Food festivals in Berkeley worth planning a trip around, by month.
Food festivals in Berkeley worth planning a trip around, by month.
California's premier artisan cheese festival draws cheesemakers from across the state with tastings, pairings and educational sessions. While headquartered in Sonoma County, Berkeley cheese producers including the Cheese Board Collective typically participate and the festival is well-attended by East Bay food community members. Sessions include cave-to-counter pairings, beer and wine pairings with cheese and meet-the-maker events.
The Solano Stroll is one of the largest street festivals in the East Bay, closing Solano Avenue between The Alameda and Colusa Avenue for a Sunday of vendors, performers and food. Local Berkeley and Albany restaurants set up outdoor booths; food vendors line the street alongside craft sellers and community groups. The festival draws 150,000-200,000 visitors annually. Gioia Pizzeria, Zachary's and other Solano Avenue restaurants typically have street presence.
Eat Real is the Bay Area's major sustainable food festival, held annually at Jack London Square on the Oakland waterfront (a short BART ride from Berkeley). The festival features local farmers, producers, artisan food vendors, cooking demonstrations and live music with an emphasis on local sourcing and sustainability. Berkeley producers including Acme Bread, Cheese Board and Berkeley Bowl typically have presence. Listed here because many Berkeley food businesses participate.
Berkeley's Fourth of July celebration in Civic Center Park includes food vendors, a parade along University Avenue and community booths. Local restaurants and food trucks from across Berkeley and the East Bay are represented. The Berkeley event is notably inclusive: the parade has been running continuously since the 1970s and the food vendor selection reflects the city's multicultural population.
The Ecology Center's annual fundraising dinner brings together Berkeley's most important chefs, farmers and food advocates for a farm-to-table evening that functions as the formal social gathering of the Berkeley food community. Past guests have included Alice Waters and producers from the Berkeley farmers market. Tickets are typically $150-300 per person with proceeds supporting the market and education programs.