20 delicious spring, summer food festivals in Nashville, Atlanta and across the South
After a slow couple of years for outdoor gatherings, food fests are back again with barbecue, soul food, crawfish and even livermush. Here are 20 excuses to get outside this spring and summer and eat your way across the South at food festivals big and small. Many events are free. Check links for extra details.
April
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
April 29–May 8 in New Orleans
The music gets top billing, but the food is also a star at the long-running event popularly known as Jazz Fest. Vendors come back each year to make favorite dishes, like cracklins, crawfish bisque, jambalaya, fried pork chop sandwiches and cochon de lait po'boys. www.nojazzfest.com
Pensacola Crawfish Festival
April 29–May 1 in Pensacola, Florida
Billed as one of the biggest crawfish boils in the Southeast, the Annual Pensacola Crawfish Festival brings a taste of Louisiana to Florida for a full-on week of music and mudbugs. www.fiestapensacola.org/crawfish-festival
Crawfish Fest:Festival returns with music, traditional dishes and plenty of Cajun fare
May
Memphis in May Barbecue Competition
May 11–14 in Memphis
Officially known as the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, the annual event is one of the big four barbecue cookoffs. Although guests do not get to sample the competitors' entries, there will be plenty of barbecue, drinks and music for all. memphisinmay.org
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Taste of the Bluegrass
May 13 in Lexington, Kentucky
The annual benefit for the local food bank, now in its 40th year, features some of the area's best restaurants with plenty of wine and beer. godspantry.org/events/tasteofthebluegrass/
Nashville Rosé Festival
May 14 in Nashville
Try more than 100 specialty rosé wines, local beers, spirits and cocktails. The event also includes a vendor village, DJs, food trucks and lawn games. It benefits the Tennessee Breast Cancer Coalition. www.nashvillerosefestival.com
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Spirited Brunch
May 15 in Charleston, South Carolina
A free, self-guided tour of Charleston's houses of worship, with each stop welcoming visitors with food. The tour is organized by local food writer Hanna Raskin. For more information, see thefoodsection.substack.com
The Cheerwine Festival
May 21 in Salisbury, North Carolina
The essential Southern soda is feted at this free festival in the town where the drink was created. The music headliners this year are Blues Travelers and Spin Doctors. cheerwinefest.com
June
Livermush Festival
June 4 in Marion, North Carolina
This annual event closes downtown Marion in Western North Carolina to celebrate this porky Southern staple. www.romanticasheville.com/livermush_festival.htm
New Orleans Wine and Food Experience
June 7-12 in New Orleans
This annual food fest, in its 30th year, is a six-day whirlwind of cooking competitions, wine and food tasting, and all the Big Easy fun. It's all in the name of supporting worthy culinary education programs. www.nowfe.com
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SoulFeast
June 17-26 in Lexington, Kentucky
This 10-day celebration of black culinary culture highlights Black restaurants, farmers, and chefs in Central Kentucky through educational exhibits, curated experiences and great food. www.soulfeastweek.com
Chow Chow
June 23-26, Aug. 4-7 and Sept. 8-11 in Asheville, North Carolina
With three weekends of culinary events, Chow Chow offers ample opportunities to sample the culinary scene of this scenic Western North Carolina City. www.exploreasheville.com/chow-chow-culinary-festival
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July
Music City Hot Chicken Festival
July 4 in Nashville
Appropriately enough, this festival celebrating Nashville's uniquely spicy chicken kicks off with a fire truck parade. You'll find plenty of hot birds, cold beer and good music at this free fest. www.hot-chicken.com
August
Tomato Art Fest
Aug. 12-13 in Nashville
The 19th annual Tomato Art Fest takes over Music City's East Nashville neighborhood for a two-day celebration of art, music, food, floats and costumes. A tomato art show showcases more than 300 pieces devoted to the South's favorite summer vegetable. www.tomatoartfest.com
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Pigs & Peaches Barbecue Festival
Aug. 19-20 in Kennesaw, Georgia
This annual event is also a Kansas City Barbeque Society sanctioned competition and official Georgia BBQ Championship throwdown. While there is no public tasting at the competition, vendors will keep you well-fed. www.kennesaw-ga.gov/pigsandpeaches
Knox Asian Festival
Aug. 28, Knoxville, Tennessee
Pan-Asian food is at the heart of this event, with dishes from Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, India and many more. Expect traditional dance and martial arts demonstrations, a Japanese tea ceremony and Japanese drummers from Disney World. www.knoxasianfestival.com
September
North Carolina Apple Festival
Sept. 3-6, Hendersonville, North Carolina
This festival takes over quaint downtown Hendersonville in Western North Carolina for Labor Day Weekend. There's a street fair, children's events, crafts and plenty of apples from local growers, who together help make the state among the top apple producers in the country. www.ncapplefestival.org
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Taste of Soul
Sept. 3-4in Atlanta
The Labor Day weekend festival features plenty of soul music, both free and ticketed, along with soul food from dozens of Atlanta vendors. tasteofsoulatlanta.com
Atlanta Food and Wine Festival
Sept. 15–18 in Atlanta
The annual event has dinners, cooking demos and tastings featuring top chefs from Atlanta and across the South. atlfoodandwinefestival.com
Euphoria
Sept. 15–18 in Greenville, South Carolina
This fun festival takes over gorgeous downtown Greenville with tastings, live music, stellar food and drinks and plenty of Southern hospitality. euphoriagreenville.com
Kentucky Bourbon Festival
Sept. 16-18 in Bardstown
Dozens of craft distilleries and historic bourbon-makers come together to offer sample pours and bottle sales on Distillers’ Row. Don't miss the World Championship Bourbon Barrel Relay. kybourbonfestival.com
Know of another Southern food festival we should include? Email Todd A. Price at taprice@gannett.com