Top 10 U.S. food festivals to visit in 2024

It’s time to start planning your 2024 vacations, and whether you’re a bona fide foodie or a culinary novice, it could be fun to visit a food festival.

Food festivals are great opportunities to try new foods and explore unfamiliar flavors, and if you travel to visit one, you can also go sightseeing while you’re in a new city.

Here are 10 of the most popular food festivals in the U.S.

Top 10 food festivals in the U.S.

1. South Beach Wine & Food Festival

Dates: Feb. 22–25, 2024.

Admission: Individual event tickets start at $40; packages start at $277.

This popular event is hosted by the Food Network and boasts an impressive array of celebrity chefs and industry experts. The special guests host a variety of events including dinners, tastings and seminars.

2. Charleston Wine + Food Festival

Dates: March 6–10, 2024.

Admission: Individual event tickets start at $75; packages start at $750.

This annual event was started in 2005 to enrich the local community and promote Charleston’s culinary scene and hospitality community. Featuring classes, excursions, bar takeovers and meals from a broad range of cuisines, it has something for everyone.

3. Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival

Dates: March 1–April 22, 2024.

Admission: Park tickets start at $154; Sip and Savor Pass starts at $54.

This event is the only festival on the list that takes place inside an amusement park. Besides the roller coasters, it features culinary demonstrations, craft stations, musical entertainment and special menu items.

You must have a valid park ticket to attend the festival, but no extra admission is required. However, guests have the option of purchasing the Sip and Savor Pass, which can be redeemed for eight menu items, and additional ticketed events can be reserved online.

Walt Disney World has a similar event later in the year: the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. Dates for it have not yet been announced.

4. A Night in Old San Antonio

Dates: April 23–26, 2024.

Admission: Starting at $18.

This festival was first celebrated in 1936 and now welcomes more than 85,000 attendees each year. Proceeds support the city’s historic preservation.

According to the festival’s website, visitors eat approximately “17,000 pounds of beef; 11,000 pounds of chicken; 5,000 pounds of sausage; 3,000 turkey legs; 25,000 buns, rolls and bolillos; 30,000 tortillas; 2,000 pounds of masa; 6,000 tamales; 15,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables; and 1,000 pounds of guacamole.”

5. Great American Foodie Fest

Dates: Spring 2024 (exact dates TBD).

Admission: $9; free for kids 48 inches and under.

Nearly every celebrity chef has at least one restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip, which means it’s always an exciting destination for foodies. This festival brings together some of Las Vegas’ finest and invites food trucks and chefs from around the country to share their talents.

6. Food & Wine Classic in Aspen

Dates: June 14–16, 2024.

Admission: Individual event ticket prices have not yet been announced; packages start at $2,950.

Hosted by Food & Wine magazine, this festival has been welcoming celebrity chefs and wine experts to the Colorado Rockies for four decades. Each year’s festival offers over 40 cooking demonstrations and beverage seminars and a renowned sampling experience at the Grand Tasting Pavilion.

7. Taste of Chicago

Dates: TBD (usually late summer or early fall).

Admission: Free.

This festival has been around since the 1980s and fills Grant Park with free concerts, dance lessons, a karaoke competition and, of course, lots of food. According to Far & Wide, it’s one of the biggest food festivals in the world, welcoming around 3 million visitors each year.

8. Atlanta Food & Wine Festival

Dates: Sept. 13–15, 2024.

Admission: Tickets start at $125.

This festival invites guests to “embark on a culinary road trip around the South.” While most of the festivals on this list offer a series of events for guests to pick from, the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival simplifies things with just two ticket options: general admission and VIP. Both ticket types offer all-inclusive access to entertainment, including competitions, and unlimited food.

9. Martha’s Vineyard Food & Wine Festival

Dates: October 2024 (exact dates TBD).

Admission: Not yet announced.

This festival on the famous New England island focuses on local dishes and flavors, so if you’re a fan of seafood, it’s a good one to add to your list. This festival offers both intimate dinners and larger tastings, so there’s a good variety of events to attend.

10. New York City Wine & Food Festival

Dates: Oct. 12–15, 2024.

Admission: Individual event tickets start at $95; packages are sold out.

If you want to explore global cuisine while supporting a good cause, NYCWFF is a great option because it has partnered with God’s Love We Deliver, which delivers free, medically tailored meals to individuals living with disease. The festival has a broad range of events, from ramen master classes to gourmet burger tastings, and brings together both Michelin-starred bakers and Instagram chefs.