Cuisine plays a vital role in your travel experiences, and you must always ensure to sample the local food wherever you go. But for a deeper dive into the culinary scene of your chosen destination, align your trip with a food festival. From a multi-stage music fest showcasing the best of the city’s eateries to gatherings focused on a particular regional dish, the stops on our smorgasbord tour abound with local cuisine and culture and taste festivals. Foodies know that one of the major highlights of visiting a new place is tasting the local cuisine. You can learn a lot from eating like a local, and partaking in a famous food fest is the ideal way to do it. Every year in January, the world’s most renowned chefs flock to the Cayman Islands for the Cayman Cookout hosted by the legendary chef Eric. The London taste festival that takes place during the Summer is a much-awaited gastronomy delight.
London Taste Festival
The Taste of London hosts the largest taste festival in the UK. Around 55,000 locals and tourists visit Regent’s Park each Summer to taste the local and international cuisines. Book your spot and buy Taste of London tickets to witness the ultimate alfresco feast in Regent’s Park.
Tokyo Ramen Show, Tokyo, Japan
The Tokyo Ramen Show is an event dedicated to ramen. It is held annually and takes place in Komazawa Olympic Park, located in the heart of Tokyo. This year the event will run from late October to the first week of November. Around 18 vendors will serve the iconic ramen soup with varied garnishes and seasonings and served up in different plating styles. What are you waiting for? There is free entry to the Komazawa Olympic Park, and one scrumptious bowl of ramen costs less than $8.
Food and Wine Classic, Aspen, Colorado
Aspen’s Food and Wine Classic is a star-studded exhibition that is held in the Colorado mountains every year in June. Each day of the festival’s three days showcases excellent cuisines, grand wine tasting, and an opportunity for attendees to gather and wander through enormous tents sampling the wine and dishes from world-class brands and local restaurants.
Salon du Chocolat, Paris, France
The Salon du Chocolate is characterised as the “world’s largest event dedicated to chocolate.” The festival takes place in Paris during the Fall and witnesses 500 participants from 60 countries, of whom 200 are chefs. Last year’s programme encompassed a massive display of chocolate sculptures. Many chocolate and pastry masterclasses were held along with a fashion show where models were dressed in chocolate robes and paraded.
Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, Melbourne, Australia
The Melbourne Food and Wine Festival attracts over 250,000 people to the city every year in March. It is the country’s exclusive food and wine festival. Street vendors and stalls line the roads and make your mouth water with the tantalising smells. You can also try out the sumptuous food at top-notch rooftop bars and cafeterias. Participants can experience over 200 events that take place during this festival. This year, the celebration will also focus on how food influences the lifestyle of populations in the present and future.
Barbados Food and Rum Festival, Barbados
Barbados is also known as the culinary capital of the Caribbean and the motherland of rum. This isle goes all out every year in November to celebrate the Food & Rum Festival. Sit back and unwind while sipping the local booze and sampling the freshly caught seafood cooked by world-class chefs like Michael Hinds and Jean-Georges.
World Gourmet Summit, Singapore
If you have an elegant taste for food, then the World Gourmet Summit should be on the top of your bucket list. This event has been taking place for over a decade. This year, it will take place during the month of April to give attendees the chance to experiment with gourmet cuisines prepared by Michelin-starred chefs worldwide. This year’s program features gourmet cuisine, a golf experience, and numerous themed dinners.
Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival, Anaheim, California
One of the most wonderful places on Earth just got even happier. From 2 March through 12 April, over a dozen kiosks around Disneyland will showcase California-inspired food and drinks. Don’t miss this event to witness world-class chefs give master classes, participate in wine, beer, and spirit tastings, or book reservations for a gourmet dinner and wine pairing.
La Mercè Festival, Barcelona, Spain
In Spain, life, culture, and music are synonymous. La Mercè, the city’s largest festival, takes place over four days every year in September. In 1871, this festival was held in honour of the Roman Catholic feast day of Our Lady of Mercy, and it was declared an official city holiday. Book a spot at this festival to sample the best of Spanish cuisine, including paella and tapas. There will also be plenty of homemade sangria to sip on as you stroll around the city and have midnight feasts.
San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival
This region’s most prominent festival attracts passionate wine and food connoisseurs every year in November. This famous food festival showcases the cuisines prepared by some of the finest local and international chefs. Distinguished winemakers and brewmasters will stir up concoctions adding to the gastronomic pleasure.
Epcot International Food and Wine Festival
This annual fall festival at Epcot in Orlando, Florida, takes place over six weeks. It showcases food and wine cuisines from 25 countries. Experience international kiosks, cooking demonstrations, mixology classes, wine tastings, and live music.
Conclusion
Almost every country and culture celebrates its food and liquor and showcases its rich culinary culture by hosting a food festival. You will find many beer fests and wine festivals held in almost every country. All of these food festivities offer something unique to their attendees. Numerous articles and food blogs describe these food festivals and invite tourists to attend.