It's no secret that the U.S. loves food as much as it loves making everything big. And in the case of festivals, that's a great combination.
The country has some of the most widely recognized events centered around world cuisine. Held throughout the year in different cities, it's worth planning an entire trip around these mouthwatering events.
Indulge in the top 10 largest wine and food festivals in America.
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10. Key West Food & Wine Festival
Key West Food & Wine Festival / Facebook
Location: Key West, Florida
Dates: Last week of January
No. of Attendees: 3,000
Escape the winter freeze and come enjoy balmy weather in beautiful Key West. The laid-back historic town welcomes foodies from all over the world in January at its Key West Food & Wine Festival.
Events include wine and food tastings, cooking classes, celebrity chef appearances and dining by the water.
Where to stay: The Marker Key West offers a boutique stay at the perfect location and is part of the highly selective Curator Hotel's Collection.
9. Food & Wine Classic
FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen / Facebook
Location: Aspen, Colorado
Dates: Third weekend of June
No. of Attendees: 5,000
Delicious food, strong wine and the mountains — could there be anything more perfect? Aspen proves that it's much more than a ski town with its summer Food & Wine Classic event.
Discussions panels, cooking demonstrations and lots of great food make for a perfect weekend in the mountains.
Where to stay: Part of Auberge Resorts, Hotel Jerome offers guests gorgeous mountain views and proximities to the festival.
8. New Orleans Food & Wine Experience
New Orleans Food & Wine Experience / Facebook
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Dates: Early June
No. of Attendees: 7,000+
Absolutely no city in the U.S. does food as well as New Orleans (sorry, New York!). Attend the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience to enjoy both local and international dishes. Parades and live jazz enliven the event even more.
Hundreds of vendors come to showcase their products. Try as many as possible at the Grand Tasting, the festival's main event.
Where to stay: Hilton Garden Inn New Orleans Convention Center is located right in front of the Sugar Mill, making it easy for you to be at the festival as soon as the gates open.
7. San Diego Bay Food & Wine Festival
San Diego Bay Food & Wine Festival / Facebook
Location: San Diego, California
Dates: Second week of November
No. of Attendees: 10,000
Every November, San Diego fills with the smell of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival. Lasting an entire week, it features numerous events and is attended by around 10,000 people.
Hundreds of food and wine businesses both local and international bring all kinds of food. From high-end to street food, from traditional to fusion, this is everything you could hope for from California.
Where to stay: At the historic Horton Grand Hotel, you'll get a unique stay right in the heart of everything and within walking distance of festival events.
6. Hawaii Food & Wine Festival
Hawaii Food & Wine Festival / Facebook
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Dates: From mid-October to early November
No. of Attendees: 12,700
Hawaii is much more than beaches and all-inclusive resorts. The state holds the largest epicurean event in the entire Pacific, with over 150 international chefs and winemakers coming to showcase their expertise.
The Hawaii Food & Wine Festival was actually founded by two local chefs who won the James Beard Award. Expect the best in the industry to show up.
Where to stay: Royal Grove Waikiki may not be as glitzy as other Waikiki hotels, but it's owned by a local family that makes you feel right at home.
5. Austin Food & Wine Festival
Charles Reagan Hackleman / Facebook/Austin Food & Wine Festival
Location: Austin, Texas
Dates: First weekend of November
No. of Attendees: Between 5,000 and 20,000
Hosted by Food & Wine Magazine, the Austin Food & Wine Festival has everything people love about Austin: artisanal food and drinks, a variety of cuisines from around the world and great outdoor parties.
And while you'll find a bit of everything, the stars of the show are Mexican food and BBQ — hey, this is Texas after all.
Where to stay: Hotel ZaZa embodies Austin's effortless cool while staying classy.
4. Charleston Wine & Food Festival
Charleston Wine & Food Festival / Facebook
Location: Charleston, South Carolina
Dates: First week of March
No. of Attendees: 20,000
After New Orleans, Charleston is the most recognized foodie city in the South. At the Charleston Wine and Food, Lowcountry recipes and ingredients shine. You'll even find international dishes cooked the local way.
After the festival, walk off your fullness with a stroll along the beautiful waterfront.
Where to stay: The elegant French Quarter Inn is located in the heart of Charleston's historic quarter.
3. New York City Wine & Food Festival
New York City Wine & Food Festival / Facebook
Location: New York, New York
Dates: Four days in mid-October
No. of Attendees: 40,000
The city that has it all comes in third place with its famed Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival. Hundreds of chefs come for events held around the city (though mainly in Manhattan).
This is New York, so it's attended by the creme de la creme of the culinary world. For participants, this means that tastings and demonstrations are guaranteed to blow you away.
Where to stay: The Conrad New York Midtown is the headquarters hotel for the New York City Wine & Food Festival.
2. Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival
Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival March 13 · Comments / Facebook
Location: Miami, Florida
Dates: Mid-February
No. of Attendees: 50,000
The South Beach Wine & Food Festival is another Food Network and Cooking Channel event. And while it brings the same quality as its New York sister event, it gives it a beach-party vibe that is simply unmatched.
Events typically include drag brunches, music concerts, cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs and all the glamour that you can expect from South Beach.
Where to stay: IHG-owned Kimpton Hotel Palomar South Beach will have you right in the middle of South Beach action.
1. Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
Epcot Food & Wine Festival Fans / Facebook
Location: Orlando, Florida
Dates: Summer through fall (varies by year)
No. of Attendees: Hundreds of thousands
It's difficult to know just exactly how many people attend Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival each year. That's because the length of the festival changes annually. In 2022, it went on for a full 129 days, giving hundreds of thousands of people the opportunity to participate in it.
Held within the park, the festival offers things like all-you-can-eat-or-drink tastings featuring foods from over two dozen countries. Disney pulls in its full-star power to make this a must-attend event for anyone who loves food and wine.
Where to stay: Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel is located within EPCOT, so you can get to events early without worrying about annoying Disney World traffic and parking.
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