10 Northern California August Food Festivals
August Food Festivals in Northern California
I don’t know about you, but summer is my favorite time of year for many reasons: warm weather, late nights, cold swimming holes and (the best!) the FOOD! The following are our Top Ten Local Food Festivals and Events happening around Northern California during August we recommend you planning to explore and have fun!
Ribs on the River Event
Saturday, August 3, 2013
11am-8pm
Location: Rio Ramaza Marina, Garden Highway, Sacramento
Pull your cowboy boots up and throw on your 10-gallon hat! It’s time for some good ol’ fashion country music and some delicious RIBS! Help decide who boasts the “best ribs on the river” at this fun, funky event! Event presenters ask you bring a lawn chair and an appetite! Tickets are $10 and worth EVERY PENNY (if you ask me!) Drinks, music and BBQ’ing are the highlights of this awesome event!
Woodland Tomato Festival
Saturday, August 10, 2013
9am-2pm
Location: Heritage Plaza on Main Street, Woodland
The 6th Annual Woodland Tomato Festival is back! Celebrating the Yolo County tomato this fun and free event is open to the public! A salsa competition, tomato tosses, variety tasting and tomato clothing (yes, you read that right!) will be just some of the events at this years festival. What fun! This event is being put on by the Woodland’s Farmers Market and encourages both young and old to participate!
My favorite event is the “Iron Chef -like” competition at this year’s event! Top celebrity judges from all over Sacramento will be sharing their skills and opinions on ways to prepare all things tomato! What fun! For being known as “Sacra-tomato”, this event is the one to be at!
Sacramento Banana Festival
Saturday, August 10, 2013- 10am-7pm
Sunday, August 11, 2013- 10am-5pm
Location: William Land Park, Sacramento
A 5K Walk/Run, Miss Sacramento Banana Queen Beauty Pageant, a Carmen Miranda Hat contest and a banana bake off are just a FEW of the events scheduled for this August’s Banana Festival. Just based solely on the events, this looks like an event I cannot miss! The festival celebrates food, art, culture, music, diversity, health and wellness and going green by educating the public on composting!
Tickets are only $5 and proceeds are going to some wonderful local causes. I cannot think of a better way to enjoy a nice, warm summer weekend!
Hayward Zucchini Festival
Saturday, August 17, 2013- 10am-8pm
Sunday, August 18, 2013- 10am-8pm
Location: Kennedy Park, Hayward
Clear your calendar- it’s time to celebrate the zucchini! Sponsored by the South Hayward Lions Club, this 31st Annual event is ready to rock! Music, dancing, kids activities and a ‘zucchini-growing contest’ are just a few things this festival promises. Did you know the world’s largest zucchini on record was 69.5 inches long and weighed 65 pounds?! Insane!!! And a zucchini has more potassium than a banana! Delicious and healthy! We can’t wait for this festival!
Paso Robles Olive Festival
Date: August 17, 2013 , 11am-4pm – Downtown Paso Robles, California
Phone/Fax: 805.238.4103 – www.pasoolivefestival.com/
Ahhh! California Olives! According to their webpage: “Olive-inspired food will be prepared and served in Olive Festival Culinary Row. Cooking demonstrations and a cook-off will be held in the “Outdoors’ Kitchen Stadium” in the park. Home chefs can enter the Olive Dish Contest. They can also submit recipes for the Olive Festival Cookbook. There will be live music along with free olive oil ice cream. Enjoy arts and crafts vendors, children’s activities, and olive product vendors.” Support our local olive grove ranchers!
California’s Grape & Gourmet – Sacramento, California
Date: Thursday, August 22, 2013
General Public Tasting: 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Trade and Industry Tasting: 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. **
Sacramento does it again by offering a wonderful wine & gourmet food event that will draw in lots of local foodies! Presented by the California State Fair, this event is the best opportunity to taste the most extraordinary wines produced in the State. No other tasting attracts over 200 wineries pouring the largest showcase of award winning wines! Benefits youth scholarships and education. 200 wineries, food pairings……..don’t pass up this fun evening!
For more information please call (916)-263-3636.
Corning Olive Festival ? Date: August 23-24, 2013? Times: Fri 6pm and Sat 7am-4pm ? – Woodson Park and Downtown ?Corning, CA ? Phone/Fax: (530) 824-5550 ?, http://www.corningchamber.org Corning is known for its wonderful olives and some of the best oils are being produced here with many winning national awards. Food, music, and olive oil tapenades from every street corner. Rich dark chocolate olive oils. Flavor infused olive oils with balsamic vinegars to compliment those wonderful summer salads. What a fun day to go out and explore those back country roads that lead to greatness!
Taste of Petaluma? Date: August 24, 2013? Time: 11:30 AM to 4:00 Petaluma, CA? www.tasteofpetaluma.org? Embark on a culinary walking journey of Petaluma’s finest restaurants, galleries, shops, wineries, breweries and food purveyors. What came first, the chicken or the egg? Learn all about Petaluma’s historical egg industry and where local chefs source their amazingly fresh farm to table menus. Do you love to combine fine restaurants and great wine, with art and entertainment? Then don’t miss the 6th Annual “Taste of Petaluma” where you’ll sample Petaluma’s upscale culinary and art scene in one afternoon. This event benefits Cinnabar Theater, now in its 39th year!
19th Annual Bodega Bay Seafood Art & Wine Festival
August 24-25, 2013, Bodega Bay, California
Yep… SEAFOOD is always a great foodie event to go experience and where else would there be fantastic seafood with amazing ocean views….Bodega Bay! Featuring a wide array of seafood entrees from various restaurants and catering companies, along with a large wine and microbrew tasting. The wine tasting will feature 30 wineries from Sonoma, Napa, and Mendocino counties. A juried high quality art and craft marketplace, and lots of great entertainment. The event benefits the Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods and the Bodega volunteer fire dept.
Sacramento Greek Festival
Friday, August 30: 11am- 11pm, Saturday, August 31: 12pm-11pm, Sunday, September 1, 2013: 12pm- 10pm
Location: Sacramento Convention Center
Celebrating its 50th year, the Sacramento Greek Festival is back and better than ever! As one of the most prominent heritage festivals in California, this delicious Greek festival is right at home here in Sacramento! Shopping, specialty import items, cooking demonstrations and wine classes: the festival promises a fabulous time. Even if you are well versed in the Greek culture or a “newbie”, this festival celebrates culture with joy, passion and enthusiasm. We can’t wait to eat, eat, and eat! Opa!