10 summer food festivals worth the pit stop

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• Maine Lobster Festival — Rockland, ME. >
  20,000 pounds of lobster. That’s what attendees can expect from this crustacean-craver’s haven of bliss. And if filling up on all that fresh seafood leaves you fitness-conscious, contestants can sign up for a Lobster Crate Race. Just be sure to remember the 30-minutes-after-eating rule.
  When: July 31-Aug. 4. Admission: Wed: $5/adults, $2/children. Thurs-Sat: $8/adults, $2/children.
  

  Image credit: mainelobsterfestival.com
• Taste of Chicago — Chicago, Ill.
  Touted as the world’s largest of the food fest lot, attendees can get their fill and then some by sampling over 300 local flavors. Complementing the main food courses with live music this year include Robert Plant, Robin Thicke and Jill Scott.
  When: July 10-14. Admission: free. Food and beverage tickets: 12 for $8.

  
  cityofchicago.org
  Image credit: Getty
• Vermont Cheesemakers Festival — Websterville, Vt.
  Who doesn’t love cheese? Rhetorical questions aside, the real dairy dilemma will be just which of the 100 cheeses from 40 local creameries you’ll start with. Butter, smoked meats, and cider round out the artisanal menu. Don’t forget to also leave room for wine. We hear they go great together.
  When: July 21. Admission: $50.

  
  Image credit: vtcheesefest.com
• Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off — Sparks, Nev.
  Here’s the rub: If you like ribs, there’s no better place to be than this great gastronomic feast that competes to win over your taste buds. Music, meats, and crafts (of the art and beer variety) make for a family-friendly way to cap off the summer.
  When: Aug. 28-Sept. 2. Admission: Free.

  
  Image credit: nuggetribcookoff.com
• Outside Lands — San Fransisco, Calif.
  Music may take center stage with the likes of Paul McCartney, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Vampire Weekend slated to perform this year, but when the wine lands and the beer lands lists rival that of the band lineup, you know they’re not forgetting the meat and potatoes at this San Fran bonanza. Did we mention it strives for sustainability? Remember that when disposing that wad of greasy napkins.
  When: Aug. 9-11. Admission: 3-day ticket/$249.50.

  
  Image credit: sfoutsidelands.com
• Pittston Tomato Festival — Pittston, Pa.
  It’s the best of homegrown fun: pageants, contests, live entertainment, games and… tomato fights? That’s right: Pay $5 to make like a disgruntled vaudevillian spectator by slugging as many as you like at your friends. You can tell them it’s for charity (because it is).
  When: Aug. 15-18. Admission: Free.

  
  Image credit: Peachadella Andreano
  pittstontomatofestival.com
• Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival — Atlantic City, N.J.
  For fans of famous foodies looking to meet, greet and then eat, look no further than the Food Network-sponsored fest that features headliners like Robert Irvine, Rocco Dispirito and a host of other chef personalities who’ve come to tantalize your taste buds.
  When: July 25-28. Admission: Per Event.

  
  Image credit: Tom Briglia/Mike Manger
  caesars.com/foodandwine
• The Bite of Oregon — Portland, Ore.
  Fans of good food and funny television know Portland’s star is rising, and that’s not the beer talking. Well, it is when you consider the craft beer scene, which is as serious as the fest’s aim to become a zero-waste affair. What’s more? Those chowing down on their guilty pleasures (however artisanal) will feel better knowing proceeds will go to benefit Special Olympics Oregon.
  When: Aug. 9-11. Admission: TBD.

  
  Image credit: biteoforegon.com
• Kentucky Bourbon Festival — Bardstown, Ky.
  The state of Kentucky conjures many things — chicken likely being one. But that’s not the main attraction here (though there will be breaded birds, no doubt). Celebrating a rich history of bourbon, the six-day fest isn’t just for the 21-and-up, either. Bardstown promises as much family-friendly entertainment as it does bourbon for one’s buck — which should come as no surprise from a city that views its distillation process as less of a science and more as a fine art.
  When: Sept. 17-22. Admission: On sale by phone only.

  
  Image credit: kybourbonfestival.com
• Lollapalooza — Chicago, Ill.
  It’s a music festival with a food festival to rival its own main stage. Zoned off from the hordes of hipsters, Chow Town is overseen by celeb chef Graham Elliot, who hand-picks the vendors responsible for feeding some 100,000 mouths daily. Tickets are hard to come by, but when there’s a hunger, there’s a way (and its name is StubHub).
  When: Aug. 2-4. Admission: Sold out.

  
  Image credit: whfs.cbslocal.com
  lollapalooza.com
• When motoring along the food fest circuit, it’s best to travel with an appetite as full as your tank. Luckily, the 2013 MINI Coupe has the latter covered, boasting outstanding fuel efficiency and just enough two-seat space for you and your favorite foodie in your collective pursuit of finer fast food (sans the drive-thru).
  

  Image credit: miniusa.com

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