When you want to get your grub on, you can do so in style by attending the many food festivals coming to Asheville in 2021. Each festival lets you experience all the best flavors in the region while admiring all the culinary expertise in your midst. To make sure that you don’t miss out on all that, take a look at this guide to see which food festivals are coming up soon.
Chow Chow
Known as the Asheville Culinary Event Series, Chow Chow gives you a chance to explore the food world between June 27th and September 26th, 2021. You can start with a virtual cook-along with a master chef, and then end your journey with a deep dive into the creation of sustainable ingredients of all kinds.
Across this series, there are dozens of events to enjoy, such as:
- Paella Cook-Along with Chef Katie Button held online on August 5th
- Trial to Table at Franny’s Farm on August 14th
- Fermentation Feast at Funkatorium on August 26th
- Forest as Farm at Hickory Nut Gap Farm on September 9th
- Recipes from Rabbit’s Motel at Smoky Park Supper Club on September 23rd
Each event offers an inside look at the different aspects of cooking up culinary delights. Plus, you’ll likely get to try a wide range of small bite plates and delicious drinks.
Sourwood Festival
As the Sourwood Festival rolls into town on August 14th through 15th in 2021, downtown Black Mountain will get an ultra-sweet kick. In celebration of their locally-made and much-beloved Sourwood Honey, the whole town comes together for live music, arts and crafts, and carnival rides galore.
At the heart of it all, you’ll find honey-centric food that’ll leave you speechless, like smoked BBQ meats, funnel cakes, and homemade ice cream. If you want mead, you’ll need to zip on over to Black Mountain Ciderworks + Meadery for a taste.
Beyond that, more than 200 vendors plan to be onsite to peddle their wares and keep you wholly entertained. As you shop your heart out, just be sure to save some pocket money for a jar or two of pure honey created by the bees of Black Mountain.
North Carolina Apple Festival
From September 3rd through the 6th, 2021, you’ll want to clear your calendar for all things apples at the North Carolina Apple Festival. This fun fest celebrates all the best varieties, including red and golden delicious, honey crisp, and granny smith.
The main attraction is the street fair and carnival rides on historic Main Street in Hendersonville, of course. But there are plenty of other things to do as well, such as the Gem & Mineral Spectacular and the open house at the Western North Carolina Air Museum.
You’ll definitely want to swing by one of the many venues offering apple-centric breakfasts, including the Kiwanis Club and Elks Lodge. Just be sure to save room for the apple and honey tasting held at the booth in front of Kilwin’s between 5th and 6th Avenue.
Southeast Crab Feast
Scrumptious blue crabs are coming to town on September 19th, 2021, treating you to a delightful meal to remember. The cooking will commence right in Carrier Park, so you can enjoy awesome views of Asheville while you dine in style.
With your admission ticket, you get all-you-can-eat blue crabs plus a side of fish and chips to top it all off. To keep you well-entertained between all the chow sessions, you’re welcome to listen to live music and chill with your community members.
If you want to show up well-prepared, be sure to bring your favorite crab mallet plus whatever condiments speak to you the most. From there, it’s just a matter of showing up ravenously hungry, so you can savor crab after crab with the best of them.
VeganFest
Want to leave the meat behind without compromising on flavor? If so, get on down to VeganFest on October 3rd, 2021, to see how to make that happen. On that day, Pack Square Park will fill up with vendors intent on selling their vegan cheeses, cotton candy, and everything in between.
You’ll also find all the best vegan dishes being served by local food trucks, including A Peace Soul, Gypsy Queen Cuisine, and Stairway to Veggin’. Proving Grounds Coffee will also be onsite serving up their best vegan drinks, so you can stay well energized for all the fun.
In between all the grub, you can even shop your heart out for jewelry, artwork, and so much more. Plus, when you need to rest up between bites, you can settle down in the grass and listen to live music by local musicians.
WNC Garlic Fest
If you love garlic, come down to Sow True Seed on October 9th, 2021, to celebrate all the amazing things this small plant can do. Their WNC Garlic Fest event brings all the top garlic vendors together to create a farmer’s market you’re sure to adore.
As you browse all the booths, you’ll get to enjoy samples of delicious garlic-infused foods. Then, as you find your favorites, you can order whole dishes to enjoy while watching the action all around you.
Just be sure to keep watch for opportunities to bring home fresh garlic and even learn how to grow your own garlic at home. The gardening vendors will sell starters and other supplies you need to grow garlic, plus let you know just when and how to get started.
With this inside look at the Asheville food festivals on the schedule, you can start planning your itinerary through the end of 2021. By hitting up each event, you can get a taste of all the best flavors in North Carolina plus even take home some delicious swag. Be sure to tell your friends, family, and coworkers about the events, so they can also get their fill.
