The Keene Food Festival 2024-A Positive Event!

The Keene Food Festival 2024-A Positive Event!

I love food. I love positive events. And I love my community! 

Today I was part of an event that brought it all together.  

Year 4 of the Keene Food Festival, put on by the Keene Young Professionals. (Where were these when I was younger?) The first was a “break out” of the COVID pandemic. (My family and I have been to each one of them.) 

Food festivals serve multiple purposes, making them popular and enjoyable events for communities.  

Supporting Local Businesses 

Porsche on Main Street at Food Festival

Food festivals often feature local chefs, restaurants, food vendors, farmers, and artisans, providing them with a platform to showcase their products and talents. These events can significantly boost the visibility and sales of small businesses and local producers, contributing to the economic growth of the community.  

For my wife and I, we try things we do not normally buy. It is our way to know the restaurant before we walk through the door. And I am a big fan of local businesses. We go out of the way to eat at local restaurants.  

And I am always excited to see “non-food” businesses and nonprofits participating in these events. (A special thank you to The Community Kitchen for jumping in there.) 

Celebration of Culture 

Food festivals provide an opportunity to celebrate and showcase the diverse culinary traditions and cultural heritage of a region or community. They allow attendees to experience a wide range of cuisines, flavors, and cooking techniques from different cultures, fostering cultural appreciation and understanding. 

I was eating at Yahso’s, a Jamaican place. (My wife and daughter “don’t do” spicy, so it is often Jacob and I.) I also had some Mediterranean foods from Luca’s (Jacob and I LOVE the lamb), a little Italian from Granita Enoteca’s, and Thai foods from the Thai Garden. (My wife’s non-spicy alternatives!) 

Community Building 

Downtown Keene Food Festival

Food festivals bring people together, creating a sense of community and camaraderie. They offer opportunities for socializing, networking, and making new connections with fellow food enthusiasts, neighbors, and visitors. By gathering people from diverse backgrounds in a shared space, food festivals promote inclusivity and unity within the community. 

There were lots of people there, many with families and friends. Every year, I have had people sit down with us I have never met. We talk and we find connections. Yesterday, it was a young woman with her son and grandson. We talked about schools, housing, and family.  

Another woman joined us with her 3 young children. And then a couple of grandparents who were celebrating an anniversary. 

Promotion of Tourism 

Food festivals attract visitors from near and far who are interested in exploring the local food scene and experiencing a region’s unique flavors. These events can drive tourism and generate revenue for local businesses, hotels, restaurants, and attractions, ultimately benefiting the local economy. 

Even as we walked down Court Street, I saw cars from 5 states. Of all the people I saw, I knew a handful. These people came in from all over. 

Did you know, Keene is a “foodie” capital? 

Educational Opportunities 

Food festivals often feature cooking demonstrations, culinary workshops, tastings, and interactive experiences that educate attendees about food preparation techniques, sustainable agriculture practices, and food-related issues. These educational components help raise awareness about food culture, nutrition, and environmental sustainability. 

And while we do not have this it is something that could be inserted into future events. Where is LUCA? And a whole lot of others who do amazing things with food! 

Entertainment and Recreation. 

First Responders at the Keene Food Festival

In addition to food, many festivals offer entertainment such as live music, cultural performances, cooking competitions, and family-friendly activities. These attractions enhance the overall festival experience and provide entertainment and recreation for attendees of all ages. 

There were some great people here. I saw the unicycle guy, WackyChad. Later in the day, my friend Doug (who had lost his daughter only the day before) showed up at Soul Emporium. The music of the Matt Keller Band and Bob Denson right next to us was awesome! 

Great Event 

One of the things I look for in life is events that all generations and people can visit. Nearly 6,000 people connected with the Facebook event, and I saw that there were about 7,500 at the festival. The festival started at 11:30 and ran till 3:30. I was there from 11-2, and I saw thousands of people of all ages. I spoke to people I knew, as well as many I did not know, some of them visiting. These types of gatherings bring people from all over the place. My own daughter and grandson were here today to join my wife and me! 

We had pre-ordered our tokens and jumped in line to get them. Once we had received our tokens, we went to one of the picnic tables and pulled up our menus on our phones. Each one of us with different palates and foods.  

My grandson tends to be the experimenter, willing to try different things, while my wife and daughter tend to be a little more safe. While one of us sat at the table, the others ran out for the first rounds. My daughter showed up with Pretzel bites with house-made beer cheese and bacon-wrapped chicken with house-made honey mustard from 21! (I love these folks.) 

What else did we eat? Everything! (Well, not quite.) But here are some of the ones I remember! 

Keene Food Festival

Jacob and I started our day with some Pulled Pork and Pulled Chicken from CC & Ds. My daughter grabbed some Roasted Garlic Mac & Cheese with some BBQ Pulled Pork from Fireworks. Over at Jenna’s, my wife picked up Maple Bacon Mac and Cheese with some pulled pork, and I grabbed the Lobster roll. 

My daughter had been hungering for Esquites (Mexican street corn dip with corn tortilla chips). The chips were awesome! Those came from Muse. My wife hit up Shire’s Natural Gourmet for some plant-based cheese-stuffed ravioli topped with marinara, basil, and an aged balsamic dressing. It was great, she said, but it was the “carrot cake” that had some help from CC&D’s with a plant-based cream cheese. It was good… and she grabbed two more! 

I want to say that putting the breweries, distilleries, and wineries on Main Street was better than the Roxbury in front of Hannah Grimes. 

My daughter was going to head over to Muse Bistro, so I gave her some tokens for a few items. One was Empanadas from Yahso and the other was cannolis from Granita Enoteca. I am a New Haven kid, so you must work hard to impress me! (More on this.) Alyssa picked up some pizza from Under Dog Pizza! Jacob and my wife came over with some Oatmeal Raisin Cookie and Bloo Juice from Karen’s Cosmic Cookies.    

We shared a lot of food. I went over to Soles and picked up some Whiskey Caramelized Onion Dip and some Lemon Curd. AMAZING! 

Each of us had some chips left. (Kind of felt like Vegas!) And it was getting kind of warm. (It was 80 degrees.) So, we decided to hit up our last visits. 

My wife headed to Keene on Cookies for some Brownies to go. My daughter and Jacob went to Eat More Cake and picked up a MONSTER Cinnamon Roll and Cake Pops. Then Jacob and I headed over to the Monadnock Food Coop booth for some “take home” treats. And I got to see my friend, Jason! I got some Apple Pie Baby Back Ribs and tender Red Oak Brisket with a side of Truffle Cheddar Mac and cheese.  

We carried our “take homes” up Court Street. My wife gave her last token to a mom with a child who needed just one token. We got back to our pace with our goodies in place.  

My daughter and Jacob hung out for a bit and then headed home.  

Highlights 

Last night I ate a piece of the brisket. LIKE BUTTER! Amazing! For dessert I ate the caonnoli. Shades of little Italy in Connecticut. Or Boston or New York! Congratulations to Granita’s and the Monadnock Food Coop!  

I am grateful for all the businesses who take the day to participate. To all the folks who volunteer, run booths, picked up trash, and put everything back together. You all did great jobs, and I know you were shorthanded on the volunteer realm according to your website. 

I have done many shows and became good friends with the food and drink vendors. The folks who were here today rocked! There was great food, great entertainment, and outstanding beer, wine, and spirits. Thank you to all of you. 

Thank you to the Keene Young Professionals. You rock! 

Overall, food festivals serve as vibrant and dynamic events that celebrate food, culture, community, and creativity. They offer a rich tapestry of flavors, experiences, and opportunities for people to come together, enjoy delicious food, and create lasting memories. 

A friend wrote me about one of breweries and their beer. I told him my fave and he wrote me later, to tell me AMAZING! A while later he showed up at one of the distilleries. Told me that was a place he bought some gin. I told him he ought to be a food blogger. 😊 He said, “How?” 

I love writing about food, drink and small businesses. If you are like that, please reach out to me! Maybe we can collaborate.  

Our Business Directory lists many of these businesses, breweries, wineries, and distilleries. If your business is not listed, please feel free to add it!