9 New England Summer Food Festivals Worth The Road Trip

Just because the 4th of July has past, it doesn’t mean summer festivals in New England are on the wain.  There are plenty of warm summer days and over-the-top foodie festivals yet to come.  Summer is when the beer and wine really start to flow and seafood of every description is celebrated all across New England.  So let’s take a look at some of the best Summer Food Festivals yet to come:

Vermont
Chocolate and Cheese Festival – 8/3
It’s no time to think about calories at this festival!  This yummy gathering is the creation of the The Landgrove Inn in Landgrove, Vermont.  “Dozens of the area’s renowned chefs serve hundreds of delectable chocolate and cheese-laden hors d’ourves, snacks and desserts.”  There’s also entertainment and lots of family fun.

Okemo Hops In The Hills Beer & Wine Fest – 8/7 to 8/9

Jackson Gore will be flowing with good cheer, food and music for the Hops in The Hills Festival.  Festival goers will be able to sample brews from two dozen breweries, many wineries and hard cider from several craft cideries.  AND as a bonus, attendees can vote in the Okemo Valley’s Chicken Wing Championship.  A $5 pack of tickets allows you to sample five chicken wings and vote for your favorite.  Foodies should attend the Beer Pairing Dinner at the Coleman Brook Tavern’s Wine Room where Trapp Brewing will team with Chef Scot Emerson to create a memorable dinner for $75 per person.  Top it all off with live entertainment, marketplace and perhaps some crazy fun at Okemo’s Adventure Zone, and it promises to be a super weekend adventure.

Stowe Brewers Festival – 8/14 to 8/15
This is not only promises to be a great craft brew festival, but organizers plan to make their mark by producing the most environmentally and community-conscious brewers festival in the country.  In it’s inaugural year, the two day fest will feature 40 artisans of craft beers, hard cider and mead makers all from Vermont and surrounding states.  There will be live music, food vendors, beer-swag, brewing and cooking demos and lots more.  A portion of the proceeds will go to support the Vermont FoodBank’s Good Food Truck and a tricked-out military-theme truck will be raffled off to support the Wounded Warrior Project.

Southern Vermont Garlic & Herb Fest – 9/5 to 9/6
For two glorious days in early September, Vermont will, yes, stink!  This festival draws hundreds of garlic and herb enthusiasts to sample and gorge themselves on the stinky rose and more.  You’ll find garlic ice cream, garlic jelly, pickled garlic, roasted garlic and garlic braids.  Learn how to grow garlic, braid garlic, use garlic in most imaginative ways.  Couple this with music and amusements for the kids and you’ll have a weekend you won’t forget – because your breath won’t let you….bring the breath mints!!

Maine
The Maine Lobster Festival, 7/29 to 8/2

Celebrating its 68th year, you haven’t had summer fun in New England if  you haven’t been to the Mid-Coast Lobster Festival.  Rockland Maine is a great place to visit at any time of  year, but during Lobster Festival the streets come alive with all things red, riotous and fun.  This year for the first time you can catch a Rally Bus from spots around New England (like South Station in Boston) that will transport you right to the festival and back again in comfort.  During the weekend there will be a parade, international ‘crate race’, cooking contests, craft shows and 20,000 lbs of lobster will be served up along with 1,700 lbs of melted butter – sounds like heaven!  Need a place to stay?  Take a look at our video on the best inns of Rockland Maine by Inns Along The Coast.

Machias Wild Blueberry Festival – 8/14 to 8/15
Your long drive north to DownEast Maine (about 1 1/2 hours from Bar Harbor) will be rewarded by the amazing sight of miles and miles of wild blueberry barrens.  This corner of Maine is the largest producer of wild blueberries in the world and the Wild Blueberry Festival in Machias Maine has been going strong for 40 years.  You bet, there will be pie-eating contests, country crafts, blueberry farm tours,  parades, contests, entertainment and blueberries turned into yummy treats wherever you look.

Massachusetts

Boston Seafood Festival – 8/2
Taking place right on the Boston Fish Pier, this festival celebrates the wonderful fresh seafood of the area and salutes the world renowned Boston restaurants who cook it up every day.  Wander the fish pier and sample all types of freshly prepared seafood.  You’ll see cooking demos, street performers and some fishy contests like the Battle of the Shuckers and Fish Cutting competition.  Lots of fun, rain or shine along the Boston waterfront.

Rhode Island

Charleston Seafood Festival – 8/7 to 8/9

For 31 years, Charleston Rhode Island has been celebrating their seafaring heritage with a gala seafood festival.  There will be “lobsters, steamers, chowder, fish & chips, lobster rolls, clam cakes, corn on the cob and a raw bar, as well as an array of all types of foods for every taste”.  Add in some amusement rides, fireworks, car show and continuous entertainment and you have the makings of a festival every member of your family will enjoy!

Connecticut

Milford Oyster Festival – 8/14
It’s all about the king of mollusks, the fresh briny oyster, brought to the festival by the East Coast Shellfish Growers Association. During the festival 30,000 oysters and clams will be served up in all their sweet and salty goodness.  But never fear if that’s not your thing, there are plenty of food vendors bringing you everything from hot dogs and hamburgers to pulled pork and seafood prepared most any way you could desire.  This festival brings in top talent to entertain the crowds and there will be oyster shucking, eating and cooking events, car show and more.  Don’t miss the canoe/kayak race or a 90 minute sail on an 80′ three-masted schooner.  Milford has been pulling in the crowds for 41 years and it’s about time you see why!

So wherever you roam in New England this summer, there’s a great foodie event just around the corner!