Food Festivals

Wild Turkey Festival in McArthur, Ohio

Most people in the U.S. associate turkey with the month of November. However, Vinton County residents look forward to the annual summer Wild Turkey Festival held in McArthur, Ohio. During the four-day event, families can partake in an assortment of turkey-themed fun.

Ice Cream Festival in Utica, Ohio

Utica is a small community located in Central Ohio, about 35 miles northeast of Columbus. Set among forests and rolling hills, Utica is home to a picturesque town square, historic architecture and several shops and restaurants. Additionally, the village hosts the annual Utica Old Fashioned Ice Cream Festival, which takes place every year on Memorial Day weekend.

The Chitlin Festival in Clio, Alabama

The annual festival called The Chitlin' Jamboree is a highly anticipated celebration held in Clio, Alabama, a small Southern town of fewer than 1,000 residents. Although it did not occur in 2006 because of a lack of participation, the lively festival has garnered public attention for more than 30 years.

The Poconos' Bratwurst Festival

Each July, Shawnee Mountain Ski Area hosts the Poconos' Wurst Festival featuring "brews, brats and music." The festival keeps to a Polish and German theme, and vendors provide ethnic crafts and food. Shawnee Mountain is in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains. The ski area also offers events such as a Celtic Festival and an Autumn Timber Festival.

New Jersey State Ice Cream Festival

The Annual New Jersey Ice Cream Festival was started in 2002 in Toms River, with the event including an entire day of musical acts, children's activities, competition between vendors, and ice cream, ice cream and more ice cream. Area radio stations also provide background music for the festival sponsored by local businesses.

Peach Festivals in Maryland

Georgia may be known for peaches, but visitors to Maryland could be surprised at the number of peach festivals that call the small state of Maryland home. Some of the festivals are older than others, but all play a vital part in their respective communities. The proceeds of these festivals go to benefit the communities in which they are held, but their influence stretches much further, from the benefit to the farmer to the ability of a festival to draw neighbors together and attract new faces. Given the peach growing season in Maryland, peach festivals are held in mid-August.

The Hickory Apple Festival in Hickory, Pennsylvania

The Hickory Apple Festival takes place in early October and lasts for two days. Being a family-friendly attraction, it offers activities and entertainment for all ages as well as a wide selection of foods and handcrafted items. The Mount Pleasant Township Volunteer Fire Company hosts this annual event at the fire hall grounds in Hickory, Pennsylvania, which is about 25 miles southwest of Pittsburgh.

Grappa Festivals Held in Italy

Grappa is an Italian alcoholic drink similar to whiskey, brandy, sherry or cognac and is often referred to as "firewater." The distilled beverage is normally produced by wine makers because it is made from pomace or the raw grape seeds, stalks and stems that are discarded during the wine making process. Grappa gets its name from the town in northern Italy, Bassano del Grappa, in which the drink derived in the Middle Ages. Today, there are grappa distilleries around the world. You'll find several festivals in Italy that distinctly celebrate the drink.

Paris, Tennessee Catfish Festival

The town of Paris in north central Tennessee invites visitors to come to their yearly fish fry festival. The week-long festival has events and activities for people of all ages. The highlight of the festival is the fish fry, served from Wednesday through Saturday, which ensures that visitors can enjoy plenty of fresh Tennessee catfish from nearby Kentucky Lake.

The Catfish Festival in Belzoni, Mississippi

Every year, since 1976, the Belzoni-Humphreys Development Foundation holds an annual World Catfish Festival in downtown Belzoni, Mississippi to pay homage to catfish. Over 20,000 people from across the United States and overseas travel to the catfish capital of the world to celebrate the fifth most popular seafood served in America, and a major contributor to the Belzoni/Humphreys County economy. Despite being held for one day only, the World Catfish Festival provides plenty of entertainment and family fun.

Catfish Festivals in Alabama

If you're a fish eater, you know there are two types of people: those who eat catfish and those who don't. In Alabama, where the waters are full of them, the taste for catfish is as popular as other Southern delicacies and they also make the time each year to celebrate this down-home favorite. Catfish festivals give seasoned catfish eaters a chance to indulge themselves, and turn the uninitiated on to something new.

Decoration Ideas for a German Food Festival

Festivals with a German theme have become increasingly popular in the U.S., giving an opportunity to display various dishes and drinks from the country. German food has a rustic appeal; its staples are meats, sausages and basic greens, mainly various kinds of cabbages and root vegetables. While German food focuses more on comfort rather than presentation and looks, festival stands and stalls can make up for any visual shortcomings of the dishes by displaying German ornaments and decorations.

New Jersey Greek Food Festivals

The late 19th and early 20th century saw a large number of Greek immigrants coming to the U.S., leading to the establishment of Greek communities in many New Jersey cities. Many of those communities remain, while smaller pockets of Greek-Americans are found throughout the Garden State. These groups celebrate their heritage during several Greek food festivals held every year in urban, suburban and rural areas.

Red, White and Blueberry Festival in Hammonton, New Jersey

The blueberry: so small, so delicious. New Jersey's official fruit is the belle of the ball at the annual Red, White and Blueberry Festival in Hammonton, New Jersey. Each June since 1986 southern New Jerseyans and visitors have descended by the thousands on the small farming town of Hammonton--billed as the "Blueberry Capital of the World." Festival-goers enjoy music, carnival games, festival rides and have the chance to taste the first delicious blueberries of the season.

Blueberry Festivals in New Jersey

New Jersey is one of the major sources of blueberries in the U.S. The city of Hammonton is the self-proclaimed "Blueberry Capital of the World." Residents of the state celebrate the highbush blueberries with two annual festivals that regularly draw attendees from the neighboring states of Pennsylvania, Delaware and New York.

Okra Festivals

People in the southern United States, the Caribbean islands and other parts of the world often grow okra on their farms and in their gardens. Okra plants produce edible seeds pods that can be cooked and served in a variety of ways. Okra festivals celebrate the crop and provide a range of entertainment and enjoyable activities.

The Peanut Butter Festival in Grand Saline, Texas

The Great American Peanut Butter Festival in Grand Saline, Texas started in November 2010 with the goal of setting the world record for the largest peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich. The previous record was 950 lbs., set in 2002 in Oklahoma City. The Grand Saline event broke the standing record by making a sandwich that weighed 1,342 lbs..Besides the sandwich, attendees enjoyed numerous events, including a beauty pageant. Local vendors also had the opportunity to sell their wares to visitors. Now the festival is an annual event, and the goal each year is to raise money and collect peanut butter for the East Texas Food Bank.

Crab Cake Festivals in New Jersey

Many varieties of crab inhabit east-central New Jersey's waterways. These crustaceans make for great eating, especially during the summer months, frequently taking the form of the ubiquitous crab cake. Local chefs enjoy competing for the recognition of having the tastiest crab cake on the Jersey shore. If you like crab, seafood and revelry, attend one of these annual festivals to savor some of the bounty of the season.

Mushroom Festivals

Mushrooms may not be everyone's favorite food, but these edible fungi have still managed to inspire a wealth of celebrations across the United States and beyond. At mushroom festivals, food fans can sample products and watch demonstrations from mushroom cultivators. Some mushroom festivals focus on specific forms of fungi, such as morels, while others offer a more varied coverage of different mushrooms.