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Food Festivals Heating Up the Summer

This week marks the beginning of summer, which means it is time for Eat, Heal, Travel’s official list of unique summer festivals. Yes, there are plenty of epic music fests and fairs to enjoy, but we are focusing our list on a few, food-focused festivals to send both you and your taste buds on an exciting journey.

Whether you are planning a cross-country trip or you are ready to travel Europe, this short list of festivities provides opportunities to satisfy your cravings for adventure this summer.

Summer 2017 Food Festivals

-Taste of Chicago, 7/5/17 – 7/9/17, Chicago, IL:
Visit the iconic Grant Park on Chicago’s lakefront to enjoy this premier, free, outdoor event featuring pop-up restaurants, food trucks, live music, family-friendly activities, and food tastings to highlight the diversity of Chicago’s dining community. Held since 1980, this event is one of our nation’s largest annual food festivals. tasteofchicago.us

-Vermont Cheesemakers Festival, 7/16/17, Shelburne, VT:
If you love cheese, you might want to put this annual event on your bucket list. Travel to beautiful Vermont, which has the highest number of cheesemakers per capita, for an opportunity to see some cheese making in action and to taste over 100 cheeses from dozens of local creameries along with artisanal breads, meats, cider, beers, and wines. Wannabe cheese mongers can visit www.vtcheesefest.com for event information.

-Crested Butte Wine & Food Festival, 7/25/17 – 7/30/17, Crested Butte, CO:
This annual July event is sure to delight any summer traveler searching for scenic views coupled with decadent delights. Discover wine seminars, elevated dining events, a grand tasting featuring hundreds of wines, gourmet food pairings, and much more while enjoying Colorado’s majestic mountains. Visit the event site at www.cbwineandfood.com for full event schedules and ticket information.

-Maine Lobster Festival, 8/2/17 – 8/6/17, Rockland, ME:
This year marks the 70th Annual Maine Lobster Festival. Join lobster lovers at Rockland’s Harbor Park for live entertainment, races, fun activities, ship tours, fine art, and an endless amount of lobster. Of course, there will also be a lobster-eating contest to entertain the entire family. Visit www.mainelobsterfestival.com for more information. The site offers festival information as well as helpful travel tips for visiting Maine.

-Festival Interceltique de Lorient, 8/4/17 – 8/13/17, (Lorient) Brittany, France:
If you’re a world traveler searching for a dynamic, cultural event – you might want to celebrate the summer at this French festival featuring Australian food and music in the Celtic land of Lorient, which is a north-western commune and seaport in Brittany, France. Hundreds of thousands of people from around the globe visit Lorient annually for this unique food festival known as “Lorient Interceltic Festival” in English.

Also, be sure to check your local news and event listings for other summer festivals, fairs, and markets near your hometown this summer.

Share your festival-food pics and travel snapshots with us on Twitter or Facebook this summer. Eat well, live long, and travel far!