Welcome back to our fall foodie event coverage! We know that for the past 8 months, all everyone has talked about is summer. Waiting for it to come, anticipating our freedoms, and enjoying it to the fullest when it finally arrived. Like all good things, our sun-filled season must come to an end and open the door to a festive fall. And what better way to celebrate the shift than with food and fun?
Corporate catering can’t cover all of your meals, so we decided to search for the best fall food events in our markets across the country for you and your foodie friends to enjoy while off the clock. Read on for our recommendations in some of our Western US markets, and be sure to mark your calendars so you don’t miss out on these delicious events!
SoCal Taco Fest
Waterfront Park, San Diego
Did someone say tacos? The SoCal Taco Fest, which is Southern California’s largest taco festival, is back for a food-filled day of fun! This festival boasts 25 of the area’s best taco restaurants and enough craft margaritas to satiate your tequila tooth for the rest of the season.
This 21+ event only runs for one day on October 23, so get your tickets while they’re hot! Their VIP packages are now sold out, but general admission is still available for $35 a ticket and gives you access to all the greatness this festival has to offer. In addition to event entrance, you can enjoy their margarita tent (complete with a live DJ), performances from national and local acts, live Lucha Libre wrestling, chihuahua races, and MORE! Snag your ticket here.
Denver Oktoberfest
Denver, Colorado
Oktoberfest may be canceled in Munich, but that doesn’t mean we still can’t celebrate in Denver! Now in its 51 year, the Denver Oktoberfest is back and better than ever with improved music production, full bars, fewer lines, and easy-to-use RFID payments for all refreshments around the venue.
Denver Oktoberfest runs for two weekends – September 17-19 and September 24-26- that are packed full of classic Oktoberfest activities. The best part? They have ticket options to suit any festival-goers’ needs whether they are looking for a whole weekend of fun or just an afternoon in the September sun. The festival is open to all ages (with free admission for those under 12!), and they even offer student discounts!
Their general admission tickets start at $20 and include one free drink per day, keg bowling, stein hoisting, line skipping, and more! Their VIP packages start at $75 and kick it up a notch by offering all-you-can-eat-and-drink capabilities, elevated culinary experiences, access to private bar & restrooms, and the same great benefits of general admission.
The Italian Festival
Seattle, Washington
Pasta lovers! If you and your foodie friends are near the Seattle area, you’re in luck: the 34 Annual Festa Italiana is back! This volunteer-run community festival is the first “live event” at Seattle Center in two years, and it is completely free to attend! With an array of musical performances to enjoy and world-class chefs mingling with the masses, this event is a must-see.
You can catch it on September 25 and 26 for a weekend of festivities at Seattle Center’s Fisher Pavilion and the surrounding grounds. When you arrive at the festival, you gain access to activities for all ages including beer gardens, pizza tossing competition, grape stomping event, bocce ball championship, and more!
Even though admission is free, you can purchase food, beverages, jewelry, art, and even Italian language classes from vendor booths located throughout the event. They even host cooking demos every hour between 11 am to 5 pm led by celebrity chefs and local restaurants alike!
FoodieLand Night Market
Berkeley (October 8-10, 15-17), Sacramento (September 3-6), San Mateo (September 10-12), California
Calling all California foodies! The Foodieland Night Market is returning to the Bay Area for a food-centric festival spanning multiple venues in the Golden State. This three-day event aims to gather everyone in the foodie community for a weekend of fun, food, drinks, carnival games, shopping, and live entertainment. And with more than 100 food vendors and 50+ merchandise vendors, it seems that they will succeed!
Tickets won’t be sold at the door, so snag yours before your respective city’s weekend! The Berkeley event is at Golden Gate Fields, and admission is $7. In Sacramento, admission is $5 each day to gain access to the Cal Expo. For San Mateo, admission to the event in the San Mateo County Event Center is $7, but after September 4 they increase to $10 per person!
If you liked our fall foodie event coverage, make sure to stay tuned for our coverage on winter’s best festivals later this season! In the meantime, why not get your team set up with a meal program? Click here to learn more.
