Yum’s the word: America’s 5 coolest food fests

New Orleans Food and Wine Experience

Spring and summer are the time to chow down on the tastiest food festivals across the country. Here are a few of our favorites from across the nation. Bon appetite!

Taste of Chicago

Aloe Blacc, Janelle Monae and Jeff Tweedy of Wilco are headlining Chicago’s sprawling annual fete this year, but the real attraction is the food. More than one million food lovers gather in Grant Park for Taste of Chicago each summer to nosh on mouth-watering morsels from approximately 65 different restaurants around the city. One of the largest and most well-rounded food events in the country, this family-friendly fest is free to attend (but come with cash for edible treats) and features grub ranging from comfort food to works from celebrity chefs. Taste of Chicago 2014 runs July 9–13. For Chicago hotel deals, visit Orbitz.com.

New Orleans Food and Wine Experience

Yes, this vine-ripened festival does have all of the seafood, creole and beignets you’d expect from New Orleans, but there’s much more than that. Showcasing more than 1,000 wines from across the globe, “The Experience” also attracts culinary allstars including NOLA’s Grill Room sommelier Sara Kavanaugh and New Orleans Magazine‘s Chef of the Year, Michael Stoltzfus. Mark your calendar for May 21–24. For New Orleans hotel deals, visit Orbitz.com.

Colorado Chocolate Festival

The Food and Wine Classic in Aspen generally hogs all the media attention (forvalid reasons we might add), but those with a sweet tooth head straight to Colorado’s premiere chocolate fest in Denver. Dedicated solely to chocolate in all of its delightful forms, lucky attendees get to sample sweets from more than 60 vendors including chocobars, truffles, coffees, fondues, ganaches and more. Beer pairings, pudding eating contests and chocolatier championships abound May 9–10. For Denver hotel deals, visit Orbitz.com.

Savor, Washington DC

A craft beer lover’s paradise, this mouth-watering event celebrates innovative beer, high end food and the joyous marriage they share. Savor‘s carefully crafted menu focuseson small plate artisanal dishes—everything from mole-braised turkey with toasted pumpkin seeds to espresso-crusted bison—perfected paired with select craft beers that match the dish’s flavor profile. Kicking off May 9th and 10th, this year’s event also features 42 different styles of beer with food prepared by Chef Adam Dulye of The Monk’s Kettle gastropub in San Francisco. For DC hotel deals, visit Orbitz.com.

Sonoma County Harvest Fair

The Harvest Fair isn’t the biggest or flashiest food fest in the country, but it is worth noting because of its intense devotion to delicious local fare and its commitment to staying free forattendees (wine tastings are extra). More than 150 wineries, many located just around the corner from the festival, gather to strut their stuff while fierce competitors smash out their frustrations in the World Championship Grape Stomp. Expect chef demonstrations, tasting seminars, how-to workshops and food samples from artisans October 3–5. For Sonoma hotel deals, visit Orbitz.com.

Tagged: Midwest, New Orleans, Washington DC