If you’re a passionate traveler, discovering local dishes is among the top ways that you can consider to immerse yourself in the unique culture of an area. And if we are talking about experiencing local cuisines, there is no better way to do this than taking part in a magnificent food festival. Below are several of the most widely renowned food festivals all over the world that you ought to include in your travel and food bucket list:
Pizzafest
Each September, the metropolis of Naples gathers around to commemorate its most widely recognized food: Pizza. In the course of the weeklong festival, tourists have the chance to binge on any and all sorts of pizzas (including the classic Neapolitan, Margherita, and Marinara). On top of that, you also have the option to register for various workshops designed to teach interested folks the art of making pizza, witness foreign chefs battle each other in the World World Pizza-Making Championship and experience distinct entertainment up close and personal.
Sacramento Bacon Fest
The Bacon Fest in Sacramento City is the undisputed food festival king for bacon lovers. All throughout the week-long celebrations, participants can chow down on a variety of mouth-watering bacon dishes such as pizza, bacon salad, bacon milkshake, bacon ramen, and bacon tater tots. The distinctive goodies are available at more than 100 restaurants all over Sacramento paired with locally made beers and live music. And always keep it a point to visit the yearly Kevin Bacon Soundtrack Tribute Show as well – among the biggest draws of this food festival.
Herring Festival
Each spring, schools of herring journey towards the Ringkøbing fjord to brood in the aquatic waters of Hvide Sande in Denmark. And the influx of herring signals the start of the unofficial herring fishing world championship. Guests get to relish trays of the best herring cuisines that Scandinavia has to offer from pickled herring to fillet, and even fish-caked herring. You likewise have the opportunity to study the art of making pickled fried herring, have your herring filleted by seasoned fisher folks or know DIY techniques in any of the available workshops. In addition to that, cooking aficionados can take part in the Herring Recipe of the Year competition. In the meantime, children can study the fundamentals of catching herring at the Herring fishing academy or participate in the Junior Fishing Contest.
Chinchilla Melon Festival
Celebrated every two years, the Chinchilla Melon Festival draws in hordes of both local Australians and foreign visitors at the same time with its entertaining variety of events such as melon skiing, celebrity melon eating, and a melon chariot race. There’s also the famed melon weigh-in show that is nearly one and the same with this food celebration which commemorates the locality’s melon industry. Participants also have the opportunity to relish the melon beach party, family music events free of charge and the widely known Melon Fest street parade. And did I forget to mention that there’s also a free melon buffet?
Ottawa Poutine Fest
A regular cuisine in Canada, Poutine is prepared with fries, chilly gravy and cheese curds. Every year during May, the Ottawa Metropolis readies itself to revel in the favorite local cuisine throughout the period of this weekend-long festival. Plenty of restaurants and food vendors offer conventional and exotic varieties of Poutine such as Pad Thai poutine, buttered chicken poutine, and churro poutine. On top of that, you likewise have the opportunity to take part in entertaining events such as face painting, cooking seminars, and poutine eating competitions.
Celebrated in Buñol, a town in Valencia, La Tomatina is undoubtedly among the most famed festivals in Spain. More than 100 metric tons of over-ripe tomatoes are utilized for shelling during this Tomato war that is hailed as the largest food battle in the world. In case you intend to participate in this year’s flavorful insanity, always remember to examine this convenient La Tomatina survival manual.
Salon du Chocolat
The yearly trade fair of the global chocolate industry is something that you should never miss no matter where you are in the world if you’re a serious fan of chocolates that is. Every year, more than half a thousand contestants from 60 different nations (including over 200 celebrated chefs and pâtissiers) participate in the fair. Tourists can opt with chocolate tastings, go to pastry workshops and register in book signings. Aside from displaying chocolate tasters from five continents of the world, the Salon de Chocolat likewise highlights an array of distinctive activities such as chocolate fashion exhibition, chocolate sculpture competition and live performances by cocoa making nations.
Find out the list of Salon du Chocolat events for 2019 here. Aside from the Food Festivals mentioned in this list, you can also consider the World Gourmet Summit in Singapore, Battle of the Oranges in Italy, the Great British Cheese Festival, the Lobster Festival in Main, and the Vegetarian Festival in Thailand.