Our big list of annual food festivals (greaterseattleonthecheap.com)

Food festivals abound in the Puget Sound region. Events listed below are well-established annual food festivals. These food festivals include “Taste” and “Bite” events as well as summer festivals, and themed events featuring Pacific Northwest foods (seafood, garlic, mushrooms, and more) as well as international cuisines.

In our list of food festivals, we are after big food and big fun for the least possible cost. This means free admission (or very cheap $10 or less), and lots and lots of food, plus other activities as a backdrop to the food (music, craft vendors, and kid’s fun).

Whether or not there is an admission charge, if the cost of attending a food festival is too steep, consider becoming a volunteer. Most community festivals and events have volunteer opportunities where volunteers can work a few hours, get a free meal, and usually a volunteer a t-shirt. Free food and free clothes–what’s not to like? To sign-up as a food festival volunteer, check their website menu for “volunteer”.

How to get the most out of food festivals

A great way to approach a food festival—that is spend less and enjoy more—is to go with one or more people. Two to four people sharing a plate can power through more variety and try some of everything. Note that you may not spend less money overall with this approach. But if food sampling is your goal, then plate sharing is the ideal strategy.

Personally, I find it hard to devour $30 (pun intended) and usually fill up before my money is spent. Your needs may be vastly different, of course.

Pets are usually prohibited at food festivals, due to the food nature of the event. Before you go, it’s a good idea to check their website for these and other details (such as where to park).

Plan to have a whole day of food fun, family fun, adult fun, free entertainment, more food, and more fun.

Popular Food Festival in the Puget Sound region

Listed below are some of the biggest, longest running, and/or most beloved or unique annual food festivals. Many more food festivals and other food events (tours, classes, etc.) are found in the food festival lists and also on our event calendar (more info below).

(Listed sorta in date order throughout the year.)

Seattle Chinatown-International District Food Walks are held throughout the year (usually early spring, mid-summer, late fall). During food walks, restaurants across the ID offer a variety of modestly priced “bites” featuring foods from China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, and other Asian countries. More info: Chinatown-International District festivals (greaterseattleonthecheap.com)

Penn Cove Musselfest on the first full weekend in March in Coupeville on Whidbey Island celebrates these delectable mollusks with free activities along Front Street, including demos, local merchants, non-profits, food vendors, all-ages scavenger hunt, children’s activities, eating contests (entry fee), and more. More info: Penn Cove Musselfest 2025 and Events — Coupeville Historic Waterfront Association

Ballard SeafoodFest in July includes internationally and nationally acclaimed music artists; a beer and wine garden, a cocktail and spirits lounge, a children’s area, the skateboarding competition (“Festi-Bowl”), a lutefisk (!) eating competition, plus food vendors, arts and crafts vendors, all ages game area, pet play area, and more seafood than a whale could swallow. Smoked salmon BBQ available Saturday and Sunday only. More info: Seafood festival in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood (greaterseattleonthecheap.com)

Bite of Seattle in summer (usually July) is Seattle’s original and largest outdoor food & beverage festival. “The Bite” weekend celebrates the city’s diverse culinary scene featuring 200+ vendors, cooking demos, beer garden, craft beer & cider tasting, and live bands. CHEQ* is the new title owner of the Bite of Seattle. More info: CHEQ Bite of Seattle

Browns Point Salmon Bake held only in EVEN YEARS on the first weekend in August in Tacoma, may be the longest continually running salmon bake in the state. Fresh-caught Alaskan salmon is cooked over alder wood fire pits. The event includes a variety of food, a beer garden, music, and kids’ games on the water. More info: The Original Browns Point Salmon Bake | Facebook and http://www.brownspoint.org/

Taste Edmonds in summer (usually Augst) is a weekend block party featuring live music, food trucks, beer & wine, local makers & vendors, family-focused activities, the annual cornhole tournament, and more! One-day tickets and 3-day passes are available for children and adults. More info: Taste Edmonds 2024

Chief Seattle Days in summer (usually August) is an annual event that the Suquamish Tribe sponsors to celebrate and honor Chief Seattle for his historical accomplishments. The Port Madison Indian Reservation is located on the Kitsap Peninsula, just a 30-minute ferry ride Seattle. Events include a salmon bake, games, canoe races, and more. This celebration is open to the public and people from around the world are invited to experience the Suquamish Tribe’s hospitality, culture and fun. More info: Chief Seattle Days – The Suquamish Tribe

San Gennaro Festival in south Seattle is held every September brings the best Seattle Italian food and entertainment to the Georgetown neighborhood, located south of SODO and the Industrial District. Puget Sound Blood Center holds a blood drive during the event, in honor of the Blood Miracle of St Gennaro. Other activities include the usual street fair fun: food vendors, beer and wine garden, children’s activities, music stage (featuring Italian-American bands), and Italian wares for sale. More info: Italian food festival honors San Gennaro in south Seattle (greaterseattleonthecheap.com)

St. Demetrios Greek Festival in Seattle in the fall (September-October) in the Montlake neighborhood features savory Greek foods and sweet pastries. Everything is freshly prepared by members of the church community and served outdoors under a large tent on the church grounds. Homemade Greek delicacies await you, from spanakopita to Souvlakia and loukoumathes to baklava. Plus entertainment and shopping. More info: Greek Festival at St. Demetrios in Seattle (greaterseattleonthecheap.com)

Applelooza every October at the three year-round Seattle farmers markets. Applelooze features apple tasting (many kinds you will find nowhere else), apple trivia, raffles, and more apple-themed activities. This is a special time of the year at the farmers markets because there is an opportunity to sample a huge variety of Washington’s most famous crop, especially heirloom varieties. More info: Events for All Ages — Neighborhood Farmers Markets (seattlefarmersmarkets.org)

You might also like: Oktoberfest beer festivals in the Puget sound region (greaterseattleonthecheap.com)

Other popular Washington State food festivals

Crab Races & Crab Feed every spring in Westport/Grayland. A unique family fun experience at the marina in Westport featuring crab races, a crab feed, and crab derby. More info: Event Calendar (westportgrayland-chamber.org)

The Ocean Shores Razor Clam and Seafood Festival every spring (usually March) celebrates opening day for harvesting one of the most sought-after shellfish in the state of Washington. Recreational digging for razor clams is truly a family sport, enjoyed by young and old alike. To dig for razor clams, you need a shellfishing license (wdfw.wa.gov), clam shovel or specialized tube, and container (a plastic bucket will do) to collect your clams. The annual festival at Ocean Shores offers activities for the entire family, including clamming “101” and other workshops, chowder contests, clam art, food, live music, beer & wine tasting, vendors selling handmade crafts and fishing gear, and kids activities. More info: Razor Clam and Seafood Festival | Ocean Shores

Hood Canal Fjord Fest in Brinnon on Memorial Day weekend is a family-friendly seafood festival celebrating the bounty of the Hood Canal. There are activities for all ages, including crafts, food booths, and a beer and wine garden. The Hood Canal tides are usually low enough during this weekend for easy harvest of clams and oysters on the public beaches (WA fishing license required). More info: Hood Canal Fjordfest | Memorial Day Hood Canal WA Festival

McCleary Bear Festival. Every summer (usually July) since 1959, the McCleary Bear Festival has been an important part of the small town of McCleary, WA. Organized by a non-profit group of volunteers this community event features a grand parade, family entertainment, a softball tournament, car show, soapbox derby, and of course the famous Bear Festival stew. The McCleary Bear Festival welcomes visitors from all over the country to enjoy the fun of an old-fashioned, small-town festival. More info: McCleary Bear Festival

Washington State Garlic Fest in late summer (usually August) celebrates Southwest Washington agricultural and industrial heritage. Fun family festival featuring garlic, bands, arts & crafts show, beer garden, speakers, chain saw carving demo. More info: Washington State Garlic Fest | Centralia WA | Facebook and WA State Garlic Fest (wastategarlicfest.com)

Makah Days Celebration every August on the northwest tip of the Washington Peninsula celebrates native culture with neighboring tribes from Washington State as well as First Nations members from Vancouver Island in Canada. It is a blend of traditions of the past with modern times. There is a traditional salmon bake on Saturday. Other activities throughout the weekend include traditional dancing, war canoe races, a street fair with modern native arts and crafts, foot races, the slahal games, and the softball tournament. Accommodations fill up quickly, so make your reservation early so you can participate. More info: Makah Days – Makah Tribe (Neah Bay, Washington)

Cranberry festival every October in Grays Harbor. Approximately one-third of the nation’s cranberry crop is produced in Washington State, where salty air meets marshy land along Grays Harbor in Southwest Washington. The region celebrates cranberry history and culture with cranberry bog tours, cook-off, live entertainment, a cranberry marketplace, and cranberry eating contest. More info: Event Calendar (westportgrayland-chamber.org)

OysterFest every October in Shelton, the westernmost city on Puget Sound. Family and friends come to sample bi-valve morsels, West Coast Oyster Shucking Championship trials, and sip on the selection of Washington State Wines and Microbrews. Plus exhibits, live touch tanks, and entertainment. More info: Shelton OysterFest – West Coast Oyster Shucking Championship & Washington State Seafood Festival

CrabFest every fall (usually October) on the Port Angeles waterfront welcomes everyone to one of the best seafood festivals in the country. Just a few miles from Dungeness Bay, this is the home of the Dungeness crab where they celebrate the region’s famed crustacean. An annual celebration of the Olympic Peninsula’s diverse bounty — the seafood, agriculture and aquaculture, maritime history, cultural traditions, and the breathtaking coastal environment. The Festival always begins with the blessing of the first peoples on Saturday morning. Old-fashioned Crab Dinner available every day. More info: https://www.crabfestival.org/

More food festival lists:

Upcoming Food & Beverage Events in the Puget Sound region

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