The Best Food Festivals of 2025
Big-name chefs, ambitious meals, and a steady stream of bubbles and brews are only a quick trip away.
I've attended dozens of food festivals over the years, as a journalist, judge, and spectator, and the excitement and indulgence never gets old. Exclusive dishes and collaborations create food nerd FOMO, and the ephemeral nature of a festival allows chefs to break out of the traditional concerns and protocols of restaurants. The bites you’ll try at a food festival are all about fun and flavor, freed of the burdens of practicality or what's going to sell.
Some festivals are focused on a single ingredient or regional delicacy, while others pair local chefs with international luminaries. A couple are one-day affairs, while others last for more than a week with seated dinners, master classes, and walkaround tastings. Events like these give chefs, artisans, winemakers, and sommeliers a chance to hang out together, and guests get to see the industry-wide camaraderie that doesn't always translate to a fine dining restaurant experience. Don't be shy, this is your chance to geek out and ask a lot of questions.
The festivals on this list all serve high quality food and drink, create a singular atmosphere, and—perhaps most important of all—offer a fantastic experience. These events reliably avoid the major pitfalls of food festivals in general: long queues, fights for seating, and running out of champagne before the party even starts. So as you work through your travel plans in this new year, consider the best food festivals in 2025.
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
January 15-20
What started as chef Eric Ripert hanging out with some of his friends on a beach in the Caribbean 16 years ago, has snowballed into the most epic of food festivals, with almost 100 different events over the course of five days at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. There are events for all interests, whether you want to wake up early for kayaking through the mangroves followed by morning cocktails or have a late night champagne pool party. The Barefoot BBQ on Seven Mile Beach is always a signature event. Last year, there was a drone show, and José Andrés played bongos while smoking cigars.
Miami, Florida
February 20-23
Miami is known as a party city, and this four-day beach party is like Art Basel for the food community. Last year there were more than 65,000 attendees over four days, and the production and buildout of the grand tasting tents on the sand is truly impressive. Jean-Georges' annual pizza and ping pong party at the South Beach EDITION is always a fun time. This year, Guy Fieri hosts a live showdown of Food Network's hit series Tournament of Champions and cake master Duff Goldman hosts a comedy show and dessert party for the ultimate sugar high.
Ojai, California
March 13-16
Heavy hitters turn out for this long weekend extravaganza in mystical Ojai Valley. With more than 100 chefs and food personalities, and 40 events over four days, you're guaranteed to get up close and personal with some of your favorites, whether it's book signings with Alice Waters and Phil Rosenthal or cooking demos like a sustainable seafood special with Michael Cimarusti. Try flights of rare wine from Harlan Estate and Screaming Eagle, and enjoy sit down dinners from three-star Michelin restaurants like Alinea, Addison, and Smyth. Invitation-only after parties with DJ entertainment are available for gold and platinum ticket holders too.
Vail, Colorado
April 2-5
Combine spring skiing with great food, wine, and beer and you have the trappings for a raucous food festival that doesn't take itself too seriously. Most events start in the afternoon, so you can ski in the morning, then show up in ski gear or athleisure for wine seminars and après tastings on the streets of Vail. The outdoor mountaintop tasting at 10,350 feet above sea level is a can't miss event—just don't forget to hydrate in between glasses of wine.
Pebble Beach, California
April 10-13
This one’s for the real wine lovers. Magnums of rare vintage wines are free flowing all weekend, with intimate wine seminars each day (like a Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle vertical tasting last year) that are both envy-inducing and educational. And the food is outstanding too—the signature grand tasting turns over a completely new lineup of chefs from Saturday to Sunday, so there are no repeats. Last year, goat curry, vegan mushroom and parsnip “bone marrow,” and silky soft scrambled eggs topped with caviar were just a few of the memorable bites.
Healdsburg, California
May 15-18
This wine country weekend celebrates the importance of local agriculture—farmers, wine workers, and local artisans—with a diverse lineup of chef talent. Chefs like Viet Pham, Lee Anne Wong, Matt Horn, and Diego Oka are on hand serving dinners, leading demos, and hosting thoughtful discussions. Last year, a Bollywood party with Maneet Chauhan was a highlight, along with the popular magnum party at The Matheson. Look forward to a brunch and pool party at Montage Healdsburg to conclude the weekend revelry.
Kauai, Hawaii
June 14
Poke is Hawaii's signature dish, a popular snack among fishermen in the 1970s that completely took off on the mainland in recent years. This one day festival at Kōloa Landing Resort celebrates poke with local fishermen and chefs, headlined by legendary Hawaiian chef and restaurateur Sam Choy. Tickets grant guests all-you-can-eat servings of 20-plus different variations on poke by local chefs as well as home cooks, all competing for the grand prize. The audience votes for their favorite, so everyone gets to be part of the judging process. Poke is often made from tuna, but depending on the season there are versions that use marlin, ono, and tombo albacore too. There can even be vegan versions of poke, as Choy demonstrated with diced taro and 'ulu breadfruit tossed in shoyu sriracha sauce.
Las Catalinas, Costa Rica
June 18-22
Girls run the world at this Costa Rican food festival, a partnership between The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and Casa Chameleon to raise scholarship funds for women undergraduates. High profile CIA graduates like Houston's Evelyn Garcia and MasterChef champion Dara Yu lead hands-on cooking classes and party with guests on a private catamaran tour. Cold plunges and yoga classes each morning give guests a chance to connect with chefs outside of food, and Latin dance class, coffee cupping classes, and tortilla making demonstrations ensure a delicious and uniquely Costa Rican weekend.
Rockland, Maine
July 30-August 3
Admission to this lobster-palooza is free, and the world's largest lobster cooker whips up more than 36 tons of lobsters each day for lobster rolls, lobster mac 'n cheese, lobster bisque, and more, with wild blueberry cobbler for dessert. Plus, there are unique competitions like the great crate race, where contestants scamper across 50 floating wooden lobster crates in a test of balance and endurance, along with a children's lobster eating competition and piracy 101 class that includes cannon lessons and high seas weapon demonstrations.
Chicago, Illinois
September 25-28
Chicago Gourmet is a fun event at an especially beautiful time of year in one of the country's most dynamic food cities, all set against one of the most beautiful skylines in the world. Perennial favorite events include the Hamburger Hop, and a late night gourmet party afterwards for chefs to let loose. This year, a chef pickleball tournament and “goats and totes” bespoke tote bag decorating with Stephanie Izard using fruit and vegetable stamps are popular new additions.
San Diego, California
September 10-14
Soccer icon Alex Morgan, NFL legend Drew Brees, and pro surfer Rob Machado cofounded this festival in 2023, bringing together superstar athletes, Hollywood celebs, and Food Network stars. The weeklong fête balances culinary indulgence with sporty outdoor fun, including golfing, soccer, volleyball and surfing events. Last year, there was even a beach cleanup with local surf legend Jake Marshall followed by seafood brunch. Festivities raised awareness for LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports and culinary culture, celebrated the region's vibrant Cali-Baja cross-border influence, and raised money for Feeding San Diego.
Park City, Utah
October 2-5
Autumn is the most beautiful time to be in Park City, with the changing seasons and mountain landscape brushed with golden and crimson hues. This down-to-earth festival includes several winemaker hikes with al fresco lunches for a chance to genuinely connect with industry professionals in nature. The blind tasting wine event is goofy and unpretentious; everyone is given a mystery wine to identify and evaluate in between snacking and dancing. For the really good stuff, head to the top of Red Pine Gondola for the rarities and reserve tasting on the final night.
Greenville, South Carolina
October 10-13
This long-running local food festival doubles as the largest free music festival in the Southeast, with more than 80 bands performing across six stages over three days. Past performers include St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Chapel Hart, Marcus King Band, Turnpike Troubadours and Cedric Burnside. More than 60 local restaurants serve signature dishes from pop-up tents, with an average price of $6, so attendees can cobble together their own affordable tasting menu. Greenville has become a culinary destination and while they don't have a Michelin guide yet, the city is home to Michelin's North America headquarters.
Kohler, Wisconsin
October 16-19
Midwest food traditions are on full display here, whether it's seminars pairing wine and cheese or beer and chocolate, or demonstrations on how to cook wild game. A 'Taste of the Vine' walkaround event that takes place throughout Kohler's showrooms is a highlight, with great food, wine, and fun photo opps. You'll want to arrive early before the best wines run out. While participating chefs for 2025 have yet to be named, the last couple of years Dominique Crenn and Martha Stewart were headliners, so the lineup is sure to be good.
Urbanna, Virginia
November 7-8
Virginia is the oyster capital of the East Coast, with more than 40 million oysters sold each year, and eight distinct oyster regions across the state. Oyster enthusiasts can enjoy the Virginia Oyster Trail all year round, but this two-day festival is one of the oldest and largest oyster festivals in the United States, promoting oyster cultivation and consumption with parades, live music, and oyster shucking competitions, along with delectable oyster dishes like ham and oyster biscuits, buttermilk fried oysters, oyster stew, and bloody mary oyster shooters.
Providenciales, Turks & Caicos
November 6-10
Over the past 30 years, Turks & Caicos has become a premier destination for laidback luxury, and this festival celebrates local ingredients like coconut, conch, and lobster against a backdrop of the most pristine turquoise waters in the Caribbean. The gourmet safari sells out quickly, with guests following a Junkanoo band between stops on a meandering feast. Last year, Phillip Frankland Lee and Margarita Kallas-Lee of Scratch Restaurants were headliners, finishing the weekend with a grand finale Sunday sushi brunch paired with Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame champagne. A portion of proceeds from ticket sales benefit Turks & Caicos Islands Community College.
Temecula, California
November 2025, specific dates TBD
Olive oil is an integral ingredient in just about every kitchen and this one day festival invites some of Southern California's best chefs to the olive groves during harvest for a celebration of fresh pressed olio nuovo, which translates to “new oil” but is akin to liquid gold. Expect Santa Maria grills and smokers, chicken legs with the feet still attached and olive oil used in every dish from soup and braised beans to ice cream. Meander through the gardens with local wine, beer, or cider in hand while listening to mariachi music and making new friends.