Massachusetts food festivals offer delicious treats galore - from fresh lobster and fried clams, apple cider donuts and Portuguese pastries, apple cider donuts, cooking demonstrations, seafood throwdowns, family fun zones, and sustainability education - from fresh lobster and fried clams, apple cider donuts, and Portuguese pastries! Don't miss these delectable events that take place across Massachusetts each year!
Are you looking to hone your palate while simultaneously supporting local charities? Attending a food festival that raises funds for worthy causes might just be what the doctor ordered!
Boston Seafood Festival
This family-friendly seafood festival in Boston's historic Fish Pier is an exciting celebration of local seafood abundance. Visitors can sample oysters, clam chowder, lobster rolls and much more while taking part in live music performances and educational events; oyster-shucking competitions take place daily along with chef demos showcasing culinary tips as well as commercial fishing boats present.
Established in 2012 by the Boston Fisheries Foundation, this festival celebrates the seafood and maritime history of Boston. This family-oriented event seeks to raise awareness of sustainable seafood while offering activities everyone can enjoy together - such as visiting their beer garden, taking dance lessons, or singing along in their Karaoke Lounge!
The festival offers activities for children of all ages, such as surfboard and kayak rentals, pirate and mermaid character encounters, crafts, face painting, and more! Plus there are more than 20 vendors selling food on site that is sure to please every palate, plus plenty of seafood-related souvenirs that make perfect souvenirs! Tickets range from $25 for general admission up to $120 for VIP (which includes a lobster bake ticket, lobster, steamed clams, and cole slaw salad with two drink tickets, and a VIP bag), with proceeds benefitting Boston Fisheries Foundation. All ticket sales go towards supporting their cause!
Boston Veg Food Fest
Veg Food Fest is an annual event hosted by the Boston Vegetarian Society to showcase local natural vegetarian food producers. Notable speakers and chefs gather for this plant-based marketplace where guests can taste free food samples as well as take advantage of show discounts when purchasing products.
Organizers of this year's 27th Annual Event made the switch to a virtual format, taking advantage of its opportunity to reach more people and provide a platform for those unable to attend at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Roxbury. Harvard Business School professor Max Bazerman moderated a panel with entrepreneurs who have launched plant-based companies; other speakers included Dean and Ayesha Sherzai of Alzheimer's Association, Jain Yi from the Chinese plant-based movement, and Rune Christoffer Dragsdahl of Denmark.
At this event, attendees were treated to an abundance of vegan food options, such as plant-based "cheese," hummus, tamales, and crepes with nut spreads. There were also vendors selling clothing shoes salves lotions and other products without animal ingredients as well as purchasing books with cooking instructions available to them as well as discussions regarding how a plant-based diet could improve health, the environment, and animal welfare.
Cranberry Harvest Celebration
Cranberries, beloved holiday treats in Massachusetts and an economic boon cover 30% of world acreage and create over 7,000 jobs here alone.
Over Columbus Day weekend, visitors to Wareham can explore this deliciously tart fruit at the Cranberry Harvest Celebration hosted at A.D. Makepeace Company Headquarters by the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers' Association and Ocean Spray. With up-close views of ruby cranberries that define this region as well as food (both local and "fair-food"), music, juried crafters and wagon rides around Tihonet Pond; wagon rides and paddleboat rides will provide entertainment, and those eager enough can enter an eating contest!
To bring visitors even closer to the action, this event offers two guided cranberry bog tours on Saturday (one 10:30 am-noon and the other 1:30-3 p.m.). Children can participate in family photo sessions with Patriots cheerleaders; more adventurous visitors may want to sign up for Ocean Spray's Annual Cranberry Bog Walk Guided tour with an Ocean Spray guide - admission and parking are free; visit their website for more details!
Taste of the North End
The Taste of the North End Food Festival takes place annually in Boston's historic North End neighborhood and showcases local restaurants' delectable appetizers, entrees, and desserts along with cocktails, beer, music, art, and boutique shopping - with proceeds benefitting North End charities!
At this festival held Friday at DCR's Steriti Rink, you can sample from over 35 restaurants. Enjoy appetizers, cheese plates, main courses, and desserts - as well as plenty of libations - plus take part in a silent auction to win hotel and restaurant packages or tickets to Boston sports events!
If you enjoy Italian cuisine, the Taste of the North End festival should definitely be on your itinerary. Held annually and featuring some of the top Italian restaurants such as Lucca for traditional Northern Italian dishes like spaghetti puttanesca and exploding little neck clams; and Carmelina for Sicilian fare; it's well worth making an appointment to visit.
Modern Pastry has quickly become one of the city's favorite desserts with its cannoli and ricotta pasticciotto - one of its most beloved classics crafted with Boston-made marshmallow Fluff! If pizza is not your forte, give Modern Pastry's cannoli and ricotta pasticciotto a try - you won't regret it!
La Travola
A sagra is an informal food festival held each year to highlight regional cuisine. However, calling it simply a food festival would miss its essence; Latin origins mean sacred or "heavenly."
Steeple Street near Mashpee Commons transforms each year into Little Italy for La Travola, an extravagant one-night feast where 400 dinner guests are treated to an Italian five-course dinner catered by Villaggio Ristorante. Enjoy wine and music performed by Aaron Aruso - an Italian Tenor - and Corey Pesaturo, an award-winning accordionist; proceeds benefit both Mashpee Chamber Scholarship Fund and #ShopMashpee campaigns.
For something different and fun, visit Edgartown in June for the Taste of Vineyard event to experience Greek culture with delicious food, drink, and dancing - an awesome way to start off your summer on Martha's Vineyard and an experience you won't find elsewhere!
When you're ready to sample some of Cape Cod's best chili (or try your hand at making it!), head to Mashpee for the Awesome Chili Challenge! Held annually under a heated tent at Popponesset Inn beachfront hotel, its winner gets bragging rights while there's even a kiddie chili cook-off! Plus there is even an event dedicated exclusively to children's chili!
Bass River Multi-Cultural Food Festival
At the Bass River Multi-Cultural Food Festival, food and culture come together. This inaugural annual event showcases restaurants, food trucks and bakeries from throughout Cape Cod so visitors can sample cuisines from around the world while taking part in live music performances and community activities.
The Nantucket Wine & Food Festival takes place every May and is an ideal opportunity for visitors to explore island activities, restaurants, galleries, and shops while tastings, demonstrations, and meals are offered. In addition, two cooking competitions - Ultimate Seafood Battle and Chef's Challenge - attract culinary stars from across the nation and are held during this festival.
Mashpee hosts its popular Oktoberfest festival every year, complete with bier garten, authentic foods, and carnival games like stein racing. Chatham also holds its own Oktoberfest at Kate Gould Park and Town Hall featuring German food vendors, craft booths, entertainment, and other attractions.
The Family Table Collaborative is an organization focused on providing healthy meals to families in need. Their aim is to establish an overall hub of nutritional security throughout their region; to achieve this objective they work with local farmers to prepare and deliver food throughout their community. Their food truck has participated in events like Cape Cod Food Truck & Beer Festival; with more food truck events coming soon they hope to continue this initiative in future festivals as well.
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