Unusual Fall Festivals I Can’t Wait to Visit
- traveleidoscope
- Oct 5
- 2 min read
Who doesn’t love a good festival? Here are five to get you through the fall!
September
I love cauliflower, so I was excited to see there is a cauliflower festival a road trip away in the Catskills Mountains of New York! According to the festival website, the cauliflower industry was an important part of the area economy from the 1900’s through the 1940’s. Note: While the website is a bit unclear whether there’s an actual festival location or if a street fair, but if you’re a cauliflower afficionado, that lack of clarity won’t deter you.
2025 marks the 40th anniversary of the Mushroom festival in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, aka, the mushroom capital of the world! This street occurs on State Street. There’s a cooking contest, music, and even a car show! Festival proceeds support a grant program for local non-profit organizations.
The Franciacorta wine region is virtually unknown in the U.S., but you should definitely learn more about these fantastic sparkling wines produced in Lombardy near Lake Iseo (see post, Italy's Lake Iseo is as Fantastic as You'd Imagine!). Franciacorta wines have DOCG status (Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita), which is the highest wine designation in Italy. The festival features guided vineyard tours, tastings, and bike rides. The wine is documented as far back as 1277, but if the history isn’t enough, it’s also the official wine of Milan Fashion Week!
October
If you’ve never used Espelette chili pepper, go get it! Popular in Baque cooking, I’ve mostly seen the pepper in ground form. If you’re concerned about the heat, it’s not a hot pepper - only 4,000 on the Scoville scale . The village of Espelette, France, is in the heart of Basque country The festival seems to be more of a village fair than a mere street fair – there’s a solemn mass, and demonstrations of Basque dancing.
November/December
I mean, who doesn’t love a good ramen? The Ramen Expo is the largest in Japan, attracting more than 100,000 annually. The Expo is spread across multiple events between November and December. I read some online comments that the food prices are high, and I’m not sure it’s worth that ridiculously long flight just for an expo, but if you’re in the area…
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