The Capital Region offers a plethora of great food events throughout the year, as well as some of the USA’s best restaurants, which can more than tingle the taste buds of the most devoted foodie visitors.  From farmer’s markets to festivals, seafood and oysters, to wine and garlic every possible preference is catered for and as more than 90 per cent of British holidaymakers list dining out as their favourite activity when visiting the USA, the Capital Region fits the bill.

The British are a nation of beer lovers but the wonders of a good pint are now being appreciated all over the USA and 68 different American craft breweries will be showing off their produce at the second annual SAVOR festival taking place at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC on 5th June 2010. 

Tickets are limited and only available in advance, with sales opening  in February for the event billed as “a must attend for craft beer aficionados and foodies alike”. The reception-style sampling will allow visitor to choose from 35+ sweet and savoury appetizers and 136 craft beers. Luminaries of the American craft beer industry—brewery owners, brewers and representatives – will be on-hand serving your beer. www.savorcraftbeer.com

If you prefer the grape to the grain, spend some time at Boordy Vineyards in Maryland.  www.boordy.com

This is Maryland’s oldest family run winery, having been established back in 1945 by the Deeford family.  Their offerings include oak-aged cabernets, crisp chardonnays & seyval blancs, a Maryland port, and other specialties. Premium varietals are grown in the estate vineyards which Boordy farms in the Long Green Valley and in the Catoctin Mountain region.

The vineyard also has a fine dining restaurant and organises specially themed events each month to give visitors the chance to tour the winery, try the award winning wines and learn about winemaking.  Weekends in February are themed Fond of your Fondue, where savoury and sweet fondues will be available to try alongside the fine wine and entertainment from local musicians.  On Sundays in March, the experience will be Stew in your Juices where hearty home made stews will be teamed with award winning wines.

The Virginia Pork Festival (www.vaporkfestival.com) in the town of Emporia is billed as the world’s largest barbeque, so is perfect for pork perfectionists.  Sausages, chops and ribs along with more unusual chitterlings and trotters will all be on offer on 9^th June 2010.

Coincidentally, Virginia is also home to the Pungo Strawberry Festival, held every year in the last weekend of May. Visitors can enjoy strawberries offered in over 50 different ways, plus take part in many events including the pie eating contest or the great Strawberry bake off.

The ‘strawberry’ on this festival’s cake is that all proceeds are given back to the community with organisers looking to exceed the $600,000 they returned last year. Sweet!

http://www.pungostrawberryfestival.info