Food festival
Encyclopedia
A food festival is a festival
, usually held annually, that uses food
, often produce
, as its central theme
. "These festivals have always been a means of uniting communities through celebrations of harvests and giving thanks for a plentiful growing season. They can be traced back thousands of years to celebrating the arrival of harvest time, the autumnal equinox, and the honoring of earth gods."
The largest one in the United States
(and the world) is the Taste of Chicago
held in Chicago, Illinois.
and ew Jersey Other festivals include the Gilroy Garlic Festival
in Gilroy, California
; Brentwood Cornfest in Brentwood, California
; Mushroom Festival
s in various locales; the Castroville Artichoke Festival
, in Castroville, California
; the Stockton Asparagus Festival, in Stockton, California
; the Lexington Barbecue Festival
in North Carolina; the Posen Potato Festival
, in Posen, Michigan
; the Norwalk Oyster Festival, in Norwalk, Connecticut
, and the Howell Melon Festival
in Howell, Michigan
, known for electing the Howell Melon Queen.
Increasingly, vegetarian food festivals are becoming some of the largest food celebrations in the country, including Vegfest
in Salt Lake City, Utah
, Seattle, Washington and San Francisco, California
.
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
, usually held annually, that uses food
Food
Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals...
, often produce
Produce
Produce is a generalized term for a group of farm-produced goods and, not limited to fruits and vegetables . More specifically, the term "produce" often implies that the products are fresh and generally in the same state as where they were harvested. In supermarkets the term is also used to refer...
, as its central theme
Theme (literature)
A theme is a broad, message, or moral of a story. The message may be about life, society, or human nature. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas and are almost always implied rather than stated explicitly. Along with plot, character,...
. "These festivals have always been a means of uniting communities through celebrations of harvests and giving thanks for a plentiful growing season. They can be traced back thousands of years to celebrating the arrival of harvest time, the autumnal equinox, and the honoring of earth gods."
The largest one in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(and the world) is the Taste of Chicago
Taste of Chicago
The Taste of Chicago is the world's largest food festival, held annually for ten days in Grant Park, in Chicago starting the Friday before the 4th of July and ending the Sunday after . The event is the largest festival in Chicago...
held in Chicago, Illinois.
Food festivals in the U.S.
There are several Florida food festivalsFlorida food festivals
Florida is host to a wide variety of food festivals.The Sunshine State Steak Cook-Off at Ave Maria, Florida is scheduled for its 2nd year on January, 28th 2012.13th Annual Delray Beach Garlic Fest is Scheduled to take place Feb. 10-12th, 2012....
and ew Jersey Other festivals include the Gilroy Garlic Festival
Gilroy Garlic Festival
The Gilroy Garlic Festival is one of the largest food festivals in the United States, held annually in Gilroy, California on the last full weekend in July at Christmas Hill Park. The 2010 Garlic Festival was held from July 24-26, 2010.-Past festivals:...
in Gilroy, California
Gilroy, California
Gilroy is the southernmost city in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 48,821 at the 2010 census. Gilroy is well-known for its garlic crop and for the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival, featuring various garlicky foods, including garlic ice cream. Gilroy also produces...
; Brentwood Cornfest in Brentwood, California
Brentwood, California
Brentwood is a city in Contra Costa County, California, United States. It is located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population is 51,481 as of 2010....
; Mushroom Festival
Mushroom Festival
There are numerous mushroom food festivals held annually in: Telluride, Colorado; Kennett Square, Pennsylvania; Morel Mushroom Festival held in Harrison, Michigan and Boyne City, Michigan, and the Mushroom Mardi Gras Festival held in Morgan Hill, California....
s in various locales; the Castroville Artichoke Festival
Castroville Artichoke Festival
Castroville Artichoke Festival is a food festival held annually in Castroville, a town in Monterey County of the US State of California. The city itself is called the "Artichoke Center of the World". Castroville Artichoke Festival 2009 marks the 50th anniversary of this celebration.Since 1920s,...
, in Castroville, California
Castroville, California
Castroville is a census-designated place in Monterey County, California, United States. Castroville is located northwest of Salinas, at an elevation of 23 feet . The population was 6,481 at the 2010 census, down from 6,724 at the 2000 census. Castroville calls itself "Artichoke Center of the...
; the Stockton Asparagus Festival, in Stockton, California
Stockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
; the Lexington Barbecue Festival
Lexington Barbecue Festival
The Lexington Barbecue Festival is a one-day food festival held each October in Lexington, North Carolina, a city that calls itself the "Barbecue Capital of the World." Each year it attracts as many as 160,000 visitors to the uptown Lexington area to sample the different foods from up to 20...
in North Carolina; the Posen Potato Festival
Posen Potato Festival
The Posen Potato Festival is a food festival held annually in Posen, a village in Presque Isle County of the U.S. state of Michigan. The Posen Potato Festival has been an annual event for over 50 years...
, in Posen, Michigan
Posen, Michigan
Posen is a village in Presque Isle County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 292. The village is located within Posen Township....
; the Norwalk Oyster Festival, in Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
, and the Howell Melon Festival
Howell Melon Festival
The Howell Melon Festival is a food festival held in mid-August which showcases the Howell melon, a cantaloupe hybrid claimed to be found only in the area surrounding Howell, Michigan. The first Howell Melon Festival was held in 1960...
in Howell, Michigan
Howell, Michigan
Howell is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 9,489. It is the county seat of Livingston County and is located mostly within Howell Township, but is politically independent from Howell Township...
, known for electing the Howell Melon Queen.
Increasingly, vegetarian food festivals are becoming some of the largest food celebrations in the country, including Vegfest
Vegfest
Vegfest is an annual vegetarian food festival held in numerous locations around the world including Seattle, Portland, Detroit, Salt Lake City, Boston, New York, Washington, DC, Jacksonville, Florida, Tampere and similar events in San Francisco, Toronto and Ottawa...
in Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, Seattle, Washington and San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.