The range of fresh produce and culinary styles from the different corners of the USA mean the variety of food festivals which take place each year are outstanding. Explore the Jewish heritage of America by visiting the Bagelfest held in small Illinois town Mattoon, or appreciate the country's Polish roots with the celebrated Pierogi Fest in Whiting, Indiana. Or, if you have a love for southern barbecue, you can't miss Lexington's epic Barbecue Festival or the National Shrimp Festival in coastal Alabama. Wherever you choose to visit, come with an empty stomach and get ready to renew your appreciation of the incredible culinary traditions of America.
Mattoon Bagelfest
Bagel lovers, unite! Mattoon Bagelfest is a quirky food festival held in the small city of Mattoon, Illinois, that celebrates the art of bagel making. Every July, a foodie weekend of celebration fills the city, where as well as ample bagels for tasting, you can find local craft beer and a vibrant street festival with plenty of live music. It even attracts nationally renowned musicians - in 2018, Grammy Award winning band Diamond Rio performed, so you can be sure your trip to the festival will have an epic soundtrack. There are even quirky side events like a Miss Bagel beauty pageant and a 10 or 5 km run. Make sure you arrive early for the events on Saturday - there's an annual Bagelfest Parade held at 10.30am which winds around 21st and Western Avenue to 1st Street, and is an experience you won't forget.
The Barbecue Festival (October 24, 2020)
Every October is Barbecue month in North Carolina, and nowhere celebrates it more than the city of Lexington. At the end of the month, the occasion is celebrated with a one-day barbecue extravaganza which takes over the town. Roam around the foodie city and barbecue capital of the world, and you'll find an incredible number of street food stalls dedicated to the craft. Attracting more than 160, 000 visitors each year, you can try all of the state's distinctive styles of barbecue here; from the Lexington style, where a vinegar based sauce is used to douse the pork shoulder section before it's lovingly smoked, or the Eastern style, where the flavouring is kept light to draw attention to the natural flavour of the pork, and the hickory infused from the smoking process. As well as food, explore the many crafts vendors and listen to live music.
Pierogi Fest (24 - 26 July 2020)
Near to Lake Michigan, the small town of Whiting celebrates its Polish heritage every July with a pierogi themed festival that takes over the whole town. More than 250, 000 visitors flood into the Northwest Indiana town, where downtown roads are only open to foot traffic, so people can most easily access the mouth-watering wares on sale. Don't miss the pierogi (Polish dumplings), kielbasa (caraway flavoured smoked sausage) and sauerkraut (fermented cabbage pickle) on sale. When you've no more room, enjoy the live music and carnival rides, and don't miss witnessing the pierogi eating competitions and the annual auspicious crowning of "Mr Pierogi."
Gilroy Garlic Festival
The Californian town of Gilroy dedicates itself to everyone's favourite delicious but pungent herb every July. You'll want to head straight for Gourmet Alley, where you'll see the awe-inspiring sight of their annual resident "Pyro chefs" who use flames to create a spectacular show, while cooking up a whole bunch of garlic themed goodies. Make sure you try their garlic shrimp, pepper steak sandwiches and pasta con pesto. After that, explore the festival and its many quirky offerings, from the Miss Gilroy Garlic Festival pageant to the Great Garlic Cook Off.
Annual National Shrimp Festival
For a festival in the great outdoors, you can't do much better than the Annual National Shrimp Festival on the beautiful beaches of coastal Alabama. Every October, a food boardwalk of sorts is set up, and a myriad of stalls serve up freshly caught shrimp in every way imaginable. As well as that, you can try locally made crab cakes and conch fritters, as well as succulent lobster and the infamous Cajun pistols - crawfish stuffed fritters. When you've finished your taste test, enjoy watching cooking demos, live music and see their annual Restaurant Challenge, where Alabama's finest chefs compete for a place at the World Food Championship.