Calling all foodies! Mark your calendars because Chattanooga’s food and drink festival lineup brings the flavor all year round. We’ve rounded up the ultimate guide to the best foodie events in the Scenic City, guaranteed to keep you coming back for seconds (get it?).
Summer
Chattanooga Summer Cocktail Festival
June 22, 2024 | 6pm – 9pm | First Horizon Pavilion
The Chattanooga Summer Cocktail Festival is back, benefiting the Chattanooga Market and bringing together local restaurants, spirits, residents, and businesses in an interactive and festive environment. This year, attendees are encouraged to party throw-back style and dust off their 90s and Y2K threads. The event will feature 40+ spirits offering up delectable summer-inspired cocktails to choose from. Guests can also enjoy an on-site photo booth, DJ, and an array of tasty eats for purchase.
Chatta Town Tasting Festival
June 30, 2024 | 5pm – 9pm | Miller Park
Get ready for the 2nd annual Chatta Town Tasting Festival in 2024! This is the ultimate food fest for all foodies and families. This event will be held in the heart of Chattanooga at Miller Park. Come and taste delicious dishes from a plethora of different cultures. vonzarainc.com/chatta-town-tasting-festival
Margarita Festival
August 10, 2024 | 6pm - 9 pm | First Horizon Pavilion
The Margarita Festival invites 20+ local restaurants to whip up their best margarita recipe for you to try and help crown the best margarita in Chattanooga. Work your way through your sample passport that includes many mini margaritas, enjoy live entertainment by local DJs, a photobooth and tasty food vendors. chattanoogafestivals.com/chattmarg
Chattanooga Wine Over Water
August 17, 2024 | Walnut Street Bridge
This much-loved annual event has become a favorite destination for wine enthusiasts throughout the southeast. "WOW" is an evening showcasing a broad variety of wines and cocktails, delicious food from leading Chattanooga chefs, and five live bands - all taking place on one of the world’s longest pedestrian bridges spanning the beautiful Tennessee River. As the primary fundraiser for Preserve Chattanooga, your attendance and support helps make a difference in the city we all love. That's worth raising a glass for!
Fall
Fall Food Truck Festival
September 1, 2024 | 11am - 4pm | First Horizon Pavilion
Labor Day weekend fun! The Chattanooga Market will be rounding up local food trucks for a Reggie White Street party! Experience some great local eats and treats, live music, and your favorite market vendors.
Bacon & Barrel Festival
September 27, 2024 | 6pm - 9pm | First Horizon Pavilion
Get hog-wild at Chattanooga Bacon & Barrel Festival and savor bacon-loving local restaurants and barrel-aged spirits from around the world in an evening of southern indulgence. A Bacon & Barrel ticket includes unlimited samples of signature bacon-themed dishes and 15 whiskey samples, plus live music, fun photo opps, and more.
Thanksgiving on the River
November 16 & 21, 2024 | Times Vary | Southern Belle Riverboat
Enjoy Thanksgiving dinner on the Grand Chandelier Deck overlooking the Tennessee River with live music and a buffet-style dinner complete with all the classic trimmings. After dinner, board the Southern Belle Riverboat for a one-hour sightseeing cruise.
Winter
Christmas Special Dinner Train
Weekends November 8 - December 23, 2024 | 6:45 pm | Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum
Enjoy a special 4-course holiday dinner aboard a restored 1924 dining car. The excursion departs from Grand Junction Station and travels through areas of Chattanooga. tvrail.com
Holiday Market
Weekends December 7 – 15 | Chattanooga Convention Center
Find the Chattanooga Market indoors during December weekends at the Chattanooga Convention Center. The Holiday Market features 200+ local food vendors, artists, and crafters. While this is not exclusively a food event, you can expect tons of holiday treats ready to enjoy!
Spring
Chattanooga Burger Week
April 21 – 27, 2025 | Times & Locations Vary
In this city-wide event, burger lovers will have the opportunity to eat their way through the Scenic City with $7 burger deals at participating restaurants, challenge their taste buds, and connect and share their experiences on socials, all while being entered to win prizes. chattanoogaburgerweek.com
Chattanooga Seafood Bash
April 25-27, 2025 | Coolidge Park
Chattanooga Seafood Bash promises a weekend in April full of delicious food dishes that are all seafood based. With interactive cooking demonstrations, live music, craft beer, wine and plenty of lobster, it’s a fantastic festival to get down with! From lobster to clams (and even some alligator), you’re sure to find some food that piques your interest here.
National Cornbread Festival
April 26 – 27, 2025 | South Pittsburg, TN
The National Cornbread Festival is a weekend-long celebration of cornbread and many cornbread related activities for adults and kids. You’ll find this festival in the quaint town of South Pittsburg, Tennessee every year during the last full weekend in April.
There you have it, foodies! Whether you’re craving a food truck dinner, perched on a sidewalk with a deliciously greasy burger or a lavish Christmas feast in the cozy elegance of a vintage train car, Chattanooga has something to satisfy every appetite. So, join us as we eat, drink, and savor our way through the seasons of the Scenic city.
Looking for a full weekend worth of eats in Chattanooga? Check out our Foodie Itinerary here.
