Warm weather brings with it the start of festival seasons around the country. What better way to take a break from every day activities than by visiting a fair? And what better companion for a fair than food?
Celebrate the Season with Food
Food-themed fairs are everywhere this time of year. Pick just about any type of food, and chances are, there's a festival somewhere in its honor. There are zucchini festivals, grape jamborees, and herb fairs. There are even festivals to celebrate mushrooms, striped bass, onions, salsa and sauerkraut. Not interested in any of these? Fortunately, there are plenty of food festivals celebrating more popular foods. Wine and chocolate expositions, hamburger festivals and ice cream fairs are also common.
Generally the foods being celebrated are indigenous to the area, so look for paw paw festivals where pawpaws grow and pecan festivals where pecans are found. To find food festivals of choice, try searching by locale or food type. If planning well in advance, include a season or a month in the search quest. An internet search such as "fall food festivals in Georgia" should produce quite an array of possibilities.
Benefits of Food Festival Outings
The benefits of incorporating a food festival into the family vacation are many. They are readily available both close to home and far away. For those who are short on time for travel, there's almost sure to be a food festival scheduled close to home in the weeks ahead. In addition, many food fairs have free admission, so attending one makes for some great memories without placing undue strain on the family budget. And don't forget, these festivals are often educational as well. Food products frequently hold social, historic or economic value in the community where the festival is held. Youngsters can learn all about a particular food, its nutritional value, and the climate needed for producing it.
Food, Marvelous Food
Finally, of course, there's the food itself. These fairs are adept at taking a well loved food and serving it in many unique and delicious ways. And don't forget to take in a few free cooking demonstrations if they are offered.
From blueberries in Maine to figs in California, and from popcorn in Nebraska to mangoes in Florida, the list of regional foods celebrated around the nation seems almost endless. For dates and additional information, go to an online search engine and search for the "food festivals" of any city or region.
Bon appetit!
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