Since 1983, the annual Food & Wine Magazine Classic has set the standard for practically every food- and wine-oriented festival that would follow. The perennially sold-out event takes place each June. After so many years, the organizers know what works. Key elements in Aspen that are frequently seen in some incarnation at other events big or small include: celebrity chefs; varied food and wine tastings and seminars; cooking demonstrations; Iron Chef-like competitions; and an exclusive tasting dinner prepared by the magazine's "Best New Chefs."

New Orleans plus eating and drinking certainly make for a tasty trio, so it's little surprise that a wine and food festival in the Big Easy would go over well with chefs, wine experts and attendees. Since 1992, the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience has been held over five days each May, typically one of the best times to visit. NOWFE takes full advantage of the city's long heritage of great food—local celebrity chefs like John Besh, Tory McPhail, Susan Spicer and many being are joined by other nationally and internationally known talents.

Featuring unique venues in varied U.S. cities, the one-day Wine Enthusiast Toast of the Town events each spring are different from most festivals because they pair hundreds of wines with signature dishes from local restaurants at a special location in each host city. The "Grand Tasting" features great food and wine pairings, while the "VIP Tasting" adds a pre-event tasting of hard-to-find wines, a Wine Master electronic buying guide and more. Before heading to one of their events or any other foodie festival, be sure to check out Wine Enthusiast's "10 Ways to Make the Most of a Wine/Food Tasting Event"

Like any good food and wine festival, Charleston's provides a mix of local talent (including Charleston Grill's Bob Waggoner, Oak Steakhouse's Brett McKee, and FIG's Mike Lata) and culinary icons (Top Chef's Sam Talbot and Gourmet magazine's Ruth Reichl both participated in 2008). The "Culinary Village" provides lots of wine and food tasting opportunities, while other tasty options include: a "Salute to Charleston Chefs" opening night; a world-class dine-around at famed Charleston restaurants (local chefs cook with visiting chef stars); cooking demos, Iron Chef-like cook-offs, and a Sunday "Gospel Brunch."

North Carolina is a growing foodie destination, thanks in part to the Slow Food movement that emphasizes sea- and farm-to-table dining. Of the state's several festivals that celebrate food and wine, the Blue Ridge Food & Wine Festival is notable for combining small-town charms with world-class offerings. For four days every April, the little mountain town of Blowing Rock becomes a culinary hotbed; offerings include a commercial and amateur wine competition; the popular Fire on the Rock cooking challenge; Vintner's Dinners and a Grand Tasting at Chetola Resort.

Though just a few years old, Vegas Uncork'd is already a world-class food and wine festival. Taking advantage of the city's growing collection of celebrity chefs and Master Sommeliers (more than any other top wine experts in a single U.S. city), Vegas Uncork'd features an elite group of talent from Las Vegas' resorts and their restaurants. "What's not to love about mixing it up with world-class chefs and the finest sommeliers from all over the country in one of the hottest culinary destinations today?" asks Paul Jowdy, vice president and publisher of Bon Appetit, which sponsors the event.

Top chefs and those who appreciate their craft celebrate Gulf Coast culture with a mixture of food, wine, education and entertainment at this fest, hosted by Southern Breeze magazine. There are several three-day events in different locations along the coast, including Biloxi, Miss.; Baton Rouge, La.; Orange Beach, Ala.; and Florida's Beaches of South Walton area. All events include a Grand Wine Tasting, wine dinners, "brunch walkabout," cooking demos and wine seminars.

This is the place to see and be seen for the many culinary superstars now crowding the TV menu (and not just on the Food Network, thanks to several other networks that also offer prime-time cooking shows). Held annually since 2001, "SoBe" has rapidly evolved into a must for foodies, thanks to cooking demos by local and worldwide celeb chefs. There's a Grand Tasting Village that rivals that of any other festival, wine seminars and tastings, book signings, and feisty cooking competitions that make even the most ironclad Iron Chefs sweat.

Disney World's contribution to the food and wine festival circuit is a six-week celebration that runs from late-September to early-November. Keeping in line with the Epcot vibe, this "event" showcases a diverse roster of food and wine specialties from around the world. In addition to the usual cooking demos, tastings and dinners, the festival's Welcome Center is outfitted for complimentary wine seminars, book signings and festival souvenirs.

With more festivals than any other state, California can truly lay claim to the title "Land of Food and Wine," as a new marketing campaign claims. Since 2004, the San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival has made the A-list of California's many festivals. Every November, local and visiting chefs pair their talents with excellent regional wines. The "Reserve & New Release" tasting is an elegant affair that should put this event at the top of every foodie's must-list.