Quirky Food Festivals

Bacon, marshmallow fluff and...scrapple? There are no boundaries when it comes to celebrating food. Last month, National Geographic published an article on "The Best Food Festival in Every U.S. State," and we can't believe some of the bizarre festivals highlighting regional favorites. Whether your clients are looking for a taste of garlic ice cream, or looking to play tug-of-war over a pit of mashed potatoes, the United States boasts a number of quirky food festivals from sea to shining sea.

Apple Scrapple Festival

All-you-can-eat scrapple breakfast, scrapple carving and scrapple chunkin'—a throwing contest with scrapple packages. Bridgeville, Delaware hosts the Apple Scrapple Festival every October with carnival rides, games for kids, live entertainment, a variety of shows and tons of food. 

Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival

For food, fun and international bacon fellowship, head to Des Moines, Iowa for the Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival. The festival offers extensive bacon sampling, bacon lectures, bacon-inspired dishes, bacon competitions, a bacon queen contest, bacon awards and live entertainment. Every year, the festival announces a wacky theme for attendees, restaurants and attendees to embrace.

Gilroy Garlic Festival

Pack a few breath mints and head to Gilroy, California. The heart of the Gilroy Garlic Festival is Gourmet Alley, a gigantic outdoor kitchen where "Pyro Chefs" prepare garlic-laced calamari and scampi in huge iron skillets. Other favorites include: pepper steak sandwiches, pasta con pesto, fried calamari, sausage sandwiches, garlic fries and garlic bread. Make sure you try Gilroy's garlic ice cream.

Idaho Spud Day

Boil 'em, mash 'em, and play tug-of-war. Shelley, Idaho hosts Idaho Spud Day on the banks of the Snake River each year in September. Watch parades, enjoy live entertainment, join races and eat potatoes.

What the Fluff?

What the Fluff? honors the invention of Marshmallow Fluff in Somerville, Massachusetts's Union Square. Pay tribute to the goo with artists, musicians, theatrical performers, games and culinary geniuses. 

Written by Cassie Westrate, staff writer for Groups Today.

Photo courtesy of National Geographic.