5 Fun And Specific Food Events Around The World

From a collaborative cake picnic to the world’s largest pizza celebration in Naples, these five food events truly know how to highlight a single dish or food product with gusto. 

Food-related events come in all shapes and sizes, from grand festivals to more casual affairs, but they all have one thing in common: they each serve as spaces where like-minded people gather to learn, explore, and find new things to enjoy. Some food events place special focus on one particular dish or product, rather than a myriad, which gives attendees the chance to really appreciate and gain a deeper understanding of it. 

Here are five particular events around the world that get really specific when it comes to their main highlights.

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Cake Picnic 

There are plenty of amazing picnic events out there, but one probably takes the cake—pun intended—as the most fun for those who love their sweets. Cake Picnic started in San Fransisco’s Golden Gate Park in April 2024, initially meant to be an intimate potluck among a group of friends—each friend would bring a cake of their choice, form a circle, introduce themselves, then talk about the cake they brought. 

However, this small gathering turned into something far bigger, and now stands as its own special event attracting hundreds of people across the country (and beyond). The simple rule is “No Cake, No Entry,” which means the sprawling picnic is filled with all kinds of cakes as far as the eye can see. 

“To be surrounded by as many cakes as there are humans is definitely something special, right? It is a moment in time where we come together for something truly sweet,” the event website writes. “It is a feast for the ages and you just have to be there.” The event has become such a big hit that it’s now going on tour, with a stop in London in July 2025, and events in New York and Los Angeles to follow. 

Salon Du Chocolat

Another event that’s not to be missed for those with a sweet tooth is the Salon Du Chocolat, an annual trade fair that started in Paris, France back in 1994—and as you guessed it, celebrates chocolates in all its wonderful forms.

This year’s Salon Du Chocolat will be taking place from October 29, 2025 to November 2, 2025 at Paris’ Porte de Versailles. The event gathers hundreds of vendors from around the world, exhibiting their wide range of chocolate products for consumers and trade partners. Aside from showcasing these products, the fair also holds competitions, lectures, and demonstrations in partnership with skilled chefs. 

Some notable highlights of the yearly event include a chocolate-themed fashion show, the Pastry Show (live baking demonstrations with today’s pastry virtuosos), and the Junior Pastry Show (where children and their families can participate in an afternoon of creating delicious pastries).

Tokyo Ramen Festa

Formerly known as the Tokyo Ramen Show, the Tokyo Ramen Festa is an annual event that spotlights the beloved Japanese noodle soup dish. It’s Japan’s biggest ramen festival, and the 2025 edition of the event—which spans 12 days—will be showcasing the creative dishes of nearly 40 vendors across the country. While there’s no set date for this year’s affair, it’s likely to take place from late October to early November, according to travel guides like Tokyo Cheapo and JapanTravel

At the Tokyo Ramen Festa 2024 food events
At the Tokyo Ramen Festa 2024/Photo via Instagram @tokyoramenfesta

Entrance to the event is free, though attendees must purchase a “ramen ticket” per bowl of ramen that they want to try out, as the 2024 event’s FAQ details. The 12 days are split into three “acts” featuring different vendors, which means there’s always something to look forward to throughout the affair. 

Galway Oyster Seafood Festival 

Ireland’s oysters, particularly those from Galway bay, are known around the culinary world as exquisite specimens of their kind. So it makes sense that the Galway Oyster Seafood Festival—the world’s oldest festival celebrating the mollusk—takes place in Galway, Ireland. 

Oyster shucking at the Galway Oyster Seafood Festival 2024 food events
Oyster shucking at the Galway Oyster Seafood Festival 2024/Photo from the Galway Oyster Seafood Festival website

The annual event began in 1954, mounted by then-manager of the Great Southern Hotel (now Hardiman Hotel) Brian Collins. At the time, it drew in around 34 guests, but now attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world who are looking to try Galway’s famous oysters. The Galway Oyster Seafood Festival also hosts the World Oyster Opening or “shucking” Championships, with more than 20 competitors hoping to win the World Championship title for most oysters shucked.

The event is usually held at the end of September to celebrate the oyster harvest season, and this year’s edition will be taking place from September 26 to 28, 2025. On top of oyster shucking and eating, guests can expect live music and fun cooking demonstrations featuring oysters and other kinds of seafood. 

Pizza Village

Pizza Village is the largest pizza event in the world, and what better place to celebrate it than in Naples, Italy—the reported birthplace of the globally-beloved bread dish. The event launched in 2014 with the help of Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, president of the UniVerde Foundation and former Minister of Agriculture and Environment, and in partnership with UNESCO. 

While Pizza Village started in Naples, it has since expanded to other parts of Italy and the world, including Milan, New York, London, and Saudi Arabia. Today, it attracts more than 1,000,000 visitors each year. 

The event invites an array of Neapolitan pizza masters for competitions and live demonstrations, while also offering educational workshops, conferences, live performances, and pizza-making classes (both for amateurs and professionals). The next Pizza Village will be taking place in London, though a specific date hasn’t been announced. 

Banner photo via Instagram @saltedrye.

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