Upstate New York has many culinary specialties, so it's no surprise that there's a full slate of festivals to celebrate them. Here's some of the highlights. Be sure to check out our full guide to fairs and festivals across Upstate.

Did we forget any? Leave a comment below.

Central New York Maple Festival

April 2-3

Marathon, N.Y.

The festival, now in its 46th year, is highlighted with a pancake eating contest and the naming of the Maple Festival Queen.

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Rochester Food Truck Rodeos

April 27 to Oct. 26

Rochester, N.Y.

More than 30 food trucks take part in the rodeos, which are held on the last Wednesday of the month. Two bonus rodeos will be held in July and August.

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Greater Lewiston Smelt Festival

May 6

Lewiston, N.Y.

A celebration of everyone's favorite crispy fried small fish. The festival along the Niagara River dates back to 1983.

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Crawfish Clam Festival

May 7

Syracuse, N.Y.

Feast on jambalaya, crawfish, beignets and other Louisiana fare, along with live music, at the unofficial kickoff to the Syracuse festival season.

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Rip Van Winkle Wine and Cheese Festival

May 9

Catskill, N.Y.

The festival, now in its 10th year, celebrates local cheese, wine, beer and spirits.

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Hudson Valley Food Trucks Festival

Every third Thursday of the month from May 19 to Oct. 20

Saugerties, N.Y.

Delicious food and live music make this stop along the Hudson River the place to be on Thursdays.

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Salt City BBQ Festival

May 21-22

Syracuse, N.Y.

The Salt City BBQ Festival has expanded to a two-day festival for its second year. The professional barbecue competition is on Saturday, while the amateurs take over the pits on Sunday.

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Taste of Syracuse

June 3-4

Syracuse, N.Y.

The free festival, which features bands and $1 food samples from the area's top restaurants, is Syracuse's biggest food festival. The two-day event also includes live music, including this year's headliner, Cheap Trick. The festival will also host a qualifying round of the Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest.

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Buffalo Greek Fest

June 3-5

Buffalo, N.Y.

Dine on gyros, moussaka, baklava, souvlaki and other Greek fare and enjoy live music at this festival, now in its 39th year.

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Great NYS Food & Wine Festival

June 10-12

Clayton, N.Y.

The three-day festival is a celebration of all things New York food and beverage, featuring vendors from as far away as Buffalo and Long Island.

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Syracuse Polish Fest

June 10-12

Syracuse, N.Y.

Enjoy pierogi, kielbasa, stuffed cabbage, Polish desserts and plenty of Polish beer at this downtown Syracuse festival.

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Owego Strawberry Festival

June 17-18

Owego, N.Y.

Enjoy the Miss Strawberry Pageant, Rubber Ducky Derby, wine, beer and plenty of strawberries.

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Southern Tier Craft Beer and BBQ Festival

June 18

Big Flats, NY

Guests can sample 80 different beers, including brews from nearby Horseheads Brewery, Keuka Brewing and Ithaca Beer Co. Pitmasters can compete in the amateur barbecue competition.

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Adirondack Wine & Food Festival

June 25-26

Lake George, N.Y.

This second-annual festival is also a designated farmers market, meaning you can purchase directly from the dozens of local wineries, breweries, distilleries and food vendors.

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St. Sophia's Greek Cultural Festival

June 9-12

Syracuse, N.Y.

The live music and the food, all homemade, are the main draws to this popular festival. Full menu

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I Love BBQ Festival

July 2-4

Lake Placid, N.Y.

The Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned competition draws competitors from across the country. There's also a Freestyle Motocross stunt show, live music and lots of games, vendors and activities.

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The Catskills Greek Festival

July 7-10

Callicoon Center, N.Y.

Enjoy traditional Greek music and dance while dining on stuffed grape leaves, souvlaki, tiropita, gyros and other fare. Saturday is capped off with a fireworks display.

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Little Falls Cheese Festival

July 9

Little Falls, N.Y.

This Herkimer County festival features dozens of local cheese producers, as well as other vendors. The cheese pairs well with live music and entertainment.

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Cheddar Cheese Festival

July 9

Adams, N.Y.

Do you think you make the best mac and cheese in town? Prove it at the Cheddar Cheese Festival's Macaroni and Cheese contest. Cheese carving, food, wine and live entertainment round out the festive day.

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Taste of Buffalo

July 9-10

Buffalo, N.Y.

The festival bills itself as the largest two-day food festival in the U.S. More than 50 restaurants, most of which are locally owned and operated, participate in the Taste of Buffalo.

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Troy Pig Out

July 16

Troy, N.Y.

Pie and hot dog-eating contests, fireworks, music and barbecue. It doesn't get much more summer than that.

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BurgerFest

July 16

Hamburg, N.Y.

Hamburg claims to have been the birthplace of the hamburger in 1885. The festival celebrating its creation includes live music, a classic car show, vendors and of course, burgers.

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Finger Lakes Cheese Festival

July 23

Odessa, N.Y.

Enjoy a leisurely hayride, live music a petting zoo and the best cheeses the Finger Lakes has to offer.

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Eden Corn Festival

Aug. 4-7

Eden, N.Y.

Compete in the corn bread or corn chowder cooking contest, or try your luck and see if you'll be the next Miss Eden Sweet Corn.

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Spiedie Fest & Balloon Rally

Aug. 5-7

Binghamton, N.Y.

In 2015, Joan Jett, Colbie Caillat and Christina Perri delighted visitors of this festival thrown in honor of the Southern Tier's favorite grilled meat.

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Phelps Sauerkraut Weekend

Aug 5-7

Phelps, N.Y.

Decorate a cabbage head and enjoy the fermented cabbage in more ways than you thought possible. The festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

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Finger Lakes Riesling Festival

Aug. 6-7

Canandaigua, N.Y.

Celebrate one of the Finger Lakes' most popular wines. Games and music for the kids, wine tasting, grape stomping, wine seminars and more for the adults.

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Schoharie County Family Farm Day

Aug. 13

Various farms across Schoharie and Otsego counties.

Now in its 4th year, the farm day is a great chance to sample and purchase food and beverages straight from their source.

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The Blueberry Festival

Aug. 13

Ellenville, N.Y.

A blueberry pancake breakfast and a blueberry pie competition are among the highlights of this festival, located just south of the Catskill Mountains.

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The Bagel Festival

Aug. 14

Monticello, N.Y.

How popular are bagels in Monticello? So much so that the New York State Assembly and Senate declared the Sullivan County village "The Bagel Capital."

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Hudson Valley Ribfest

Aug. 19-21

New Paltz, N.Y.

If you're looking for the ultimate barbecue experience, look no further than the "Best of the Fest" VIP ticket. This pass gives you unlimited ribs and other barbecue, beer and other beverages, as well as a private tent close to the main stage.

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2016 Badass BBQ for Breast Cancer

Aug. 21

Liverpool, N.Y.

The festival features live music, vendors, food trucks from the Syracuse Food Truck Association and a barbecue competition.

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The Great Catskill Mountain BBQ Fest

Aug. 27

Fleischmanns, N.Y.

The festival features three barbecue competitions -- a Kansas City Barbeque Society-sanctioned competition for professionals, as well as ones for amateurs and a third for fire companies.

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New York State Food Festival

2016 dates not yet announced

Albany, N.Y.

About 100 food vendors and 15,000 visitors come to the Empire State Plaza for a day of food, music and fun. Cracker and Eddie Money were among the headliners at past festivals.

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National Buffalo Wing Festival

Sept. 3-4

Buffalo, N.Y.

There's Buffalo wing eating contests and bobbing for wings in a pool of bleu cheese dressing. Come who's named Miss Buffalo Wing 2016.

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Niagara County Peach Festival

Sept. 9-11

Lewiston, NY

Now in its 59th year, the festival features a 5K run, peach dessert taste-off and the naming of the new Peach Queen.

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Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest

Sept. 10-11

Rhinebeck, N.Y.

The food served by the dozens of vendors and food trucks pairs excellently with the numerous local beers, ciders, wines and spirits.

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Festa Italiana Syracuse

Sept. 16-18

Syracuse, N.Y.

There's a bocce tournament, live music and performances and enough Italian food to satiate the hunger of a town that takes its Italian food very seriously.

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Lowville Cream Cheese Festival

Sept. 17

Lowville, N.Y.

The world's biggest cheesecake record was set during 2013's festival. There's also cream cheese bingo, cream cheese toss and other dairy-based activities.

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Jennie Bell Pie Festival

Sept. 17

Kerhonkson, N.Y.

The festival includes a pie bake-off, pie auction, hayrides, live music and fireworks.

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Cuba Garlic Festival

Sept. 17-18

Cuba, N.Y.

The Garlic Court, including the garlic king and queen, kick off the festival. There's garlic growing competitions, garlic braiding demonstrations and a full menu of garlicky foods. Just don't plan on kissing anyone afterwards.

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Festival of Food

Sept. 19

Rochester, N.Y.

The festival benefits Foodlink, an organization aimed at ending hunger in Rochester and Finger Lakes region. More than 100 restaurants, wineries, breweries and more take part in the festival.

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Central Square Apple Festival

Sept. 23-25

Central Square, N.Y.

Take part in the apple pie eating contest or scarecrow contest and watch as Miss Apple Festival is named.

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Oinktoberfest

Sept. 23-25

Clarence, N.Y.

The festival includes a Kansas City Barbeque Society-sanctioned competition, which draws teams from across the Northeast and Canada. The theme of this year's festival is " East Meats West," a tasty look at Asian-inspired barbecue.

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Ithaca Apple Harvest Festival

Sep. 30-Oct. 2

Ithaca, N.Y.

Now in its 34rd year, the festival features rides, games, more than 100 vendors and plenty of apples.

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Hudson Valley Garlic Festival

Oct. 1-2

Saugerties, NY

Even the ice cream, fried dough and chocolates have garlic in them at this festival in the Catskills. Pack your breath mints.

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Narrowsburg Honey Bee Fest

Oct. 8

Narrowsburg, N.Y.

Learn about beekeeping, taste different types of honey and enjoy honey-centric foods and desserts.

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LaFayette Apple Festival

Oct. 8-9

LaFayette, N.Y.

Sample fall fare and enjoy live music, or enter your pie in the apple pie baking contest in this festival that attracts around 90,000 people.

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Taste of the Catskills

Oct. 8-9

Delhi, N.Y.

The two-day festival celebrates local food and farmers. More than 60 vendors will be at the farm, including Brewery Ommegang, Saranac and more.

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Rosendale International Pickle Festival

November

Rosendale, N.Y.

It's a pickle-lover's paradise. The pickle contest has more than a dozen categories, from the classic dill pickle, to kimchi and kombucha.

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