Vermont Food Festivals, Food Shows, Expos,
Food & Wine Events, Exhibitions, Tastes, etc.

2013 VERMONT 2013
VERMONT FOOD & WINE FESTIVALS, SHOWS AND  EVENTS
(See also: 2014 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009)

JANUARY
January 29-31, 2013  Vermont Farm Show - Essex Junction, Vermont
The Farm Show is Vermont’s largest agricultural showcase. For agricultural professionals, it is an opportunity to meet with vendors, preview products and machinery, attend trade association meetings, and network within the farm community.  The show also holds wide appeal for the general public. With tractors, farm animals, and agricultural products on display, there’s something for everyone at the Farm Show. Young and old alike flock to Consumer Night to see and taste Vermont products during the Buy Local Market and the Capital Cook-off.

January 30, 2013  Consumer NIght at the Vermont Farm Show - Essex Junction, Vermont
The Buy Local Market will present consumers with an ideal opportunity to "taste, learn and buy Vermont agricultural products" from across our state in one convenient place.  The “Capital Cook-off,” an Iron Chef-type competition in which teams from the Vermont House of Representatives, Senate, and Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets will face off in a battle of culinary skills, will also occur again this year. Teams will have ninety minutes to create a dish using Vermont products bought at the Buy Local Market.  There is no cost for parking or admission to the Farm Show, but attendees are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food donation for the Vermont Food Bank.

FEBRUARY
February 2, 2013  Taste of Vermont - Stratton Mountain, Vermont
Stratton Foundation Taste of Vermont, A Culinary Event.  Tastings from 50 of the area's finest Restaurants, Professional and Amateur Chefs.  Meet and greet cookbook authors.
 

February 9-10, 2013  Valentine Wine & Chocolate Weekend - Statewide, Vermont
Vermont winemakers are hosting a statewide Wine and Chocolate Weekend in honor of Valentine’s Day. Each Vermont winery has created a unique paring of one of their wines and a local chocolate confection or other Vermont desserts. The range of wines featured during the Wine and Chocolate weekend reflects the variety of wine and wine products from Vermont. These include raspberry wine, cassis, mead, ice cider and red grape varietals like Marquette and Frontenac. Some of the sweets served during the weekend come from family recipes, or will be made specifically for the wine pairing. The participating wineries will be open from noon to 5 p.m. during the Wine and Chocolate weekend. Wine and chocolate tastings are free. Visitors can also purchase a bottle of the featured wine with the accompanying chocolates for Valentine’s Day gifts.

February 14, 2013  Valentine's Day
Most of the more than 1/2 million restaurants in the U.S. have special events scheduled for today. They are too numerous to list.

MARCH
March 4-8, 2013  National School Breakfast Week 2013 - Nationwide
National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) was launched in 1989 to raise awareness of the availability of the School Breakfast Program (SBP) to all children. Each year, the School Nutrition Association (SNA) helps schools to celebrate NSBW with a fun theme – this year it is School Breakfast--Go For The Gold.

March 19, 2013  'AgDay' National Agriculture Day - Nationwide
National Ag Day is a day to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture. Every year, producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, government agencies and countless other across America join together to recognize the contributions of agriculture.

March 23-24, 2013  Vermont Maple Open House Weekend - Various Locations, Vermont
From small, traditional sugarhouses deep in the woods to large sugarhouses using equipment with the latest technology, you can watch the pride and care that goes into producing Vermont's first agricultural product of the year.

APRIL
April 22, 2013  Earth Day - Worldwide
The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. The passage of the landmark Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and many other groundbreaking environmental laws soon followed. Growing out of the first Earth Day, Earth Day Network (EDN) works with over 22,000 partners in 192 countries to broaden, diversify.

April 26-28, 2013  47th Annual Vermont Maple Festival - St. Albans, Vermont
A large, statewide event with three days full of fun, activities and learning, all centered around the theme of Maple-Vermont's signature product. Maple Cooking Contests.

MAY
May 4, 2013  4th Annual Greg Noonan Homebrew Competition
South Burlington, Vermont
(Formerly the Green Mountain Homebrew Competition). This is the third of six competitions which culminate in naming the New England Homebrewer of the Year. We are a BJCP sanctioned competition.

May 30-June 2, 2013  57th Annual Vermont Dairy Festival - Enosburg Falls, Vermont
Four cowlossal days of udderly good fun and that's no bull! Activities include scholarship pageant, youth and 10k runs, farm tours, antique tractor displays, parade, dairy baking contest, and fireworks.

JUNE
June 1, 2013  CVUUS Rhubarb Festival - Middlebury, Vermont
Rhubarb is a local vegetable, healthy, organic and sustainable! The festival features rhubarb sweets and savories to taste and buy, lunch, crafts, children's activities and music.
 

June 7-9, 2013  Strolling of the Heifers - Slow Living Summit - Brattleboro, Vermont
Featuring the world-famous heifer calves led by future farmers and followed by tractors, clowns, floats, bands and much more!  When it's over, follow the parade to the Slow Living Expo 11 acres of fun, food, entertainment and exhibits. At the Expo, you can meet the heifers and other animals up close and personal! The Expo  features local food producers, regional craftspeople, cheese producers from all over New England, a forestry exhibit, three separate entertainment tents, cooking demonstrations, continuous shows by the New England Center for Circus Arts, and much more.

June 21-23, 2013  15th Annual Stowe Wine and Food Classic - Stowe, Vermont
Fine wines, superb cuisine, and rare wines at auction, all are at the world famous Trapp Family Lodge. Northern New England's premier wine event. Top Chefs present demonstrations of their culinary skills. Sample more than 100 premium wines, enjoy food selections from renowned local chefs. Wine seminars.

June 22, 2013  Burlington Wine & Food Festival - Burlington, Vermont
The festival will once again feature 300 wines from across the globe along with the unique opportunity to interact with winemakers from some of the world's best vineyards.  Don't miss the restaurant tent to try the fare of nine of the best restaurants in northern Vermont! Our seminar tent will play host to top authorities in the worlds of wine and food. And, it's all accompanied by live jazz music in the main tent throughout the event.

JULY
JULY 4, 2013 - There are so many events on this day that they are too numerous to list. Virtually every community in the U.S. has a 4th of July celebration.

July 19-20, 2013  Vermont Brewers Festival - Burlington, Vermont
Celebrating artisan craft beers and the brewers who brew them. Visit the Meet the Brewer tent for beer & chocolate pairing, beer & cheese pairing, sensory training and more.

July 19-21, 2013  Killington Wine Festival - Killington, Vermont
Over the last ten years, the Killington Wine Festival has become a signature summer event for the Killington region.  Guests enjoy a nice July weekend tasting fine wines with Killington Peak and the Green Mountains of Vermont as a scenic backdrop. The Killington Wine Festival continues to grow each year and now features over 500 wines from around the world represented by over 40 wineries and distributors.

July 21, 2013  Vermont Cheesemakers Festival - Shelburne, Vermont
Vermont is the premium artisanal cheese state with the highest number of cheesemakers per capita: over 40 of them! We invite you to experience our passion for making fine cheeses, taste local and fresh foods and wines, and meet the artisans who make them. Spend a high summer day along the shores of Lake Champlain at the historic Shelburne Farms Coach Barn sampling, buying, learning, and networking. Come and celebrate the season. Cheese Workshop, Meet the Cheesemakers Panels, Cooking Demos, etc.

July 26-Aug 4, 2013  6th Annual Deerfield Valley Blueberry Festival
Deerfield Valley, Vermont
Jam making, blueberry themed specials in the local eateries, blue music events, blue auto show, blueberry bake sales, blue beer, special “Blues fees” at Mount Snow’s Golf Course, pick your own blueberries, children's activities, etc.Vermont's Official Blueberry Festival.

August 5, 2013  The Chocolate (and Cheese) Fest - Landgrove, Vermont
In its 4th year, the Chocolate and Cheese Fest takes place on the rolling grounds of this picturesque country inn. Your entrance ticket allows you to taste some of the best chocolate and cheese delicacies made by almost 40 chefs and cheese makers from Southern Vermont.   Nominated as “One of Vermont’s Ten Best” summer events. Also music, a cash bar and a silent auction.  It is truly a family event.  The Fest is the signature fund raiser for a local social service and health education organization.  All funds raised go to support the agency and your money directly helps people in the area. 
 

November 28, 2013  Thanksgiving Day - Nationwide
All StatesThere are so many events on Thanksgiving Day they are to numerous to list.  (4th Thursday in November).
 

2014 VERMONT 2014
VERMONT FOOD & WINE FESTIVALS, SHOWS AND  EVENTS

APRIL
April 24-25, 2014  St. Johnsbury World Maple Festival 2014 - St. Johnsbury, Vermont
The St. Johnsbury World Maple Festival celebrates the history and heritage of the Maple Syrup Industry, and St. Johnsbury's status as the Maple Center of the World.
 

2012 VERMONT 2012
VERMONT FOOD & WINE FESTIVALS, SHOWS AND  EVENTS
events still waiting for new dates

June 10-15 & 17-22, 2012  2012 Vermont Bike & Brewery Challenge
Various locations, Vermont
Great bike riding and great beer on a trip that combines Vermont's outstanding cycling with visiting half the state's breweries, outstanding accommodations, and farm-to-table meals.

June 21-24, 2012  Gluten-Free Gourmet Weekend - Plymouth, Vermont
A worry-free, decadent, Vermont getaway with on-site chefs, health & wellness experts, and culinary adventures.

July 20-21, 2012  Vermont Brewers Festival - Burlington, Vermont
The 20th anniversary celebrating artisan craft beers and the brewers who brew them. Visit the Meet the Brewer tent for beer & chocolate pairing, beer & cheese pairing, sensory training and more.

July 21, 2012  Killington Wine Festival - Killington, Vermont
This annual event features over 300 wines from around the world, live music, a golf tournament, and more.

July 22, 2012  Vermont Cheesemakers Festival - Shelburne, Vermont
Vermont is the premium artisanal cheese state with the highest number of cheesemakers per capita: over 40 of them! We invite you to experience our passion for making fine cheeses, taste local and fresh foods, and meet the artisans who make them.

July 27-Aug 5, 2012  5th Annual Deerfield Valley Blueberry Festival
Deerfield Valley, Vermont
Jam making, blueberry themed specials in the local eateries, blue music events, blue auto show, blueberry bake sales, blue beer, special “Blues fees” at Mount Snow’s Golf Course, pick your own blueberries, children's activities, etc.

August 2-5, 2012  6th Nat’l Farm to Cafeteria Conference: Digging In! - Burlington, VT
Farm to Cafeteria began with the common goal of building strong communities, healthy individuals and resilient local farms. Across the country great progress has been made connecting farm-fresh foods with K-12 schools, pre-schools, childcare settings, colleges, universities, hospitals, prisons and beyond. The conference will bring together food service professionals, farmers, educators, policy makers, representatives from government agencies and nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and students.

August 4, 2012  Vermont Beer, Wine & Cheese Festival - Middlebury, Vermont
The annual celebration is a celebration of Vermont beer, wine and cheese. Listen to music, socialize and have a great time sampling Vermont products. Proceeds benefit non-profit organizations.

August 5, 2012  16th Annual Vermont Fresh Network Annual Forum - Shelburne, Vermont
Come celebrate the successful farmer-chef partnerships that thrive in Vermont and help enrich our local communities!

August 11, 2012  4th Annual Taste of Woodstock - Woodstock, Vermont
A day long celebration of the tastes of Woodstock and Vermont. Local wines, craft beer, organic foods, kettle corn, lemonade and live entertainment

August 18-19, 2012  Vermont Vineyard & Winery Open House Weekend - Waitsfield, Vermont
The Open House Weekend is a fun way for people to expand their palates and taste the Marquettes, La Crescents, Ice Ciders and other wine varietals of Vermont; tour vineyards not usually open to the public; and learn about wine making in cold climates directly from the winemakers.

September 1-2, 2012  17th Annual Garlic & Herb Festival - Bennington, Vermont
Sample garlic delicacies and enjoy the festivities. Relax at the Beer and Wine Garden under the tent listening to live music both days. Over 100 vendors, demonstrations, and children's activities.

September 8, 2012  Annual Taste of the Deerfield Valley  - Mount Snow Resort, West Dover, Vermont
The Deerfield Valley of Southern VT is home to many delicious restaurants. This unique event brings over a dozen restaurants together who will be offering a "taste" of their menu.

September 21-23, 2012  Vermont Life Wine and Harvest Festival - Wilmington, Vermont
The 3rd Annual Vermont Life Wine & Harvest Festival is a weekend showcase for Vermont wines, Vermont specialty foods and artisans of all types celebrating the rich uniqueness, quality and ingenuity of Vermont producers. With stunning Vermont fall foliage as the backdrop; discover and enjoy Vermont vintners, small specialty food producers, painters, publishers, cheese makers, potters, jewelers, chefs, photographers and farmers and musicians.

September 29-30, 2012  Pumpkin & Apple Celebration - Woodstock, Vermont
Take the apple taste test and vote for your favorite! Lend a hand pressing cider, making pumpkin or apple ice cream, drying apples, and sampling pumpkin bread. Join in the “pumpkin and apple fun” with apple races, pumpkin bowling, apples-on-a-string, and pumpkin Legos®. See apple butter being made in the farmhouse kitchen and take home a recipe for “Pumpion Pye.”

October 6, 2012  4th Annual Discover Food & Wine - Jeffersonville, Vermont
Smugglers' Notch Resort. This evening event showcases the best of Vermont's renowned specialty foods, from cheeses to chocolate to coffee and more! Wine tastings feature Vermont wines as well as other domestic and international wines. This is a wonderful evening during Vermont's beautiful foliage season.

October 7, 2012  5th Annual Giant Pumpkin Regatta & Festival - Burlington, Vermont
Different teams of racers (pumpkin sponsors, local celebrities, media personalities, PILOT students, etc.) paddle giant hollowed out pumpkin (1,000lbs.+) boats on Lake Champlain to compete for the Giant Pumpkin Trophy. There is also a fun-filled family festival that includes local food vendors providing yummy fall treats, craft vendors, kids’ activities, pie eating contests, and a fall inspired pet costume contest!

October 7, 2012  4th Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival - Cambridge, Vermont
To throw is great, to hurl divine. It's fun, educational, and to raise money for the Lamoille Family Center in Morrisville, VT. Now with 15 round automatic firing capability.

December 7-9, 2012  Woodstock's Winter Wassail Weekend - Woodstock, Vermont
Voted one of Vermont's Top Ten Winter events, the term has its roots in medieval England referring to the Norse, "ves heill" meaning "to drink to the health". Ale brewed with spiced apples and sugar was the warm drink given to the singers who went door to door during the Solstice. Christmas became interwoven with celebrations during the darkest time of the year.  Celebrated for over 25 years, the highlight of the weekend is a unique Wassail Parade with over 50 horses and riders dressed in holiday costumes and period dress from the 19th century. Concerts, holiday house tour, craft fair and more.

2011 VERMONT 2011
Food & Wine Festivals, Shows & Local Event
events still waiting for new dates

May 22, 2011  Culinary Experience Gala - Manchester Center, Vermont
Cocktail Hour featuring complimentary champagne, hors d’oeuvres, and samplings from artisan cheese and specialty food and drink purveyors, with a backdrop of smooth jazz. Grand tasting with over 20 chefs from the finest area restaurants, a grand prize raffle featuring over $1500 in prizes.

October 8-9, 2011  Cider Days on the Green - Belmont, Vermont
See apple cider pressing demonstrations on the Belmont Village Green, shop at booths filled with crafts, produce and baked goods, or visit the nearby Mt. Holly Historical Museum.

2010 VERMONT 2010
Food & Wine Festivals, Shows & Local Events 2010
events still waiting for new dates

June 4, 2010  The Great Vermont Pro-Am Bread Baking Contest - Brattleboro, Vermont
Strolling of the Heifers announces its 2010 keynote culinary event: the Great Vermont Pro-am Bread Baking Contest. Celebrity judges will select the winner as part of the 2010 Strolling of the Heifers Weekend.

October 3-4, 2010  22nd Annual Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival - Turnbridge, Vermont
Sponsored by the Vermont Sheep & Goat Association. Weekend of workshops with camping available.

2009 VERMONT 2009
VERMONT FOOD & WINE FESTIVALS, SHOWS AND  EVENTS
events still waiting for new dates

June 26-28, 2009  24th Annual Green Mountain Chew Chew Festival - Burlington, Vermont
2009 was the 24th and LAST Green Mountain Chew Chew Festival.
The object of the festival is to expose you to as many different taste treats as possible during your ride on the Chew Chew Train. Each Restaurant & Vermont Food Producer serves 3 food item with no duplications. These taste treats represent their specialties and are sure to be found on menus at their home locations. Music, Children's Games, Family Fun.