5 Alberta Food Festivals Off the Beaten Path
Photo: Neil Zeller @neil_zee
The only thing Albertans like better than food is a party to celebrate food. Most visitors know about the biggest food festivals, but it’s the funky little ones that give you a chance to delve into local food culture in a special way. Add these to your calendar.
- The Sunshine Skillet is the premiere food event for the Medicine Hat region, held annually in May. The food competition is a qualifier event for the Canadian Food Championships. A Sunset Dinner event features a multi-course meal with wine pairings at the Pioneer Village.
- The Waterton Food Festival showcases the talent of local chefs with lunch and dinner packages at 16 different restaurants in the last weekend of May through the first week of June.
- In July, A Taste of Markerville features a country food market, appetizers and an incredible long table dinner in the tiny hamlet, prepared from local ingredients by a team of chefs.
- Aimed at creating a connection between producers and consumers, Sturgeon County Bounty hosts their annual Culinary Cookout in early August. There will be music, farmers’ market vendors and delicious food prepared from local ingredients.
- Dig-In St. Albert is a “horticulinary” festival with hands-on food and gardening workshops, a culinary walking tour and a collaborative chef dinner in mid-October.