There’s never been a better time to travel for food. In particular, culinary festivals and cuisine-centric events—where celebrated chefs, mixologists, sommeliers, and artisans come together to share their expertise and delicious offerings—have become increasingly popular in cities across the nation. Looking for some fresh trip ideas to tantalize your taste buds? Here, we share some of the best fests happening next year that are worthy of planning a getaway around.
Oregon Truffle Festival
Love truffles? Dogs? Wine? You’re in luck! North America’s premier truffle celebration and nonprofit returns in early 2020. Honoring Oregon’s luxurious ingredient (which only grows in this part of the country), the fifteenth installment offers a fresh new lineup for truffle aficionados—including foraging excursions with keen-nosed canines, hands-on cooking classes, winemaker dinners, and more. The January weekend in Eugene spotlights the culinary bounty of the southern Willamette Valley and kicks off with the nation’s longest-running truffle dog competition. In February, guests can explore the shared terroir of truffles and wine during an immersive weekend in Yamill (northern Willamette Valley).
January 23–26 and February 14–16
Jackson Hole Food & Wine WINTER FEST
Celebrated for its top-notch terrain and optimal ski conditions, Wyoming’s idyllic mountain town is also making its mark off the slopes—as a world-class culinary destination. Jackson Hole will transform into an epicurean winter wonderland once again in March 2020. The third annual festival, based in Teton Village, highlights the local food community in addition to renowned visiting chefs, winemakers, and cocktail and beer experts. On the après ski agenda? Three days of exclusive tastings and unforgettable events like an intimate wine dinner at 9,000 feet with a view from the top of Rendezvous Mountain.
March 12–14 (Also noteworthy: the annual Summer Festival, June 25–27)
Charleston Wine + Food
Set against the beautiful backdrop of Charleston, this five-day festival champions the region’s rich food culture through exceptional culinary experiences. Charleston Wine + Food infuses homegrown flavor with top chefs, winemakers, artisans, storytellers, and gourmands from around the globe. The milestone fifteenth installment features sustainability and wellness themes, offers hands-on cooking classes and excursions, includes past fan-favorite events, and brings exciting new additions like intimate dinners in celebrated local chefs’ kitchens. And for the first time in 2020, FOOD & WINE will bring its star power to the Holy City celebration as a new media partner.
March 4–8
New Orleans Wine & Food Experience
This five-day fest showcases what the Big Easy does best: food, drinks, music, and letting the good times roll. Each spring, thousands of culinary enthusiasts flock to Louisiana’s vibrant city to experience its celebrated cuisine, legendary restaurants, and fine wines from around the globe—all while supporting local nonprofit organizations. Festivities include spirited tastings and parade-filled strolls down Royal Street, intimate dinners in the French Quarter, and seminars led by world-renowned experts, along with plenty of live music and N’awlins-style fun. Now in its 28th year, NOWFE is as unique and sensational as the city itself.
March 18–22
Austin Food + Wine Festival
This festival has it all: endless tastings from esteemed chefs and top restaurants, craft beer, wine, and spirits, that famous Texas BBQ, live music, and even a gourmet taco competition. The ninth annual celebration will bring serious star power to the ‘Live Music Capital of the World’ for a rockin’ long weekend to benefit the Austin Food & Wine Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering awareness and innovation in the Central Texas culinary community. The 2020 lineup will include a who’s who of awesome Texas talent, as well as some of the best and brightest from across the country.
April 23–26
BottleRock Napa Valley
It’s hard to determine which is the biggest draw at BottleRock: the food, the wine, or the music. Luckily, guests of this three-day bash get to experience all three (and in picturesque Napa Valley, no less). Spread over the 26-acre Expo grounds, this upscale kick-off to summer features ‘culinary-infused antics’ from celebrities and notable chefs, tasty fare reflective of the region’s vibrant food scene, and luscious wines from highly-heralded producers. With something for everyone, the schedule also boasts wellness offerings, a silent disco, and live sets on multiple stages by the likes of Imagine Dragons, Neil Young, and Mumford & Sons.
May 22–24
FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen
The crème de la crème of culinary festivals welcomes celebrity chefs, renowned winemakers, and epicurean insiders from around the globe to Colorado’s breathtaking mountain town for the 38th year in 2020. The FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen consists of three spectacular days and nights filled with lively cooking demos, grand tastings, mountaintop soirées, and enlightening panel discussions led by wine experts and world-class chefs such as Jacques Pépin, Martha Stewart, Hugh Acheson, and Marcus Samuelsson. More details about this epic celebration will be announced soon.
June 19–21
Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival
September is an ideal time to visit Newport. The weather still feels like summer, the high-season crowds are gone, and the charming Rhode Island town hosts one of the East Coast’s most anticipated events. Now in its 15th year, this sophisticated fête takes over three of Newport’s magnificent mansion properties—The Elms, Rosecliff, and Marble House—for an unforgettable long weekend. Signature events include a swanky Friday night wine gala, intimate vintner dinners, seafood tastings and seminars showcasing world-class culinary talent, and a Sunday Jazz brunch on the stunning Marble House Terrace.
September 17–20
Hawai’i Food & Wine Festival
Set in the lush tropical paradise of Hawai’i, the tenth annual festival will take place over three October weekends on multiple islands: the Island of Hawai’i (2–3), Maui (15–17), and O’ahu (21–25). Marking a decade of celebrating the state’s rich and diverse culture, next year’s foodie extravaganza will be bigger and better than ever—featuring more than 150 internationally-renowned chefs, culinary personalities, and top-notch wine and spirits producers. Expect a lei’d back atmosphere along with big entertainment, magnificent event settings, and world-class cuisine inspired by local aloha 'aina (love for the land).
October 2–25
Blackberry Mountain House Party
Retreat to Blackberry Mountain in the fall for a one-of-a-kind soirée hosted by James Beard award-winning pastry chef Christina Tosi and hospitality expert Will Guidara. Taking culinary experiences to new heights, the powerhouse couple is curating an incredible weekend of food, drinks, and fun. And the house party is just one of many enticing events on tap at the luxurious resort and its sister property, Blackberry Farm. The 2020 lineups have something for everyone: culinary immersions, restorative retreats, spirited seasonal celebrations, and more—all in a spectacular Smoky Mountain setting that’s unlike anywhere else.
October 4-7
Taste of sbe
Luxury hospitality group sbe knows how to throw a knockout party. Or a few. This series of star-studded events—happening over fall weekends across their Los Angeles, Miami, and Bahamas properties—showcases all of sbe’s posh hotels and restaurants in one destination, offering guests the unique opportunity to intermingle with the chefs behind their award-winning culinary concepts. Each experience brings the glitz and glam you’d expect from sbe, along with integrated charity elements, celebrity DJs, and live performances by the likes of Bob Sinclair, Common, and John Legend.
October/November (dates and locations TBD)
Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival
Escape dreary December temps by flying south for a gourmet getaway to the beach. Palm Beach, that is. Taking over the seafront Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach and beyond, this all-star event allures even the most discerning gourmands with four food-centric days of themed tastings, intimate dinners, and opportunities to chat up some of the world’s most acclaimed chefs. This year’s lineup features top talent from New Orleans to New York—including chefs Michael Anthony, Mike Lata, Alon Shaya, Elizabeth Falkner, Marc Murphy, Marc Forgione, and Daniel Boulud, as well as local stars Clay Conley, Lindsay Autry, and more. Mark your calendars now, details for 2020 will be announced soon.
December 10–13
