From a sauerkraut festival in Phelps, to a garlic festival in Geneva, to peppermint days in Lyons — the region has just the right food festival for you
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Celebrate the flavors of the region at a bevy of food festivals. Tie on a napkin and fill up at these food fests.
Taste of Syracuse (Syracuse, June 5-6) promotes local restaurants, businesses, and music from Clinton Square to the Chase Building. Savor $2 samples while listening to live music performances. The event follows Paige’s Butterfly Run to fight childhood cancer.
Ovid Strawberry Festival (Ovid, June 13) is in its 40th year and includes children’s activities, area businesses, village firetrucks, footrace, parade and local bands.
Adirondack Wine & Food Festival (Lake George, June 27-28) hosts 120 of New York’s wineries, craft beverage makers, artisan food producers, food trucks, and crafters.
Taste of Buffalo (Buffalo, July 11-12) lives up to its name. Sample from among Buffalo’s best restaurants.
Lyons Peppermint Days (Lyons, July 17-19) looks back at the era when Lyons was the peppermint capital of the world. In addition to visiting the nearby H.G. Hotchkiss Essential Oil Museum, see who’s crowned Baby Mint, visit vendor booths, see live K-9 demos and see the fireworks show.
http://lyonstown.com/peppermint-days
BurgerFest (Hamburg, July 18) serves up plenty of burgers and more. Enjoy children’s activities, crafts, live music, car show and beer tent.
Phelps Sauerkraut Festival (Phelps, July 30-Aug. 1) celebrates all things sauerkraut with a 5k and 20k race, parade, vendors, family activities, and live entertainment.
https://phelpsny.com/sauerkraut-weekend
The Cheddar Cheese Festival (Adams, Aug. 1) promotes everything cheesy, plus artisan booths, wine and cheese samples, Kids’ Zone and live entertainment.
http://cheddarcheesefestival.com
The Glorious Garlic Festival (Geneva, Aug 1-2) includes wine tasting, cooking demonstration and the chance to sample and purchase freshly harvest garlic of several varieties.
National Buffalo Wing Festival (Buffalo, Aug. 29-30) includes tons of food samples, wing eating contests, bobbing for wings, live music, and numerous family activities.
CNY TomatoFest (Auburn, early August) raises money for Central New York’s food pantries. Enjoy free entertainment, children’s activities, the “Tomato Parade” and more.
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100075945700892#
Tacos & Tequila Festival (Buffalo, Aug. 23), boasts numerous taco vendors, live entertainment, margaritas, tequila shot bars, lucha libre wrestling, car show, Chihuahua beauty pageant, salsa and queso competition, art installations and photo ops.
https://buffalowaterfront.com/events/tacos-tequila-festival
Niagara County Peach Festival (Lewiston, Sept. 10-11) celebrates peaches with peachy treats, midway, vendors and more.
Cream Cheese Festival (Lowville, Sept. 19) includes children’s activities, cream cheese recipe contest and games.
https://creamcheesefestival.com
Naples Grape Festival (Naples, Sept. 26-27) enjoy live music, fresh and packaged food vendors, artisans, contests and everything grape-related.
Central Square Apple Festival (Central Square, Sept. 26-27) offers favorite harvest foods and activities, including rides, pony rides, live entertainment, demonstrations, and a few hundred crafters and vendors.
www.facebook.com/CentralSquareAppleFestival
Lafayette Apple Festival (Lafayette, Oct. 10-11) promotes apples with apple-themed foods, food competitions, midway rides, pony rides, a petting zoo, juried craft show and more.