 1980: the 2026 edition ran from 8 to 12 July, 11 am to 9 pm. 2027 dates not yet published.ChicagoView
Lobster boats moored in a calm Maine harbor with waterfront houses behindStéphane Batigne, CC BYSeafoodAug 4 to 8

Maine Lobster Festival

Rockland’s lobster festival at Harbor Park, 4 to 8 August 2027, its 80th year: fresh hot Maine lobster, admission, access and where to stay.RocklandView
White exhibition building and visitors on an avenue of the Minnesota State Fair groundsMyotus, CC BY-SAStreet foodAug 26 to Sep 6

Minnesota State Fair

Twelve days ending on Labor Day, 26 August to 6 September 2027: 278 food vendors, New Foods, food on-a-stick, tickets and tips for the fair in St. Paul.St. PaulView
Trout Lake near Telluride in summer with San Juan MountainsNatalieZavaleta, CC BY-SAMushroomsUsually Aug

Telluride Mushroom Festival

Five days devoted to fungi in a Colorado mountain town: foraging, talks, a mushroom parade and a wild foods dinner. 2026 edition: 12 to 16 August. 2027 dates not yet published.TellurideView
Bourbon barrels lined up on the grass beside a stone rickhouse at a Kentucky distilleryKen Thomas, Public domainSpiritsSep 16 to 19

Kentucky Bourbon Festival

Bardstown’s bourbon festival at Spalding Hall, 16 to 19 September 2027: more than 200 brands from over 70 distilleries, tickets and distillery tours nearby.BardstownView
Roasted green Hatch chile peppersSteveprutz, CC BY-SAFruits & vegetablesUsually Sep

Hatch Chile Festival

The chile harvest festival of Hatch, New Mexico, held on Labor Day weekend since 1971: 5 and 6 September in 2026, with a parade and a carnival. 2027 dates not yet published.HatchView
White festival tents on the Cincinnati riverfront with the downtown skyline behindIagoQnsi, CC BYBeerUsually Sep

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati

Cincinnati’s Oktoberfest on the Ohio riverfront, free to enter: brats, metts, cheese coneys and a festival lager. 2027 dates not yet published.CincinnatiView
Big Tex statue towering over the State Fair of Texas grounds in DallasAndreas Praefcke, CC BYStreet foodUsually Sep, Oct

State Fair of Texas

Dallas’s 24-day fair at Fair Park, 25 September to 18 October in 2026: corny dogs, the Big Tex Choice Awards, coupons and the DART train. 2027 dates not yet published.DallasView
Brick warehouses and a street in Manhattan's Meatpacking District seen from the High Line at sunsetMike Peel, CC BY-SAWineOct 14 to 17

New York City Wine & Food Festival

New York’s wine and food festival: its 20th edition is announced for 14 to 17 October 2027. In 2026 it ran from 15 to 18 October, based at the Seaport and the Pier 17 rooftop.New York CityView
Downtown Denver skyline with the Rocky Mountains behindQuintin Soloviev, CC BYBeerUsually Oct

Great American Beer Festival

Denver’s beer festival and competition, held outdoors at the Levitt Pavilion on 10 and 11 October 2026, 66.53 dollars a session with fees. 2027 dates not yet published.DenverView
Weathered oyster shacks on floating docks in Wellfleet Harbor, Cape CodCarol M. Highsmith, CC0SeafoodUsually Oct

Wellfleet OysterFest

Cape Cod’s oyster festival in downtown Wellfleet: the 2026 edition ran on 17 and 18 October, 35 dollars, free for children 12 and under. 2027 dates not yet published.WellfleetView
Austin skyline at dusk seen across the lawn of Auditorium ShoresAdrienWikipedia, CC BY-SAWineNov 6 to 8

Austin Food & Wine Festival

Austin’s food, wine, beer and spirits festival at Auditorium Shores, 6 to 8 November 2026: tickets from 185 dollars, for guests aged 21 and over.AustinView
Smorgasburg food stalls and crowd beneath the Brooklyn Bridge in Dumbodumbonyc, CC BY-SAStreet foodEvery week

Smorgasburg

New York’s open-air food market: hundreds of independent vendors in Williamsburg and Prospect Park, every weekend from April through October, according to Visit Brooklyn.New York CityView

Culinary experiences in the United States

Vineyard rows above Cayuga Lake at Cayuga Ridge Estate in the Finger LakesAndre Carrotflower, CC BY-SAWinery visit45 to 75 minutes

Finger Lakes winery visits

Tastings at five Finger Lakes wineries, from 9 to 18 dollars per adult, and Dr. Konstantin Frank’s guided vineyard walk at 45 dollars, on weekends in season.Geneva (Finger Lakes)View
Sunlit pastel houses with flower boxes along Rainbow Row in CharlestonJohn Hoey from Framingham, MA, United States, CC BYFood tour2 to 3.5 hours

Food tours in Charleston

Four guided food tours in historic Charleston compared, with Lowcountry dishes: 75 to 119.99 dollars per adult, 2 to 3.5 hours, ages and meeting points.CharlestonView
Chicago skyline seen from the Lake Michigan shore under a blue skyKrzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SAFood tour3 to 3.5 hours

Food tours in Chicago

Guided food tours in Chicago with three operators, from the Loop to River North: 79.99 to 99 dollars per adult, for three hours or a little more.ChicagoView
Neon-lit honky-tonks and restaurants on Broadway in downtown Nashville at nightdconvertini, CC BY-SAFood tour2.5 to 3.5 hours

Food tours in Nashville

Six guided food tours in Nashville compared, from Downtown to Germantown and East Nashville: 79 to 125 dollars per adult, for 2.5 to 3.5 hours on foot.NashvilleView
Wrought-iron galleries decorated with Mardi Gras beads in the French Quarter of New OrleansMiguel Discart (Photos Vrac), CC BY-SAFood tour3 hours

Food tours in New Orleans

Guided food tours in New Orleans with three operators, in the French Quarter and the Lower Garden District: from 83 to 99 dollars per ticket, three hours.New OrleansView
Visitor center building of the Jack Daniel Distillery among trees in Lynchburg, TennesseeVan.ike, CC0Producer visit1.8 hours

Jack Daniel Distillery tour

The Jack Daniel Distillery Tour in Lynchburg, Tennessee: 35 dollars with taxes and fees included, about 1.8 hours, a whiskey tasting for guests aged 21 and over.LynchburgView
Willett Distillery buildings and tower in Bardstown, KentuckyNheyob, CC BY-SAProducer visit70 to 75 minutes

Kentucky Bourbon Trail distillery tours

Distillery tours with tasting on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail: free at Buffalo Trace, 30 to 40 dollars at Jim Beam and Woodford Reserve, 70 to 75 minutes.BardstownView
Ripe red and green coffee cherries on a Kona coffee branchEkrem Canli, CC BY-SAProducer visit20 to 60 minutes

Kona coffee farm tours

Three Kona coffee farms with tours and tastings on the Big Island of Hawaii: free at Greenwell Farms and Mountain Thunder, 35 dollars per person at Hula Daddy.Kailua-KonaView
Vineyard with yellow mustard flowers in Napa ValleyRhododendrites, CC BY-SAWinery visit30 to 90 minutes

Napa Valley winery visits

Tastings and guided tours at four Napa Valley wineries, from Carneros to Calistoga: tastings from 35 to 60 dollars, tours with tasting from 35 to 85 dollars.NapaView
Rolling vineyard hills viewed from a winery terrace in Paso RoblesSD Dirk, CC BYWinery visit60 to 90 minutes

Paso Robles winery visits

Tastings at four Paso Robles wineries, from free to 30 dollars per adult, including a free seated tasting with a guided tour of Eberle’s underground caves.Paso RoblesView
Green vineyard rows and wooded hills near Healdsburg in Sonoma CountyDimiTalen, CC0Winery visit60 to 90 minutes

Sonoma County winery visits

Tastings and winery tours at six Sonoma County estates, from Healdsburg to the Sonoma Valley: tastings 25 to 30 dollars, guided tours 25 to 95 dollars.HealdsburgView
Vineyard and Oak Mountain in Temecula Wine CountryZ3lvs, CC0Winery visit

Temecula Valley winery visits

Tastings and a winery tour in Temecula, Southern California: tastings from 30 to 35 dollars per adult, tour with tasting 40 dollars.TemeculaView
L'Ecole No 41 winery in a historic schoolhouse near Walla WallaGeneralissima, CC BYWinery visit

Walla Walla winery visits

Tastings at four Walla Walla Valley wineries, from 20 to 40 dollars per adult and refunded with a purchase, plus Dunham Cellars’ cellar tour at 50 dollars.Walla WallaView
Vine rows beneath a bright sky at Cristom Vineyard in the Willamette Valley, OregonEthan Prater, CC BYWinery visit45 minutes to 2 hours

Willamette Valley winery visits

Tastings and winery tours at six Willamette Valley estates in Oregon: tastings from 25 to 50 dollars, guided tours from 40 to 125 dollars per adult.McMinnvilleView

Regions in the United States

Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coast, CaliforniaDiliff, CC BY-SA6 listings

California

Gilroy Garlic FestivalPebble Beach Food & WineNapa Valley winery visits
Snow-capped peaks and boulders in the Colorado RockiesAndrewKPepper, CC BY-SA2 listings

Colorado

Great American Beer FestivalTelluride Mushroom Festival
Sailboats off Sunset Key in the Florida KeysJulian Lupyan, CC01 listing

Florida

South Beach Wine & Food Festival
Green sea cliffs and black sand beach on the Big Island of HawaiiPedro Szekely, CC BY-SA1 listing

Hawaii

Kona coffee farm tours
Sunset over the rock formations of Garden of the Gods, Shawnee National Forest, Illinoisusfs_Eastern_Region, Public domain2 listings

Illinois

Taste of ChicagoFood tours in Chicago
Louisville downtown skyline and a paddle steamboat on the Ohio RiverWilliam Alden, CC BY-SA2 listings

Kentucky

Kentucky Bourbon FestivalKentucky Bourbon Trail distillery tours
Avenue of live oaks leading to Oak Alley Plantation, LouisianaRonPaul86, CC BY-SA4 listings

Louisiana

Breaux Bridge Crawfish FestivalFrench Quarter FestivalNew Orleans Wine & Food Experience
Fishing boat moored in Bar Harbor, Maine, on a clear dayCorey Ann Balazowich, CC BY-SA1 listing

Maine

Maine Lobster Festival
Nobska Lighthouse at sunset on Cape CodGregg Squeglia, CC BY-SA1 listing

Massachusetts

Wellfleet OysterFest
Sleeping Bear Dunes rising above Lake MichiganRachel Kramer, CC BY1 listing

Michigan

National Cherry Festival
Autumn forest above the North Shore of Lake Superior, MinnesotaSharon Mollerus, CC BY1 listing

Minnesota

Minnesota State Fair
Bunches of red and orange chile ristras hanging at a New Mexico marketChristopher Holden from Albuquerque, United States, CC BY-SA1 listing

New Mexico

Hatch Chile Festival
Vineyard overlooking a Finger Lake at sunrise, New YorkVisit Finger Lakes, CC BY3 listings

New York

New York City Wine & Food FestivalSmorgasburgFinger Lakes winery visits
Autumn foliage seen from the ledges of Cuyahoga Valley, OhioErik Drost, CC BY1 listing

Ohio

Oktoberfest Zinzinnati
Vineyard rows and a red farmhouse in Oregon's Willamette ValleySheila Sund from Salem, United States, CC BY1 listing

Oregon

Willamette Valley winery visits
The Angel Oak spreading its branches near Charleston, South CarolinaTim Hatfield, CC02 listings

South Carolina

Charleston Wine + FoodFood tours in Charleston
Wildflower meadow in the Great Smoky Mountains, TennesseeRhododendrites, CC BY-SA2 listings

Tennessee

Food tours in NashvilleJack Daniel Distillery tour
Wooded hills seen from an overlook in the Texas Hill CountryLarry D. Moore, CC BY2 listings

Texas

Austin Food & Wine FestivalState Fair of Texas
Mount Rainier above a wildflower meadow, WashingtonBob Collowan, CC BY-SA2 listings

Washington

Bite of SeattleWalla Walla winery visits

Map of the United States

Food festivals in the United States, month by month

  1. Jan
  2. 1Feb
  3. 1Mar
  4. 4Apr
  5. 2May
  6. 2Jun
  7. 5Jul
  8. 4Aug
  9. 6Sep
  10. 5Oct
  11. 1Nov
  12. Dec

The United States food festivals in this guide run from February to November. The South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami Beach opens the year in February, followed by Charleston Wine + Food in South Carolina in March. Louisiana has two in spring: the French Quarter Festival in New Orleans in April, and the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival at the turn of April and May. July brings the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Michigan, the Gilroy Garlic Festival in California and Taste of Chicago in Grant Park, followed in August by the Maine Lobster Festival and the Telluride Mushroom Festival in Colorado, then the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, the Hatch Chile Festival in New Mexico and Oktoberfest Zinzinnati in Cincinnati in September. From late September to mid-October, the State Fair of Texas fills Fair Park in Dallas. October brings three: the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, the New York City Wine & Food Festival and the Wellfleet OysterFest on Cape Cod. The Austin Food & Wine Festival closes the year in November. In New York City, Smorgasburg holds its open-air food market every weekend from April through October, according to Visit Brooklyn.

Spring adds Pebble Beach Food & Wine on California’s Monterey Peninsula (1 to 4 April 2027), and June the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (NOWFE Week, 9 to 13 June 2027).

Summer adds the Bite of Seattle (July, free entry in 2026) and the Minnesota State Fair in St. Paul, twelve days ending on Labor Day (26 August to 6 September 2027).

The culinary experiences are spread just as wide: winery visits in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Paso Robles, Temecula, Oregon’s Willamette Valley, the Finger Lakes in New York State and the Walla Walla Valley in Washington, food tours in Chicago, New Orleans, Nashville and Charleston, distillery tours on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and at the Jack Daniel Distillery in Tennessee, and coffee farm tours on the Kona coast of Hawaii.

Planning tips

  • The states are far apart: treat each festival as its own trip, or pair it with an experience in the same state.
  • Some tastings admit only guests aged 21 and over and ask for photo ID. The Austin Food & Wine Festival and the Jack Daniel Distillery say so on their own sites.
  • Outside the big cities, a car is the practical way to reach wineries, distilleries and farms. Plan a driver who skips the tastings.