DISCOVER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA'S
FUN FOOD FESTIVALS

Don't you just love food festivals? I sure do! Anything is possible
with a little imagination and creativity, like Garlic Ice Cream and Deep-fried Testicles. I'm often pleasantly surprised that a dish actually tastes a lot better than it sounds!

Here are some of Northern California's most popular Festivals that center around a specific food. They're arranged month by month so you can find them easily.

Looking for something fun to do in Northern California in January, May, November - any month of the year, in fact? This list will help you with that!

Find the best prices on Northern California hotels near the festival of your choice at HotelsCombined, where you can search, compare, and make ressies, all from one site:

Forest Mushroom;
Photographer Unknown

FEBRUARY

Cloverdale Citrus Fair -
celebrating all things citrus! Cloverdale Citrus Fair

Madera's Wine and Chocolate Weekend -
local wine, chocolate, and live music make for a great weekend! Wine and Chocolate Weekend

Lodi Wine and Chocolate -
February's a natural for wine and chocolate! Lodi's Wine and Chocolate Fest

Santa Cruz Annual Clam Chowder Cook Off and Festival -
the best clam chowders in the world! Clam Chowder Cook Off

MARCH

Isleton's Annual Spam Festival -
that's right, Spam - the ham alternative! Held at Isleton Joe's, give 'em a call at (916) 777-6510 for this year's dates.

Kelseyville Olive Festival -
complete with and Olive Pit Spitting Contest! KelseyvilleOliveFestival

Oakdale's Annual Testicle Festival -
you read that right - and all reports are that they're delish! Cowboy Testicle Festival

Don't forget to compare prices and book your hotel at
HotelsCombined.com:

Pistashios on the Tree; (CC) Brad Spry

APRIL

Chico's California Nut Festival -
in Chico, we're proud of our nuts! California Nut Festival

San Francisco Chocolate Salon -
probably THE chocolate event of the year! SF's Chocolate Salon

Stockton Asparagus Festival -
one of NorCal's BEST festivals (IMHO)! Stockton Asparagus Festival

Rivers of Chocolate in Saratoga -
more chocolate to love! Rivers of Chocolate

MAY

Great Petaluma Chili Cook-off, Salsa, and Beer Tasting -
if you like it spicy! Great Petaluma Chili Cook-off, etc.

Paradise Chocolate Fest -
chocolate in Paradise sounds just about perfect! Paradise Chocolate Fest

San Francisco Oyster Fest -
oysters and beer - a great combo! SF Oyster Fest

Castroville Artichoke Festival -
one of my absolute favorites, both the festival and the vegetable!! "Thistle Be Fun"

Oakdale Chocolate Festival -
we're never far from a chocolate fest in NorCal! Oakdale Chocolate Festival

JUNE

Patterson Apricot Fiesta -
Nationally famous since it's 2008 New York Times write-up! Patterson Apricot Fiesta

Isleton Red Bluff's Crawdad Festival -
the best Crawdad Festival west of New Orleans has moved to Red Bluff! Crawdad Festival

Arcata Oyster Festival -
roasted, BBQ'd, fried, on the half shell and atop the pizza! Arcata Oyster Festival

Salmon BBQ; (CC) woodley wonderworks

JULY

The World's Largest Salmon Barbeque -
grilled salmon, family,and friends, celebrating the 4th! Salmon Barbecue

Brentwood CornFest -
celebrating corn in all its forms. Brentwood CornFest

Marysville Peach Fest -
peaches, peaches everywhere! Marysville Peach Fest

Gilroy Garlic Festival -
who hasn't heard of this Festival of Festivals! Gilroy Garlic Festival

Courtland Pear Fair -
Bartlett pears are everywhere in "Pear"adise! Pear Fair

Watsonville Strawberry Festival at Monterey Bay -
strawberry lovers unite! Watsonville Strawberry Festival

AUGUST

Fresno FigFest -
Fig Feast, Figalicious Recipes, and Figatastic Facts! FigFest 2010

Woodland Tomato Festival -
tomatoes don't get any better or fresher, even if you grow them yourself! Tomato Festival

Fairfield Tomato Festival and West Coast BBQ Championships -
what a great combination! Fairfield Tomato Festival and BBQ

Klamath Salmon Festival -
visit with the Yurok people at a traditional open pit salmon bar-b-que! Salmon Festival

Round Valley Blackberry Festival in Covelo -
another Mendocino County Food Fest. Round Valley Blackberry Festival

Hayward Zucchini Festival -
if you love zucchini, help save this festival! Hayward Zucchini Festival

Corning Olive Festival -
"Corning does it bedder"! Corning Olive Festival

Bodega Seafood, Art,and Wine Festival -
Cedar Plank Salmon to BBQ Oysters, plus music, art, and rubber ducky racing! Bodega Seafood Festival

SEPTEMBER

Tracy Dry Bean Festival -
don't miss strolling through Bean Town! Tracy Bean Festival

Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival -
more chocolate coming your way! Ghirardelli Chocolate Fest

Kelseyville Pear Festival -
"Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first." Kelseyville Pear Festival

Oroville Salmon Festival -
fish-flavored activities celebrating the spawning of the salmon! Oroville Salmon Festival

Heading for a NorCal food festival? Find the best hotel deals at HotelsCombined.

OCTOBER

Lamb Chop Tandoori;
(CC) snowpea&bokchoi

Dixon's Lambtown Festival -
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep, have you any wool? Lambtown Festival

Los Banos Tomato Festival -
let me count the ways we like our tomatoes! Los Banos Tomato Festival

Apple Harvest Festival in Fortuna -
it's all about all things apple! Apple Harvest Festival

Johnny Appleseed Days in Paradise -
it all began in 1888 and it's the oldest harvest celebration in California! Johnny Appleseed Days

St. Matthew Church Assyrian Chaldean Food Festival in Ceres -
enjoy ethnic Mediterranean food, folkloric dancing and more! Assyrian Chaldean Food Festival

Fort Bragg Abalone Cook-off and Festival -
wild abalone; you be the judge! Abalone Cook-off and Festival

Weaverville Salmon Festival -
celebrating the return of the salmon to home waters! Weaverville Salmon Festival

Anderson's Return of the Salmon Festival -
their name says it all! (Me thinks I detect a salmon theme somewhere!) Return of the Salmon Festival

NOVEMBER

Mendocino Wine and Mushroom Festival -
celebrating over 3000 mushroom varieties! Wine and Mushroom Festival

Auburn's Mountain Mandarin Festival -
Owari Satsuma Mandarin oranges - Yumm! Mountain Mandarin Fest

Oak Glen's Apple Butter Festival -
learn to start the snitz and add the money while celebrating the end of apple season! Apple Butter Festival

DECEMBER

Sonoma Valley Olive Season -
cured olives, olive oils, olive martinis; this festival celebrates one of the world's oldest fruits for three full months! Sonoma Valley Olive Fest

Does your town or neighborhood have a Fun Food Festival that
I've missed? I'd really like to get the word out, so Let Me Know!

For more about Northern California Events and Festivals, be sure to visit DiscoverNorthernCalifornia.com's: Events and Festivals

You'll find Northern California events and festivals every month of
the year, all year round!

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