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Here’s a handful of can’t-miss Texas culinary events that will whet your appetite
Texans take enormous pride in the preparations of their savory barbecue and fiery chili, but there is so much more to the Lone Star State’s cuisine. Reflecting its heritage, inspiration and sense of fun, here’s a handful of can’t-miss Texas culinary events that will leave your appetite whetted.
GrapeFest
Sample wines from Texas, Oregon and Argentina at the 30th annual GrapeFest in Grapevine, northwest of Dallas.
The family-friendly September celebration also features wine-tastings, a GrapeStomp, a Champagne Terrace for sipping sparkling wines in the shade, and pre-festival Wine Dinners.
GrapeFest attendees kick off their shoes and compete to make their own juice at the GrapeStomp event in Grapevine
State Fair of Texas
The State Fair of Texas (from late September into mid-October) in Dallas features more full-flavored foods than is possible to eat in a month. The Celebrity Chef Kitchen and the Competition Kitchen in the Creative Arts Building are the places to be for daily demonstrations and samplings. And the annual festival of frying known as the Big Tex Choice Awards has produced such winners as deep-fried beer, deep-fried peaches and cream, deep-fried Oreos and deep-fried butter. Beer Haven has 60 different craft beers on tap and on the fair’s final weekend, the Texas Craft Brewers Festival rolls out the barrel in the historic Cotton Bowl.
Chicken and cheese – rolled, spiced and deep-fried – is a delicious award-winner at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas
22nd Annual World’s Championship Shrimp Cook-Off
The World’s Championship Shrimp Cook-Off in Port Isabel in November features the best in South Texas crustacean cuisine. Chefs from throughout the Rio Grande Valley are judged on the aroma and taste of their shrimp dishes. And in addition to scrumptious seafood, the festival also features various vendors, live music and arts and crafts.
Celebrate savory shrimp from the waters off Texas’ Gulf Coast at the annual championship cook-off in Port Isabel
Wurstfest
Wurstfest in New Braunfels is a 10-day salute to sausage in November that also celebrates the town’s German heritage. Enjoy the beer, oom-pah and polka bands, beer, yodeling, beer and more sausage than you can shake a knackwurst at – all bathed in the autumn splendor of the Texas Hill County.
Sausage isn’t the only savory treat in high demand at Wurstfest in New Braunfels
Annual Original Terlingua International Championship Chili Cookoff
The Super Bowl of multi-day chili festival competitions is the Terlingua International Championship Chili Cookoff in November in the heart of Big Bend country in far southwest Texas. More than a fiery “bowl of red” competition, there also are cook-offs for beans, black-eyed peas, brisket, chicken, ribs, salsa and a mix-off for Margaritas. Terlingua, fabled in song and story, hosts about 10,000 "chiliheads," who convene behind Arturo White’s store in the ghost town’s downtown to taste the state dish of Texas.
Chili lovers flock to West Texas’ Terlingua by the thousands for the annual cook-off
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