Food festivals like The Big Eat, which took place July 18, can be a fascinating way to pinpoint food and beverage trends. Set against a clear blue sky at the open-air Galleria at the Denver Performing Arts Complex, this year’s event attracted 1,200 attendees and 80 vendors, and it didn’t disappoint. The excitement (and hunger) was palpable. “The Big Eat started at Union Station before Union Station was even developed.