When: July
You can’t go there without trying: Deep-dish pizza and Eli’s Cheesecake
This is it people: the world’s largest food festival. This five-day feast attracts more than 2 million hungry visitors every year, and you can expect to find just about every cuisine under the sun to satisfy your appetite. Get planning!
2. Bacon Fest, Sacramento, California, USA
When: January
You can’t go there without trying: Bacon
You read correctly – this is a festival allllll about bacon. Bacon Fest is a week-long celebration at the end of January that features savoury treats from more than 100 local restaurants and organically fed hogs (factory-farmed animals aren’t allowed). There’s bacon gelato, bacon salad, bacon ramen, bacon tater tots… you get the gist.
3. PoutineFest, Ottawa, Canada
When: May
You can’t go there without trying: Butter chicken poutine
If you don’t know what poutine is, let me take you on the journey. Picture fries, then add gravy (a lot) and cheese curd. What you have is poutine and it’s a concoction that’s close to heaven. If you’re a fan of the bacon festival above, Poutine Fest also does deep-fried bacon-wrapped poutine *heart palpitates*. Cholesterol never tasted so good.
When: June
You can’t go there without trying: Traditional margherita
We don’t think you need convincing on this one. For one week, the town of Lungomare Caracciolo turns into a pizza village, and 500,000 people come to eat more than 100,000 pizzas (in total – not each). Make sure you watch the World Pizza-Making Championships to see who gets crowned World’s Best Pizzaiolo. When in Naples… 😉
5. Salon du Chocolat, Paris, France
When: October/November
You can’t go there without trying: Benoit Chocolats
One of the best chocolate festivals around, the Salon du Chocolat runs over five days at the end of Oct oberand takes up 20,000 square metres of exhibition space (which equals a LOT of chocolate ???). Activities include chocolate tastings, chocolate workshops, children’s (chocolate) events, and eating LOTS and LOTS of chocolate.
Oh, did we mention chocolate?
When: September
You can’t go there without trying: Roasted suckling pig from Boca Singapore
A globally recognised gastronomic event, you’ll be rubbing shoulders with fine-dining enthusiasts from around the world (so make sure you remember your table manners 😉 ). Featuring a mix of local talent and international Michelin-starred chefs, you’ll be able to sample a wide variety of cuisines. Make sure you attend the culinary masterclasses and gourmet safaris too – you might even come back a pro yourself!
When: November
You can’t go there without trying: To distil your own gin at Archie Rose Distilling Co
Taste Festivals run in 22 different cities around the world,and we couldn’t resist picking a homegrown one to end on. Taste of Melbourne runs over four days in the Melbourne Cricket Ground’s Yarra Park, and it’s a feast for all kinds of foodies. With the city’s best cooks, chefs, and food, beer and wine producers all showing off their wares, you won’t be able to go back to ham sandwiches for lunch ever again.
