Fair-weather foodies, rejoice! Skip the conventional summer food—burgers and hot dogs and beer, oh my!—and opt for the more sophisticated culinary options at one of the summer's best food festivals.
The
Great GoogaMooga (Thai sausage, pictured above)
When: May 19-20
Where:
Brooklyn, New York
What: When you have 75 food
vendors, 35 brewers, 30 winemakers, and 20 live-music performances
(including the Roots and Hall & Oates), it's hard to narrow down the top
picks. Don't miss the special events running throughout the course of
the two afternoons, such as Noshing with Aziz Ansari, David Chang, Ruth
Reichl, and James Murphy; Shell Shucked! and the GoogaMooga Shuck-off
(hosted by the John Dory Oyster Bar); and the Big Gay Ice Cream Disco
Party.
Bonnaroo (pictured above)
When: June 7-10
Where:
Manchester, Tennessee
What: Tens of thousands of happy
campers at this festival have to eat somewhere. After
the concerts,
where do the Bonnaroo-goers find sustenance? At the Food Truck Oasis.
Though the complete vendor list is still being finalized, expect to see
a sampling of the best cuisine the southeast US has to offer.
2012 Vendy Awards
When: June 24
Where: Los
Angeles
What: This street-food cook-off
honors the best of on-the-go eating. Vendor nominations are open through
May 31, so all of you L.A.-based foodies better start nominating. We'd
recommend Bigmista's
BBQ and Nina's Food.
Taste of Chicago
When: July 11-15
Where:
Chicago
What: This annual five-day
"feastival" is renowned for its eclectic and extensive variety of
vendors. The full list of participating restaurants is still to be
determined, but be sure to check out Dominick's Cooking Corner,
featuring demonstrations from Chopped's Aaron
Sanchez, Master Chef finalist Alejandra Schrader, and Girl and the
Goat executive chef (and one of Food and Wine's best new
chefs of 2011) Stephanie Izard.
Outside Lands (pictured above)
When: August 10-12
Where: San
Francisco
What: In addition to an insane lineup of
performers that run the gamut from Stevie Wonder to Die Antwoord, the
festival's food component (Taste of the Bay Area) will feature bites
from more than two dozen new vendors. Be sure to check out the filet
mignon and portobello mushroom sliders at Up & Under, fried-rice balls
and chicken wings at Nombe, and the Thai Young coconut water at Juice to
You.
Kentucky Bourbon Festival (pictured
above)
When: September 11-16
Where: Bardstown, Kentucky
What: Wine
and beer festivals are a ubiquitous part of the summer scene, so why not switch
it up with the Kentucky-based bourbon festival? Sample fare at the
Bourbon-Style Cooking School event or learn the secrets of
bourbon-making at various demonstrations on the lawn. In the evening on Friday,
September 14, hit up Bourbon, Cigars, and Jazz, a party
that—surprise!—celebrates all three.
—Maggie Mallon (@maggiemallon) is a blogger and a regular contributor to Details.com
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