Upcoming Food Festivals on California’s Central Coast by Ruth Paget
Morgan Hill Mushroom Festival
May 23 - 24, 2026
Morgan Hill, California (30 miles north of Salinas)
Event information follows:
https://morganhillmushroomfestival.org/
Taco Festival 2026
May 30 - 31, 2026
Salinas, California
Event information follows:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/taco-fest-2026-tickets-1980288197306?aff=ebdiglgoogleliveevents
Pinot & Paella
June 7, 2026
Templeton, California
Event information follows:
https://www.slocal.com/event/pinot-%26-paella-festival/16386/
Gilroy Garlic Festival
July 24 - 26, 2026
Gilroy, California
Event information follows:
https://gilroygarlicfestival.com/
Japanese Bon Odori Events in California (typically in August)
https://www.japanese-city.com/calendar/events/p/obon-popular.php
Strawberry Festival
August 1 - 3, 2026
Watsonville, California
Event information follows:
https://www.watsonville.gov/1117/Watsonville-Strawberry-Festival
Turkish Arts and Culture Festival
August 22, 2026
Monterey, California
Event information follows:
https://whatsupmonterey.com/events/food-wine-events/california-turkish-arts-culture-festival/504
Artichoke Festival
September 5, 2026
Castroville, California
Castroville claims to be the world capital of artichoke production. Marilyn Monroe was the Artichoke Queen one year as a young starlet.
Event information follows:
Festa Italia
September 11 - 13, 2026
Monterey, California
Event information follows:
https://festaitaliamonterey.org/
SLO Oktoberfest
October 3, 2026
San Luis Obispo, California
Event information follows:
https://www.slocal.com/event/slo-oktoberfest/16581/
Food festivals which I always associate with Italy, Spain, and France are very much part of Central California’s culture as well. ((See Carol Field’s book Celebrating Italy and Discovering Spain by Penelope Casas on this topic. For France, the fete de Cochon or late fall hog killing festivals in Auvergne are examples.)
By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games
