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The Best Food Festivals in the U.S.

If you count yourself among the many foodies in the U.S., you likely love the idea of planning a trip around a food and wine festival.

Throughout the U.S. there are amazing festivals that give you a taste of all different kinds of fare. Visiting a food festival as an out-of-towner can be one of the best ways to get a feel for an area’s unique culture.

Here are some of the best food and wine fests in the country:

The Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival:

source: miamibeachpropertyblog.com

source: miamibeachpropertyblog.com

 

What could be better than bringing together the Food Network with the beauty and excitement of South Beach? Very few things are going to compare to this experience, at least if you’re a foodie. The primary theme of the fare presented here is Latin and Caribbean, which is a natural fit in the Miami setting. You can also expect to see lots of world-renowned chefs as well as Food Network stars, so it’s perfect if you want to do a little celebrity spotting. It takes place in late February, one of the best times of year to visit Miami.

 

Charleston Food + Wine Festival:

source: postandcourier.com

source: postandcourier.com

Charleston is known for their classic Southern fare and it’s one of the top cities in the world to visit if you love a unique and amazing culinary experience. Charleston has one of the most rapidly growing food scenes in the world, and Conde Nast Traveler named it as one of the best cities in the world to visit.

 

Taste of Chicago

source: huffingtonpost.com

source: huffingtonpost.com

One of the largest food festivals in the world, this summertime Chicago event draws millions of attendees. You’ll have the opportunity to sample food from more than 300 presenters and vendors while you listen to live music and participate in a variety of activities and events within the festival.

 

Austin Food & Wine Festival:

source: caramelizedblog.com

source: caramelizedblog.com

Austin is a culturally rich and diverse city, and that’s represented in the food as well. In the past, the festival has drawn chefs including Andrew Zimmerman and Marcus Samuelsson. The inaugural festival held back in 2012 featured 35 cooking demonstrations along with wine and cocktail seminars. The tasting pavilion including 80 exhibitors, showcasing local and regional restaurants primarily.

 

The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience

source: crushbrew.com

source: crushbrew.com

Get a taste for Cajun cooking and culture at this longstanding festival. You’ll have the opportunity to do everything from browsing local art galleries to having wine as you party in the streets of New Orleans. There’s a big focus on sweet things and deserts at this festival, so it’s perfect for visitors who love to live life on the sweet side.

 

Music City Eats

source: youtube.com

source: youtube.com

Nashville Food, Wine and Spirits Festival: Generally held in September, this festival focuses on farm-to-table The festival was launched by the brothers from the Kings of Leon band so you can expect to hear lots of great music while you sample some of the South’s finest cuisine.

Do you have a favorite U.S. food festival we missed on our list?