During the fall months, when Texas’ heat dips enough that spending time outdoors is finally comfortable, every corner of the state throws a party centered around great food. From El Paso to Houston, and the Hill Country to Dallas, this year’s festivals bring together the best chefs, winemakers, and pitmasters who make Texas food worth planning a weekend around. Loosen your belt and pick a destination, because these food festivals deserve a spot on your fall calendar.
Chefs for Farmers Houston and Dallas
Houston Event: September 26-27, 2026
Dallas Event: November 4-8, 2026
For those who want to eat their way across Texas, Chefs for Farmers has you covered. The two-city festival brings together local chefs and farmers that make Houston and Dallas worth a culinary road trip. Iris Midler, who was born in Dallas and raised in Houston, founded Chefs for Farmers over a decade ago to celebrate both cities’ regional food scenes. Houston’s celebration takes place September 26-27 and features 50 food and beverage pros, plus wine and spirit pairings, craft cocktails, local vendors, live DJs, dance-offs, and interactive experiences. The Dallas event follows November 4-8 with even more opportunities to eat, sip, and have fun. There is also a good cause behind the event: $10 from every Dallas general admission ticket goes to The Seed Project Foundation. This North Texas organization connects families with fresh produce and eggs while supporting agricultural education and local initiatives.
Southern Smoke Festival
October 3, 2026
Get ready to eat, sip, and do some good all while enjoying one of the state’s most impressive culinary cities. The Southern Smoke Festival is returning to Houston with an all-star lineup of 88 chefs and beverage pros coming together for an afternoon of delicious fun. In addition to the massive amounts of food and drink that will beckon thousands of attendees on October 3 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., there will be cooking demonstrations, VIP experiences, and live music.
Attendees can eat, drink, and feel good about the festival’s cause. Founded in 2015 by chef Chris Shepherd and Lindsey Brown, Southern Smoke Foundation provides emergency relief and no-cost mental health services to food and beverage workers dealing with unexpected hardship. To date, the foundation has distributed more than $16.5 million and provided access to nearly 12,000 counseling sessions.
Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival
October 22-25, 2026
If you need an excuse to make a Hill Country road trip, the largest culinary event in the region is slated for October 22 to 25. Food and wine lovers from across Texas will head to Fredericksburg for the Fredericksburg Food & Wine Festival, a four-day celebration featuring the region’s chefs, winemakers, farmers, ranchers, and artisans.
More than 75 food and beverage purveyors and 45 wineries, breweries, and distilleries participate. What makes this festival unique is that all of the food and beverage participants must be based in the Texas Hill Country. Hosted by the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce, the festival gives back to community organizations and programs, including Kerr County Flood Relief Fund, Fredericksburg High School Culinary Program, and Hill Country Hospitality Relief Fund.
Austin Food & Wine Festival: November 6-8
November 6-8, 2026
The Austin Food & Wine Festival returns November 6-8 with a weekend packed with Texas-sized flavors. Chefs from the Lone Star State and across the country will be serving everything from barbecue to samples of local restaurants’ best-selling dishes. Guests can also enjoy wine, craft beer, and cocktails while watching chef demos, tasting wines from around the world, and watching celebrity pitmasters at work.
Shef Food + Wine Festival
October 9-11, 2026
Dallas chef Tiffany Derry’s Shef Food + Wine Festival is one of the fall’s tastiest tickets. The third annual festival will take place October 9-11 at EpicCentral in Grand Prairie, where more than 40 chefs, restaurateurs, and television personalities will come together for three days of food, wine, parties, panels, and chef-driven experiences. Big names on the guest list include Carla Hall, Duff Goldman, Kristen Kish, James Beard Award-winning chef Erick Williams, and Top Chef Season 22 winner Tristen Epps-Long. A portion of the festival’s proceeds will go to Roots Impact, which provides scholarships, mentorship, workforce development, and educational opportunities for up-and-coming hospitality professionals.
El Paso Wine & Food Festival
November 6-7, 2026
The El Paso Wine & Food Festival is returning for its 13th year on November 6-7, bringing together more than 400 wines from around the globe and delicious bites from more than 24 of the city’s top restaurants. The festival includes a Chef’s Showdown, with teams from the Culinary Institute of the Southwest competing, and a Grand Tasting featuring plenty of wine and food to sample. This year’s theme is “A Toast to World Peace,” and a portion of the festival’s proceeds will support the Rotary Club of El Paso’s charitable work for local children and families.
Round Top Wine + Whiskey Weekend
October 2-4, 2026
Think Round Top is only about antiques? Think again. From October 2-4, the tiny Texas town gets a tasty makeover for Round Top Wine + Whiskey Weekend, a three-day celebration of wine, whiskey, cigars, classic cars, live music, and an abundance of small-town charm. The event kicks off with a candlelit dinner and live music at Zapp Hall, one of the oldest dance halls in the state. On Saturday, the entire town turns into a tasting trail for attendees to sip and sample their way through Round Top. Sunday wraps up the event with a farewell brunch at participating restaurants. It’s a great way to see Round Top from a whole new perspective.
Leave a Reply