USA TODAY 10Best
Picklesburgh named Best Specialty Food Festival
Best Specialty Food Festival (2020)
These 10 festivals across North America celebrate specific foods – often local specialties grown or produced in the region.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Specialty Food Festival are as follows:
Photo courtesy of National Fiery Foods & Barbecue Show
No. 10: National Fiery Foods & BBQ Show - Albuquerque
The first week in March brings the National Fiery Foods & Barbecue Show to Albuquerque. This "Hottest Show on Earth" brings together the nation's largest collection of hot sauces, salsas, marinades, mustards and pretty much anything else that can be infused with a healthy dose of capsaicin.
Photo courtesy of Paul S. Bartholomew Photography / Michael Arnone's Crawfish Fest
No. 9: Michael Arnone's Crawfish Fest - Augusta, N.J.
What started as a small crawfish festival in 1989 has crown into a three-day event featuring Cajun food and live Cajun, zydeco, Delta blues, gospel and jazz music on three stages. Culinary highlights include fresh boiled Louisiana crawfish, jambalaya, crawfish étouffée, alligator sausage and seafood poboys.
Photo courtesy of Matt Love Photography / Cheese and Meat Festival
No. 8: Cheese and Meat Festival - Multiple Cities
This Pacific Northwest food festival celebrates two beloved foods, cheese and meat. Attendees are given a charcuterie board and tasting glass for two-hour tasting sessions featuring artisan meats, cheeses, pickles, breads and beverages from around the region and the world. The event takes place in Seattle, Vancouver and Victoria.
Photo courtesy of iStock / Steffi Victorioso
No. 7: Tamale Festival Houston - Houston
Things get spicy in Houston during the annual Tamale Festival in December, where the city’s top chefs dish up their best takes on tamales. Other events include live music, ballet folklorico performances, a tamale eating contest and the coveted award for Best Tamales in Houston.
Photo courtesy of Bacon and Beer Classic
No. 6: Bacon and Beer Classic - Multiple Cities
This festival celebrates two of our favorite things, bacon and craft beer. As the festival moves across the country – upcoming events are taking place in New York, Seattle and Denver – foodies get to sample beers from local breweries and taste bacon-centric dishes from innovative chefs.
Photo courtesy of Kathryn Elsesser / Oregon Truffle Festival
No. 5: Oregon Truffle Festival - Willamette Valley, Ore.
The Oregon Truffle Festival celebrates the abundance of native culinary truffles that grown in the Willamette Valley. Truffle lovers from around the globe come to explore this rare and tasty ingredient through dinners, wine pairing classes, foraging workshops and other events held throughout Yamhill County.
Photo courtesy of Gelato Festival America
No. 4: Gelato Festival America - Multiple Cities
The world’s most prestigious gelato tournament takes place across numerous festivals around the globe, including several in the United States. Festival attendees can taste all the flavors offered and vote for their favorite. The gelato chef that wins the most votes at each event continues on to the Gelato Festival World Masters.
Photo courtesy of Gary Ennis / National Cherry Festival
No. 3: National Cherry Festival - Traverse City, Mich.
Northern Michigan's biggest annual event, the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, welcomes more than half a million people each July to celebrate all things cherry. Alongside cherry edibles, festival goers will find a host of family-friendly entertainment and activities, including a parade, volleyball tournament, air show and live music on the bay.
Photo courtesy of Windy City Smokeout
No. 2: Windy City Smokeout - Chicago
This three-day event in Chicago combines two things we love: live music and great barbecue. Twenty of the world’s best pitmasters serve up their smoked morsels, while top country music talent takes the stage. Headliners in 2020 include Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley and Jon Pardi.
Photo courtesy of Picklesburgh
No. 1: Picklesburgh - Pittsburgh
Picklesburgh bills itself “The Destination for All Things Pickled” for one weekend each July. Pittsburgh’s Roberto Clemente Bridge transforms into Picklesburgh, complete with a giant flying Heinz pickle balloon. Attendees can expect an assortment of foods and cocktails that feature pickled ingredients, as well as live demos and pickle merchandise.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
Congratulations to all these winning events!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Barry Kahn
When newly minted Everfest CEO Barry Kahn saw the... Read More
When newly minted Everfest CEO Barry Kahn saw the opportunity to merge Everfest into Qcue, the company he has run for more than a decade, there was no hesitation. Both companies shared a common history as successful Austin software startups that received worldwide recognition for reimagining the live entertainment space. Since its founding in 2014, Everfest has grown into the market leader in festival discovery, showcasing more than 20,000 festivals and hosting the renowned festival guide and magazine, Fest300. The Everfest platform hosts an online community for festival fans globally and gives festival organizers another channel for ticket sales, while connecting vendors, artists, sponsors and volunteers to new opportunities.
Barry Kahn
When newly minted Everfest CEO Barry Kahn saw the opportunity to merge Everfest into Qcue, the company he has run for more than a decade, there was no hesitation. Both companies shared a common history as successful Austin software startups that received worldwide recognition for reimagining the live entertainment space. Since its founding in 2014, Everfest has grown into the market leader in festival discovery, showcasing more than 20,000 festivals and hosting the renowned festival guide and magazine, Fest300. The Everfest platform hosts an online community for festival fans globally and gives festival organizers another channel for ticket sales, while connecting vendors, artists, sponsors and volunteers to new opportunities.
Gareth Hornberger
As Director of Consumer at Eventbrite, Gareth is... Read More
As Director of Consumer at Eventbrite, Gareth is responsible for establishing Eventbrite as the best place to discover live experiences. Gareth has spent more than a decade developing innovative strategies and award-winning campaigns for iconic global brands including Google and Levi Strauss & Co. He currently lives in San Francisco and in his spare time you’ll find him at a yoga class or hunting down the best electronic music shows.
Gareth Hornberger
As Director of Consumer at Eventbrite, Gareth is responsible for establishing Eventbrite as the best place to discover live experiences. Gareth has spent more than a decade developing innovative strategies and award-winning campaigns for iconic global brands including Google and Levi Strauss & Co. He currently lives in San Francisco and in his spare time you’ll find him at a yoga class or hunting down the best electronic music shows.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.