8 August Food Festivals in Ohio

Each summer, the Muskingum County village of Dresden holds an annual festival to celebrate its fruitful melon-growing heritage. This year’s event is set for Aug. 2 and kicks off a month of tasty food festivities that include the Reynoldsburg Tomato Festival (complete with tomato-flinging fun) the Cleveland Garlic Festival and other happenings that give a strong flavor of our state‘s food traditions. 

Dresden Melon Festival | Aug. 2
Located along the Muskingum River, Dresden’s history of melon production is on full display at this one-day celebration. Best known for its fresh cantaloupe and watermelon, the annual event features a seed-spitting contest and a melon-eating contest for children on the main stage. Along with various races and games at the boat launch and River Park areas, the Melon Derby gives attendees a chance to win cash prizes by making their own miniature vehicle crafted from either a cantaloupe or a watermelon.

Reynoldsburg Tomato Festival | Aug. 7-9
Each August, Reynoldsburg celebrates its namesake as the birthplace of the tomato over the course of this three-day event at Huber Park. Enter various tomato-based events including the salsa showdown, tomato contest, spaghetti-eating contest and a pizza challenge, the latter of which determines the local shop offering the best slice in town. The tomato wars are also popular, and feature plenty of tomato-flinging fun. You can also shop local vendors selling original crafts and merchandise, as well as food and drink. 

Potatoes N’ Such: Dayton Potato Festival | Aug. 9
Celebrating five years in 2025, this annual festival is the perfect place to honor spuds in all their forms. Here, visitors can find comfort food offerings including beef and potato egg rolls, cheesy potato bowls and loaded fries. Taking place at Oak & Ivy Park, the event features over a dozen local vendors including Home Cooked Vibes food truck, MamaBear’s Mac and Boss Potatoes. Along with line dancing, the festival also welcomes DJ Spyder for the music selection.

Honey & Lavender Festival | Aug. 16
Located at The Freightyard in Youngstown, this festival invites guests to delight in the sweetness of honey and lavender, as enjoy several festivities throughout the day. Visitors can walk through the on-site vendor market featuring local small businesses, and get a taste of honey-themed drinks and desserts from Trek Coffee House. A flower bouquet bar invites guests to build their own floral arrangement. Kids can get in on the fun here too, with crafts and games.

Taco & Nacho Fest | Aug. 23
Nothing beats the savory taste of nachos, and this annual event at the Park at Austin Landing in Dayton is set to host over 15 vendors serving up taco-centric delights. There will also be cold refreshments offered to accompany your choice of dish, including beer, tequila seltzers and cocktails. After chowing down, browse the work of local artists and craft vendors on display and enjoy live music too.

Cleveland Garlic Festival | Aug. 23-24
The Cleveland Garlic Festival returns to Shaker Square for two days of pungent, garlic-loving fun. This event features plenty of bites inspired by one of the culinary world’s most fragrant ingredients, including garlic ice cream made by Cleveland-based ice cream-maker Mitchell's. In addition to enjoying these delicacies, a variety of vendors and activities will also be available for attendees to peruse. Just don’t forget your breath mints and chewing gum.

Akron Pizza Fest | Aug. 29-30 
Why stay home and order pizza when you can sample slices from all over the city? The Akron Pizza Fest is back and is bringing together local parlors and pizza shops at Lock 3 Park and offering visitors the chance to taste a variety of pies from all over Akron. Visitors can also check out the pizza-eating contest, which supports renovations for the park and Akron Civic Commons. Admission to the event is free, and Friday night visitors can enjoy live music as part of the fun. 

Obetz Zucchinifest | Aug. 29-Sept. 1 
Located at the Fortress Obetz sports complex, this Labor Day weekend celebration features four days of all-ages entertainment. The live concerts are free of charge, taking place Friday through Sunday evening of the festival, and headliners this year include North to Nashville, and country music star Chris Young. Other festival highlights include a parade and pageant, the Automotion Car & Motorcycle Show on Friday evening, rides and much more.

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