The world’s 5 best vegetable festivals

Back in 2011, rapper Snoop Dogg called up a Welsh farmer to congratulate him on growing the world’s largest swede. And while other vegetables have yet to grab the headlines the way this swede did, there’s no shortage of love around the world for these earthen wonders.

For vegetable fanatics and famous rappers alike, here are five of the world’s best vegetable festivals.

Zibelemärit (Onion Market) in Bern, Switzerland

For onion-lovers, no celebration will bring a tear to the eye quite like Bern’s ‘Zibelemärit’ (otherwise known as ‘The Onion Market’). While the festival is widely considered to have originated in the 1850s, when women from the French part of Switzerland would pass through Bern to sell their wares, popular lore tells a tale of friendship and survival dating back hundreds of years. In brief, a great fire burnt much of the Swiss capital to the ground, so neighbouring city, Fribourg, came to the rescue fighting the fire and rebuilding the city. So as a gesture of gratitude, the Bernese invited the farmers of Fribourg to come and sell their produce – namely the humble onion – in the city they saved. These days, it’s one of the country’s most popular folk festivals. Starting on the fourth Monday of November each year, you’ll find the citizens of Bern setting up shop at the crack of dawn. Be prepared for onion-themed everything – from onion soup to onion tart, and wall-hangings made of – you guessed it – onions. Knock back a glass of glühwein as you watch children and adults hurl handfuls of confetti at each other, with peppermint-string necklaces draped around their necks. If you’re in town the night before, you may even catch the Onion Swim – a chilly event in the Aare river, where swimmers race across a fixed distance clad in a costumes ranging from Santa Claus to life-size onions. Stay at Hotel Sternen Muri, a short tram ride from the centre, providing sweet respite from the carnival atmosphere.

Watercress Festival in New Alresford, England

Watercress perhaps isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when revered vegetables are mentioned, but ask the residents of New Alresford in Hampshire, England, and you’ll be met with an unparalleled enthusiasm for this peppery leaf. Back in the 1800s, when watercress was a popular staple in English diets, New Alresford became a hub for harvesting the leaf, due to the rich, water-logged soil around the town. More recently, a resurgence in interest for watercress led to the development of this festival – a classically English affair. Street merchants and locals take to the usually quiet lanes, which are quickly filled with the smell of grilled meats and plenty of drink – all seasoned with watercress. Arguably, the highlight of the festival is the watercress eating competition, which as the name suggests, challenges entrants to see who can eat 85g of watercress the fastest (the world record stands at 32 seconds). Once you’ve tried your hand at this, recover at The Swan Hotel, and take a long soak in your suite’s free-standing bath tub.

Gilroy Garlic Festival in Gilroy, USA

Garlic festivals can be found all over the globe, but the biggest celebration is the Gilroy Garlic Festival in California. Back in the late 1970s, a local in Gilroy heard a story about a French town claiming to be the garlic capital of the world. Aware of their own town’s notoriety for the harvesting of this pungent bulb, the idea was soon put forward to Gilroy’s chief garlic producer and local farmers to have an annual festival celebrating it, in a bid to reclaim the vegetable as a symbol of pride and put Gilroy on the map. 40 years later and it’s still going strong. Expect everything from garlic fries to the more eclectic garlic ice cream, a garlic cook-off where chefs experiment with the bulb in a relatively exhilarating showdown, and a beauty pageant for those looking to be crowned Miss Gilroy Garlic Festival Queen. If you’re in need of a mint or simply a retreat from the heady atmosphere, a short drive will take you to the luxurious Rosewood CordeValle, featuring fine dining, spas and golf courses.

Night of the Radishes in Oaxaca, Mexico

Arguably a contender for the world’s best festival name, Mexico’s Night of the Radishes is as thrilling as vegetable festivals come. It takes place in the town of Oaxaca and legend has it that it came about in 1897, when two friars chanced upon some local oversized radishes and – intrigued by their peculiar shape and size – decided to display them at the city’s Christmas market. As it happened, the radishes caught the eyes of passersby, and crowds soon congregated in order to get a glimpse of the reddish giants. Soon, people began to fashion and carve the enormous radishes into all shapes and sizes, and December 23rd is now a celebration and a competition to see who has the best display. From the nativity scene to local wildlife, there’s no cap on creativity where the radish is involved. These displays don’t last long and lines are quick to form, so make sure you’re close by – Agrado Guest House is an ideal base.

Räbechilbi Turnip Festival in Richterswil, Switzerland

Switzerland’s turnip festival is the largest of its kind in Europe. While history hasn’t quite settled on the roots of this turnip tale, folklore suggests it was the farmers’ wives who made lanterns out of the vegetable and used them to light the way home from church. Taking place every second Saturday of November, around 26 tonnes of turnips are hollowed out and transformed into thousands of lanterns and decorations. The village of Richterswil and every house around is lit up by the transformed turnips. And when dusk arrives, a parade of giant floats – all turnip based – plods through the streets. While the parade is undoubtedly a sight to see, meandering through the quiet side streets and taking in the flickering lantern lights,is the best way to really experience the festival’s ambience. When the cold sets in and the candlelight begins to fade, wander down to B&B Caffetino-Vino – a centrally located and charming stay.