Food and wine festivals for every taste in this short guide to selected fiestas and culinary events taking place throughout the year in the Spanish region of Valencia

The city of Valencia and its Region offer many and varied tasty reasons to lure food lovers to this sunny corner of the Mediterranean. Plan your trip around one of the following events to enjoy some of the best Spanish cuisine based on fresh local produce and mouth-watering traditional recipes:

Fiesta de la Alcachofa (25-28 January 2008)

The Artichoke Festival in Benicarló is a gastronomic event held over an extended weekend. The program includes plenty of cooking demonstrations and tastings of traditional or experimental recipes based on the local artichoke variety as well as the usual array of entertainment.

Muestra de Embutido Artesano y de Calidad de Requena (7-10 February 2008)

In the first half of February the town of Requena celebrates with a Sausage Festival its quality sausages: la longaniza fresca, el Salchichón de Requena, la Morcilla de Cebolla de Requena, la Güeña, el Chorizo de Requena, el Perro de Requena and la Sobrasada de Requena. Don't miss the excellent local wines (see further down for the Requena's Wine Festival in August!).

Mostra de Tòfona negra dels Ports Maestrat (9-10 February 2008)

How good are you at peeling potatoes? If you feel your skills are above overage, you may enlist in the Concurs de Pelar Trumfos (potato-peeling contest) held in Zorita del Maestrazgo during the Potato Festival in early February. A nobler tuber, the black truffle, is king of a related culinary day the previous week (4 February 2008).

Fiesta de la Cereza (2008 dates t.b.c.)

May is the best time to try the juicy cherries from the village of Serra, in the heart of the Calderona Sierra (just outside Valencia), as well as other local products. Recently the revelries of the Cherry Festival have been joined by a Medieval Fair with traditional crafts.

Fiesta del Aceite de Oliva (2008 dates t.b.c.)

In late May or early June, olive oil connoisseurs should not miss Viver's Olive Oil Festival, held the Parque de La Floresta with around 50 exhibitors including the best oil producers in the region.

La Tomatina (27 August 2008)

Although not technically what you'd call a food festival, La Tomatina, held on the last Wednesday in August, is often described as 'the mother of all food fights'. Thousands of revellers gather in the small town of Buñol (otherwise spelled Bunyol) for a two-hour battle in which they hurl more than 45,000 kilos of ripe tomatoes at each other, just for the fun of it! At the end, both the plaza and the participants are thoroughly hosed down.

Fiesta de la Vendimia (20-31 August 2008)

In late August, head to the Utiel-Requena wine region for Requena's Grape Harvest Festival, offering delicious wines, concerts, comedy, fireworks, parades and much, much more! Take some time to visit the historic town and its underground wine cellars.

Fiesta del Arroz & Concurso de Paella Valenciana, (5-14 September 2008)

If you like paella and other Spanish rice recipes, don't miss the Rice Festival of Sueca, where chefs from around the world compete in the international paella contest on the Paseo de la Estación. Held yearly in the first half of September, this events celebrates the excellent rice grown in the Albufera nature park with a giant paella.

Día de la Comunidad Valenciana (yearly on 9 October)

October 9th is the Day of the Valencia Region, commemorating their 13th century liberation from the Moors thanks to King James I. It is customary for men to present their loved ones with the 'Mocaora', a gift of fruit- and vegetable-shaped marzipan figurines wrapped in a silk scarf.

Main source: Valencia Region Tourist Board