The inaugural food festival will include cooking competitions, live entertainment, and a crab cake eating contest.

Presented by the Restaurant Association of Maryland, the Maryland Foodie Fest is the first of its kind to come to Harford County. The family-friendly event includes food tastings, cooking competitions, beer and wine tastings, live music, and more. The single-day festival takes place on Saturday, June 22, in the Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen.

The Maryland Foodie Fest has partnered with the World Food Championships to host two cooking competitions. Contestants will fight out it for the best burger and the best seafood entry, and two "chefs" will win a spot on team RAM at the World Food Championships in Dallas, Texas. The contests will be emceed by Baltimore chef Cantina Smith. Visit the Maryland Foodie Fest site to enter.

Festival attendees can sample food from restaurants around the state, including Tino’s Italian Bistro, Kloby’s Smokehouse, Barrel House, Uncle’s Hawaiian Grinds, Steak Man, Omma’s Korean Barbecue, Waffie Specialty Waffles, and many more. Local Breweries and wineries will also be offering tastings of their latest creations. Special VIP sampling and demonstration packages will also be available. 

Maryland Foodie Fest, courtesy Restaurant Association of Maryland

In between competitions, foodies can listen to live music from The Rockets, Kelly Bell Band, and Rev6. The kids' zone will keep little ones entertained with bounce houses, batting cages, face painting, and special kid-centric food. The highlight of the festival is the crab cake eating contest sponsored by Phillips Seafood. Six crab lovers will compete to win a $100 gift certificate from Phillips Seafood restaurants.

Advance tickets for the foodie fest start at $39 for adults and $25 for kids aged 12 to 20 (kids under 12 are free). General admission includes five food sampling tickets, unlimited beer and wine tasting, and a souvenir tasting glass. VIP admission is $79 and includes early entry to the festival, 10 food sampling tickets, unlimited beer and wine tasting, club seating, and more.

Will you be entering the crab cake eating contest? Tell us in the comments!