15 Unique Food Festivals Around The World

If you want to eat a variety of food in a short amount of time without breaking the bank, food festivals are often the way to go. But some festivals are more than just a quick bite to eat. They can also represent an innate love of the culinary arts, with many festivals featuring top chefs, cooking demonstrations, and curated meals. While there are many such gatherings in the United States, these cherished events are not exclusively American. Food festivals are a global phenomenon. 

Across the globe, culinary enthusiasts gather to celebrate all things food in a variety of festivals. These events span from traditional ceremonies dating back hundreds of years to modern-day exhibitions featuring some of the planet's top talents. There seem to be a lot of food festivals out there these days, but some stand out amongst the crowd. Some are known for focusing on one special food item or ingredient. Others are appreciated for their ability to attract tourists. We have compiled a list of the best global food festivals worth adding to your travel bucket list. Here are 15 unique food festivals around the world. 

If you ever find yourself in Paris during the fall, be sure to carve out some time for the Salon du Chocolat. Pastry chefs and chocolate connoisseurs from around the world have gathered annually in the French capital since the '90s, participating in demonstrations, exhibitions, and other events centered around chocolate. Paris is considered by many to be one of the ultimate global culinary destinations. The city's decadent pastries, desserts, and sweets are a part of its amazing reputation for food. So, an entire festival solely dedicated to chocolate seems to lend itself perfectly to its Paris setting.

The festival is not just a celebration of all things chocolate. Paris' culture is front and center, with a chocolate-themed fashion show being one of the Salon's highlights. From iconic Parisian landmarks sculpted out of chocolate to wearable sweets on display in the fashion show, attendees will experience a tasty whirlwind every October.

Fishing is a big business in Denmark. In fact, according to a report by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, Denmark is one of the world's biggest exporters of fish. So when it comes time to celebrate the country's major economic stronghold, the Danes go all out. While traveling to Denmark usually involves enjoying the culinary scene in Copenhagen, visiting more remote, coastal Danish cities — like the one where this festival takes place — is worth it, too. 

Whether you enjoy the sport of fishing or you want to check out all of the foodie offerings, the Herring Festival in the small town of Hvide Sande is the place to be. The event has taken place in the spring, since 1994. The festival features various competitions and plenty of tastings that, you guessed it, revolve around one central component: herring. It is the biggest festival of its kind in Denmark.

In case you need another reason to book a trip to Australia, let us introduce you to the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival. The vastly entertaining festival brings together over 100 individual events, food crawls, chef demonstrations, and more. Attendees get the opportunity to take in some of the best food in Melbourne. The festival is traditionally held at the end of March each year.

Whether you want to try stellar baked goods, farm-to-table eats, or all things cheese, the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival has an event for it. The events take place across the city, so it may not always feel like other tightly-packed festivals with vendors that are centralized in just one area. Other popular demonstrations taking place during the 2023 festival are the World's Longest Brunch and the World's Longest Lunch. Both events feature guests seated at a very long communal table.

If the thought of a wheel of cheese rolling down a hill brings a smile to your face, then you would benefit from a trip to Gloucester, England. There, a crowd of spectators marvels at the annual Cooper's Hill Cheese Roll. For the curious, it is an opportunity to witness one of the most bizarre yet beloved traditions in England. But for the brave, it is a chance to participate in the sport itself, chasing a wheel of cheese down a 200-yard-long hill.

It is a time-honored tradition with official records dating back to the early 1800s, but it is believed to be much older than that. Cheese itself is an ancient food by all accounts, so it only makes sense that the act of chasing it down a steep hill is also pretty old — right? This is one of those food festivals that is less about eating any particular dish and more about the act of involving a specific ingredient in a feat of human imagination. The Cooper's Hill Cheese Roll is not the only festival of this kind appearing on our list.

In the world of processed foods, few are as universally recognized as SPAM. The American product was invented in 1937. Shortly after, World War II played an important role in increasing SPAM's popularity in Hawaii. That popularity has been maintained over the decades. To attend the annual SPAM Jam, you have to hop on a plane and fly out to Honolulu.

The Waikiki SPAM Jam Festival takes place in the spring, with a one-day party dedicated to this canned food. If you have been reluctant to give SPAM a try, the festival is a great way to get a quick crash course in the popular canned meat product. The festival also consists of several restaurants around Waikiki adding limited-time SPAM dishes on their menus, so even if you miss the block party, you still have plenty of time to take part in the celebration.

There are countless time-honored traditions surrounding the Christian calendar, particularly around Easter and the holidays leading up to it. Americans are probably more aware of the festivities that take place in New Orleans, Louisiana each winter due to Mardis Gras. But a similar yet lesser-known event takes place in the historic town of Ivrea, Italy, each year. In the three days leading up to Shrove Tuesday, people gather to participate in what is known as the Battle of the Oranges. The battle involves several teams paying homage to a war that took place between the rebellious Ivrea residents and the Royal Napoleonic Troops. But instead of the arrows and other deadly weapons used in the first battle, today's participants use citrus fruit.

The concept of throwing food at another person is not new. The modern-day food fight can be traced back to medieval times. As one might imagine, oranges have the capability of doing some minor damage if thrown with enough force. As many as 70 people have been injured in past fights. So, take part in the Battle of the Oranges at your own risk.

Certain foods are believed to be superior if they are from a specific place. According to some people, peaches are better if they are from Georgia, barbecue is better in Texas, and lobsters are better if they come from Maine. Fans are so devoted to the idea of Maine lobsters, that an entire festival was developed in the 1940s in the coastal town of Rockland, Maine to celebrate the crustaceans.

The Maine Lobster Festival takes place each August and attracts thousands of attendees. Festival events include an array of lobster dinners, plus all kinds of lobster-centric dishes like macaroni and cheese, bisques, salads, and lobster rolls. Food aside, attendees can enjoy arts and crafts, entertainment, parades, and a pageant that each year crowns a Maine Sea Goddess. Seafood fans will feel right at home over the five-day festival, as the lobster is just about as fresh as it can get.