Profiling food festivals by type, name and descriptive content: a population level study
ISSN: 0007-070X
Article publication date: 30 November 2021
Issue publication date: 14 January 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to classify and describe food festivals and examine the patterns in food festival naming and festival descriptions in online media.
Design/methodology/approach
This research represents the first population-level empirical examination of food festivals in the United States using a purpose-built dataset (N = 2,626). Methodology includes text mining to examine food festival communications.
Findings
Food festival size varies across local and regional spheres within the country. Food festivals employ geographical (place-, destination-based) associations in their names. Food festivals' descriptions and online communications showcase a welcoming environment predominantly emphasizing family-oriented and live entertainment experiences. Food festivals across the country show common naming patterns based on the elements of longevity, recurrence, location name, brand name, geographic scope, theme, and occasion.
Originality/value
The study makes an original contribution to the theory and practice by identifying festival forms, styles, functions, and their diversity. A population level examination of food festivals does not currently exist. Therefore, this research will serve as a foundation for scholarly work in the future and as a benchmark for evaluating current and future research.
Keywords
Citation
Kesgin, M., Murthy, R. and Lagiewski, R. (2022), "Profiling food festivals by type, name and descriptive content: a population level study", British Food Journal, Vol. 124 No. 2, pp. 530-549. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-04-2021-0412
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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