Photo: www.houstonhotsauce.com

September might be halfway over and autumn imminent, but that doesn't mean the fall food fun has to end. Here's a selection of September food fests across the country.

Nappanee Apple Festival, Nappanee, Ind., Sept. 17-20: Apple season is upon us. Many are headed to pick-your-own orchards. This festival includes an apple-peeling contest, apple bake-off, pie-eating contest and the world's largest baked apple pie, weighing in at 600 pounds and a whopping 7 feet across. There's a daily lumberjack show, too.

The Houston Hot Sauce Festival, Houston, Sept. 19-20: Hot sauce festivals are on fire! Nationwide, they're popular, chilehead blow-outs. Attendees can sample and purchase a plethora of sauces, chiles and dry rubs. Don't forget to vote in the People's Choice for the Hottest Hot Sauce at this ninth annual festival.

The Precious Cheese Feast of San Gennaro Los Angeles, Hollywood, Calif., Sept. 24-27: Not to be outdone by the older San Gennaro Festival in New York, the Left Coast not only honors Italian food and culture in this eighth annual festival, it has an opening-night fundraiser for local charities hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla, with special guests Danny DeVito and Mario Batali. To top it off, there will be a performance by '60s teen idol Frankie Valli, who will receive the San Gennaro Heritage Award.

The Charlottesville Vegetarian Festival, Charlottesville, Va., Sept. 26: A free, outdoor fete of all things vegetarian, this 13th annual one-day event promotes health and sustainability for Mother Earth. Munchies will be provided by local restaurants and natural-foods manufacturers.

Hudson Valley Garlic Festival, Saugerties, N.Y., Sept. 26-27: With more than 60 varieties of garlic (from Asian Tempest to Wild Bluff), this event's organizers claim the Gilroy Garlic Festival folks are envious. The bad-breath bulb will be included in almonds, fried dough, truffles and ice cream. Chef demonstrations/lectures and garlic-inspired arts and crafts are also part of the program.