7 Savory Fall Food Festivals
These fall food festivals are original, mouth-watering, and definitely worthy of a vacation. Whether you’re a food connoisseur or just an average food-loving Joe, somebody somewhere is paying homage to your favorite dish! Here are seven fall food festivals to savor…
Bamfield Mushroom Festival
Where: Vancouver Island, Canada
When: October 18
If you’ve always wondered what the difference between a shitake and portabella mushroom is, take a trip to beautiful Vancouver Island, where you can swap mushroom recipes and gain a whole new vocabulary at the Bamfield Mushroom Festival. Don’t forget to swap a few mushroom jokes too! Quiz experts on mushrooms and get answers… and probably a whole lot more than you bargained for, too! Hunt down a few wild specimens yourself and enter your heftiest handpicked mushroom into the Mushroom Derby; if your mushroom’s the weightiest contender, you’ll win the grand prize! A professionally-prepared feast pleases everybody’s taste buds, while the Toadstool Stomp gets everybody on the dance floor. Stay overnight in a comfy Vancouver Island vacation rental.
Wellfleet Oysterfest
Where: Wellfleet, Massachusetts
When: October 18 – 10
Dine on delectable clams and oysters to the sights and sounds of Cape Cod’s best artisans and musicians. If you’ve got a taste for shellfish, the Wellfleet Oyster Festival may just over-stimulate your senses. In between meals, find out who can shuck the most oysters in the Annual Oyster Shuck-off, and see Wellfleet’s biggest oyster in person when local fisherman compare the year’s findings.
Wurstfest
Where: New Braunfels, Texas
When: October 31 – November 9
Come to Wurstfest on an empty stomach and pig out on the finest sausage in the country! Celebrate Germany, devour scrumptious bratwurst, and get your polka groove on in the adorable Texas town of New Braunfels, located between Austin and San Antonio. The renowned and flavorful festival is one of the largest of its kind, with 100,000 annual visitors; it’s been a hit since the 1960s. Take a breather from the non-stop events of the festival with some quality antique shopping, a scenic walk along the Comal River, or a little lounging around in your New Braunfels vacation house rental.
Los Angeles International Tamale Festival
Where: MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, California
When: October 31 – November 2
Listen to Latin American bands perform as you down tamales, tacos, and other popular area foods. Prepare to make a few decisions though – chicken or beef, red sauce or green sauce, beans or onions? If you don’t mind waiting in line, or husking corn (feel free to make a competition out of it), you will probably eat all day long!
Boston Vegetarian Food Festival
Where: Boston, Massachusetts
When: November 1
One hundred exhibitors gather in Boston each year to educate and entertain foodies interested in fresh and natural produce. Vegetarians, health nuts, inquisitive meat eaters, and anybody else who eats food are all welcome to sample fabulous free cuisine. Get up-to-date on the latest culinary trends, watch cooking demonstrations, check off your grocery list, and learn how and where you can “veg out” on the tastiest vegetarian foods!
Giant Omelette Celebration
Where: Abbeville, Louisiana
When: November 1 – 2
Napoleon Bonaparte once ordered townspeople in southern France to make an omelette big enough to feed his troops – that’s how the legend goes at least. So for hundreds of years, the omelette has symbolized cooperation and friendship to the French people. Abbeville pays tribute to its French heritage with an annual record-breaking omelette feast. The primary ingredients of the Giant Omelette Celebration are eggs (five thousand of them, to be exact) and entertaining events like the Napoleon Bonaparte lookalike contest. Take a bite out of the Giant Cajun Omelette and a Louisiana tradition this November!
Pennsylvania Food and Beverage Show
Where: York, Pennsylvania
Where: November 22 – 23
For less than 20 bucks, whet your appetite with food samples from some of the world’s best restaurants, caterers, and chefs. Don’t miss out on the incredible beer and wine garden either! The Pennsylvania Food and Beverage Show doubles as a business networking event and holiday shopping bonanza, and it’s first in its class.
The New York City Chocolate Show is also a good investment of your time if you love to eat sweets. But no matter what, you're sure to enjoy Vacation Rentals.com's top fine dining restaurants in the US and top foodie destinations!
Photos by quas, Philip Kromer, Suvi Korhonen, and Taku.