Food Festivals in Tennessee
Great food comes in a variety of shapes, sizes and locations in Tennessee with numerous festivals and culinary events held throughout the state. If you love barbecue then Tennessee is the place to be from the famous month long Memphis in May festival to the Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational Barbecue held every October.
For a true taste of Tennessee and to sample some local homegrown food fairs visit Grainger County Tomato Festival or the White Bluff Apple Butter Festival. And what better way to quench your thirst and toast these local events with Tennessee’s wineries and distilleries where you can sample locally brewed beers.
Memphis in May – Memphis, May
If you love great music, great barbecue and great fun then you have to visit Memphis in May International Festival. This month long festival, which honours a different country each year, includes the Beale Street Music Festival, World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest and the Sunset Symphony. The Beale Street Music Festival features more than 60 artists each year on 4 stages including the legendary Aretha Franklin, Santana and Lou Reed.
Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational Barbecue – Lynchburg, October
The good people of Lynchburg have joined the Jack Daniels Distillery to host the annual Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue every October in what many have called the most prestigious barbecue competition in the world. New to Tennessee is the Jack and George Trail where you can learn more about the local distiileries.
Grainger County Tomato Festival – Rutledge, July
In East Tennessee every July there is a celebration of the county’s most famous crop at the Grainger County Tomato Festival. This three-day event includes Civil War encampment, arts & crafts, tomato wars, fun run; as well as entertainment on three stages.
White Bluff Apple Butter Festival – White Bluff, October
This annual celebration of some of the finest apple crop Southeast Tennessee has to offer will take you back in time in White Bluff, Tennessee. You will experience the old-fashioned way to churn butter, enjoy the art of a blacksmith then tuck into homemade candy apples while listening to some of the best bluegrass and gospel music Tennessee has to offer.
Wineries in Tennessee
Many people associate Jack Daniels Distillery to Tennessee but you may also be surprised to learn that Tennessee is also home to some award winning wineries, and some pretty good beers are also brewed at a variety of microbreweries.
And if you're hungry for more, here's some extra tasty food festivals:
- World's Biggest Fish Fry - Paris, April
- National Cornbread Festival - South Pittsburgh, April
- West Tennessee Strawberry Festival - Humboldt, May
- International Biscuit Festival - Knoxville, May
- Tomato Art Fest - Nashville, August
- Music City Food + Wine Festival - Nashville, September
- National Banana Pudding Festival - Centreville, October
- Unicoi County Apple Festival - Erwin, October
- Grains & Grits Festival - Townsend, November
