Five years ago, I set out on a mission to create @bagelfest, simply because I thought it should exist. This weekend, that vision became a reality when close to 2,000 bagel-lovers explored a variety of bagels, toppings, and bagel-adjacent foods and drinks from 30 vendors hailing from around the world. Thank you to the attendees for coming. Thank you to the businesses, from Lisbon to the Lower East Side, for putting the time and energy into creating a magical experience for all! Thank you to the Bagel Expert judges for tirelessly sampling and rating bagels, persevering even with stomachs beyond full. Thank you to the BagelFest staff and volunteers for ensuring a smooth experience in what was undoubtedly the best BagelFest yet! The passion and enthusiasm of the bagel community has surpassed even my wildest expectations. I'm excited to continue building on that energy, and turn this into a movement. We're planning on doing several more events in the near future, so stay tuned! Keep on rollin' 🥯 -Sam Silverman aka @brooklynbagelblog Founder, BagelFest