Planning a trip includes sampling great food, and we are sharing some of the top Food Festivals in the United States. This list, from our friends at Livability, includes a bit of the weird and wacky stuff to sample like the Moonpie Festival, and elegant selections like the Oregon Truffle Festival.
Among the selections on the list of Food Festivals in the Midwest and Southern areas are:
In Newark, Ohio you can join the Tomato Festival, which has deep roots in nearby Reynoldsville. Proclaimed the birthplace of the commercial tomato, Newark has honored its famous export with its own festival for the past 45 years. Thousands of visitors flock to the festival to enjoy contests, arts and crafts, live music, and the crowning of the Tomato Festival Queen and Little Princess.
Celebrate some Southern comfort at the International Biscuit Festival in Knoxville, TN. With only two celebrations under its belt, the festival managed to draw almost 20,000 biscuit fanatics in 2010. For three days, festival-goers enjoy live music, vendors, a biscuit bake-off and the naming of Miss Biscuit.
Also in Tennessee is the RC and Moonpie Festival in Shelbyville that is held in honor of two of the South's claim to foodie fame – RC Cola and Moonpie. This festival features a day full of country and bluegrass music, a parade, clog dancers, Moonpie games, and crafts.
In Tupelo, Mississippi you can enjoy the burgers at the Dudie Burger Festival, which is only experienced one weekend a year in May. The famous Dudie Burgers are a mix of meat, flour and water first introduced during World War II when many items were being rationed. For years, Dudie's Diner streetcar operated from the corner of South Gloster and Carnation streets. Today the car is parked at the Oren Dunn Museum, which sponsors the festival each year and invites you to join in the Dudie Burger experience.
As our travels take us westward, we discover the Loaf 'N Jug Chile & Frijoles Festival in Pueblo, Colorado. The three-day event celebrates two of Pueblo's most famous Southwestern staples – Pueblo green chiles and frijoles. This event heats up every September with music, arts and crafts, cooking and eating competitions, and a 5K run.
The small-town Muskogee, Oklahoma is the hometown of the Soul Food Cook-Off. Now operating on a national level with cook-off's held throughout the country, the competition's primary goal remains to highlight some of the nation's most deserving cooks: the ones who operate solely from a home kitchen.
For ribs done right, head to Fargo, North Dakota for the annual Happy Harry's RibFest. With an array of ribs and barbecue from restaurants all over the country, a riblet fest, and lunch, you're sure to leave this 'fest satisfied. National bands take the stage to entertain and Games Galore run throughout the day.
Cruise on over to Provo, Utah to join the Gingerbread House Festival, which kicks off the Christmas season with the Gingerbread House Festival. For three days, guests can enjoy music, dancing, and all the gingerbread houses you can handle. All proceeds from the event go to benefit the Learning for Life character education in schools and the Utah PTA Arts Education Fund.
Adding a little elegance to any meal is the truffle that is honored at the Oregon Truffle Festival in Eugene that takes place for three days in January. The festival is for serious foodies and features big continental breakfasts, winery luncheons, truffle dog training, and culminates in the Grand Truffle Dinner.
By Melody Schubert
Plan Your Trip:
To learn more about these festivals and cities, visit the Livability website or see the local convention and visitor's bureau's for regional festival schedules.