Does autumn have a taste? An abundance of festivals centering around food and drink would certainly suggest so. From silky soups to tangy sauerkraut, here are five fabulous flavors for fall and some places in which to enjoy them:

Pumpkin

Gorgeous gourds can be ogled as well as consumed on the grounds of Ludwigsburg Castle, in the German city of the same name. Each year the castle gardens named Blühendes Barock host a fanciful exhibition of hundreds of thousands of pumpkins in all colors, shapes and sizes, artfully arranged into sculptures and installations adhering to a certain theme. In 2024, Women’s Power will inspire the creations. On nearly every weekend of the exhibition, on now and running through Nov. 3, one can find themed events, to include a pumpkin regatta in which participants paddle watercraft carved from giant pumpkins (Sept. 21-22) and the preparation of Germany’s biggest pot of pumpkin soup (Sept. 28-29). Tickets to the exhibition cost 16 euros for adults and 7 euros for those ages 4-14. Prices are slightly cheaper when tickets are bought online. Online: tinyurl.com/3yv9vs5r

Cabbage

While the praises of this cruciferous superveg may go unsung in other lands, Germany gives kraut its proper due in the form of many fun festivals.

The town of Leinfelden-Echterdingen, found just south of Stuttgart, is known for its cultivation of a specific type of cabbage known as Filderkraut, identifiable because of its pointy tip. From Oct. 18-20, the Filderkrautfest plates up culinary treats in the form of sauerkraut, cabbage cakes, stuffed cabbage leaves, soups and more. The accompanying program includes live music ranging from oompa to Latin American rhythms and the exceptional opening of shops on festival Sunday. Online: tinyurl.com/2bw77mxu

Eltville, a town on the Rhine just west of Wiesbaden, hosts what’s commonly referred to as the Rheingau region’s last big fest of the season. From Oct. 31 -Nov. 4, the Kappeskerb & Weinlesefest will celebrate cabbage and the grape harvest simultaneously. The program includes live music nightly and a “wine village” set up next to the train station, where the town’s excellent wines, both still and sparkling, can be sipped and sampled. A festival high point is the parade which sets off at 3 p.m. Nov. 2. Online: tinyurl.com/3zt6pea2

Chestnuts

Chestnuts have been cultivated in Europe for thousands of years, and small wonder: they are energy-rich, easy to prepare by roasting, boiling or grinding into flour, and just plain taste good. Today, dozens of communities with a historical connection to the cultivation of chestnuts celebrate their bond with this versatile superfood.

In Germany, celebrations take over Annweiler am Trifels Oct. 5-6 in the form of the “Keschdefeschd.” The cute community close to the French border will be home to numerous stands offering sweet and savory treats, from spreadable creams to liqueurs, mustards, honey and bread. Other regional specialties such as game, cheese and wine will be offered too. At 11 a.m. Oct. 5, Germany’s one and only Chestnut Princess will be crowned. The event runs from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. both days. Online: tinyurl.com/4zp72nm6

Ludwigsburg celebrates its love of chestnuts with its Kastanienbeutelfest, or Chestnut Bag Festival, a downtown-city event held on a Sunday on which shops have special permission to open their doors. On Oct. 13, visitors can check out designer, art and gourmet markets or sample dishes featuring chestnuts. A dedicated children’s program ensures the little ones won’t get bored too easily. Online: tinyurl.com/24yw3wah

From tip to toe, Italy’s residents too celebrate their marroni and castagne. Combai, a town in Treviso, pays homage to the beloved nut Oct. 4-27 with its annual Festa dei Marroni, a chance to sample amazing and unexpected chestnut-based dishes. Marradi, a traditional mountain village in the province of Florence, celebrates on all Sundays in October with stands and cultural events. Those based in Sicily can take part in three days of fun, when the community of Mezzojuso offers good eating, dancing and street parties Oct. 25-27.

Cheese

Many of Switzerland’s cows have recently returned from the Alpine pastures in which they graze for the summer months. Having fed on pure aromatic grasses, their milk was at its best when the country’s cheesemakers set to work on transforming it into blocks and rounds of tongue-tingling pleasure. Throughout the fall, various cheese markets allow the public to taste the finished product in all its wonder and diversity.

Some upcoming cheese markets in Switzerland organized by cheese-festival.ch include those in Huttwil Sept. 21-22; Thun Sept. 28; Bern Oct. 12; Lucerne Oct. 19, Appenzell Oct. 26-27 and Rapperswil-Jona Nov. 9.

Another fine place to sample cheese is at the Lugano Autumn Festival, set to take place Oct. 5-6. In addition to enjoying the flavors of the season, visitors can taste competition-winning cheeses as decided by the jury of the Swiss Cheese Awards organization, presented at a dedicated cheese market. The chance to sip Ticino’s wines and watch folkloric performances make the proposition all the more alluring. Online: luganoeventi.ch/it/festa-autunno-lugano

Genever

Genever, the Dutch word for juniper, is also a term that applies to a grain-based spirit dominated by the taste of this berry. The Belgian city of Hasselt, capital and largest city of the province of Limburg in Flanders, celebrates its historical connections to the botanically rich alcoholic drink with a weekend-long fest set to fall Oct. 19-20. The Genever Fest marries its love for the tipple with the upholding of old traditions, resulting in a program made up of dance, music, street theater, a waiter’s race and free visits to a museum in which genever is distilled. The city can even boast of a fountain from which genever freely flows. Online: visithasselt.be/nl/jeneverfeesten