The Viral Food Festival is set to return to Canberra this weekend, offering attendees the chance to taste the latest social media food trends in person. The event, held over three days at Thoroughbred Park, features a lineup of visually striking and innovative dishes that have gained popularity online.
Organiser Sam Adams says the festival focuses on fun and creativity, requiring vendors to have a strong social media presence. He and his partner Phaly My, who run Aussie Night Markets, noticed an explosion of food vendors showcasing their products online and decided to make video presence a key requirement for participation.
The festival includes a variety of viral sensations such as Nachos in a Bag, Matcha-in-a-can, Disney churros dupes, glow-in-the-dark candy, Big Mac tacos, and souffle pancakes. Local favourites like Acai Bunny and Dubai Bubble Waffle are also part of the lineup.
Adams notes that many attendees will have already seen these products online, making the festival feel like a party with familiar faces. The event, which launched less than a year ago, drew around 30,000 visitors when it first came to Canberra last August.
In addition to food, the festival offers live music and wrestling as part of its entertainment program. Adams aims to keep the event curated, limiting it to eight or ten festivals per year across various cities.
