What is not to like about a food festival?

Upstate New York has a busy schedule of food festivals throughout the region this summer.  We offer up 12 great ones for you to consider.  Some are big, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors, and others are small, held in rural communities attracting those only in the immediate areas.

But all are worth a visit.

I am always amazed at what food, no matter how seemingly simple, can be fashioned into a full blown community festival.  You will find many of them here.  We also included some wine festivals, which pair up nicely with food events.

My favorite has to be the Sauerkraut Festival Weekend in the rural community of Phelps, N.Y.  I have been there. Thousands will attend to eat sauerkraut cake, do face painting on heads of cabbage, and bow down to the Prince and Princess of Sauerkraut.  Why do they do this?  It is in the story below.

So here is to you corn, garlic, spiedies, lobster rolls, hamburgers, and more.  It is your time to shine at food festivals dedicated to you this summer in Upstate New York!