Fall is a great time to visit Boston, especially as there are an array of fun festivals. Whether you’re interested in wine tasting, sampling local dishes or improving your writing, there is a festival for you to enjoy. To help you enhance your itinerary, here are the top fall festivals in Boston.
Fall Wine Festival
For those who have always wanted to visit the world’s best wine regions but couldn’t, the Fall Wine Festival allows you to without leaving Boston. Tickets are $59 and you can roam around the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts to sample wine’s from different regions, learning more about the grapes, winemaking and how to truly enjoy a quality glass of vino. The Fall Wine Festival is extremely social and is aimed at helping people make new friends.
Boston Magazine Taste
Each year, Boston Magazine hosts a “Taste” event at the Mandarin Oriental Boston. The happening brings together chefs from all over the city, who set up stations and prepare their tastiest dishes. Attendees can wander the room mingling with the chefs and sampling their creations. General admission is $95 while VIP tickets are $150. If you’d like to continue your exploration of local food fare, sign up for a Boston food, wine and/or nightlife tour, some of which include a Pizza Tour of Boston’s Little Italy, a Historic Boston Tavern Tour and a Boston Chocolate Walking Tour.
Harpoon Oktoberfest
Can’t make it to Germany for Oktoberfest? That’s okay, as Boston has a fun-filled Oktoberfest of their own. Expect tons of Harpoon Brewery beer, German food, chicken dancing, German cake-eating contests, keg bowling and more. A $20 cover charge includes a souvenir and one drink ticket. Designated drivers will be rewarded with unlimited non-alcoholic beverages. Dressing up in dirndls and lederhosen is encouraged.
Boston Local Food Festival
Taking place this year on October 6, 2013, from 11am to 5pm, the free-to-enjoy Boston Local Food Festival is presented by the Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts and celebrates local food and business. The festival takes place at the Rose Kennedy Greenway, with about 120 vendors and over 40,000 attendees. Highlights of the festival include local wine, craft beer and mead tastings; culinary demonstrations; gardening exhibits; art; live music; a Family Fun Zone; and more. Best of all, you can sample local dishes for $6 or less. In line with the festival’s sustainable goals, the event partners with Zero Waste Champion to help make it a zero waste event. For those traveling with children, this is a great family-friendly Boston experience.
Boston Book Festival
The annual Boston Book Festival, New England’s largest literary event, will take place this year from October 17 through 19, 2013. With a focus on connecting with and learning from others in the literary world, the event is a worthwhile Boston experience for anyone looking to grow in the field. Attendees can enjoy an array of free sessions and workshops from over 125 authors, journalists, composers, filmmakers, cartoonists, producers and more, although some require advance registration. A few of the many topics from previous years include “All About You: Writing Memoir,” “How to Write a Crime Novel” and “Graphic Novels: Drawing the Story.” There will also be children’s programming, live music, a street fair, literary trivia, social meetups and more.