The 25 Best Autumn Food Festivals in Europe

Food festivals are most people’s favourite pastimes – the variation of food and drink available to be sampled in such a small space, traditional local delicacies, and passionate vendors make them prime visiting spots for discerning travellers. Across Europe, you can encounter several food festivals, from Germany’s world-famous Oktoberfest to local harvest festivals and traditional celebrations. 

Autumn is one of the best times to experience a food festival, as it’s usually the time for harvesting crops and vineyards. A variety of fresh produce is sold across Europe during this time of year, making food festivals a top priority for even the most critical of foodies. Let’s explore Europe’s top autumn food festivals, and when they take place, so you can add them to the very top of your must-visit destination list: 

What are Europe’s best Autumn food festivals?

25. Tirana Street Food Festival – Tirana, Albania

Dates: October-November

Must-try dishes: Byrek, Kosi

Important information:  This festival runs from October 31st to November 10th. Entry to the festival is free. Head to Skanderbeg Square to access.

Tirana is one of Europe’s most exciting cities right now. If you plan on visiting, why not time your trip for the city’s annual food festival? The Tirana Street Food Fest, known as 8or, is held in the city’s lively Skanderbeg Square and showcases Albania’s diverse food scene. It’s the biggest food festival in the country, giving you the chance to sample authentic Albanian cuisine.

Thanks to Albania’s geographical and historical influences, the cuisine is deliciously varied. You have to try byrek, a flaky, cheesy pie, and tavë kosi, a lamb and rice casserole – both of which have origins in the Ottoman Empire. If you’re simply just hungry and nothing but familiar favourites will do, then make a beeline for the expertly-made burgers or hot dogs. The main festival is free to enter, but any food or drink has to be paid for – FYI, the currency in Albania is Lek!

24. Sagre dell’Olio – Italy

Dates: August-October

Must-try dishes: Everything on the menu

Italy is no stranger to food festivals, nor is it a stranger to olive oil, which is the main focus of its ‘Sagre dell’Olio’. A variety of festivals celebrating olive oil take place across Italy, with the most notable of which being Sagre dell’Olio and the Brisighella Olive and Oil Festival. Specifically, the Brisighella Festival is considered to be the most significant, as it showcases and upholds the region’s lengthy history of olive cultivation. 

Since Roman times, Brisighella has been known and revered for its olive oil production, with a thriving trade scene since. At the olive oil festivals, which take place across the year from summer to autumn, you can sample a range of oils, learn about olive cultivation and harvest and the oil-making process, and enjoy a lively atmosphere and various other stalls. It’s truly the best celebration of olive oil, so make sure to time your trip accordingly – the Brisighella Festival takes place on the 30th of November in Centro Storico. 

23. Abergavenny Food Festival – Abergavenny, Wales

Dates: 20th-21st September

Must-try dishes: Welsh lamb

Each September, the market town of Abergavenny plays host to one of Britain’s most respected food festivals. Launched in 1999, the event has grown into a cornerstone of Wales’ culinary calendar, often described by critics and chefs alike as the nation’s answer to Ludlow Food Festival or the Galway International Oyster Festival. 

Across the weekend, visitors can browse stalls laden with artisan cheeses, charcuterie, and seasonal produce, before slipping into masterclasses or talks led by farmers, food writers, and Michelin-starred chefs. The emphasis is firmly on education as much as indulgence: cookery demonstrations and in-depth panels give context to the dishes on the table and the stories behind them. It’s this blend of grassroots producers and internationally recognised talent that has earned the festival high praise from leading voices, including Angela Hartnett OBE, who has called it ‘unique in so many ways’.

22. Chestnut Festival – Marradi, Italy

Dates: Varying dates in October 

Must-try dishes: Chestnuts, of course

You may normally associate chestnuts with autumn, as does the tiny yet vibrant town of Marradi near Tuscany. Every Sunday in October for the last 50 years, this town has celebrated the specific variety of Marron buono chestnut, which is native to the Mugello region, through traditional roasting methods and a variety of chestnut-based foods. 

The festival itself is an eclectic mix of street food vendors, excited and curious tourists, and well-versed locals who consistently flock to the stalls each year to sample the familiar taste of chestnuts. With the harvest season well and truly underway this time of year, the Marradi chestnut festival is the perfect time to sample these natural gems. 

21. Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival – Paris, France

Dates: October 8th-12th

Must-try dishes: Wine, grapes

Since 1934, the Montmartre Grape Harvest Festival has been the highlight of every autumn, helping the wider community understand and get involved with the harvesting of grapes to make wine. Every October, Paris’s only remaining active vineyard, Clos Montmartre, is celebrated through traditions like grape-stomping, wine tasting, and informative talks about the wine-making process and viticulture. 

Local viticulturalists and discerning foodies and wine connoisseurs alike have sung high praise for the festival, comparing it to the likes of the equally revered Fête de la Gastronomie or Goût de France – while Montmartre Grape Festival celebrates local winemaking, the latter festivals highlight and showcase a wider appreciation of national French gastronomy. 

20. Hardanger Cider Festival – Øystese, Norway

Dates: First week of October

Must-try dishes: Cider, apples

Every year in October, the tiny yet vibrant village of Øystese, located along Norway’s Hardangerfjord, comes alive with all things apple cultivation and cider production. Having established a pretty solid name for itself in recent years, the Hardanger Cider Festival celebrates Norway’s iconic apple farming history. Here, cider enthusiasts, apple farmers, and cider producers congregate to sample the world-famous apple drink through tours and tastings at apple-themed culinary gems. 

The apples in this region of Norway are a pretty big deal, and even have their own PDO (Protected Designation of Origin), meaning that cider made in this region must only be made from apples grown in this region, so there’s definitely no doubting Hardanger Cider’s authenticity. As you sip curiously, enjoy the delightful tunes from several live music performances too – it really is a fantastic celebration of one of Norway’s main and most important industries. While not strictly a food festival, you can enjoy a range of food and beverages that will tantalise your taste buds and satisfy you to your inner core (pun intended).

19. Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival – Ludwigsburg, Germany

Dates: August-November

Must-try dishes: Pumpkin soup, pumpkin wine

Across three months from the end of summer to the end of autumn, Ludwigsburg in Germany plays host to an effervescent celebration of autumn’s signature fruit, the humble pumpkin. Established in 1997 by a pair of farmers, the Kürbisausstellung Ludwigsburg is now the world’s largest of its kind, showcasing more than 400,000 pumpkins in numerous forms and ways. 

Ludwigsburg’s seasonal celebration involves pumpkin carving, a number of sculptures and displays consisting of the world-famous gourd, and pumpkin-based foods like soup, muffins, and even wine. For Halloween and autumn enthusiasts, what better way to celebrate and indulge your passions? 

18. Aegina Fistiki Festival – Aegina, Greece

Dates: 18th-21st September

Must-try dishes: Pistachio pasteli

Spanning four days every September, the Greek island of Aegina hosts a spectacular celebration of the island’s resident pistachio nuts, with the Fistiki Festival. Established in 2008, the annual Fistiki Festival shows off its culinary creativity, with various pistachio-based goods like cakes, ice cream, and spreads. 

Thanks to the premium flavour and specific growing conditions of Aegina’s pistachios, they have earned themselves a PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) – because of this, a trip to Aegina is not complete without trying the island’s signature green nut. You have to try the pistachio pasteli, the variety of which was featured in the Guinness World Records in 2011 for a specially-created 40-metre long version that is the world’s longest.

17. National Gastronomy Festival – Santarém, Portugal

Dates: October-November

Must-try dishes: Bread, wine, cheese 

Santarém is fast emerging as a foodie capital of Portugal, and its National Gastronomy Festival is a testament to that, having since become a hallmark of local and national  Portuguese cuisine. Every October-November, the city becomes a vibrant culinary hub, showcasing the finest in regional cuisine. Restaurateurs, chefs of all calibers, and local foodies come together to celebrate all things food, from vibrantly plated and expertly-flavoured dishes to locally-sourced farm shop products. 

Created in 1980 as a way of introducing the wider community to the local and national food and restaurant scene, Santarém’s Gastronomy Festival is the oldest of its kind in Portugal, and definitely the most significant. It’s the true passion for gastronomy and showcasing local and sustainable cultivation practices through elegantly plated dishes that has earned the festival high praise from certain revered publications, including The Portugal News. Santarém’s Gastronomy festival has staked its claim among discerning foodies, renowned chefs, and government officials, all of whom have highlighted its importance in Portugal’s culinary calendar and its noteworthy heritage and reputation.

16. Ludlow Food Festival – Shropshire, UK

Dates: 12th-14th September

Must-try dishes: Local reared meats 

Mirroring the familiar feel of your town’s local weekend market, Ludlow Food Festival invokes a true sense of community and nostalgia each September when the signature white peaks of the stalls begin to appear. Since 1995, Ludlow Food Festival has become a cornerstone of local food celebrations, seeing farmers and innovators come together to share their passion for sustainable food production and sourcing. 

Get stuck into everything this festival has to offer, with live cookery demonstrations and talks from decorated chefs, stalls piled high with artisan and locally-sourced produce, and a stunning historic castle providing an idyllic backdrop. The festival’s reputation is further cemented by what several recognised figures have said about it. In talks with Visit Shropshire last year, renowned TV presenter Kate Humble stated that she was excited to be taking part in the festival, and “celebrating 30 delicious years of championing the best independent producers, retailers and cooks.” 

15. Espelette Pepper Festival (Fête du Piment) – Espelette, France

Dates: Late October (varying dates)

Must-try dishes: Dried or powdered pepper

Marked by rows of fiery red peppers drying in the sun, the Espelette Pepper Festival has been held in France’s Basque Country since 1968, showcasing the native red chilli in all its glory through a series of colourful and lively celebrations. Each October, during the harvest of these vibrant crimson crops, the town of Espelette hosts a spectacular event to honour the cultivation of these peppers. The Espelette Pepper, native to this southern French region, is known for its more subtle heat compared to its relatives. The pepper also has a PDO, reinforcing its authenticity and prestigious reputation among locals and visitors alike.

As you walk through the square, you’ll find stalls filled with peppers in various forms, whether fresh, dried, or in unique chili-based products. Enjoy some expertly prepared and perfectly seasoned street food, join traditional Basque dances, or watch special processions, parades, and a solemn mass, all centered around the famous chilli pepper. Approximately 20,000 people attend this festival each year – will you be one of them?

14. Aldeburgh Food & Drink Festival – Aldeburgh, UK

Dates: 27th-28th September

Must-try dishes: Artisanal pizza

Suffolk’s most famous food festival is returning once again to the streets of the small town of Aldeburgh – although small, the seaside town has an international reputation thanks to its annual food & drink festival. Since it was established in 2006, the festival has been held every September in Snape Maltings, and is renowned for its cookery demonstrations, masterclasses, and fully-stocked food stalls. As you walk past each stall, you’ll see the passionate and friendly faces of highly decorated chefs, farmers, and vendors who are keen to share a piece of Suffolk’s local food scene. 

The reputation of this festival and its attending chefs is reinforced through the voices of the festival’s key coordinators: through the Suffolk News site in 2024, the festival’s president and co-founder, Lady Caroline Cranbrook, talks about the festival’s chefs, stating that “their enthusiasm for food, sustainability, and innovation mirrors our own commitment to celebrating the best of what our region has to offer.” 

13. Budapest Wine Festival – Budapest, Hungary

Dates: 11th-14th September 

Must-try dishes: Visit the Chef Market Gourmet Courtyard for some Michelin-starred delicacies

In its 34th year, Budapest’s annual wine festival is still a mainstay of Hungarian culture and exists to introduce both locals and tourists to Hungary’s vibrant viticulture. As summer fades into autumn, the grape harvest begins, and thus, a centuries-old tradition is revived once again through Budapest’s wine festival. A chance to experience Hungary’s prolific wine culture is what causes a mix of resident wine connoisseurs and intrigued first-time visitors to flock to the festival each September.

With gourmet culinary delights, the finest locally-produced wines, tastings, live music, and cultural processions as the main events, it’s a chance to fully immerse yourself in one of the country’s top industries. And, with a beautiful historic backdrop of Buda Castle to gaze across as you sip and chat, the festival really is an autumnal gem within the thriving Hungarian capital.

12. Kürbisfest – Vienna, Austria

Dates: Late October

Must-try dishes: Kürbissuppe (pumpkin soup).

When it comes to Halloween, there’s no greater place to celebrate than Austria. To mark the spooky season, every October, Austria’s capital hosts its own appropriately themed celebration with Kürbisfest, a pumpkin festival akin to the equally revered Ludwigsburg Festival in Germany. 

With unlimited supplies of Sturm, thousands of gourds waiting to be carved and tasted through pumpkin-based culinary gems, and a lively autumnal atmosphere, this festival has firmly cemented its reputation in Austria as an autumn tradition. 

11. Taste Svalbard (Smak Svalbard)– Longyearbyen, Norway

Dates: 2nd-6th October

Must-try dishes: Reindeer soup

Considered to be the world’s northernmost food festival, each October in Longyearbyen, Taste Svalbard begins. Across four days, you can experience a series of pop-up restaurants, vibrant celebrations of Norway’s culinary history, and a strong sense of community radiating throughout. Although isolated from the rest of the world, Taste Svalbard is a world-renowned festival that seeks to celebrate local culinary traditions and showcase them to each and every festival goer.

Taste Svalbard is truly a foodie’s paradise, with unconventional dishes like reindeer soup and bearded seal tartare available to try, or more familiar dishes made from local and seasonal produce. For years, Taste Svalbard has made the Norwegian archipelago come alive with tastes and culture not experienced anywhere else in the world. 

10. Black Food Festival – Tallinn, Estonia

Dates: November 2021 - unknown

Must-try dishes: Black squid-ink pasta, black burgers

Tallinn’s Black Food Festival is one of the world's most intriguing culinary events, renowned for its focus on unique black-coloured foods. This festival showcases a variety of black foods that are by no means artificially coloured – instead, they highlight naturally black-coloured ingredients, such as coffee, dark chocolate, and black berries. 

Held in November 2021 in the Estonian capital, the festival has also taken place in various locations around the globe. Its main objective is to introduce people to black foods that are often underutilised or rarely seen in gastronomy, such as black tahini and black squid ink. It’s unknown when the next Black Food Festival will commence, but keep an eye and an ear out for upcoming events in autumn, as they just might include this festival.

9. Fête de la Gastronomie/ Goût de France – France 

Dates: June-September

Must-try dishes: Boeuf bourguignon, Tarte Normande

Since 2011, Fête de la Gastronomie / Goût de France has been held with one key focus in mind: to promote and showcase France’s vibrant culinary heritage. Through a series of live demonstrations, cookery classes, mini pop-up restaurants, and a wide array of some of France’s most well-known culinary delights, like tartes, charcuterie, and boeuf bourguignon, you can experience the very best of French cuisine in a nationwide celebration. In 2017, Fête de la Gastronomie and Goût de France merged into what is now known only as the latter. 

The festival has since achieved global recognition, with several countries like the UK and Australia following suit and curating their own menus that celebrate French cuisine, simultaneously with the commencement of the festival in France. From June to September each year, France becomes electrified with discerning foodies, highly decorated chefs, and local restaurateurs, all of whom come together to promote the country’s diverse gastronomy. 

8. Wurstmarkt – Bad Dürkheim, Germany

Dates: September (varying dates)

Must-try dishes: Dampfnudeln, frankfurters, bratwurst

Despite its name translating to ‘Sausage Market’, Germany’s Wurstmarkt is actually the world’s largest wine festival, although sausages or ‘wursts’ are still very much on the menu. Believe it or not, the Wurstmarkt actually dates back to the 15th century, and has grown from a small local market to the world’s biggest wine festival. You can expect large quantities of German cuisines like dampfnudeln and several varieties of German wursts, such as frankfurters. 

Although wursts are the main culinary focus, the festival also focuses on wine and wine tastings from more than 150 different types of local wines. The festival likely wouldn’t be as iconic without its large fairground, too. Across various travel sites, international publications, and press releases, you can gain a deeper understanding of this iconic German celebration and understand its deep roots in the country’s culture, as well as see the large amount of praise that the festival has received.

7. Helsinki Baltic Herring Festival – Helsinki, Finland

Dates: 5th-11th October

Must-try dishes: Pickled or fresh herring, dark rye bread

What has been labelled as “one of the most anticipated experiences in the Feast Helsinki food year” by the current mayor, Juhana Vartiainen, through a Helsinki media outlet, Helsinki’s Baltic Herring Festival is the city’s most prized food-based event.

First held in the mid-1700s as a small herring market, the event has achieved worldwide fame and grown considerably in both size and cultural appeal. Each year, across a week-long event, food vendors unite to sell a wide variety of herring-based products alongside Finnish dark rye bread. 

6. Salon du Chocolat – Paris, France

Dates: Late October- early November

Must-try dishes: Macarons, truffles

The world’s biggest chocolate celebration is back in full swing this year, bringing you the finest chocolate creations across a four-day event in Paris. With 30 years of promoting all things chocolate under its belt, Salon du Chocolat is a foodie and chocolate-lover’s dream location. Across the event, you’ll be able to try your hand at cookery and patisserie classes, watch live performances and shows, marvel at striking chocolate sculptures and creations, and taste more chocolate than you ever thought possible. 

Learn everything there is to know about cocoa farming, see live demonstrations from expert chocolatiers and chefs, and indulge to your heart’s content. From 1995 until now, this event has remained a mainstay of French culture, and along with the equally respected Fête de la Gastronomie, has firmly cemented itself in France’s culinary heritage.

5. Fiesta do Marisco – Galicia, Spain

Dates: 2nd-12th October

Must-try dishes: Grilled shellfish, pulpo (octopus)

Spain’s Galicia region is known globally for its seafood, boasting an abundant and thriving Atlantic coastline and one of Europe’s busiest fishing ports. Every year at the beginning of October, the region promotes its freshly-caught seafood with the Fiesta do Marisco, which is a fantastic celebration of the region’s top industry, and has been since it was first established in the 1960s.

What greets you at this festival are stalls piled high with every type of seafood you could imagine, from scallops and mussels to octopus and crab, sold at specially low prices. Layer your plate high at the buffet, or listen intently to a detailed seminar or talk regarding the fishing industry – make sure you catch a live performance or two while you sip and savour. 

4. Galway Oyster & Seafood Festival – Galway, Ireland

Dates: 27th-29th September

Must-try dishes: Expertly-prepared and Michelin-starred oysters, washed down with Guinness

The western-Irish city of Galway is known for many industries, but the most prominent is its seafood. Every year, around the end of September, an abundance of oysters and seafood is caught fresh and sold at one of the most spectacular celebrations Ireland has ever seen – the Oyster & Seafood Festival. The world’s oldest of its kind, with its roots beginning in the 1950s, the Oyster Festival is highly anticipated each year and is likely marked on every foodie’s event calendar. 

As for what to expect from this signature cultural cornerstone, the GalwayTourism site states that during the festival, you can experience “a wide variety of tantalising events to enjoy from seafood trails, oyster hotspots, foodie talks and tasting events.” Aside from the tastings, talks, and tours, there are also gala events you can partake in, fun competitions, and live music. With such a rich itinerary, it can be hard to figure out where to even begin.

3. International White Truffle Festival – Alba, Italy

Dates: October-December

Must-try dishes: Truffle-infused or decorated pasta, eggs, and meats

White truffle season begins around September, which is what sparked the creation of this renowned festival in Alba, Piedmont. Through detailed cooking shows and demonstrations, a wide range of truffle-based foods, and expert-led truffle hunts, this mushroom-like fungi shines through in every aspect of this celebration. 

But that’s not all, as while the white truffle certainly takes centre stage at this almost 100-year-old festival, the event also focuses on ensuring that each attendee is thoroughly entertained, which it does so through parades, wine tastings, donkey races, and activities with a medieval theme. 

2. Eurochocolate – Perugia, Italy

Dates: 14th-23rd November

Must-try dishes: Chocolate pasta

Salon du Chocolat’s Italian counterpart, Perugia’s Eurochocolate festival is one of the most fantastic showcases of the signature sweet treat you've likely ever seen. The festival focuses on one key ingredient: chocolate. You can find several foods that have a chocolate twist, with things like pasta, cocktails, and even some meats, all featuring the same key ingredient. 

Established more than 30 years ago, if you’re a chocolate connoisseur, then there truly is no greater event to attend. What you can find at the festival are unique chocolate sculptures and displays, appropriately themed foods, passionate chocolatiers and chefs who are keen to share their knowledge and love of chocolate, and a lively community atmosphere. 

1. Oktoberfest – Munich, Germany

Dates: September-October

Must-try dishes: Bratwurst, sauerkraut, beer (of course)

The world’s largest and most renowned beer festival, Oktoberfest is autumn’s most prized centrepiece, with more than six million revellers flocking to the iconic colourful beer tents each year. With more than one hundred years of rich history, it’s no surprise to anyone that Oktoberfest has managed to make its way to the top of the rankings when it comes to autumn food festivals. 

But, Oktoberfest is so much more than just a communal beer drinking, as the event also serves the best German cuisine, features funfair rides and cultural performances, and sees lederhosen and dirndl-clad attendees clink overflowing beer steins. Munich is the host of this autumnal highlight, and the festival itself is ticketless and free to enter. If you’re at all worried about the festival being too chaotic, then don’t be, as reassurance comes from the likes of Forbes.com, which states that “this festival is a logistical marvel that showcases the power of complex planning and innovative solutions.”