Fall is harvest season. That means it’s a great time to hit up food and drink festivals across America. Fresh crops are filling up farmer’s markets and brews are ready to be tapped. All across the country there are festivals popping up — temporary temples to all that amazing food and tasty tipple. It’s also that time of year when the weather’s a little cooler and the food a little heftier. The perfect time to bulk up for that long and cold winter.
We’ve assembled a list of some of the best food and drink festivals happening around the country this month. They’re sure to tempt your senses, fill your stomachs, and maybe get you a little tipsy along the way. Let’s dive in!
BEIGNET FEST NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA — October 7th
The beignet is the cornerstone of NOLA’s culinary scene. It’s a dollop of fried dough dusted with powdered sugar. It’s simple, delicate, and delicious. So, it’s not surprising beignet lovers created a the Beignet Fest to celebrate this great confection.
From ten AM to six PM this Saturday, food and drink vendors will line up at the New Orleans City Park Festival Grounds to celebrate all things beignet — along with other great New Orlean’s staples and plenty of drinks.
CRANBERRY FEST EAGLE RIVER, WISCONSIN — October 7th & 8th
Autumn and the coming of Thanksgiving means it’s cranberry season. Up in Wisconsin the town of Eagle River celebrates their cranberry harvest with a long weekend of marsh tours, farmer’s markets, fun runs, and events that highlight all things cranberry.
It’s small-town America at its most fun and tart.
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NEW YORK CITY FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL, NEW YORK — October 12th-15th
On the other end of the spectrum from quaint Wisconsin towns comes the New York City Food and Wine Festival. The fest is three days of all the food and drinks you can imagine. There are still plenty of tickets available for events ranging from wine tastings with Italian experts to a food exploration with Andrew Zimmern. Tickets start at around $95 and top out around $400. Be warned, some of the big-ticket events with mega-celebrity chefs are already sold out.
FALL FOR GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA — October 13th-15th
Greenville, South Carolina hosts three days of food, beer, wine, and bacchanal on their streets every October. Over 40 local restaurants take to the streets to serve up their best menu items while the beer taps flow and wine bottles get corked. It’s a feast for the senses and a must visit for any hungry food traveler.
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HOOD RIVER VALLEY HARVEST FESTIVAL, OREGON — October 13th-15th
Hood River is in a prime spot between the vast agricultural lands of Washington and Oregon. So harvest time is a big affair for the small hamlet on the Columbia River. The town welcomes 120 vendors selling locally grown vegetables and fruits alongside plenty of microbrews, local wine and ciders, and arts and crafts. It’s a local celebration of the bounty of food and drinks that corner of America produces so well.
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OYSTER FEST WELLFLEET, MASSACHUSETTS — October 14th-15th
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Our love of oysters at Uproxx is widely known, so we have to include this great fest up in Massachusetts where our favorite mollusk takes center stage. Wellfleet SPAT started off in 2002 as a way to highlight the great shellfish that forms the economic backbone of the local community and maintaining that economy’s sustainability. The Oyster Fest lasts for two days and includes oyster shucking contests, plenty of delicious seafood from local chefs, local brews, and fun and games for the whole family.
CORNBREAD FESTIVAL LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS — October 21st
Get those cast iron skillets ready. For one Saturday this month, Little Rock will celebrate all things cornbread. The Cornbread Festival is a bit like an over-sized street party. There are local food vendors, plenty of beer, events for your dogs, rides for the kids, and a lot of cornbread. If you want to be a cornbread taster, you’ll have to snag a $10 ticket in advance. May all your cornbread dreams come true.
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HAWAII FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL — October 20th to November 5th
This is the longest festival on the lists. The two-week run time means you can still book a ticket to Hawaii right now and make it in time to enjoy some amazing food and wine while the warm sand of Hawaii’s beaches massages your toes. Like New York’s fest, HFFW has tons of events worth attending across Maui (Oct. 20th-22nd), the Big Island (October 28th), and Oahu (November 1st-5th). Tickets run as much as $300 per event.
SOUTH SOUND CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL TACOMA, WASHINGTON — October 28th
Washington Beer has good reason to celebrate their old-school microbrewing culture. There are some great beers being brewed in the Pacific Northwest and autumn is the perfect time to celebrate those beers (and maybe introduce yourself to something new). The Fest takes place over one day in downtown Tacoma and features 35 local breweries offering 150 beers on tap. Tickets are $25 at the door ($5 for designated drivers). That admission gets you six tastes with each additional taste costing $2.
PUMPKIN FESTIVAL KEENE, NEW HAMPSHIRE — October 29th
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Keene is the quintessential New England small town. It’s redbrick main street is turned into a massive pumpkin patch for their annual Pumpkin Festival. The festivities include pumpkin rolls, local food, and plenty of beer from local vendors. There’s even a trick-or-treat event for the kids. The whole town tends to come out and celebrate all things pumpkins which all culminates in a giant pumpkin tower of Jack-O-Lanterns as the sun sets.
