6 Nevada Food Festivals You Don’t Want to Miss

Nevada has an interesting mix of identities, from the high-end glitz of Las Vegas to the wild west frontier. And this list of top food festivals reflects the many different faces of the state. You might even find a few hidden gems to add to your road trip bucket list. So step off the strip and explore outside the city limits to find some delicious eats at these six Nevada food festivals.

Great American Foodie Fest

Henderson

The Great American Food Fest rounds up 50 of the most interesting and unique food trucks from across the country and gathers them in one place for guests to enjoy every November. Highlighting trucks that have been featured on a number of television shows, this is the chance to sample everything from funnel cakes to sushi. You can graze and snack to your heart’s content, and the festival also offers carnival rides, eating contests and more. There is no admission fee or fee to park, with each truck charging individually for their food.

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Eldorado Great Italian Festival

Reno

Held on Columbus Day weekend for nearly four decades, the Eldorado Great Italian Festival celebrates the flavors and culture of Italy. The event takes over part of downtown Reno and turns it into a Little Italy for two days in October. The sauce cook-off is a crowd favorite, and guests love getting to sample family recipes that go back generations. There’s also a sausage cook-off, a wine walk, a grape stomp and a gelato eating contest.

Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook Off

Sparks

If you like barbecue, you’ll love spending Labor Day weekend in Sparks for this massive cook-off that takes over more than six blocks of the city’s downtown area. The Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook Off, sometimes called the “Super Bowl of rib competitions,” features more than two dozen different teams competing for prize money and bragging rights. Free and open to the public, the festival also serves up more than 250,000 pounds of barbecued meat. There are two entertainment stages and a nightly concert from a nationally known recording artist, plus a carnival, beer garden and vendor showcase.

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San Gennaro Feast

Las Vegas

Held twice-a-year in May and September, San Gennaro Feast honors the Patron Saint of Naples, Italy. Whichever Italian foods you can dream up, you’ll find them here. This massive festival is one of the biggest Italian food and culture festivals in the country with at least 70 different food vendors serving up Italian classics. In addition to all the delicious food, there’s a massive carnival, pony rides, entertainment, face painters and a vendor showcase.

Grand Sierra Chili and Beer Festival

Reno

What better way to wash down some spicy chili than with ice-cold beers from more than a dozen breweries? Every day of the Grand Sierra Chili and Beer Festival offers a variety of cook-offs and competitions, and winners receive money to donate to a charity of their choice. Visitors can try all the unique chili concoctions that local restaurants, food trucks, fire departments and other groups invent. The festival also features live music, a BMX bike competition, a cornhole competition and, of course, all that tasty beer. So come in your comfiest pants and be ready to eat your way around the festival grounds at this delicious fall food festival.

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Las Vegas Food and Wine Festival

Las Vegas

Take all the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas and squeeze it into a four-day food festival with over 50 locally, nationally and internationally known chefs and you’ve got one amazing tasting experience. The Las Vegas Food and Wine Festival is a massive, multi-day festival in October featuring high-end food and spirits with top-name sponsors. It’s over-the-top in a way only Vegas can be, but it’s also a once-in-a-lifetime experience that’s well worth the price of admission.