Virginia’s 9 Best Food Festivals Across the State
A mix of coastline and rolling hills, the state of Virginia includes more than 8 million acres of farmland – or 32% of the state. From corn and soybeans to cattle and turkeys, Virginia’s expansive agriculture industry gives rise to fun food festivals throughout the year. Read on to discover nine of the best Virginia food festivals you won’t want to miss.
BaconFest
Roanoke
You’ll be able to smell sizzling bacon for miles around before you even arrive at Roanoke’s Baconfest. At this pork-tacular festival in September, vendors serve up a buffet of bacon-inspired dishes. Favorites include brown sugar bacon cupcakes, bacon bagels, bacon mac and cheese, carrot cake with bacon cream cheese frosting, bacon-wrapped chicken wings, bacon focaccia bread and so much more. This festival also means business for local chefs who compete for the title of BaconFest Champion before festivalgoers get the chance to sample the delicious, champion-worthy dishes.
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Carytown Watermelon Festival
Carytown
Love the taste of sweet, juicy watermelon in the summer? Share your passion for the sun-kissed fruit with over 100,000 other enthusiasts at the Caryton Watermelon Festival. Held in August, this festival has been going on for almost 40 years and has become one of the largest foodie events in the state. Festival organizers slice up more than 3,000 watermelons to offer to hungry guests at this one-day event. In addition to watermelon, attendees will enjoy plenty of fun and family-friendly activities.
Chincoteague Island Blueberry Festival
Chincoteague
The climate in Virginia is ideal for growing several varieties of blueberries, and the Chincoteague Island Blueberry Festival in July celebrates the summer harvest. This three-day festival has been serving up all kinds of blueberry dishes for over 30 years. Attendees will enjoy blueberry jams and syrups, blueberry pancakes, oversized blueberry muffins, and inventive dishes like blueberry ice cream, blueberry crumb cake, and Greek salad sprinkled with berries. There are also plenty of fresh berries to buy and eat. But the blueberries go fast, so get yours early!
Hanover Tomato Festival
Mechanicsville
Ready to get a piping hot plate of fried green tomatoes? How about a slice or two of tomato pie? For over 40 years, the two-day Hanover Tomato Festival has offered visitors the chance to get their fill of tomatoes each summer. Creative dishes include tomato-basil hand pies, fried green tomato po’boys and even BLT crab cake sandwiches. This summertime tomato smorgasbord also includes entertainment, kids’ activities and live music acts.
Strawberry Festival
Roanoke
The strawberry shortcake slices served up by the thousands are the stars of the show at the Annual Strawberry Festival in Roanoke. For the past 40 years, this springtime festival has been offering up just-picked berries along with tasty treats like berry sundaes, berries and cream, chocolate-dipped strawberries, and more. Spend your day eating berries while wandering through the various arts and crafts booths lining the festival grounds. The two-day festival also features plenty of activities and live music.
See more: What’s In Season? West Virginia Produce Calendar
Suffolk Peanut Fest
Suffolk
Peanuts are the perfect excuse for a party at the annual Suffolk Peanut Fest in October. For more than 40 years, the festival has been entertaining locals and visitors with amusement park rides, carnival games, concerts and, of course, food. Festival eats include fall favorites like caramel-coated apples (dipped in chopped peanuts, of course!) and an All-You-Can-Eat Shrimp Feast, but there are also roasted peanuts available by the bagful. The popular four-day festival also includes several unique events like the Demolition Derby and a peanut butter sculpting contest.
Urbanna Oyster Festival
Urbanna
Raw, smoked, steamed, fried, stewed, roasted, made into fritters – you’ll be able to sample all kinds of oyster creations at the Urbanna Oyster Festival. Held in November, the two-day festival features a mix of culinary delights. Once you’ve had your fill of oysters, enjoy all the other seafood finds available, including clams, crabs and shrimp. Enter the oyster shucking contest to test your skills or opt for something more relaxed like a craft beer or wine tasting.
Virginia Beach Chocolate Festival
Virginia Beach
Enjoy a view of the waves while sampling melt-in-your-mouth sweets at the Virginia Beach Chocolate Festival in November. This two-day party dedicated to candies and desserts includes plenty of treats and demonstrations on how to make your own chocolate creations. Go ahead and down one truffle after another or take your pick of frosted cupcakes made with dark, milk and white chocolate. For something sweet and spicy, indulge in a chili dipped in – you guessed it – chocolate!
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Virginia Cantaloupe Festival
South Boston
The Virginia Cantaloupe Festival has been providing freshly cut slices of cantaloupe to festivalgoers since 1981. The community-wide celebration is held for one day each July. Food trucks line up to serve gourmet eats as guests enjoy live music and dancing at this fun summertime event.