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Five Food Festivals to Sink Your Teeth into This July

June 28, 2011 at 3:30 PM | by | Comments (0)

There’s all kinds of stuff to celebrate during the summer, but one of the best things has got to be its food. Fresh vegetables and fruits are both delicious—especially when deep fried—so bring your appetites to five of the best fresh food festivals hitting the country this July::

· MangoMania:
Down in Florida it’s all about mangoes once the end of July rolls around. This year’s festival dedicated to all things mangoes runs on July 30 and July 31, and it will only set you back $5 if you remember to snag some tickets in advance. Expect recipe contests, mango juggling, mango pie eating, and the world’s largest mango contest. So plan on visiting Pine Island in Matlacha, Florida and remember to bring your best hat, as the hat parade runs on both Saturday and Sunday.

· Lanai Pineapple Festival:
Skip the stuff that comes in the can, because when you’re in Hawaii the fresh pineapple comes straight from the fields. The fun starts on July 2 at Dole Park on the island of Lanai with promises of plenty of food, entertainment, and activities. Weldon Kekauoha and Anuhea will be performing during the day’s events along with other local entertainment. It’s the 19th year of the festival, so it definitely has some experience on how to throw a successful food festival. Just don’t be looking for any pineapple infused booze, as it’s an alcohol free event—which is fine—as we’re thinking there will be plenty of aloha to set the mood anyway.

· Gilroy Garlic Festival:
We might have mentioned this one before, but that doesn’t mean we can’t recommend it again. This is the king of all food specific festivals, and how can it not be with garlic ice cream on the menu. If you’ve ever driven through Gilroy, California you already know that on certain days the whole town possesses a garlicky aroma, so just imagine what they can do with a food festival. Swing down Gourmet Alley to sample one of the many garlic infused specialties during July 29, 30, and 31for just $15 per person.

· Louisiana Watermelon Festival:
It sure is hot and muggy during the summer months in Louisiana, but one way to cool off is with a fresh slice of watermelon. This year’s festival takes place on July 28, 29, and 30, and we’re thinking that you’ll be able to down enough of the sweet fruit to last you well into 2012. Of course there will be watermelon eating contests and speed sitting competitions along with the usual food vendors, music, and other entertainment. Be sure not do overdo it on the melon, as you’ll want to be fully available to witness the watermelon weigh-in along with the crowning of Miss Louisiana Watermelon 2011.

· Bite of Seattle:
It’s totally free to attend this year’s Comcast Bite of Seattle on July 15, 16, and 17 at the Seattle Center. Seattle has so many delicious treats and sweets to offer that they couldn’t decide on focusing on just one item, and we’re glad that’s what they decided—because that means more samples and tastes for us. Along with the tons of tasting there will be a rib cooking contest, a family fun zone, and a dog dock jumping competition (neat?). There’ll be comedy and live music round out the weekend, so there’s plenty of stuff to check out while you begin to digest.

[Photos: Official Sites]

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