Top 15 Delicious Food Festivals Around the World

In my adventures across all seven continents, sampling foods from different countries has become a crucial part of my travel itineraries.

When it comes to tasting the best cuisine across the globe, there’s no better or easier way to try them all than at a food festival.

Visiting food festivals around the world while traveling allows you to taste so much of the country’s top dishes and treats all in one convenient place.

From savory weeks of gastronomic offerings in Buenos Aires and celebrations of classic dishes such as carbonara to unique festivities like a garlic or mango festival, there’s so much food to enjoy and so little time!

If you’re visiting any of the cities or countries listed here, be sure to plan your trip around the food festival for a truly delicious experience.

South America

Buenos Aires, Argentina- Semana de la Gastronomía

Contributed by Carley Rojas Avila from Home to Havana

• Where: Various locations
• When: November

Known as Semana de la Gastronomía Porteña – Buenos Aires’ Gastronomic Week – this food festival allows the city’s best kitchens to provide its unique offerings at budget prices.

Held for just one week in early November, restaurants throughout the city offer special prix fixe menus at fantastic discounts, having enthusiastic diners rush to some of the city’s best places to eat to try the affordable dishes.

Restaurants that participate in the festival create special menus with offers of drinks, hors d’oeuvres, entrees, and desserts all at one price.

While the tendency for festival attendees may be to try out the most popular restaurants in the city, a more adventurous way to enjoy the festival is by examining menus beforehand to try something completely new and different.

Pushing your taste buds is the best way to experience some of Buenos Aires’ best restaurants and dishes on a budget while discovering a new favorite you might not normally eat. It’s also a great time for people to get together and enjoy spending time with one another.

Sampling the delicious fare in Buenos Aires at the Semana de la Gastronomia is an unforgettable experience, one of the most unique things to do in Argentina along with many of the other culinary experiences in the city.

Keep enjoying the tastes of Buenos Aires at the San Telmo market on Sundays, where vendors offer samples of products and you’re never too far from a choripan, Buenos Aires’ favorite street food. 

Bogotá, Colombia- Alimentarte

Contributed by Venaugh

• Where: Parque el Virrey, Bogotá
• When: August

Bogotá, Colombia has many food festivals throughout the year.

One of these is called Alimentarte where over 200 establishments are invited to come together in the open-air park of Parque el Virrey.

The festival takes place over two weekends at the end of August annually. Half of the restaurants are available on the first weekend under one theme, while the rest are there on the second weekend under another theme.

Many food stalls cook on the spot as part of the experience describing the ingredients they are putting in and why. You can even ask to sample the food too. There are also some artisanal stalls.

To buy any products, you must visit the Rappipay tent to purchase a card with your desired amount of money on it. After this, go to any desired stall and buy your food.

Finding seating can be tricky, so it may take some time to find a free spot. When you finally do find a seat, people may ask to share the same table with you.

Overall, it’s a lovely experience and a great way to try different food varieties.

North America

Gilroy, California, USA- Gilroy Garlic Festival

• Where: Christmas Hill Park, Gilroy (US 101, exit Monterey Road)
• When: July

The Gilroy Garlic Festival is an annual three-day celebration of all things garlic, turning the city’s large garlic crops into a national event and drawing visitors from all around the country.

Officially recognized by the Guinness World Records as the World’s Largest Garlic Festival, the tasty event offers a multitude of dishes spiced with the city’s iconic garlic including sandwiches, pasta, stuffed mushrooms, garlic fries, and more.

If there’s one thing every visitor absolutely must try during the festival, it’s the trademark garlic ice cream!

Additional main events within the festival include the Gilroy Garli-Que BBQ challenge and a “Pyro Chef” displays where sizzling dishes are cooked up in flaming style.

Caribbean

Nevis- Nevis Mango Festival

Contributed by Steph & Lewis from Book It Let’s Go!

• Where: Oualie Beach
• When: July

Nevis is the tiny sister island of St. Kitts in the Caribbean and has an exceptional culinary scene.

It also hosts one of the most unique food festivals in the world, the Nevis Mango Festival which is a four-day event celebrating everything that has to do with this amazing fruit.

The reason why it is so spectacular is because the island of Nevis itself is only 36 square miles, yet is home to 44 different varieties of mango.

In order to be close to all of the action, stay at The Hermitage Plantation Inn.

The mango festival is held annually at the beginning of July when mangoes are in season and is a culinary delight.

The festival has different events over the four days featuring demonstrations from celebrity chefs from around the world as well as showcasing the amazing local chefs of Nevis.

All dishes featured for every course and demonstration include Nevis-grown mangoes. These original dishes are made just for the festival and attendees have the rare treat of tasting these once-in-a-lifetime creations.

If you want to try your hand at cooking with mangoes, there is also a mango masterclass for $75 where you can cook along with a local chef and then enjoy your dish at the end.

Grenada- Grenada Chocolate Festival

• Where: Various locations
• When: May

What’s not to love about a chocolate festival?

Known as the Chocolate Island of the Caribbean, Grenada is where chocolate lovers need to visit at least once.

The Grenada Chocolate Festival is a nine-day long cocoa paradise celebrating the country’s tree-to-bar chocolate.

In this comprehensive and sweet festival, you’ll learn everything there is to know about chocolate, from how it’s made ethically to chocolate-making secrets from top chocolatiers.

You’ll be invited to visit and tour a chocolate factory, walk through a cacao forest, and of course to make and taste your own chocolate treats!

Throughout the week, there are chocolate-themed meals as well as cooking classes offered by local chefs.

Europe

London, England- Carbonara Day

Contributed by Jules of Jules’ Trails

• Where: Mudchute Park & Farm
• When: May/June

Carbonara Day in London is more than a celebration of the traditional Italian recipe; it is also a way for the huge community of expats to get together, and for all carbonara lovers to be transported to Rome.

At the festival, some of the best Italian and international chefs in the UK gather to take part in interactive cooking demonstrations where they explore innovative ways to elevate the dish.

Over the course of the two-day festival, you can have fun learning how to cook authentic carbonara (no cream or mushrooms, please), as well as expect to eat some of the best versions of this dish you’ll ever have!

The festival also features a carbonara cooking challenge between special guests from the hospitality industry (food bloggers, journalists, and entrepreneurs). Anticipate lots of passion, jokes, and hand gestures in proper Italian style.

All this is accompanied by live music, an excellent bar, private dining experiences, and Italian food traders that sell all the prime quality ingredients you need to recreate carbonara at home.

Come here with an empty stomach, a blanket to sit on the grass, and be prepared to make friends with the loud group of Italians sitting next to you.

Paris, France- Paris Bread Festival

Contributed by Elisa from World in Paris

• Where: Offices of the bakers’ union in Ile de la Cité (Paris 4)
• When: March/April

The Parisian Baguette Contest is one of the main events of the Paris Bread Festival.

There’s no fixed date for this contest, but it usually takes place around the end of March or the beginning of April.

While most of the Paris Bread Festival events are open to the public, the contest itself takes place in the offices of the bakers’ union in Ile de la Cité (Paris 4).

The contest aims to choose the best Parisian baguette of the year, which needs to follow very strict rules: they must measure 55 to 65 cm, weigh 250 to 300 grams, and have no more than 18 grams per kilo of salt.

This is a tough contest, but the prize is well worth trying: €4000 in cash plus the honor of offering Parisian baguettes to the Elysée Palace (the French President’s official residence) for a year.

After the contest, it’s no surprise that the winner also tends to see an increase in customers as everybody wants to get a taste of the best Parisian baguettes!

Apart from the contest, the Paris Bread Festival is an excellent opportunity to promote French bread amongst both locals and visitors, as well as to try other bread or bread-based products.

Naples, Italy- Pizza Village (Naples Pizza Festival)

• Where: Lungomare Caracciolo
• When: September

The Naples Pizza Village Festival is where you need to go if you love pizza.

Celebrating the iconic Napoli pizza, the biggest pizza festival in Europe hosts up to a half-million visitors and produces over 100,000 pizzas during the event.

During the festival, the event location is known as the greatest pizzeria in the world.

In this pizza paradise, you’ll find pizza of all styles, from classics that are wood-fired to gluten-free and more.

Also included in the event are pizza-making workshops, presentations, activities, live music, and of course, the World Pizza-Making Championship.

While the event itself is free, you can purchase a meal ticket. For just €12, you get to choose a pizza, drink, dessert, and coffee.

Talk about a steal!

Copenhagen, Denmark- Copenhagen Cooking & Food Festival

• Where: Copenhagen
• When: August

The Copenhagen Cooking & Food Festival is a 10-day long event that features all of the best Nordic cuisine has to offer from talents both locally and abroad.

The educational celebration includes no shortage of classes, presentations, and workshops for those in the food industry.

Although the festival is of course meant to be enjoyed through taste, it also aims to increase knowledge while also being a source of inspiration.

Attended by nearly 80,000 guests each year, the festival boasts over 100 events with everything from fine-dining meals to exciting street events.

If all of that isn’t enough to love the Copenhagen Cooking & Food Festival, the festival organizers always make an effort to utilize the large event for good, whether it’s relating to each festival day with of the UN Global Goals or partnering with The Food Organization of Denmark.

Middle East

Dubai- Taste of Dubai Festival

• Where: Dubai Media City Ampitheatre
• When: March

World class celebrity chefs, endless delicious dishes, cooking challenges, and live music– what’s not to love?

Taste of Dubai is a foodie paradise, bringing together the best flavors, restaurants, and chefs from around the globe in what’s known as the world’s greatest restaurant festival.

In addition to enjoying samples from a diverse range of eateries with dishes inspired from different countries, you can learn some new skills by partaking in a cooking class, or just watch the pros in the Chefs’ Theatre.

Africa

Cairo, Egypt- Cairo Bites

• Where: The Family Park, New Cairo
• When: April

Cairo Bites is Egypt’s largest food festival and features all of the best food and beverage establishes across the country.

The two-day event is packed with music, shows, cooking demonstrations, competitions, and plenty of delicious food to try out.

Whether you’re in the mood for pastries and dessert or savory dishes, you’ll be able to find it all here.

You can choose from over 100 different vendors and taste the flavors of both local and regional cuisines.

Join 10,000 other eager visitors in Egypt’s first and biggest foodie feast for a truly scrumptious experience.

Asia

Osaka, Japan- Ramen Expo

• Where: Commemoration Park (Banpakukoen)
• When: December

If you love ramen, then Osaka’s Ramen Expo is the festival for you.

Held over four consecutive weekends throughout December, you can check out up to 40 different ramen vendors from all across the country, all offering their take on the classic savory dish.

The expo allows you to try different regional ramen dishes and flavors all in one place.

Plus, the warm soup will be sure to keep you warm and cozy during the winter food fest!

Singapore- Singapore Food Festival

• Where: Various locations
• When: July

The Singapore Food Festival is one of the biggest culinary events in the country, celebrating the island’s rich culinary cuisines from both traditional dishes to modern interpretations.

The annual festival which has been running for nearly 30 years straight brings together world-renowned Michelin-starred chefs and culinary legends in an array of masterclasses, expositions, food tours, and of course plenty of places to sample Singapore’s finest eats!

Ranging between two weeks to a month, the food fest not only has an overall theme for the year’s event, but there are also weekly themes and highlights such as the 50 Cents Fest.

With several weekend’s worth of opportunities to eat the best foodie treats Singapore has to offer, there’s plenty of time and room for everyone to enjoy it.

Oceania

Adelaide, Australia- Tasting Australia

• Where: Town Square (Victoria Square/Tarntanyannga)
• When: End of April to early May

Tasting Australia is one of the country’s longest-running food and wine festivals, providing over 100 events, exclusive meals, and masterclasses for guests.

The 10-day long festival brings together world-class chefs and sommeliers to host rich, locally-sourced seafood meals, trailblazing plant-based cuisine, and so much more.

Be sure to stop by the Adelaide Central Market where you’ll find free events, activities, showcases, and cooking demonstrations while you shop fresh ingredients for your next meal inspired by Tasting Australia.

Whitianga, New Zealand- Whitianga Scallop Festival

• Where: Whitianga Marina
• When: September

Scallops are a New Zealand staple, so it’s no surprise that there’s an entire food festival dedicated to the versatile seafood.

At the Whitianga Scallop Festival, you’ll find no less than hundreds of different scallop dishes and drink pairings.

From scallop sausages to scallop sushi, there’s no wrong way to enjoy this gem of the sea.

The scrumptious event is a “celebration of Whitianga seafood and marine heritage,” including live music and entertainment such as cooking classes and exhibitions from celebrity chefs.

Throughout the festival, you’ll be able to feast from over 60 vendors all in a single location, and all for under $12 per item.

All guests will receive a free festival glass and for the extremely spirited, there’s even a “Best Dressed” competition!

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