Every foodie’s favorite haven is a food festival, but there are a few things to know before going to one. To make the best out of an epic food festival, you should always be prepared and ready for what’s to come. Many foodies will make common mistakes and newbies will learn quickly what not to do. Instead of going there and learning the hard way of how to properly plan, here are seven things to remember before attending a food festival: Dress Accordingly There are a wide variety of foods festivals across the country and around the world. They can range from high-class wine and cheese, to laid-back food trucks. But no matter how glamorous the occasion is, always dress comfortable. There is nothing worse than trying to enjoy wine and cheese while your heels sink into the grass or shivering on the beach because for forgot your sweater. Think about the elements of the festival and check the weather report before heading off to the festival. Eye on the Prize It is more than tempting to come to a food festival and get sidetracked by the unexpected foods or tastings. Some festivals can last for days or even weeks with a number of events, which is why it’s important to pace yourself and hit the spots you’ve been dying to try. If you go to every event, you will be overtired and overstuffed. Stick to what you are most excited to see and keep to those events.
Look at the Menu While you plan to attend your favorite events, be sure to check out the menu beforehand. There will be a very long line with other eager foodies waiting to grab their favorites as well. The worst thing you can do is get to the front of the line and realize you don’t even know what you want. Make sure you know exactly what you want to order before even stepping in line so there won’t be a longer wait for other attendees. Don’t Follow the Crowd It’s easy to follow what everyone else is doing and going with the traffic of the festival. For the optimal food festival trip, do your own thing and stay away from the crowd. While everyone else is on the opposite side of the festival waiting in endless lines, you’ll be on the other side with more time to enjoy each booth without the crowd getting in your way. As soon as you arrive, go to the less populated entrance in the back and start from there. Find a Designated Driver Most food festivals will have more than enough food and equal amounts of booze. It’s important to be safe and assign a designated driver who will not be drinking. It’s easy to get carried away when attending a festival, so try to find a volunteer driver early. If everyone in your group wants to drink at the festival, look into taking a taxi or find a driver through a ride-sharing app. It’s important to have fun at food festivals, but you also have to be safe.
Try Something New Although you will want to plan ahead for the events and foods you want to try, don’t forget to keep an open mind and try something new. It’s easy to go for the most appealing or fan favorite foods, but there will also be new tastes that need to be tested. A food festival is the perfect place for trying dishes like tongue or other not-so-appealing foods. Even if it’s just one bite, try it to see if you like it or just for the simple fact of telling people you were brave enough to try tongue. Keep an Appetite With endless amounts of food to try, it’s easy to get overstuffed very quickly. To avoid the fatigue of getting too full, it’s important to keep up your appetite. You can do this by remaining active throughout the festival. Make sure to walk off the food you’ve already eaten or go for a bike ride around the food festival area. Between events, be sure you and your friends keeping it moving instead of giving in to the fatigue of a full stomach.