Top 10 Harvest Festivals in Europe: From Oktoberfest to Potato Pancakes

The legendary European Harvest Festivals in autumn offer you delicious and interesting travel experiences every week that include participation in the annual celebrations. They take place from September to November in all parts of Europe, during the main harvest in a particular region, and always offer a wide range of food, drink, entertainment, and activities based on ancient traditions.

Whether you're drawn to the salty atmosphere of the Baltic herring market, the Ukrainian pancake festival, or the beer-fuelled Oktoberfest and whimsical installations of the German pumpkin fair, we've rounded up 10 of the best.

Germany – Traditional Oktoberfest, Onion Market, and Pumpkin Festival

The famous traditional German harvest festival Oktoberfest takes place between the third weekend of September and the first Sunday of October. It has been held in Bavaria for over 200 years and has become the world's largest beer festival. Live music, parades, and carnival rides are also part of the celebration.  Germany also has an unusual onion festival in autumn, which has been held since 1653. The Weimar Onion Fair is the oldest and largest gastronomic event that takes place every year on the second weekend of October. Onions will be offered in a variety of dishes, including pies and soups, as well as decorations. Add to this the largest pumpkin festival in Europe in Ludwigsburg. It starts in the last days of August and lasts until the beginning of November. The exhibition usually features over 600 varieties of pumpkins of all sizes and colours arranged in sculptures that follow the annual theme of the exhibition, and events will include pumpkin carving competitions and cooking courses. Of course, there is a wide range of pumpkin dishes on offer.

Estonia – Black Food Festival in Tallinn and Mushroom and Berry Picking in Pädaste

The unique Estonian Black Food Festival in Tallinn, which takes place in early November, is dedicated to all dark food - from dishes coloured with chocolate and coffee to plump blackberries and traditional world-famous black dishes. This is due to the culinary creativity and experimentation enjoyed during some of the ‘blackest nights of the year’, with black squid pasta being a must-try dish. Also in Estonia, until the end of October, the 16th-century estate on the island of Muhu, Pädaste Manor, is offering an Autumn Enchantment package that includes two morning yoga classes and a four-course dinner. The forest around the hotel is filled with the wild harvest of autumn: chanterelles, blueberries, wild garlic and juniper, which you can pick with a guide.

Ukraine – Korosten Potato Pancake Festival in a Unique Format

The autumn festival, Derun Day, is held annually in the Ukrainian city of Korosten on the second Saturday of September in the city's Drevlyansky Park. The organisers of the festival invite people to taste different varieties and variants of potato pancakes. A monument to the potato pancake was even unveiled at the Second International Potato Pancake Festival in 2009. The main competition of the event is a culinary contest for the most delicious pancakes. Due to the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine, the format of the Day of the Potato Pancake was changed in Korosten: instead of the traditional potato pancake festival, the city held local charity events called ‘Potato Pancakes-Donations-Drones’, all proceeds from which were donated to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Croatia – Olive Harvest on Istria Island and Truffle Town Buzet

The northern region of Croatia is famous for its olives. And the Meneghetti Hotel and Winery produces four different types of oil from 750 trees. So from early October to mid-November, guests can join the olive harvest and oil production. The hotel also offers wine tastings and excursions, and the restaurant serves dishes made from more than 44 types of fruit, vegetables and herbs. In addition, the Croatian ‘Truffle City’ Buzet celebrates its most famous Subotin Festival every October. The huge street party encompasses arts and crafts and everything related to truffles, from truffle tastings and exhibitions to stalls selling truffle-inspired food and drink, and popular restaurants offering truffle dishes.

Romania – Authentic Truffle Hunting in Transylvania

Romania's dense forests, stretching from Valea Verde, are famous for their ‘black gold’. From autumn to February, guests of the Valea Verde Hotel can book the Weekend Hunting programme, which combines a food hunt with plenty of truffle dishes. The guided hunt begins with an explanation of the different types of truffle and an introduction to the searching dogs. Back at the hotel, the truffle hunters enjoy a five-course dinner with truffle flavours.  And the next day, the breakfast with eggs Benedict is also sure to be truffle-flavoured.

Hungary – Csabai Sausage Festival

The humble sausage is, in our opinion, very underrated, and the people of Békéscsaba tend to agree. The annual food festival, now in its 19th year, is dedicated to Csabai sausage, the most famous sausage in Hungary. Among the festival's attractions are sausage-making competitions and competitions for the best sausage, as well as dozens of stalls offering delicious food.

Latvia – Apple Festival in Dobele

The Latvian city of Dobele is located about 70 km from the capital and is often called the ‘apple capital’ due to its delicious apples. Every year in October, the city hosts a festival organised by the Latvian State Institute of Fruit Growing and the municipality of Dobele. It features apple exhibitions and tastings, a farmers' market, cooking demonstrations and tips on growing apples, and you'll learn everything you need to know about apples.

Sweden – Seafood Safari and Legendary Black Lobsters

Autumn is also the time when the seafood-rich waters of the North Sea lose their bounty and lobster season begins. You can enjoy a real seafood safari on a week-long tour of western Sweden. Starting in Gothenburg, including three days in Fjelbak with a huge choice of lobster fishing trips and seafood safaris from the city's small port. Mira offers three-hour lobster safaris, where you'll be offered the chance to join in the catching, pulling traps and harvesting of lobsters, as well as trips to the pristine Koster Islands, surrounded by national marine parks.

Finland – Baltic Herring Festival in Helsinki

Helsinki's market square, located directly on the waterfront near the port, is home to the famous annual Baltic Herring Festival, which begins on the first Sunday in October and runs until the following Saturday. Although herring is available all year round, throughout the Baltic States, the period from September to October is the main herring harvesting season. The Baltic herring market in Helsinki was founded in 1743 and is the oldest in Finland. Here, herring is offered in all varieties, and the herring jury annually selects the best recipe of the year. During the herring festival, dozens of fishing boats will be in the harbour, and the shoreline stalls will sell all kinds of traditional woollen products, handicrafts and artisanal products from all over Finland, in addition to herring.

France – Apple, Cider, and Calvados Festival in Normandy

For more than 50 years, the picturesque village of Beuvron-en-Auge has been celebrating the end of the apple harvest in mid-October with the most famous festival, the Beuvron-en-Auge Fete du Cidre. The festivities take place in the small stone streets of the historic market square, lined with 18th-century houses. The festival includes apple pressing workshops and wine tasting. The apples are used to produce two of the most expensive products in the region - the famous calvados (apple brandy) and cider. The village is located along the 40-kilometre-long Normandy Cider Route, which brings together about twenty cider producers.