Europe’s Can’t-Miss Festivals

There are dozens of foodie festivals in Belgium throughout the year, but my favourite, by far, is the EAT! Brussels restaurant festival, in early autumn. Located in the vast Bois de la Cambre Park, you can sample your way around the Brussels restaurant scene, in one easy location. 25 Brussels restaurants have booths at the festival, where they offer a few small dishes (normally 3-5) in exchange for tokens. Each token = 1€ and can be bought individually or in packages, on-site or in advance on-line. Buying a package will give you a reduced rate and includes extra goodies like tickets for champagne, coffee, and ice cream. In addition to the restaurants, there are several bars, sponsor tents, and eight world regions, also offering food and drink tastings and sometimes products for sale. It’s the best way to discover new restaurants in the city, or sample some of the top offerings without a huge financial commitment. (Michelin-starred La Truffe Noir was on-site this year.) For More Information: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/09/eat-brussels-restaurant-festival-2013/

No celebration brings otherwise reserved Swedes out of their shells more than the summer solstice festival of Midsummer. While its roots are pagan, Midsummer is celebrated by all classes of society. You’ll find folks wearing handmade wildflower wreaths on their heads, dancing and hopping around the maypole (majstång) decorated with flowers and greens, and singing traditional Swedish folk songs. Along with dancing and singing, locals also dig into hearty smörgåsbord, which include various flavors of pickled herring (sill), cured salmon, yellow almond-shaped potatoes, and a wide range of alcoholic snaps and aquavits to loosen up the nerves and get people into celebratory spirits.