With its farm fresh produce and world class dining, Northern California is a foodie’s delight! Whether your taste buds run on the sweet side or you crave something savory, there are dozens of food festivals in Northern California to temp your taste buds all year round.
- Mountain Mandarin Festival, Auburn
Facebook/Mountain Mandarin Festival Held every year just before Thanksgiving, the Mountain Mandarin Festival celebrates the surprisingly delicious citrus fruit of Placer County. Not only do visitors sample and shop for fresh fruit, they can also take home Mandarin BBQ sauces, syrups, olive oils, dressings and dozens of other Mandarin inspired concoctions.
- Farm to Fork Festival, Sacramento
Facebook/Farm to Fork Capital of America Did you know that Sacramento is known as the “farm to fork capital of America?” Every year the local farmers and chefs of the entire region of Northern California come together in our state’s capital to celebrate the unique foodie culture of this area with food, wine and beer from regional eateries and purveyors, as well as live music, live cooking demonstration stages, a kids’ zone, interactive booths from local grocers, farms and ranches and more!
3 Chocolate Fest, Paradise
Chocolate Fest Calling all Northern Californians with a sweet tooth! This delicious event in Butte County gives back to local youth and is “‘choc-full’ of events, activities, contests and fun!”
- World Championship Abalone Cook-Off and Festival, Fort Bragg
Mendo Parks Even amateur judges can weigh in on taste, texture and tenderness of this Northern California seafood. Other exciting things to enjoy at this event are the live music and good beer, including North Coast Brewing Company.
- “Mardi-Craw” Crawdad Festival, Red Bluff
Facebook/ Crawdad Festival All proceeds from this fun, spring celebration benefit the Red Bluff-Tehama County Chamber of Commerce. Come ready to enjoy a good party, Cajun food, craft beer, and live music, but make sure you arrive with an empty belly, it’s all you can eat at this Crawdad Festival.
- Eggplant Festival, Loomis
Facebook/ Eggplant Festival This event is truly a community celebration! Not only does it bring together local chefs and produce, there is fun for the whole family with face painting, princesses on parade, a scavenger hunt, and more!
- Crab, Beer and Wine Fest, Mendocino County
Facebook/ Visit Mendocino County Not only are the people friendly and fun to be around, the delectable main course is incredible! Savor the all-you-can-eat crab feeds, winemaker’s dinners, wine competitions, crab cruises, cooking classes, family-style cioppino feeds and crab cake cook off and lots of seafood!
- California Nut Festival, Chico
California Nut Festival 2016 was the 10th anniversary of this summer festival, which celebrates locally sourced almonds, walnuts, pecans and pistachios as well as the farming traditions of Butte County.
- Oroville Salmon Festival, Oroville
Salmon Fest Oroville Sample fresh caught salmon while learning about the environment, listening to music, touring of the hatchery and more at this unique festival! There’s not a lot of places in Northern California where you can still see wild spawning salmon that annually make their way from the ocean back up the Feather River, but this September festival is one of those rare occasions.
- Beer & Chili Festival, Sacramento
There’s nothing as satisfying as a filling bowl of chili, except for maybe a delicious craft beer! You can enjoy the two of these amazing things paired together at this April festival, which is a fundraiser for the Sacramento Artists Council.
- Oyster Festival, Arcata
Arcata Main Street Ever summer, seafood enthusiasts flock to Arcata, for the annual oyster festival. Attendees enjoy impeccable shellfish and other food as well as local beer, wine and dancing.
There’s no other place in the world like Northern California when it comes to fun, fresh, and fine dining, and luckily there’s plenty of fun festivals here that celebrate the best of the best when it comes to food. What is your favorite food festival in the region?
Facebook/Mountain Mandarin Festival
Held every year just before Thanksgiving, the Mountain Mandarin Festival celebrates the surprisingly delicious citrus fruit of Placer County. Not only do visitors sample and shop for fresh fruit, they can also take home Mandarin BBQ sauces, syrups, olive oils, dressings and dozens of other Mandarin inspired concoctions.
Facebook/Farm to Fork Capital of America
Did you know that Sacramento is known as the “farm to fork capital of America?” Every year the local farmers and chefs of the entire region of Northern California come together in our state’s capital to celebrate the unique foodie culture of this area with food, wine and beer from regional eateries and purveyors, as well as live music, live cooking demonstration stages, a kids’ zone, interactive booths from local grocers, farms and ranches and more!
Chocolate Fest
Calling all Northern Californians with a sweet tooth! This delicious event in Butte County gives back to local youth and is “‘choc-full’ of events, activities, contests and fun!”
Mendo Parks
Even amateur judges can weigh in on taste, texture and tenderness of this Northern California seafood. Other exciting things to enjoy at this event are the live music and good beer, including North Coast Brewing Company.
Facebook/ Crawdad Festival
All proceeds from this fun, spring celebration benefit the Red Bluff-Tehama County Chamber of Commerce. Come ready to enjoy a good party, Cajun food, craft beer, and live music, but make sure you arrive with an empty belly, it’s all you can eat at this Crawdad Festival.
Facebook/ Eggplant Festival
This event is truly a community celebration! Not only does it bring together local chefs and produce, there is fun for the whole family with face painting, princesses on parade, a scavenger hunt, and more!
Facebook/ Visit Mendocino County
Not only are the people friendly and fun to be around, the delectable main course is incredible! Savor the all-you-can-eat crab feeds, winemaker’s dinners, wine competitions, crab cruises, cooking classes, family-style cioppino feeds and crab cake cook off and lots of seafood!
California Nut Festival
2016 was the 10th anniversary of this summer festival, which celebrates locally sourced almonds, walnuts, pecans and pistachios as well as the farming traditions of Butte County.
Salmon Fest Oroville
Sample fresh caught salmon while learning about the environment, listening to music, touring of the hatchery and more at this unique festival! There’s not a lot of places in Northern California where you can still see wild spawning salmon that annually make their way from the ocean back up the Feather River, but this September festival is one of those rare occasions.
There’s nothing as satisfying as a filling bowl of chili, except for maybe a delicious craft beer! You can enjoy the two of these amazing things paired together at this April festival, which is a fundraiser for the Sacramento Artists Council.
Arcata Main Street
Ever summer, seafood enthusiasts flock to Arcata, for the annual oyster festival. Attendees enjoy impeccable shellfish and other food as well as local beer, wine and dancing.
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