Food is sometimes an afterthought at festivals, taking a back seat to the big headline acts and whatever’s on offer at the bar. But that's not the case with these fun, food-filled events, which are firmly focused on edible delights. From fiestas celebrating culinary traditions to wonderfully specific showcases of ingredients such as strawberries and catfish, we've hunted down the best food festivals in every US state, counting down to the most fabulous of all.

Click or scroll through our gallery to discover our ranking of America’s greatest food festivals – how many have you heard of?

We've based our ranking on the popularity of each festival in its place of origin and beyond, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.

You can be sure that pretty much everyone has been drinking the Kool-Aid at this festival, which takes place over an August weekend at Hastings’ Adams County Fairgrounds. The drink was first made here, so a festival dedicated to it isn’t as random as it might seem. There are many different flavours of the drink you can devour, as well as a range of dishes infused with it. Kool-Aid Days has entertainment including a parade of colourful floats, a fun run and a competition to see who can consume the most Kool-Aid.

Belzoni claims to be the catfish capital of the world, and who are we to argue? The city takes the role seriously, with a museum celebrating the whiskered fish and a 40ft (12m) tall sculpture known as King Cat. For one day each April, the city's catfish love steps up a gear for the World Catfish Festival. Delta blues musicians provide the soundtrack – and other entertainment includes a Miss Catfish pageant.

A competition to shuck the most oysters (the process of opening the shell to reveal the meat inside) is a highlight of Maryland’s U.S. Oyster Fest, held over the third weekend in October in St. Mary’s County. The National Oyster Shucking Championships (pictured) is part of the entertainment on offer, although there’s also an oyster cook-off, a music pavilion showcasing local performers and scavenger hunts.

If there's one thing you need to know about Little Rock, it's that residents take their cheese dip very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that the city has an entire festival dedicated to the dish, which holds a special place in Arkansas' food culture and was apparently invented there in 1935. The World Cheese Dip Championship, traditionally held every autumn, brings together amateur and professional chefs to compete in creating the best cheese dip.

Vampires beware – this may not be the food festival for you. Bethlehem’s annual Garlic & Harvest Festival, held over two days in October, celebrates the hero ingredient with a mix of educational fun and tasty events. There are seminars on garlic, including tips on how to grow your own crops, as well as cooking demonstrations and garlic-infused dishes like pizza, handmade sausages and ice cream to try. There are family-friendly rides, live music and stalls manned by regional garlic farmers, too.

The small town of Bridgeville is known for growing apples and making scrapple – scraps of pork meat stewed with cornmeal and shaped into loaves, which are then sliced and fried. The dish is much tastier than it sounds, which is just as well for those attending the Apple-Scrapple Festival because it really is the main event. For two days each October, people can try scrapple sandwiches and apple fritters while enjoying craft demonstrations, car shows and live music.

In Emmett, mid-June brings four days of celebrations all about cherries. The Emmett Cherry Festival draws people from all over the state and further afield with its fruity harvest and all kinds of food and fun connected to it. It’s been running since the 1930s, and its old-fashioned style is part of the charm. Expect activities such as pie eating contests, fancy dress galas, carnival rides and a cherry pit spit – where people compete to spit the stones out the furthest.

For more than 50 years this volunteer-driven event has been a tradition on the beautiful beaches of coastal Alabama, taking the state’s love of shrimp to new levels. Of course, the focus is on the Gulf Coast’s abundant seafood, with a variety of stalls and trucks from restaurants across the region serving up their best efforts, from shrimp tacos and salads to fully loaded subs and even nachos (pictured). There’s also live music, arts and crafts and loads of fun family events. The four-day festival is held every October and always draws huge crowds.

Alfresco Twin Cities Veg Fest takes over Harriet Island Regional Park in Saint Paul for one Sunday each September, and the location alone – a gorgeous green space by the Mississippi River with views across to Minneapolis – makes it worth attending. There’s also some wonderful food on offer, with a mix of stalls and cooking demonstrations that all use plant-based ingredients.

Huckleberries are only found in certain areas of the country, and Trout Creek is one of them. It hosts the three-day annual Huckleberry Festival, which started in 1980 and is held on the second weekend of August – and it continues to focus on artisan produce featuring the berries, with plenty of jams, pies and other sweet treats to try. You can watch a pie-eating contest or see which huckleberry dessert wins top prize.

Held in May each year, ending on Memorial Day, the Kodiak Crab Festival has been going since 1958. Back then, it was known as the 'King Crab Festival' and its purpose was to market the crustacean to the masses. Now, it encompasses all species of crab and is loved as a celebration of the end of winter, with buckets of delicious seafood on offer alongside other treats like the hugely popular Bruin Burgers, made with minced beef and cheese, wrapped in dough and deep fried.

Found on breakfast menus around the US, and particularly delicious when served with grilled prawns Louisiana-style, grits are synonymous with Southern cuisine. Made by boiling coarsely ground corn kernels with water or milk, they’re an acquired taste, but loved in the tiny South Carolina town of St George, where people honour them annually over an April weekend. The World Grits Festival has grits in every guise, plus parades, live music, a 'rolling in the grits' contest and a race to husk the most corn (pictured).

South Dakota may not be as synonymous with potatoes as Idaho, but the city of Clark is also surrounded by prolific tuber growers. Held over three days in August, the Potato Days festival makes the humble spud the star of the show, with local residents and chefs bringing along their best efforts to compete for honours like best potato dish or best decorated potato. The entertainment includes movie screenings, a potato-themed parade and mashed potato wrestling.

Rib connoisseurs and cooks gather at Happy Harry’s Ribfest for a three-day feast each June, whether they’re competing to win the prize for best ribs or just fancy nibbling on some of the stickiest, tenderest and tastiest finger-lickin' food around. Aside from the stalls serving ribs (plus other meaty treats like brisket and burnt ends), there’s live music, games and even a Riblet Fest aimed at younger attendees.

The culinary offerings of mountain resort Jackson Hole are celebrated with two annual gatherings: a Summer Festival in June and a Winter Fest in March. The summer weekend has a range of events including Taste of Jackson Hole – an upscale festival with signature dishes prepared by top chefs and paired with wines, beers and spirits, all served on the mountaintop. It’s a memorable experience.

Lexington’s Main Street is transformed into a street party on the Sunday of July 4th weekend. Freedom Food Festival is a fundraising event that pairs local celebrity chefs and restaurants with non-profit organisations based in the city, each hosting a food tent with outdoor tables. Admission is free, with plenty of food and drink available to purchase from stalls, restaurants and bars along the street. People can also pre-purchase meal tickets and reserve tables.

This free festival, held over a weekend in October, is run by the Boston Vegetarian Society and, as the name suggests, is all about plant-based eating. Boston Veg Food Fest is 100% vegan, from the free food samples and dishes on offer to the fashion and lifestyle products on sale. It’s a fun event, with kids’ activities, cooking demonstrations and inspiring speakers.

This wildly popular event is dedicated to a single sandwich. The spiedie (pronounced 'speedy') is a local delicacy, and a huge part of the culinary culture of this corner of upstate New York. Invented in the 1920s, it consists of skewered cubes of meat, which are marinated before being chargrilled and served in a hoagie. The annual Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally has been held in Binghamton each August since 1983. This lively community gathering now attracts more than 100,000 people from across the country, and features hot air balloons, live music and a variety of spiedie sandwiches cooked and sold by local vendors.

First held in 1895, the Taste of Colorado festival was discontinued in 1902 and not restarted until 1983, but now it’s a popular event in Denver. The city’s walkable downtown is transformed during the September weekend, with families and groups of all ages enjoying live music, kids’ entertainment and, of course, plenty of lovely food, served up by 50-plus local restaurants and trucks.

The US has a rich heritage of Asian communities, and this festival celebrates them and their culinary traditions. Food is the primary focus at the two-day May festival, with vendors cooking up dishes and delicacies from a variety of countries including India, Korea, Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam. It's also the place to learn about the heritage and culture of those countries with live music, family activities, talks and demonstrations.

This annual event highlights the restaurants and bars of Salt Lake City, with samples of their seasonal food and drink dished out across two days in September. Venues around the city also offer specials during the festival, while boutique wineries, local breweries and distilleries come together for tasting events. With all proceeds going to local non-profits, Eat Drink SLC is hugely popular and sells out fast – mainly because there’s so much delicious fare on offer.

Established in 1979, West Point’s Sweet Corn Festival is all about that most popular of street foods (and the one that tends to attract the longest queues at festivals and food markets around the country). There’s no fear of elote (Mexican street corn) or corn on the cob running out here, with several tonnes of corn grilled, smoked or tossed into a variety of delicious dishes. The one-day festival in August coincides with harvest season and includes a themed parade, 5K race, concert, street party and car show. 

Shelburne Farms is the venue for this wonderful celebration of all things cheese. Meandering back from the shoreline of Lake Champlain, the working farm and non-profit organisation brings together around 50 cheesemakers for the Vermont Cheesemakers Festival. People can try samples, eat cheesy dishes, sip wine and buy cheese to take home.

Pierogi Fest highlights and celebrates Whiting’s Polish heritage, and there's a big focus on the cuisine's iconic potato dumplings. These delicious filled parcels are served up in a variety of tasty ways and are undoubtedly a huge part of what draws hundreds of thousands of people over three days each July. The festive atmosphere includes live music, traditional dancing across several stages, a pierogi toss and a polka parade.

The Bluegrass & BBQ Festival takes over Silver Dollar City amusement park for the majority of May, bringing together two big American favourites. There’s every type of barbecue on offer, from brisket to slow-cooked ribs, along with hundreds of sauces to sample, and a toe-tapping soundtrack of bluegrass music performed by more than 50 bands from the state and further afield.

Take 3,000lbs (1,361kg) of calamari, mix in thousands of people, sprinkle in some music and a good dash of party spirit, and you have this unique festival. The Rhode Island Calamari Festival takes place on the first Saturday after Labor Day (in September) and is an enthusiastic celebration of the official state appetiser. The resort town of Narragansett is home to the second largest fishing fleet in New England and is a lovely setting for a day of calamari feasting.

The Taste of Chicago festival was established in 1980 to showcase the city’s considerable culinary scene and has become so popular over the years that it's now held over three consecutive Saturdays in different neighbourhoods, followed by a three-day event in central Grant Park. Typically held in late summer, the festival has all kinds of food on offer, from Midwest classics and deep-dish pizzas to edgy cuisine cooked by some of the city’s best chefs. The entertainment is top-notch too, with music from local and national acts.

Claiming to be the first-ever taco festival when it launched in 2009, this festival is heaven for taco fans. Arizona Taco Fest hasn’t run for the last couple of years, but happily is coming back with a bang in October 2024 at the new location of Salt River Fields in Scottsdale. Over two days, attendees can buy bargain tacos with all kinds of toppings. Not only that, but they can watch – or even participate in – chilli pepper eating contests, and there's also lucha libre wrestling (free wrestling) and a chihuahua beauty pageant.

Five days at the end of September are dedicated to the Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta, which brings together red and green New Mexico Hatch chile peppers with red and white wines – possibly the odd rosé and fizz, too. Wineries from around the US bring their vintages to pair with food prepared by chefs from local restaurants, with the dishes showcasing the potential and diversity of the chiles. There are film screenings, food and wine seminars, luxury meals and an epic grand tasting.

There ain’t no party like a poutine party. The Cheese Curd Festival, held over a weekend in June, shines a spotlight on one of Wisconsin’s specialties in the most delicious way. Ellsworth dubs itself the 'Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin', and the gathering celebrates its long heritage of cheesemaking, with a variety of dishes made with squeaky white curds – from cheese curd–topped fries to cubes dusted in cinnamon sugar for a surprisingly sweet treat. There's also wine, beer, music and a cheese curd eating contest.

Always held in early October, the Powder Keg Festival is an excuse to eat delicious chilli, drink lots of craft brews and have a good party. As a goodbye to summer and ushering in the autumn, the festival gives people the chance to sample around 200 beers, ciders and hard seltzers from around the state and beyond. Food-wise, local restaurants, artisans and street food vendors come together to create all kinds of delicious and unique chilli dishes, as well as gourmet fast food and sweet treats.

West Virginia has some niche food festivals, honouring produce from black walnuts to maple syrup. The West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival is a real favourite, held on Labor Day weekend in Clarksburg. It celebrates the rich Italian heritage of the area, particularly the food, with Italian American cuisine and drinks. Expect pizza, pasta, fritti – deep-fried doughnuts (pictured) – and official state food, the pepperoni roll.

This fun foodie festival has become a finger-lickin' favourite since it started in 2002, inspired by a fictional festival with the same name in Bill Murray's movie Osmosis Jones. Held on Labor Day weekend in early September, The National Buffalo Wing Festival attracts people who want to celebrate the ubiquitous bar snack and, of course, eat lots of it. There are eating contests, innovative takes on classic wings (with every dressing you could possibly imagine) and live music.

New Jersey’s shores are showcased in a different way at this seafood festival, which has been held as an end of summer gathering since 1975. People come to feast on seafood dishes, with restaurants and food trucks serving crab cakes, paella, lobster and prawn skewers. The location is in downtown Point Pleasant, which is right by the boardwalk, and local musicians provide the soundtrack.

Traverse City is dubbed the cherry capital of the world, which explains why this is where the National Cherry Festival is held each July. More than half a million people come for the week-long festivities, with events including parades, picnics and pancake breakfasts (with some pretty impressive flipping). The festival, which has been running since 1926, attracts big-name musicians too, with Nelly and Sheryl Crow among the previous headliners.

Who could resist a festival dedicated to pickles? Even if you’re not a vinegar fan, this fun event slices straight to the heart of Pittsburgh’s culinary scene. Based on the city’s rich history of pickles, Picklesburgh is held over a July weekend and sponsored by Kraft Heinz, whose giant dill pickle (pictured) is an icon of the festival. It’s a joyous event with live music, a pickle juice drinking contest and the chance to sample pickles 'naked' or in a variety of dishes.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when food trucks became so ubiquitous in the US, but they’re now central to the food scenes of most cities. This fun festival in downtown Chickasha brings some of Oklahoma’s finest trucks together in an epic annual competition. The Oklahoma Food Truck Championship is held on one Saturday in October, with trucks competing to be named the best. Aside from the top prize, there are also additional categories, including most creative and fan favourite.

Proving Oregon has a rich culinary scene beyond the restaurants of Portland, Bounty of Yamhill County is one of the most beautiful festivals in the country. Nestled in the Willamette Valley, it's known for its wine (particularly Pinot Noir), and it’s just a short drive from Portland, yet a completely different vibe. Sip wines and savour delicious foods with picnics, lazy lunches and wine-pairing dinners surrounded by vines. The event is held over an August weekend and has guided hikes and yoga on offer.

Fiesta Topeka is a fun, flavour-packed celebration of Mexican traditions and cuisine that's been bringing the party spirit to Kansas every July since 1933. Among the festivities, which take place over five days, there's a parade, a golf tournament, a fun run, and plenty of music and dancing – and at 4pm every day, the food goes on sale. Expect the likes of tamales, enchiladas, burritos, tostadas and tacos, all prepared to authentic recipes by parishioners of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.

Pretty much every Florida eatery, from roadside diners to high-end restaurants, has its own spin on creamy and zesty Key lime pie – and this four-day summer fiesta pays homage to the citrus dessert. Key lime pie is celebrated in all shapes and sizes, from simple triangles topped with cream to huge wedges crowned with meringue, and festivities kick off with an attempt to drop a huge pie to the ground from Key West Lighthouse without damaging it. Expect Key lime cocktails, chef-hosted dinners, pie crawls and scavenger hunts.

A street party dedicated to a sandwich? This could only happen in New Orleans, a city where food, music and festivities are part of everyday life. The Big Easy has around 130 annual festivals, and the Oak Street Po-Boy Festival is a favourite with locals, attracting over 50,000 visitors at last count. The po-boy, a sub-style sandwich invented in the city, is the star of the November event, with varieties prepared by top chefs and stuffed with anything from catfish to lobster. Live music completes the experience.

Near Olympic National Park and Dungeness Spit, after which the famous Dungeness crab is named, this is one of the biggest seafood festivals in the country. Seafood doesn’t come much fresher than this, with the crab freshly caught in local waters and prepared to perfection in a variety of dishes. The scenic waterfront setting, along with live music, add to the festive atmosphere. Held on the second weekend in October, the festival is free to attend.

If anywhere was going to host a huge celebration of finger-lickin’ chicken, it had to be Kentucky’s Laurel County, which is home to Colonel Sanders’ first KFC restaurant. Founded in 1990, the World Chicken Festival stretches over four days in September and is one of the state’s biggest events. Aside from plenty of chicken on offer – much of it fried in the world’s largest stainless-steel skillet – the fun includes rides, music and a Colonel Sanders lookalike contest.

Maine has some fabulous food-fuelled festivals, but Maine Lobster Festival, focused on the world-renowned regional seafood, is undoubtedly the biggest. Tens of thousands of people come to sample some of the best lobster found anywhere, with dishes prepared by local chefs – including lobster rolls drenched in melted butter. The festival, held during the first weekend in August, also has live music, the crowning of the Marine Sea Goddess pageant and a race over lobster crates (pictured).

It turns out that chilli pairs wonderfully with bluegrass music, which is why Atlanta’s annual Chomp & Stomp festival brings them together each November. The one-day event has stall after stall spooning out bowls of chilli, plus bars and plenty of live bluegrass music. It kicks off with a 5K run (or walk, if you prefer) for those who want to really earn a day of chilli eating, but the highlight is the big cook-off, with both individual and restaurant winners crowned for the best meat-based and vegetarian versions.

The Hawaii Food & Wine Festival, founded by two top Hawaiian chefs, started as a three-day event in Honolulu and has grown to a culinary and cultural celebration that's held across the state for several weeks, typically from October. It’s all about local and regional ingredients and recipes, with chefs showcasing typical Hawaiian cuisine. Expect upscale chef’s table dinners, street food stalls, wine tastings, cocktails and even a golf tournament.

Launched in 2012, the fun Great American Foodie Fest showcases the best of Nevada’s food scene while also bringing in renowned chefs from around the US. The festival, which takes place in Henderson in April and Las Vegas in the autumn each year, is a huge affair and celebrates some of the country’s top culinary talent, from restaurateurs to food truck owners. Expect street food, fine-dining dishes, a beer garden, carnival rides and games, and an eating contest.

Don’t expect to find Memphis-style ribs or saucy Kansas City barbecue at this annual October pig out. The one-day Barbecue Festival in Lexington is all about the legendary local style – the highlight of which is pork shoulder cooked long and slow, basted with a vinegar, salt and pepper sauce (or 'dip'), and served chopped and doused with more sauce. People come for the meat, but there’s also a wine garden, live music and entertainment including pig racing.

Dedicated carnivores from all over the world flock to Kansas City every autumn for a barbecue experience like no other. This five-day event is the world's largest barbecue competition, with more than 500 teams and 50,000 spectators coming each year to cook and feast on the most delicious smoked meats. While the contest is the main draw, there are also hoedowns, rodeos, live music performances and all kinds of quirky events, including BBQ sauce wrestling.

This sunny four-day fiesta started in 1997, growing from a simple wine-tasting festival to a star-studded event where celebrity chefs and hungry revellers from around the US descend on Miami every February. These days, SOBEWFF (as it's known) is so massive that events span several neighbourhoods, though many of the biggest ones still happen in South Beach and its general vicinity. Highlights include the always popular Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives live show, hosted by Guy Fieri, burger battles, cocktail-making classes and late-night street food.

California has many food-themed festivals to reflect its abundance of produce, and this berry-themed event is one of the state’s most beloved. First held in 1984, it takes place every May to celebrate Ventura’s strawberry harvest, offering two days of strawberry-themed treats, carnival rides and entertainment. Expect to find everything from strawberry shortcake to fruity nachos, pizza, strawberry beer and wine.

Who better to host a fun celebration of food than singing sensation Dolly Parton? The icon’s Dollywood theme park hosts several festivals throughout the year, with the Harvest Festival a real highlight. It runs from late September to the end of October, and you can fill up on sweet and savoury treats, from maple pecan funnel cakes to pumpkin bisque. Listen to bands playing bluegrass, gospel and country music, and stay for the Great Pumpkin Luminights, which features thousands of glowing carved pumpkins.

Texas’ capital of cool is the obvious location for this world-class smorgasbord of the best food and wine. Top chefs from the city and surrounding Texas Hill Country come here for two November days to share samples of the dishes that made their careers, while wineries, breweries and distilleries are here to pour the drinks. The Austin Food + Wine Festival also has fire pits showcasing the best of Texas barbecue, a group grilling experience and a competition to see which chef can make the best taco.

Now discover the amazing stories behind America’s official state foods

Last updated by Jessica Morris.