Top 5 Famous Food Festivals in the US Celebrating State Regional Specialties

Whether it’s locally grown or a master-crafted specialty, every state in the country takes a huge amount of pride in its signature foods and flavors – so much so that they have marquee annual events that champion their regional produce. As a result, if you’re someone who loves to plan a foodie-inspired getaway, here are the top 5 food festivals in the US that celebrate everything from Georgia’s juicy peaches to Kentucky’s super smooth bourbon. 

Dig into Dairy Delights at the Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival in Little Chute, Wisconsin 

Aptly nicknamed “America’s Dairyland,” and for good reason, our first fantastic US food festival sees us heading to Little Chute in Wisconsin to try out the dairy creations on offer at the Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival. Amazingly, due to Wisconsin’s rich farmland and generations of agricultural heritage, the state’s skilled cheesemakers now produce more than 2.8 billion pounds of cheese each year, some of which finds its way to the stalls and food trucks at Wisconsin’s favorite cheese festival. 

Held every June in Little Chute’s Doyle Park, cheese lovers of all ages head to the Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival as the aroma of melted cheese greets visitors heading in to enjoy the countless cheese tasting stalls. Furthermore, exhilarating carnival rides and live entertainment stages add to the excitement at the annual event, and for those of you who enjoy the thrills of competitive eating, there is also the chance to compete in a cheese curd eating contest.  

Take the entire family to sample the incredible cheese offerings available in Little Chute, Wisconsin, by securing a relaxing getaway at the CopperLeaf Boutique Hotel & Spa, BW Premier Collection. 

Enjoy the Sweetness of the Georgia Peach Festival in Fort Valley, Georgia 

Our next top food-inspired festivals see us heading to Georgia, whose reputation for growing unbelievably juicy peaches has earned it the nickname “The Peach State.” In fact, ever since peach orchards first started springing up in the late 1800s, Georgia has perfected the art of growing exceptionally sweet and juicy peaches – a delicious legacy which is enjoyed every year in June at the remarkable Georgia Peach Festival in the city of Fort Valley. 

Fully committed to glorifying the fruit that has undoubtedly helped to define the state of Georgia, the Georgia Peach Festival is packed with peach-inspired festival foods including peach cobblers, and different variations of peach ice cream, and peach jams. Whether you’re on a solo road trip or a family vacation away, be sure you explore the carnival’s fruity craft markets before settling back to enjoy the live bands play, the festival parade, and the entertaining baking of the World’s Largest Peach Cobbler. 

While you’re visiting the Fort Valley’s showcase event, be sure to also take a sunset stroll through one of Georgia’s famous peach orchards before getting a sound night’s sleep at the Best Western Bradbury Inn & Suites. 

Indulge Yourself at the Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland, Maine 

Without a doubt, lobster has become a culinary hallmark of the state of Maine – not surprising given the state produces more than 90% of the lobsters harvested in the United States, thanks to the pristine icy waters of the Gulf of Maine. To honor the state’s reputation for producing its world-class lobsters, our top seafood festival on our shortlist sees us heading to the Maine Lobster Festival in the city of Rockland to sample one of the most iconic regional specialties in America. 

Widely considered one of the best food festivals in the US, Rockland’s coastal waterfront setting makes the perfect backdrop for visitors to the Maine Lobster Festival, where you can try the delectable festival foods that include lobster rolls, creamy chowders, and lobster mac ‘n’ cheese. Typically held at the end of July and throughout August, in addition to the culinary lobster variations on offer, family-friendly attractions will keep everybody entertained, including enticing cooking competitions and live music performances overlooking Rockland’s picturesque harbor. 

Visit Rockland any time of year to savor the sensational lobster delights and the seaside atmosphere by booking your stay at the Best Western Plus Brunswick Bath. 

Bite Into Farm-Fresh Flavors at the Potato Days Festival in Meridian, Idaho 

When people think of Idaho and food, potatoes are often the first thing that springs to mind – not only because the state produces 13 billion pounds of the vegetable every year, but because the rich volcanic soil and ideal growing climate make them the best potatoes on the planet. Therefore, in recognition of its status as a top potato-growing state, our next fun-filled food festival dedicated to the humble tater and the farmers who grow them is the legendary Potato Days Festival in Meridian, Idaho. 

Every September, people flock to the three-day Potato Days Festival to try the farm-to-fork potato variations that have made its tater-inspired festival foods a benchmark event on every foodie’s calendar. Here, you can feast on family favorites, including loaded baked potatoes and triple-cooked crispy fries, and for the more adventurous eaters among you, why not also try their famous Idaho Ice Cream Potato dessert while you’re in town. 

Enjoy the wild variations on the potato menu at Idaho’s beloved Potato Days Festival in Meridian before getting a cozy night’s sleep at The Riverside Hotel, BW Premier Collection. 

Drink in the Atmosphere at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown, Kentucky 

Our final food-themed festival comes with a flavor driven kick, as we head to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown, Kentucky, to toast the state’s production of America’s favorite native spirit. Extraordinarily, Kentucky produces about 95% of the world’s bourbon, successfully refined using its limestone-filtered water and distinct fertile soil used to grow the spirit’s primary ingredient, corn. 

Owing to the state’s unique distilling heritage, bourbon drinkers from all across the world head to Bardstown, Kentucky, every September to join other like-minded enthusiasts to savor the rich whiskey flavors beautifully aged in the region’s signature charred oak barrels. Widely considered the best bourbon-themed festival in the world, while you’re in town, you can also enjoy festival foods infused with this popular spirit, such as bourbon-glazed BBQ brisket and ribs topped off with a bourbon caramel or pecan ice cream at this one-of-a-kind bourbon extravaganza. 

Soak in the lively atmosphere in the Bourbon Capital of the World in Bardstown, Kentucky, when you book your accommodation at the Best Western Plus Elizabethtown Inn & Suites.