Beignet Fest Named One of the Top 10 Specialty Food Festivals in the Nation by USA TODAY

Written By Alicia Vial

NEW ORLEANS - Beignet Fest has been named one of the Top 10 Best Specialty Food Festivals in the United States, earning the No. 8 spot in the 2026 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

The national recognition places Beignet Fest among the country’s premier food festivals, as voted on by readers following nominations from a panel of culinary and travel experts and editors with USA TODAY’s USA TODAY 10Best.

The official results were announced Wednesday, March 11.

“This honor means a lot because it comes directly from the public,” said Sherwood Collins, founder and executive director of the Beignet Fest Foundation and executive producer of Beignet Fest. “Beignet Fest started as a way to celebrate a beloved New Orleans treat while raising awareness and funding for children on the autism spectrum. To now be recognized nationally among the country’s best food festivals is incredibly meaningful for our team and our community.”

Founded in 2016, Beignet Fest has grown into a signature New Orleans event that brings together local chefs, restaurants and food trucks to create inventive takes on the classic beignet. Each year, thousands attendees gather in City Park to sample dozens of unique beignet dishes while enjoying live music, a curated local art market, beer garden, kids village and other activations.

The 2026 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Specialty Food Festival ranked as follows:

  1. Delta Hot Tamale Festival

  2. Maine Whoopie Pie Festival

  3. Picklesburgh

  4. Cheese Curd Festival

  5. National Buffalo Wing Festival

  6. National Shrimp Festival

  7. Oregon Chocolate Festival

  8. Beignet Fest

  9. Kauai Poke Fest

  10. Drinks With Benefits

“These nominations were compiled by food and travel experts before being put to a nationwide public vote,” Collins said. “We are proud to represent New Orleans and Louisiana on this list.”

The full list of winners can be viewed at: https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/best-specialty-food-festival/.

About Beignet Fest Foundation
Founded in 2016, the Beignet Fest Foundation produces Beignet Fest to raise awareness and funding for programs that support children on the autism spectrum and their families. Through grants and partnerships, the foundation helps provide advocacy, education and enrichment opportunities that strengthen the local autism community.

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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