Philly's Food and Drink Festivals & Events in 2019

Dining out is one of the best ways to get to know a region, and Philadelphia delivers its culinary education in a delicious buffet. Foodies who hit the road (or railroad) to Philly are rewarded with farmers markets, insider food tours and tasting experiences such as food truck festivals, neighborhood food fests, cooking classes and all sorts of wine and beer celebrations.

Here’s a look at some of the region’s 2019 culinary happenings:

January:

• Center City District Restaurant Week – Twice a year, the now 13-day week of dining gives eaters nearly endless opportunities to sample three courses at dozens of the city’s top eateries for just $35 for dinner and $20 for lunch. January 13-25. centercityphila.org
• Kennett Chocolate Lovers Festival – Eat chocolate; do good. That’s the motivation behind this benefit for the Southern Chester County United Way. Professional and amateur bakers bring their best treats for sampling, while guests pair the goodies with local wines and craft beers—and buy boxes to take home. January 27. Kennett High School, 100 E. South Street, Kennett Square, kennettchocolate.org

February:

• Philly Cooks – Local chefs bring dishes from the city’s 50 best restaurants, as selected by Philadelphia magazine editors; the region’s star bartenders mix cocktails, and bands play music at this swanky evening event. February 6. 2300 Arena, 2300 S. Swanson Street, phillymag.com/events
• Big Philly Beerfest – More than 125 local and national craft brewers are expected at this fifth annual beer bash. Also on tap, snacks from the nearby Reading Terminal Market and live music. February 15-16. Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street, bigphillybeerfest.com
• East Passyunk Restaurant Week – Diners can experience South Philly’s most sought-after dishes and settings when more than 24 East Passyunk Avenue restaurants offer three-course prix fixe lunches and dinners are available (tax, alcohol and gratuity not included) for $15-$35. On the to-reserve list: Fond, Noord, Perla, Townsend and Will. February 25-March 8. East Passyunk, various locations, eastpassyunkrestaurantweek.com

March:

• Philly Craft Beer Festival – Forbes Traveler called this yearly sellout, now in its 13^th year, “One of the Top 10 Beer Festivals in America.” The event temporarily installs more than 50 of the country’s best breweries in South Philly’s Navy March 2. The Navy Yard, 5100 S. Broad Street, phillycraftbeerfest.com

April:

• Philly Wine Week – More than 60 esteemed restaurants and bars, from a.kitchen to Zavino, participate in an eight-day, 200-plus-event, a draw for both oenophiles and vino neophytes featuring tastings, pairings, specials and more—all educational, April 1-7. Various locations. phillywineweek.org
• Spring STREAT Food Festival – Manayunk Restaurant Week begins with vendors and food trucks joining Main Street’s lineup of restaurants for an all-day eat fest. During the ensuing Restaurant Week, brick-and-mortar eateries offer multi-course prix-fixe menus for $15, $25 and $35. STREAT: April 14; Week: April 15-27. Main Street, manayunk.com
• Parks on Tap – This roving beer garden sets up in parks (Belmont Plateau, Shofuso, Burholme, Penn Treaty, Lemon Hill, more) for five-day stretches. Each time, there are a food and a drink truck, live music and outdoor games. April 24-September 29. (215) 422-3011, parksontap.com
• Flavors of the Avenue – South Philly’s buzzing East Passyunk Avenue celebrates its culinary spirit when more than two dozen of the neighborhood’s most popular restaurants and bars gather to dish out their goods, and bands, a fashion show and a craft market entertain outdoors. April 28. Passyunk Avenue between Dickinson & Morris Streets, (215) 336-1455, visiteastpassyunk.com

May:

• Philadelphia magazine Wine Festival – Lincoln Financial Field’s SCA Club hosts an annual event featuring more than 500 hard-to-find vintages and rare blends, paired with fare from some of the city’s most prestigious restaurants. May 2. 1020 Pattison Avenue, phillymag.com
• South Street District Spring Festival and Maifest – Brauhaus Schmitz and the South Street Headhouse District close South Street to car traffic from Headhouse Square to 8^th Street to create the annual springtime street fair. Some 15,000 revelers sample German beers and shop from street vendors, and German dancers perform the traditional Maypole dance. May 4. (267) 909-8814, brauhausschmitz.com
• Night Market Philadelphia – May through October, this popular pop-up food fair unites Philly’s top mobile food purveyors with enthusiastic eaters n a a different neighborhood. There’s usually live music and entertainment too. May 9, El Centro de Oro; June 20, Overbrook; August 15, Fairmount Avenue; October 3, Point Breeze. nightmarketphilly.org
• 9^th Street Italian Market Festival – Everyone’s Italian when the nation’s oldest outdoor market throws this annual street fair. Multiple stages of live entertainment provide the soundtrack for the neighborhood-wide party featuring Italian, Mexican and Vietnamese delicacies made by the market’s merchants—and a greased pole-climbing contest. May 17-18. 9^th Street, Christian Street to Federal Street, (215) 278-2903, italianmarketphilly.org
• Strawberry Festival – Berry fans sample pies, tarts, shortcake, jams and preserves at Peddler’s Village annual celebration of spring’s first fruit. Strawberries of all sorts, live entertainment and pie-eating contests are some of the festivities at this free annual Bucks County May 18-19. Routes 202 & 263, Lahaska, (215) 794-4000, peddlersvillage.com
• Philly Beer Week – The 11^th annual celebration of the city’s vibrant beer culture features events ranging from tastings of locally crafted brews in cozy neighborhood taprooms to educational offerings such as guided tastings, lectures and prix-fixe beer-pairing dinners. May 31-June 9. phillylovesbeer.org

June:

• PECO Multicultural Series. This summertime Penn’s Landing tradition honors global music, dancing, crafts, pride—and food. On the schedule for 2019: Philadelphia Irish Festival (June 2), Juneteenth Festival (June 15), Concilio’s Hispanic Fiesta (July 6-7), Islamic Heritage Festival (July 13), ACANA African Festival (August 4), Festival of India (August 17), Caribbean Festival (August 18), Brazilian Day Philadelphia (September 8), Mexican Independence Day (September 15), among others. June 2-September 15. delawareriverwaterfront.org
• Fishtown FestiveALE – The Fishtown neighborhood celebrates Philly’s beer scene in June with a daylong affair that also celebrates this hip neighborhood in full––the artisans, the food, the nightlife––with multiple music stages, restaurants and food trucks, kids activities and a flea market. June 8. Frankford Avenue from Girard Avenue to Oxford Avenue, fishtownfestivale.com
• Odunde – Aromas of African, Caribbean and soul foods fill the air at the East Coast’s largest African-American street festival. Live performances and art vendors span 12 city blocks, and include merchants and makers of fried fish, big drinks, corn on the cob and much more. June 9. Grays Ferry Avenue & South Street, (215) 732-8510, odundefestival.org
• Black Restaurant Week Philadelphia – For two weeks, many of the city’s top Black-owned restaurants, including Bistro 870, Booker’s Restaurant & Bar and Tasties, highlight African American, African and Caribbean cuisine in Philadelphia. June 9-23. phillybrw.com
• Summer Ale Festival – The Philadelphia Zoo also celebrates beer early and often, with this party amid the species. June 22. 3400 W. Girard Avenue, (215) 243-1100, philadelphiazoo.org
• Linvilla Orchards – A 300-acre Delaware County farm dedicated to agriculture, entertainment and education celebrates strawberries and raspberries (June), blueberries, sweet corn and blackberries (July), peaches, tomatoes and pears (August), apples (September) and pumpkins (October). These festivals include pick-your-own activities, family games, hayrides, music and plenty of treats—read: pies—to sample. 137 W. Knowlton Road, Media, (610) 876-7116, linvilla.com

July:

• Wawa Hoagie Day – A lunchtime highlight of Philadelphia’s multi-day Wawa Welcome America festival offers the hungry lunch-goers slices of a six-ton sandwich on Independence Mall. July 2. 5^th & Market Streets, welcomeamerica.com
• Bluegrass and Blueberries Festival – Live country and bluegrass music and berries combine for a weekend-long midsummer celebration at Peddler’s Village’s in lovely Bucks County. July 20-21. Routes 202 & 263, Lahaska, (215) 794-4000, peddlersvillage.com
• University City Dining Days – More than 30 eclectic neighborhood restaurants take part in a three-course, three-price dinner promo featuring $15, $25 or $35 meals (not including tax, alcohol or gratuity). July 18-28. University City, universitycity.org

September:

• Philadelphia Honey Festival – The Philadelphia Beekeepers Guild celebrates the 10^th anniversary of a three-day event that attracts thousands of participants to multiple venues, including Bartram’s Garden, Wyck Historic House and Glen Foerd on the Delaware. Activities include beekeeping demos, speakers, brewing sessions, honey extraction, cooking demos, children’s activities—and vendors with plenty of sweet take-homes. September 6-8. phillyhoneyfest.com
• Mushroom Festival – More than 100,000 people participate in a celebration of the top crop of Kennett Square, Chester County, the nation’s mushroom-growing capital. The 34^th-such weekend features tastings, cooking demos, cook-offs, farm tours, a 5K, nighttime parade and wine-and-soup mini-fest—all ’shroom- September 7-8. S. Union Street & W. State Street, (610) 925-3373, mushroomfestival.org
• Oktoberfest (various):
  • Bloktoberfest, West South Street’s all-ages, all-afternoon autumnal festival, is a celebration of beer, food and music. Gourmet trucks set up shop, national craft brewers pour their wares, local bands play tunes, and festivalgoers take it easy on hay bales that stretch along four blocks. September 21. South Street, from Broad Street to 18^th Street, (215) 732-8446, blocktoberfestphilly.com
  • Frankford Hall – Fishtown’s year-round bierhall gets a jump on the month with a night of Bavarian beer, German food and live music. September 21. 1210 Frankford Avenue, (215) 634-3338, frankfordhall.com
  • Brauhaus Schmitz ­– South Street’s German block party features 2,000 pounds of sausage—and just as much oompah September 21. 718 South Street, (267) 909-8814, brauhausschmitz.com
  • Ardmore Oktoberfest – The suburbs’ take on the season offers German beer and food, live entertainment, kids activities and dancing. September 28. Cricket Lane, ardmoreoktoberfest.com
  • Uptown Beer Garden – The Center City outdoor drinking space serves local and imported lager and German fare. September, date TBA. 1735 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, facebook.com/UptownBeerGarden
• Sausage Fest – The alfresco South Philly bash teams up neighborhood restaurants and local breweries to dish out sausage-inspired eats (including veggie options), while kids’ activities, craft vendors and a lineup of local music keeps the atmosphere fun and festive. September 21. Passyunk Avenue, between Broad & S. 15^th Streets, southphillysausagefest.com
• FEASTIVAL – Philadelphia’s Fringe Festival ends with an elegant and popular live arts-culinary arts combination of food, cocktails and performance at the Cherry Street Pier. September 26. phillyfeastival.com
• Center City District Restaurant Week – An autumn reprise of the January event offers three courses at dozens of the city’s top eateries cost just $35 for dinner and $20 for lunch, where available (tax, alcohol and gratuity not included). September 15-27. Center City, centercityphila.org
• Philly Vegan Restaurant Week – Vegan dining gets its due at the second annual plant-based restaurant week organized by the Facebook group Philly Vegan Lady Gang. Some of the participating eateries lean omnivore, but they promise a multi-course, prix-fixe vegan meal for $35. Participating restaurants also will make a donation to the nonprofit Peace Advocacy Network. October 13-19. phillyvrw.com

October:

• Oktoberfest – Brauhaus Schmitz comes back for more when it transforms Center City’s historic 23^rd Street Armory into a traditional biergarten for a weekend. October 11-12. 22 S. 23^rd Street, (215) 564-1488, 23rdstreetarmory.com
• Pour the Core Philly – A focus on ciders and other fermented fruit beverages sets the stage for autumnal drinking at The Navy Yard. Participants sample local, national and international brews, learn all about the fermentation process, listen to live music and enjoy delicious food truck snacks. October 19. 4747 Broad Street, pourthecore.com

November:

• Apple Festival– Apple lovers get their fill at Peddler’s Village annual two-day festival featuring apple butter, cider, dumplings and fritters, as well as a juried craft show, live entertainment and pie-eating contests. November 2-3. Routes 202 & 263, Lahaska, (215) 794-4000, peddlersvillage.com
• Nouveau Release Weekend – All eight wineries of Bucks County Wine Trail give oenophiles a sneak preview of the year’s newest, fruitiest varieties. November 9-10. buckscountywinetrailcom
• Cacia’s Turkey Bake – Each Thanksgiving, the venerable deep South Philly baker opens its massive, brick-lined bread oven to roast customers’ turkeys, hams, lambs, etc. The line begins forming at 5 a.m.; cost is $24 per item. November 28. 1526 Ritner Street, (215) 334-1340, caciabakery.com
• The Great Harvest Cider and Beer Festival outside Hawthornes Biercafé has 75 hard ciders, toasty lagers, pumpkin ales, barrel-aged rarities, wine, cafe fare, live music and a kids’ zone. Date TBA. 738 11^th Street, (215) 627-3012, hawthornecafe.com
• Winter Warmup – Drinkers welcome the festive season (and colder temperatures) by raising a holiday craft beer or seasonal cocktail at this Armory event. A build-your-own hot toddy bar, winter-themed games, holiday decorations and food-truck fare make the season bright too. Date TBA. 23^rd Street Armory, 22 S. 23^rd Street, (215) 564-1488, 23rdstreetarmory.com

December:

• Bucks County Wine Trail Holiday Celebration – This weekend-long, eight winery event offers a chance to get into the holiday spirit at decorated wineries while shopping for the sort of stocking stuffers that come in bottles. December 7-8. buckscountywinetracom

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On Greater Philadelphia’s official visitor website and blog, visitphilly.com and uwishunu.com, visitors can explore things to do, upcoming events, themed itineraries and hotel packages. Compelling photography and videos, interactive maps and detailed visitor information make the sites effective trip-planning tools. Along with Visit Philly social media channels, the online platforms communicate directly with consumers. Travelers can also call and stop into the Independence Visitor Center for additional information and tickets.