This autumn, take advantage of these opportunities to celebrate food across our region. No, I’m not talking about pumpkin spice. Whether it’s pickles, chowder, turnips, garlic, or oysters, this fall you can connect with people who are passionate about every nuance of these culinary treasures. This list offers tasting excursions for every food lover. Enjoy!
SEPTEMBER
Sept. 13: Maine Cheese Festival, Pittsfield, Maine
Enjoy live music while you sample new cheeses and meet Maine cheesemakers. Check out the entries for this year’s competition, highlighting the best fresh, brined, and flavored cheeses, and more.
Sept. 19: What the Fluff? Festival, Somerville, Massachusetts
This is the 20th year of this event celebrating a Union Square invention: marshmallow Fluff. Not just a tribute to Fluffernutters, the day will include Fluff games, live music, Fluff treats, and more.
Sept. 20 : Vermont Cheesemakers Festival, Shelburne, Vermont
Known for exceptional cheeses, Vermont celebrates its 14th annual festival to cap off Vermont Cheese Week. Try local foods and beverages and meet the artisans responsible for them. Can’t make the festival? The Vermont Cheese Council also has a cheese trail.
Sept. 26: Maine Needham Festival, Wiscasset, Maine
Have you ever heard of Needhams? They are a unique dark chocolate–dipped Maine candy filled with a combination of coconut and potato. Check out Needham-making demonstrations, sweet treats, themed contests, and lots of other candy and potato programs.
Sept. 26: Oysterfest in The Port, Newburyport, Massachusetts
Learn about oysters from across Massachusetts, Maine, and New Hampshire while enjoying live music. Farmers will shuck these freshly harvested oysters for you as you learn about and taste the regional flavor differences.
Sept. 26: Winchester Pickle Festival, Winchester, New Hampshire
For 28 years, this tribute to pickles has been delighting visitors with a pickle parade, canning and pickle-eating contests, merchandise, and samples.
Sept. 26 and 27: North Quabbin Garlic & Arts Festival, Orange, Massachusetts
In addition to art, nature, and adventure activities, enjoy the garlic and egg toss, a garlic sack race, “tug of garlic,” the annual raw garlic–eating contest, and cooking demonstrations.
Sept. 26 and 27: Pemaquid Oyster Festival, Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Start with the James Bond Oyster Odyssey wine pairing dinner on Saturday. On Sunday, celebrate ten oyster growers from the Damariscotta River region. Test your skills at the shucking contest and learn about these tasty mollusks.
OCTOBER
Oct. 3: 6th Annual Give a Shuck Event, Boston, Massachusetts
On the banks of the Charles River, enjoy local oysters, drinks, and music, while supporting the Mass. Oyster Project. Meet local oyster farmers and get a lesson in shucking. Tracy Chang, one of GBH Amplifies' hosts, will be one of the chefs on-site creating special dishes to try.
Oct. 3: Spicetober Fest, Boston, Massachusetts
Enjoy bold local flavors that celebrate Boston’s diverse culinary palate. Enjoy demonstrations and competitions, hot sauce tastings, and live music.
Oct. 3 and 4: Maine’s Garlic Fest, Skowhegan, Maine
Didn’t get enough garlic last month? Head up to Lake George Regional Park for a celebration of garlic and folk and Americana music.
Oct 6: SouthCoast Chowderfest and More!, Dartmouth, Massachusetts
Explore the South Coast’s food scene at this Tuesday night event with samples of signature chowders and soups, as well as other dishes from local restaurants, caterers, and food trucks.
Oct. 10 and 11: Garlic & Harvest Festival, Bethlehem, Connecticut
It’s Connecticut’s turn to celebrate garlic with cooking demonstrations, tips to grow your own, and a large array of specialty food vendors. Try garlic sausage, deep fried garlic, and maybe even garlic ice cream.
Oct. 17 and 18 AND Oct. 24 and 25: AppleFest Weekend, Princeton, Massachusetts
Visit Wachusetts Mountain for the 42nd Annual Apple Fest. Try apple treats including apple cider and cider slushies, cider doughnuts, and all manner of apple treats. Take the commuter rail directly from Boston.
Oct. 17: Boston PoutineFest, Boston, Massachusetts
This promises to be the largest French-Canadian cultural festival in modern Boston history. Enjoy unforgettable poutine samples, craft beer, and music.
Oct. 17 and 18: Boston Veg Food Fest, Boston, Massachusetts
Don’t miss this gathering of plant-based food and cosmetic product vendors. Talk to food producers, taste samples, and learn from chefs and other experts about vegetarian and vegan products.
Oct. 17 and 18: Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival, Newport, Rhode Island
This is the 35th annual festival of fresh seafood and music. Enjoy fish tacos, lobster rolls, stuffies, calamari, and more, along with signature cocktails and sweet treats.
Oct. 17 and 18: Wellfleet Oysterfest, Wellfleet, Massachusetts
This popular event launched in 2021 is a two-day celebration of seafood and art that draws up to 20,000 people. Indulge in lots and lots of oysters, visit the beer and wine gardens, attend culinary demonstrations, check out the live music and arts and crafts booths, and watch the nation’s largest oyster shucking competition.
Oct. 24: Gilfeather Turnip Festival & Contest, Wardsboro, Vermont
This Vermont town, 10 miles from Mount Snow, is the home of this special turnip that is the state’s symbol. Check out turnip tastings, the turnip contest, a turnip soup kiosk, and turnip seed sales. There’s even a turnip movie.
NOVEMBER
Nov. 6, 7, and 8: Franklin County CiderFest
Travel the region to take part in cidery and orchard tours, cidermaking demonstrations and tastings, workshops, and educational talks and lectures.
Find more food content on GBH’s Food page, including recipes.
This article was developed for a food edition of our weekly Deep Dive newsletter. Sign up to receive a new edition every Tuesday where you’ll dive deep into a new topic, and find out some of what GBH has to share on the subject.
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