Each year I try and ready my dining dance card so I can maximize my experiences. A big part of that is planning ahead for festivals.
The outdoor festival game in Ohio is strong. In Dayton we are particularly lucky to be in such close proximity to large cities with Columbus and Cincinnati, which are both relatively short drives away. Each year I look to see not only what’s happening in Dayton when it comes to outdoor festivals, where often the food can be immensely satisfying, but also out of town to see what rises to the occasion. As I was doing my yearly planning for events that I hope to attend, I realized that after more than a decade of writing this food column I’ve only shared my local list with readers.
In an effort to right this wrong, here is the current festival list with events that will have a food component or focus that interests me. These are all events where I know the food will be delicious and the content presented will be electrified with the festival magic that this time of year always brings with it.
Because there are so many here I have only included the dates, description and website URL. If it’s of interest you can always navigate there for the description of the event, any vendor lists they might have and other details you would need.
May 26: Cheese Fest, Dayton
https://dineoutdayton.com/events
May 27-28: Columbus Asian Festival, Columbus
May 27-28: Ohio Black Expo Riverfront Culture Fest, Columbus
May 27-28: Jeni’s Strawberry Jam at Land-Grant, Columbus
https://landgrantbrewing.com/event/jsj23
May 27-29: Taste of Cincinnati, Cincinnati
May 31: Kettering Block Party, Kettering
https://fraze.com/kettering-block-party-2023
June 2-4: CincItalia – Cincinnati Italian Festival, Cincinnati
June 2-4: Summerfair, Cincinnati
www.visitcincy.com/listing/summerfair-cincinnati/4950
June 3: Columbus Chicken and Beer Festival, Columbus
www.chickenandbeerfestcolumbus.com
June 3: Uncorked: Columbus Wine Fest, Columbus
https://uncorkedwinefestivals.com/uncorked-columbus-wine-festival
June 3-4: Troy Strawberry Festival, Troy
June 9-10: Schwabenfest, Cincinnati
https://www.facebook.com/Cincydonau
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
June 9-11: Poultry Days, Versailles
https://www.versaillespoultrydays.com
June 9-11: Columbus Arts Festival, Columbus
June 10: Cincy Beerfest, Cincinnati
June 10: Yellow Springs Street Fair, Yellow Springs
www.yellowspringsohio.org/street-fair
June 10: Columbus Summer Wine Festival, Columbus
June 11: Dayton Jazz Festival, Dayton
https://levittdayton.org/event/city-of-dayton-jazz-festival
June 11: Jewish Cultural Festival, Dayton
June 11: The Taste, Kettering
https://fraze.com/the-taste-2023
June 16: Cincinnati Food Truck Assoc. Food Fest, Blue Ash
https://cincinnatifoodtruckassociation.org/events
June 16-17: Jungle Jim’s International Craft Beer Festival, Fairfield
https://junglejims.com/international-craft-beer-festival
June 16-18: Schützenfest Cincinnati, Cincinnati
June 17: Rock Piqua Food Truck and Music Festival, Piqua
https://piquaartscouncil.org/rock-piqua
June 17: Black Heritage Festival, Urbana
June 17: Celtic Fest Ohio, Waynesville
June 17, July 15, Aug. 19, Sept. 16: Waynesville Street Faire, Waynesville
www.facebook.com/waynesvillestreetfaire
June 21: Spass Nacht, Kettering
https://fraze.com/spass-nacht-2023
June 23: A Taste of Worthington Summer Food Festival, Worthington
www.experienceworthington.com/a-taste-of-worthington
June 23-25: Panegyri Greek Festival, Cincinnati
https://www.htsnchurch.org/event/panegyri/home
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
June 24: Miamisburg Pickle Fest: Just Dill With It, Miamisburg
https://dineoutdayton.com/events
June 24: Tequila Fest Cincinnati, Cincinnati
https://tequilafestcincinnati.com
June 24: SunWatch Summer Fest, Dayton
June 30-July 2: Taps, Tastes and Tunes Festival, West Chester
www.westchesteroh.org/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/8837/122
July 3: July Sommerfest: Red, White and Brats, Columbus
https://germaniacolumbus.org/event-4502713
July 7-8: North Market Ohio Wine Festival, Columbus
July 7-9: Everybody’s Favorite Barbecue and Hot Sauce Festival, Cincinnati
https://everybodysfavoritefestival.com
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
July 8: Kickin’ Chicken Wing Fest, Kettering
https://dineoutdayton.com/events
July 8: Soul of Columbus Food and Art Festival, Columbus
soulofcolumbusfoodartsfest.org
July 14-16: Cincinnati Celtic Festival, Cincinnati
July 15: Pineapple Fest at Austin Landing, Miamisburg
July 15: Cincy Blues Fest, Cincinnati
https://cincyblues.org/cincy-blues-fest
July 21-22: The Ohio Challenge, Middletown
July 21-23: Columbus Jazz and Rib Fest, Columbus
July 21-23: Cincy Soul: The Black Taste, Cincinnati
July 22: Dayton Garlic Fest, Dayton
www.facebook.com/DaytonGarlicFest
July 23: Dayton Blues Festival, Dayton
July 27-30 and Aug. 3-6: GoettaFest, Newport, Ky.
July 28-30: Dayton Celtic Festival, Dayton
July 28-30: Annie Oakley Festival, Greenville
July 29-30: Columbus Food and Wine Festival, Columbus
Aug. 4-5: Lebanon Blues Festival, Lebanon
Aug. 4-6: Dublin Irish Festival, Dublin
Aug. 5: Down A River, Down A Beer, Piqua
Aug. 5: Ghana Festival Ohio, Columbus
Aug. 11-13: Germanfest Picnic, Dayton
Aug. 12: Columbus Beerfest, Columbus
Aug. 12: Art on the Lawn, Yellow Springs
www.facebook.com/ArtOnTheLawnYellowSprings
Aug. 12-13: Festival Latino, Columbus
Aug. 13: Dayton Funk Festival, Dayton
Aug. 13: Art on the Commons, Kettering
www.playkettering.org/art-programs-events/art-on-the-commons
Aug. 19: Bacon Fest, Kettering
Aug. 19: Springfield Rotary Gourmet Food Truck Competition, Springfield
Aug. 19-20: Fairborn Sweet Corn Festival, Fairborn
Aug. 19-20: Dayton African American Cultural Festival, Dayton
Aug. 25-27: Germania Society Oktoberfest, Cincinnati
germaniasociety.com/oktoberfest
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Aug. 25-27: The Lebanese Festival, Dayton
Aug. 26: HAMILPALOOZA, Hamilton
www.hamilton-ohio.com/hamilpalooza
Aug. 26: ARTFest on Main, Springboro
Aug. 26: Taco and Nacho Fest, Miamisburg
Aug. 26-27: Columbus Fiery Foods Festival, Columbus
Dayton Eats looks at the regional food stories and restaurant news that make mouths water. Share info about your menu updates, special dinners and events, new chefs, interesting new dishes and culinary adventures. Do you know of new exciting format changes, specials, happy hours, restaurant updates or any other tasty news you think is worth a closer look at? E-mail Alexis Larsen at alexis.e.larsen@hotmail.com with the information and we will work to include it in future coverage.
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