Food festivals in York, Lancaster, Harrisburg you won't want to miss
Mark your calendars, because it's officially festival season!
Lots of summer festivals — featuring food, drinks, music and more — are coming to your area soon.
Sometimes, the best part of a good summer festival is the food. So, prepare your stomachs for hot wings, bacon, whoopie pies and more at these upcoming festivals.
Brews and Skews
What's better than live music, beer and food on a stick? This new festival comes to the Brooks Robinson Plaza at Santander Stadium, 5 Brooks Robinson Way, York, May 30. From 1 to 6 p.m., local restaurants, food trucks and craft brewers will serve their best skew specials, a la carte items and beer to compete for the people's choice award, Brews & Skews Best of the Year. Admission is free, and food and beverages are pay-as-you-go. Visit BrewsAndSkews.com for details.
Strawberry Days
Taste local strawberry treats June 4-6 from the vendors at Markets at Shrewsbury, 12025 Susquehanna Trail, Shrewsbury Township. The market will be open Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit marketsatshrewsbury.com for details.
Pigs on Penn Bacon Festival
Who doesn't love bacon? That's why Penn Street Farmer's Market is organizing the first-ever Pigs on Penn Bacon Festival, entirely devoted to the popular meat. The festival will open at 11 a.m. June 6 at the market, 380 W. Market St., York. Activities, including a hog calling contest, a pig kissing booth, piglet petting zoo, the crowning of a Bacon King and Queen and more, will continue through 4 p.m. Food vendors will offer bacon-inspired dishes, and craft and artisan vendors will sell pig-related items. The event will benefit Penn Street Farmer's Market. Visit downtownyorkpa.com/events/baconfest for details.
Wingstock
You'll feel the heat at this summer festival, where the main attraction is hot wings. Guests can take part in contests, including the Wing Eating Competition, Crowin' Contest, Egg Roulette and Chicken Lookin' Legs from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 18. Beer, live music, raffles and other activities will also be available at the festival at Santander Stadium, 5 Brooks Rovinson Way, York. New this year are the Beer Garden and Adult Trike Obstacle Course. Tickets are $6 in advance and $8 at the door. For more information, visit www.wingstockyork.org.
Whoopie Pie Festival
Snack on one of the sweetest treats in Lancaster County at the annual Whoopie Pie Festival Saturday, Sept. 5. Guests can try more than 100 different Whoopie Pie flavors. Who knew they came in so many flavors? Festival activities include live music, craft vendors, a whoopie pie eating contest, whoopie pie treasure hunt and other contests. The festival lasts from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hershey Farm Restaurant & Inn, 240 Hartman Bridge Road, Ronks. The rain date is Sunday, Sept. 6. For more information, visit whoopiepiefestival.com.
Foodstruck
More than 50 food trucks and carts will make their way to downtown York for the fourth Foodstruck festival. The free-admission food truck party will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6 at 143 W. College Ave., York. Participating food trucks, merchants, bands and breweries will be announced at a later date. The event is rain or shine. For more information, visit foodstruckyork.com.
More summer festivals
Great Pennsylvania FlavorFest: May 23-24 at Mount Hope Estate & Winery in Manheim, www.parenfaire.com
Artsfest: May 23-25 at Riverfront Park in Harrisburg, www.jumpstreet.org
History Untapped: An Artisan Beer Affair: June 13 at Agricultural & Industrial Museum in York, www.yorkheritage.org
Dauphin County Music & Wine Festival: June 13 at Fort Hunter Park in Harrisburg, www.dauphincounty.org
Makersfest: June 14 on North Queen Street in Lancaster, www.pacrafts.org
Penn-Mar Irish Festival : June 20 at The Markets at Shrewsbury, www.PennMarIrishFestival.com
Harrisburg BrewersFest: June 20 in downtown Harrisburg, www.harrisburgbrewersfest.com
Celtic Fling & Highland Games: June 26-28 at Mount Hope Estate & Winery in Manheim, www.parenfaire.com
Summer Mixtape Festival: June 27 at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, mixtapefestival.com
Adams County Irish Festival: July 18 at Moose Park near Gettysburg, www.adamscountyirishfestival.org
Shank's Mare's Art & Outdoor Fest: Aug. 1 at Shank's Mare in Wrightsville, www.shanksmare.com
Dauphin County Cultural Fest: Aug. 7 in center city Harrisburg, www.dauphincounty.org
Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival: Aug. 13-16 at Granite Hill Camground in Gettysburg, www.gettysburgbluegrass.com
Gettysburg Brew Fest: Aug. 22 at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, www.gettysburgbrewfest.com
Country Rock & Rewind Festival: Aug. 22 at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, www.hersheyparkstadium.com
Central PA Jazz Festival: Aug. 28-30 in Harrisburg, www.friendsofjazz.org
Yorkfest: Aug. 29-30 in downtown York, www.yorkcity.org/yorkfest
McLain Celtic Festival: Sept. 5 at the Two Mile House in Carlisle, www.historicalsociety.com/Celtic_Festival