My mom and I love attending food festivals during our travels.
Anna Staropoli
Every year, my mom and I plan a trip anchored by a different food festival.
Food festivals reduce the pressure of planning and allow us to immerse ourselves in new places.
We make our best memories through meals, whether we’re sampling craft beers or trying ant ice cream.
Every year, my mom and I take a trip together. We’ve traveled across the country and to various continents, but there’s one activity that serves as the glue to our trips — food festivals.
Although it may seem odd at first, as a frequent traveler, my favorite trend is culinary tourism — the idea that people often like to explore new places through food-based experiences.
By attending food festivals around the world, we’re able to experience the local culture in a unique way. As an added bonus, festivals also make our trips easier to plan and always turn into an unforgettable experience.
Here’s why these festivals are the anchor of our annual girls’ trips.
Food festivals have made planning mother-daughter trips a breeze.
The built-in itineraries at food festivals reduce the stress of planning.
Anna Staropoli
When I first started traveling with my mom, planning was extremely stressful, especially because we have different energy levels and physical abilities.
I walk for miles whenever I solo travel, but my mom — who’s in her 60s — isn’t always able to. So, I have to factor in accessibility and transportation options while planning, which sometimes limits my options.
Attending food festivals, however, alleviates some of the pressure of planning, as most events present a well-balanced, already-curated itinerary.
For instance, we traveled to Hawaii’s Big Island at the Mauna Lani resort for the annual Culinary Classic, a festival celebrating all things food and drink.
Because it was hosted at the resort, there was no need to walk long distances, rent a car, or rely on GPS directions.
In our downtime, we had access to snorkeling gear, canoes, and thatched-roof palapas to relax under. On a sunrise canoe trip, we observed dolphins swimming and admired the distant silhouette of the Mauna Kea volcano.
We get to experience culture in new ways at food festivals.
We attended our first festival in Sicily.
Anna Staropoli
My mom and I attended our first food festival in 2019 when I was living in Sicily. We toured the island, trekking along Mount Etna and visiting mosaics in the town of Monreale, but Palermo’s Ballarò Market was by far our favorite activity.
Although not technically a festival, Ballarò — a lively street market — functions similarly. My mom and I spent a day trying panelle sandwiches, granita variations, and a ricotta sandwich that ranked as our favorite food in Italy.
Sicily is known for its street food, and I felt our Ballarò visit encapsulated Palermo’s warm and chaotic spirit, multi-generational traditions, and reverence for food. Not to mention, my mom and I had plenty of time to catch up as we swapped arancine.
Each festival introduces us to new foods and experiences.
We tried ant ice cream at the Chow Chow festival in North Carolina.
Anna Staropoli
After the COVID-19 pandemic, my mom and I embarked on our first real food-festival trip. We visited Asheville, North Carolina, for the Chow Chow Festival, which celebrated Southern Appalachian food and culture.
The festival gave us the opportunity to share experiences we otherwise wouldn’t have. For instance, my mom and I rarely drink together, but we sampled craft beers at a seminar.
After dinner that night, we dared each other to try ant ice cream. It was delicious and also gave us something to brag about to my dad and brother.
As a kid, I saw my mom as just a parent, but our trips have revealed her fun, adventurous side.
Food festivals have taught me to prioritize quality time with my mom over a rapid-fire tour of a destination.
Stargazing on the last night of the Mauna Lani Culinary Classic is one of my favorite memories.
Anna Staropoli
Whenever I travel on my own, I try to pack as much as possible into the itinerary. But traveling with my mom has forced me to adjust my expectations, pace, and priorities.
I have my entire life to, say, road-trip around the Big Island, but maybe only one opportunity to hear my mom’s stories while sharing chefJonathan Waxman’s chicken or a French press of Kona coffee.
I still remember the last night of the Mauna Lani Culinary Classic when my mom and I woke up at 3 a.m. to stargaze on the same beach where chefs Andrew Zimmern and Stephanie Izard had prepared our dinner just hours before.
As we reclined on parallel chairs, the sky created a memory that had nothing to do with the Culinary Classic — but it was the festival that brought us to that beach in the first place.
