See also:

• Recreation: Food: Contests  (6)

Alnwick Food Festival  www.alnwickfoodfestival.co.uk Celebration of Northumbrian produce, drink and healthy eating in Alnwick, England, home of Harry Potter's Hogwart's Castle. Held in late September.

Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off  www.nuggetribcookoff.com Takes place in Sparks, Nevada and features competitors vying for the title of Best in the West. Held in early September. Provides entertainment schedule, general information and press releases.

Big Pig Jig  www.bigpigjig.com Includes a hog calling contest and a pork barbecue competition with three categories. Site provides schedule of events, entry forms, and lists nearby lodging. Held early October in Vienna, Georgia.

Boston Vegetarian Food Festival  www.bostonveg.org/foodfest Sponsored by the Boston Vegetarian Society, featuring free tastings, guest speakers, and exhibitors. Held in October in Boston, Massachusetts.

Caribbean Cake Event  www.caribbean-cake-event.com Celebrates traditional black cake making, and its role in African-Caribbean culture. Held in December in London, England.

Chilifest  www.chilifest.org Annual spring event held near Snook, Texas. Cookoff and live music. Site has directions, photo album, merchandise, ticket and alcohol details, and parking arrangements.

Chitlin' Strut  www.chitlinstrut.com Focuses on the Southern tradition of fried pig intestines, also known as chitlins or chitterlings. Activities include a parade, hog-calling contest, a beauty pageant, and carnival rides. Held annually in Salley, South Carolina, the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Cornwall Food and Drink Festival  www.cornwallfoodanddrinkfestival.com Annual festival in Truro, Cornwall, celebrating the best of Cornish food and drink. Chef profiles and exhibitor listings. Held the last weekend of September.

Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival  www.froglegfestival.com Includes menu and schedule of events. Four-day event held in January in Fellsmere, Florida.

Food for Thought Festival  www.reapfoodgroup.org/foodforthought Explores and celebrates opportunities to eat pleasurably, healthfully and sustainably. Photo galleries, schedule, forum, exhibitors, sponsors, and recipe contest.

Giant Omelette Celebration  www.giantomelette.org French cultural exchange program which includes the cooking of a 5,000 egg omelette. Celebration includes an art and craft show, antique car show, tour of homes, Cajun bands, food and dancing. Occurs in November in Abbeville, Louisiana.

Golden Spurtle  www.goldenspurtle.com Home of the World Porridge Making Championship, held each year on a Sunday in September at the Carrbridge Village Hall, Inverness-shire, Scotland. Winner receives a trophy and cash awards.

Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival  www.littlechutewi.org/index.asp?NID=226 Features cooking contests, eating competitions, a parade, entertainment, and demonstrations. Held the first weekend in June, in Little Chute, Wisconsin.

Green Mountain Chew Chew Food Festival  www.greenmountainchewchew.com Held on the Burlington, Vermont waterfront each June, featuring area restaurants and state food producers. Includes events and music schedule.

International Rice Festival  www.ricefestival.com Events include rice eating, cooking, and grading contests. Site provides history, ticket and event information, and photographs from past events. Occurs in October in Crowley, Louisiana.

Kona Coffee Cultural Festival  www.konacoffeefest.com Features Hawaiian coffee culture and heritage. Includes the Miss Kona Coffee scholarship pageant, parades, coffee tastings, coffee picking contest, and arts and crafts. Held annually since 1970 in November on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Los Angeles International Tamale Festival  www.eastlosangeles.net/tamalefestival Events include tamale eating contest, classes, sidewalk chalk art competition, and entertainment. Includes volunteer form, vendor application, and photos. Held in November near MacArthur Park, Los Angeles, California.

Los Angeles Tofu Festival  www.tofufest.org Beer, wine and sake tasting, tofu eating and cooking contests, and "Taste of Japan". Includes location, times and entertainment lineup. Held in July or August in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California.

Louisiana Pecan Festival  www.louisianapecanfestival.com Celebrates the native nut and the farmers who grow it. Events include a Queen and Teen Queen contest. Held on the first full weekend of November each year in Colfax, Louisiana.

Matzo Ball Eating Contest  www.bensdeli.net/matzo.html Located in New York, United States. Contains prize details, rules, registration details, a schedule of contests, press releases, and past winners.

Morel Mushroom Festival  www.morelfest.com Mushroom hunting championship, carnival, craft show, and morel related events. Held in Boyne City, Michigan in May.

The Mushroom Festival  www.mushroomfestival.org A two day event in September, held in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Information for vendors, details of: farm tours, cooking demonstrations, art and car shows.

National Buffalo Wing Festival  www.buffalowing.com Held in Buffalo, New York on Labor Day weekend. Features some of the best Buffalo wing restaurants, live music, and a chicken wing eating contest.

National Peanut Festival  www.nationalpeanutfestival.com Dothan, Alabama. Contests with schedules, pageants and queens, map, vendor information, and image gallery.

New England Chili Festival  home.comcast.net/~sellon/NEChili Annual chili, cornbread, beer, and dessert cookoff held in New Sharon, Maine. Includes photos, event information, and rules.

Oakdale Chocolate Festival  oakdalechamber.com/content/view/12/41 Located near the west coast headquarters for the Hershey Chocolate company, the festival features arts and crafts, games, competitions, entertainment, and activities for children. Held on the third weekend of May in Oakdale, California.

Oxnard Salsa Festival  www.oxnardsalsafestival.com Held in July in Oxnard, California. Includes a salsa challenge and tasting tent. Lists events, sponsors and driving directions.

Pierogi Fest  www.pierogifest.net Celebrates the Eastern European food, with annual festival in late July. Information about parking, sponsors, parade and contests. Held in Whiting Indiana, USA.

Rib America  www.ribamerica.com Family event featuring BBQ and live entertainment from national, regional and local talent. Includes details of annual festivals in Missouri, Minnesota and Indiana.

Rosendale International Pickle Festival  www.picklefest.com Events include a pickle toss and pickle juice drinking contest. Information, directions, vendor sign-up, and photos and articles from past events. Held in November, in Rosendale, New York.

Singapore Food Festival  www.singaporefoodfestival.com Annual month-long held in July each year. Schedules, prices, contests, and press releases.

Springfield Filbert Festival  www.filbertfestival.com Filberts, also known as hazelnuts, are celebrated with a cook-off, music, and entertainment. Site provides vendor and volunteer information, music and events schedule. Held in Springfield, Oregon, in early August.

Sunderland Maple Syrup Festival  www.maplesyrupfestival.ca Features bush tours, pancake eating contests, historical bus tours, street vendors and arts and crafts. Held in Spring in Sunderland, Ontario, Canada.

Virginia Pork Festival  www.vaporkfestival.com One day event in early June promotes the pork industry and raises fund for local non-profit organizations. Serves over 20 tons of pork each year. Includes menu, featured musicians, and ticket sales. Held in Emporia, Virginia, USA.

West Coast Chocolate Festival  www.chocolatefestival.ca Presents demonstrations, tastings, performances, factory tours, and activities. Held in October in Vancouver, British Columbia.

West of Western Culinary Festival  westofwestern.com Arizona chefs present Western cuisine, cooking demos and classes, boutique and heirloom food items. Held in mid-March in Phoenix.

West Virginia Black Walnut Festival  www.wvblackwalnutfestival.org History of the celebration, schedule of events, location and contact information. Includes parade, bake-off, nut contest and 4-H exhibits. Occurs mid-October in Spencer, West Virginia.

The Whole Enchilada Fiesta  www.enchiladafiesta.com Las Cruces, New Mexico. Late summer annual event with a cooking contest, car and motorcycle show, parade, live entertainment, and a 5K fun run.