Are You on the Coffee Festival Circuit Yet?

You love coffee, and you want to share and enjoy your love of coffee in new and exotic ways, perhaps blending your love of coffee with your love of something like… travel? So what can you do, besides brew that coffee, or “travel” to a nearby coffee shop and drink a cup?

The answer is, you can go to a coffee festival! Yes, that’s right, there are coffee festivals all over the world and there’s probably one happening near you any time now! Read on to learn more about coffee festivals taking place all around the world, and how you might continue to cultivate your love of this delightful beverage.

What Is A Coffee Festival?

Even if you’ve never heard of a coffee festival before, you can probably imagine what one is like. A coffee festival, as you might expect, is a place where people gather to celebrate their love of coffee.

You can enjoy tasting different coffees (often for free!); attend workshops led by expert baristas; see new, state-of-the-art coffee equipment; usually enjoy fun and tasty street food; and possibly take in some live music. Depending on the festival, there may be additional attractions as well. It’s a great way to get out and indulge your appreciation for your favorite beverage.

Coffee Festivals for You

What follows is a few festivals that are put on each year in different parts of the world that you might want to attend. Mark your calendar!

The Vienna Coffee Festival (January 12-15, Vienna, Austria)

Billed as the “World’s Coolest Coffee Event,” this Austrian coffee festival has it all, including barista competitions, a variety of culinary delights at different stations, and a coffee lab to experiment with. Enjoy live music and art as well along with all the great coffee and food, and don’t be surprised if you make lots of new friends!

Coffee Fest Baltimore (March 16-18, Baltimore, Maryland)

If you’re in the coffee business yourself, you definitely won’t want to miss the Successful Coffee House Business Seminar at Coffee Fest Baltimore, touted as the definitive industry seminar for specialty coffee retailers. Whether or not you attend the seminar, make sure not to miss America’s Best Cold Brew Competition, where roasters do battle to prove they are top dog when it comes to cold brew.

The Canadian Coffee and Tea Show (September 23, 24, Toronto, Canada)

Canada’s number one tea and coffee event at the Toronto Congress Centre features interactive workshops for those interested in the coffee business. Last year’s workshops included “Barista 101,” “Tea and Coffee Infused Cocktails,” and “Dialing in the Perfect Shot.”

Kona Coffee and Cultural Festival (November 2-11, Kona, Hawaii)

The Kona Coffee and Cultural Festival is Hawaii’s oldest food festival. Kona coffee has been celebrated for almost 200 years for its light body and distinctive taste, and it all comes together at this ten-day festival where attendees get an up-close and personal look at the legendary Kona coffee crop, while enjoying art, music, dancing, history, and incredible food and coffee tastings.

Unless you’re very fortunate, you’ll probably only be able to make it to one or two of these festivals next year. The good news is, most of these are annual events, and there’s always another coffee festival just around the corner. So when you’re ready, an amazing coffee festival will no doubt be waiting for you somewhere around the world!