Top 5 Must-Try U.S. Food Festivals to Add to Your Bucket List in 2025
If you are chasing flavor and good times, these food festivals should be your 2025 travel goals. From bold Southern bites to island-style eats, there is something here for every hungry traveler.
Here are some of the best food festivals that are worth attending:
Charleston Wine + Food – Charleston, SC (First Weekend of March)
This food festival is all about Southern charm with a real bite. Charleston opens its doors every March for a weekend heavy on Lowcountry flavor and high-end taste. Think shrimp and grits, fried chicken, and oysters, but done by award-winning chefs who know how to throw down.
Eca / What makes the Charleston Wine + Food festival shine is its setting. You are not stuck in one big tent. Events happen all over the city.
Rooftop tastings, secret dinners, food trucks, and late-night parties make it feel more like a weekend-long food adventure. It is fancy and fun. Come hungry and ready to explore.
The Feast of San Gennaro – New York, NY (September)
Little Italy turns into a street party like no other during this legendary food festival. For eleven days every September, Mulberry Street is jammed with cannoli, sausage and peppers, zeppole, and nonstop energy. It is loud, crowded, and 100% delicious.
Families have been coming here for generations. There is a parade, live music, games, and even a cannoli-eating contest. It is gritty and real, with vendors that have been doing this for decades. If you love Italian food and old-school city vibes, don’t miss this one.
Creole Tomato Festival – New Orleans, LA (June)
This quirky summer food festival celebrates a single fruit, but it brings the full NOLA heat. The Creole Tomato Festival takes over the French Market in June with music, cooking demos, and of course, everything tomato. Creole tomatoes are sweet, juicy, and way better than the grocery store kind.
You will find them sliced on po’ boys, stuffed into savory pies, or paired with fresh seafood. Local chefs get creative with the menu, and there is a laid-back, sweaty charm to it all.
Plus, it’s New Orleans, which means brass bands, cold drinks, and dancing in the streets.
Hawaii Food & Wine Festival – Oahu, Maui & Big Island (October)
This one is a three-island flavor journey. The Hawaii Food & Wine Festival kicks off in October and brings together world-class chefs with island-grown ingredients. Fresh fish, tropical fruit, and bold Pacific Rim flavors take the spotlight.
Foody / The Hawaii Food & Wine Festival events stretch across beaches, farms, and resorts. There are wine tastings at sunset, seafood feasts under the stars, and cooking demos with a view.
It is elegant but never stiff. Every bite tells a story of the land and the culture. If you want a food festival that feels like a vacation, this is it.
Charlotte Wine & Food Week – Charlotte, NC (Spring)
Charlotte is not always top-of-mind for food, but this food festival proves it should be. Charlotte Wine & Food Week brings the city’s top chefs together with rare wines and bold flavors. It is about pairing the unexpected and showing off the city’s fast-growing food scene.
You will find pop-up dinners in art galleries, rooftop parties, and tastings that mix Southern roots with modern style. It is friendly, fun, and full of surprises. The city is buzzing throughout the week, and the food is just the start. It is the kind of event that sneaks up on you and becomes a favorite.
Remember, food festivals are not just about eating. They are about experiencing a place through its flavors, people, and culture. These five events bring more than good meals. They give you memories. Mark your calendar, pack stretchy pants, and go where the good stuff is.