VA: VIRGINIA FOOD FESTIVALS – THE ULTIMATE BUY LOCAL EXPERIENCE
News Date February 16, 2010
Even in the dead of winter, you can buy and eat locally with gusto. Information is just a click away at www.vdacs.virginia.gov/news/festival.shtml, the Virginia Food Festivals Web site from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS). The site has been updated for 2010 and it features events starting this month going through Christmas. With so many Virginia foods represented, there is a special event to celebrate almost everyone’s favorites, from chocolate to wine, beef to strawberries. Some events offer a unique Virginia twist to foods from other places, like the Celtic Festival in April or the Bayou Boogaloo in June.
February is full of romance with wine and chocolate festivals, and March highlights maple festivals and Restaurant Week. April features wine, beef, shad and herbs and May kicks off berry season and the spring market fairs. June, July and August are packed full of festivals celebrating Virginia’s diverse offerings of berries, sweet corn, tomatoes, seafood and cantaloupe. There are summer festivals to celebrate Cajun food, South African cuisine and a Summer Save Our Food Festival.
September and October are two of the busiest months for food festivals with featured products such as apples, wine, pumpkins and oysters. Chili Cook-offs and harvest festivals abound, and this is prime time for those special extras like hayrides, corn mazes, pumpkin cannons, cider-making and antique tractors. You can end the year at Christmas festivals and food/craft fairs before the fun starts all over again in January 2011.
The food festivities are listed online by month. Each listing includes the date, location, contact information and a link to the event Web site, if available. VDACS advises festival-goers to call ahead for hours, directions, admission charges and other costs. (Contact: Elaine J. Lidholm, 804-786-7686)