Food and drink festivals are ideal for that very reason: you can have little tastes of everything from all the best restaurants, breweries and liquor brands, all in one place. And lucky for us, NYC hosts tons of them every single year.
From whiskey to wine, from BBQ’s to global cuisines, here are all the top food and drink festivals that will be in NYC in 2021!
1. Smorgasburg
The country’s largest open open-air food market takes over 4 NYC locations on weekends during the summer! From spaghetti donuts and soufflé pancakes, Smorgasburg invites food lovers from all over the cities to try artisanal bites and creative street food from local vendors. Check out the locations and dates below:
- Midtown
- When: Thursdays
- Where: 1211 Avenue of the Americas, 1251 Avenue of the Americas, 1271 Avenue of the Americas
- Hours: 11 am – 4 pm
- Smorgasburg WTC
- When: Fridays
- Where: The Oculus, Fulton & Church
- Hours: 11 am – 7 pm
- Williamsburg
- When: Saturdays
- Where: Marsha P. Johnson State Park, 90 Kent Ave, Brooklyn
- Hours: 11 am – 6 pm
- Prospect Park
- When: Sundays
- Where: Breeze Hill, Brooklyn
- Hours: 11 am – 6pm
2. Japan Fes
Celebrating Japanese cuisine every year since 2016, Japan Fes brings dozens of Japanese vendors like Menya Jiro, Tonkatsu Me to NYC for affordable bites! From authentic food stalls offering sushi, ramen, and matcha treats to captivating performances of taiko drumming, traditional dance, and cosplay showcases, Japan Fes offers an immersive experience for visitors of all ages!
When/Where: Find all events here
3. Famous Food Festival
Although located slightly outside NYC on Long Island, Famous Food Festival, a traveling food festival, is touching down soon. Showcasing local vendors and their creative works of art, the three day festival will consist of all types of food for purchase…while supporting locally. Learn more here.
When: Oct 6-9
Where: Tanger Outlets Deer Park
4. EEEEEATSCON 2023
This two-day food experience curated by popular restaurant discovery platform The Infatuation will feature 2 days of local restaurants, and exciting imports from across the country that you can’t find anywhere else! Plus, there will be live music performances and food panels to go along with it! It’s a foodie’s dream. Learn more here.
When: Oct 7-8
Where: Forest Hills Stadium
5. Queens Night Market
This vibrant and diverse outdoor event is one of NYC’s most iconic night markets, and it features a wide array of international cuisine. You can expect up to 100 vendors selling food and merchandise, as well as small-scale cultural performances celebrating the cultural diversity of NYC and Queens. We’re talking everything from Colombian arepas to Salvadoran pupusas.
When: Saturdays 5 pm – 12 am
Where: New York Hall of Science, Flushing Meadows Corona Park
6. Dragon Fest
NYC’s first and largest outdoor Chinese food and culture festival is a smashing success, and we highly recommend checking it out. Featuring over 100 varieties of Chinese cuisine, you can find anything from soup dumplings to candied hawthorn sticks. Vendors include Pecking House, MáLà Project, Kopitiam, and so many more!
When: August 26 – 27, September 17
Where: Broadway btwn 12th & 13th St (8/26-27), 6th Ave btwn 29th & 30th (9/17)
7. Uptown Night Market
The 3rd annual Uptown Night Market in Harlem is any foodie’s fantasy, and their 70+ diverse vendors represent over 20 countries of food and drink. Ranging from African to European to Caribbean, you’ll find just about everything…including vendors like Perros Locos, Brooklyn Dim Sum Co, Harlem Hoopz, The Eggroll Queen LLC, and so many more! Learn more here.
When: September 14, October 12 (4 pm – 10 pm)
Where: Harlem Arches – 12th Ave & 133rd Street
8. Bronx Night Market
This open-air food and drink festival celebrates the best cuisine and culture in the Bronx! Their 60+ vendors serve unique creations like mac & cheese fried burritos, enormous slices of carrot cake, fried chicken cones, and watermelon pizza! There’s also an Instagram Wall-O-Fame, kid zone, and food education booths. Learn more here.
When: August 26, September 30, October 28 (1 pm – 7 pm)
Where: 1 Fordham Plaza
9. Grand Bazaar NYC
Grand Bazaar is a flea market and food festival that takes the Upper West Side by storm every Sunday! While you shop for thrifted gems, hit their food court which serves all kinds of local gems to power you through your shopping spree. Learn more here.
When: Sundays (10 am – 5 pm)
Where: 100 West 77th St (at Columbus Avenue)
10. New York City Wine and Food Festival
Every year The Food Network hosts NYC’s iconic Wine and Food Festival. All the top chefs are there, as well are loads of personalities from Food Network’s cooking shows, plus tons of amazing tasting events, special dinners, seminars and classes. It’s a four-day celebration of food and drink like nothing else!
When: October 12 – 15
Where: Multiple Venues
11. Momo Crawl
The 11th annual Momo Crawl will take place in September once again! This massive Himalayan food and cultural festival will give visitors a taste of some of Jackson Heights’ best Tibetan, Nepalese, and South Asian restaurants. Follow their Instagram for more info.
When: September 24
Where: Diversity Plaza, 73-19 37th Rd, Flushing
12. The Feast of San Gennaro
The feast of San Gennaro takes over Little Italy each year for 11 days, and this year will mark the 95th anniversary of this special festival. Beginning on Thursday, September 14th, you’ll have plenty of time to chow down on all the cannolis and zeppole Little Italy has to offer.
When: September 14 – 24
Where: Little Italy, NYC
13. NYC Hot Sauce Expo
Who loves food that completely burns the inside of their mouth? If so, this festival is for you! Enjoy as many hot sauce tastings as you can muster, plus craft beer and barbecue food. There are also scheduled events on the “Stage of Doom,” including intense spicy eating challenges.
When: September 31 – October 1
Where: Industry City, 51 34th St, Brooklyn
14. New York Coffee Festival
Calling all coffee lovers! The New York Coffee Festival is returning to NYC this October, and you’ll be able to take part in all kinds of caffeine-related activities. We’re talking live latte art demonstrations, an espresso martini cocktail class, a barista tournament called Coffee Masters, live music, art, and so much more! Learn more about it and see all the details here.
When: October 6 – 8
Where: Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W 18th St
15. Brooklyn Night Market
Open on the last Monday of every month in Industry City is the Brooklyn Night Market, which features 40+ local vendors. Mainstays like Brooklyn Dim Sum Co and Rosie’s Empanadas will be there, including so many more. Learn more about the festival here.
When: August 28, September 25, October 30 (4 pm – 10 pm)
Where: Industry City, 36th St btwn 2nd & 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn
16. Vegan Night Market
Vegan Night Market takes over Central’s Park Wollman Rink every Tuesday night, all summer long. It features 25+ micro-businesses offering mouthwatering food and drink options, like Secret Vegan Kitchen, Mao’s Bao, Pinche Vegana NYC, and so many more! It’s a vegan’s food heaven!
When: Tuesday nights (4 pm – 9 pm), until October 10
Where: Wollman Rink in Central Park
17. Philippines Fest
Get a taste of Filipino greatness when this food festival returns to NYC later this year! Vendors from all over will be serving up classic dishes from the Philippines, including ube flan, shomai, and more!
- Aug 27 – Union Square, Manhattan NYC
- Sep 9 – Upper East Side, Manhattan NYC
- Oct 7 – East Village, Manhattan NYC
- Oct 8 – Upper West Side, Manhattan NYC
18. NYC Restaurant Week
NYC’s Restaurant Week comes twice a year (summer and year) and is not your traditional food festival. Instead, it’s an opportunity for New Yorkers to dine at the city’s most vibrant places at a discounted price. Participating restaurants usually create prix-fixe menus for the occasion, ensuring diners get high-quality cuisine at more accessible prices. Check out the best Restaurant Week deals here.
When: Summer & Winter
Where: Participating Restaurants