Feast fiestas

Food is an integral part of festivals across nations. But there are some fests that celebrate what we eat and drink. Here are a few food festivals worth a visit.

Limassol Wine Festival, Cyprus:

In September every year, Limassol in Cyprus draws thousands of tourists, who visit the Municipal Garden to enjoy the Wine Festival. Here, we see the festival's emblematic ‘vrakaman’, a giant statue of a man clad in the traditional Cypriot attire

Alkmaar Cheese Market, the Netherlands:

Cheese carriers walk with wheels of Gouda at the traditional cheese market in Alkmaar, the Netherlands. Edam, Hoorn, Gouda and Woerden have their own versions, but the Alkmaar Cheese Market is the most popular.

La Tomatina, Spain:

La Tomatina is an annual tomato fight festival held on the last Wednesday of August in Buñol, a town near Valencia, Spain. La Tomatina, which hosts thousands of visitors each year, is regarded as one of the largest food festivals in the world. It was made famous in India by the 2011 Bollywood film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

Oktoberfest, Germany: Oktoberfest is an annual festival held in Munich, Germany, and includes beer, German food and lots of fun. It is held over a two-week period, ending on the first Sunday in October. The 188th edition of the festival will take place from September 16 to October 3, 2023, on the Theresienwiese.

Bibimbap Festival, South Korea: The Korean dish bibimbap, a mix of rice, meat and vegetables, is celebrated every year in October in the city of Jeonju, South Korea. It's said that Jeonju’s bibimbap is decorated with five colours and five flavours that come from 30 different ingredients.

Lemon Festival (Fête du Citron), France: A gigantic dragon statue at the annual Lemon Festival (Fête du Citron) held in Menton, France. The festival celebrates the annual production of speciality lemons and other citrus fruits in Menton and includes lemon floats, parades, exhibition of citrus patterns and a crafts fair. This year, it will be held from February 11 to 26.