As an homage to the World’s Fair of 1964, which was hosted in Flushing Meadows Park in Queens, a massive food festival called The World’s Fare is coming to CitiField this spring. Queens native and founder of the LIC Flea & Food market and Astoria Flea & Food at Kaufman Studios Joshua Schneps is spearheading the fest, which he’s touting as a diverse food event that will feature more than 100 vendors.
So far, the vendor list does indeed have tons of variety: Only 50 vendors have been confirmed so far, but many different cuisines and dishes are represented by the list. Given the magnitude of this festival, it’d be easy for the offerings to become redundant, but the list as it stands has an impressive slate of food — from paella to bao to South East Asian desserts to risotto balls to gyros.
Some standouts include The Gumbo Bros., the Brooklyn Cajun-Creole outfit that got a three-star review from Eater NY critic Robert Sietsema. Maria Cano, a.k.a. the Arepa Lady will also have a stand at the festival, along with celebrity chef Eddie Huang’s Baohouse. Iconic Jewish bakery Orwashers also made the list, as did pastry chef Fany Gerson’s pastry and paletas shop La Newyorkina.
Food festivals are notoriously difficult to pull off. Wounds are still fresh from the notorious scammy pizza festival this past fall, and food shortages plagued annual festival Great GoogaMooga until it was barred from Prospect Park.
This festival, which will also have music and art, will take place on April 28 and 29. Tickets start at $19 and go up to $199 for a VIP experience that includes unlimited beer tastings and access to a lounge; food will cost extra.
Here is the list of vendors that have been confirmed so far:
- D’Abruzzo NYC
- Moon Dawg Sundaes
- The Gumbo Bros
- Rib In A Cup
- Destination Dumplings
- Coney Shack
- Tea and Milk
- Jhal NYC
- Delicacy Brigadeiros Craft
- Kouklet LLC
- Sands Jerk Hut LLC
- Mr. Bing
- The Arepa Lady
- Guantanamera Queens
- Empanada Papa
- Shark Bitez
- Antico Noe
- Orwashers Bakery
- Masala Mama
- Taste of Surabaya
- Moon Man
- Oconomi
- forward ROOTS llc
- The Malaysian Project
- Oaxaca Taqueria
- Halalish
- Don Ceviche
- DiRiso Risotto Balls
- In Patella
- Baohaus
- Momo’s Dressing
- Mama G’s Restaurant
- Nachos Libre
- Barano
- Knot of this World
- The Baked Bean
- Chiflez
- Choklo & Chuzos
- BZ Grill
- Down East Lobstah
- Panda Eats World
- Butcher Bar
- Casa Publica
- La Newyorkina
- PappaRich
- Wafels & Dinges
- Avli
- Sip Sak
- Falansai
- Marani
- The Thirsty Koala
- Keste Pizza & Vino
Stay tuned for the second half of the vendor list.