The largest gluten-fr ee food festivals in the country is coming to the Greater Philadelphia region this summer for what organizers are calling the “best gluten-fr ee day ever.” The Wicked Gluten Fr ee Expo & Food Festival takes over the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA on Saturday, July 18, 2026, from 10:00am to 5:00pm. This year’s festival is set to be the single largest gluten-fr ee event in the state of Pennsylvania, with organizers expecting to welcome 5,000 attendees. In honor of America’s 250th, Wicked Gluten Fr ee will open the day with a “Freedom from Gluten” cake-cutting ceremony at 10:00am, featuring a specially designed, celiac-safe cake from The Happy Mixer Gluten Fr ee Bakery.
The event will feature its largest lineup yet, including 110+ restaurants, bakeries, food trucks, brands, artisan food purveyors, health organizations, community groups and more. Every food vendor is gluten-fr ee and celiac-safe, individually vetted by the event organizer, with vegan and other allergen-sensitive options available throughout. Highlights include complimentary samples, products for purchase, food trucks, health organizations, cooking and food demonstrations, family-friendly fun, and complimentary parking. Vendors span national and local names, with eateries traveling from the Main Line, the Western Suburbs, Philadelphia, South Jersey, Central PA, Harrisburg, Lancaster, and beyond. Well-known local businesses include A&A Soft Pretzels, Burtons Grill & Bar, Scrumpshes, Harvest Seasonal Grill, Boardwalk Lemonade, SouthHouse, Nutty Novelties, Cynful Bliss, Honey Bear Ice Cream, The Happy Mixer Gluten Fr ee Bakery, Settantatre Pasta, Hope’s Caramels, and many more. Tickets are on sale now at wickedglutenfr ee dot com
Attendees are invited to nibble their way through the event, sampling gluten-fr ee foods from local and national bakeries, restaurants, and brands. Many exhibitors will be offering vegan and allergen-fr ee treats, including dairy-fr ee ice cream, complimentary samples, and access to all presentations. Items for sale span sourdough, empanadas, pierogi, donuts, cupcakes, Philly soft pretzels, granola, nut-fr ee pesto, beer, wine, French pastries, sandwiches, smoothies, cinnamon buns, candy, soups, starters, flours, breadcrumbs, honey, teas, ice cream, popcorn, egg rolls, cookie and brownie mixes, carnival foods, maple products, and even fried chicken.
“Wicked Gluten Fr ee is the biggest gluten-fr ee and celiac safe food event in the state of Pennsylvania,” said organizer Abby Helman Kelly. “Thirty percent of the American population avoids gluten, which translates to nearly 9 million people in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.” she said. “For those living with celiac disease, affected by celiac disease and who have other medical non-celiac gluten sensitivities, that number is around 3 million people in the four states. This event means that these people can come to find healthy and safe foods, enjoy a day of safe eating, find foods and products they will come to use all year round, and discover local restaurants and bakeries that will become their staples every month of the year. It is also a day where the mental burden is lessened knowing we vet the vendors and their products, and that attendees are in a supportive atmosphere. For those new to gluten-fr ee and especially having celiac disease, this event is a great mental boost that is so important.”
Kelly continued that along with delicious food and festivities, these expos also fill an authentic need. “We connect our community with the local and national businesses that are working hard to accommodate them, and it’s quite rewarding. One of my favorite things about the event is seeing families of all ages enjoy a safe and delicious day with us. Watching them leave with full bellies and wide smiles is the best.”
VENDOR HIGHLIGHTS
This year’s lineup blends beloved local makers with fast-growing national brands and cult favorites:
* Philadelphia, PA and SJ standouts
Skip’s Chicken (dedicated gluten-fr ee fried chicken truck), A&A Soft Pretzels, LesbiVeggies, The Greater Knead, The Happy Mixer Gluten Fr ee Bakery, Nutty Novelties, Settantatre Pasta, SouthHouse, Harvest Seasonal Grill, Honey Bear Ice Cream (York, Pa.), Baked True North (Pittsburgh), Cynful Bliss, Dough & Co, and Let’s Go Coffee Company.
* National brands and regional cult favorites
Jovial Foods, Make It GF (the pierogi maker that always sells out), Aleia’s Gluten Fr ee Foods, GeeFr ee by The Fillo Factory, Otto’s Naturals, Gratify (Osem/Nestlé), Queen St. Bakery, Burton’s Grill & Bar, Ugly’s Gluten Fr ee Bakery (pizza crust), Jennifer Lee’s Bakery (soft pretzels), Kickshaws Gluten-fr ee Bakery (cinnamon buns), Grain Reaper Baking Co., Uncle Joey’s Cannoli, Tommy Pickles and Toastique.
* Live presentations and demos
Patrick Auger of Better Batter (gluten-fr ee pizza and bread, made three ways), Jules Shepard of gfJules (gluten-fr ee bread-making), and Jennifer Greenhill of the Aquafaba Test Kitchen (egg-fr ee baking, with Bob’s Red Mill egg-replacer samples).
* Nonprofits and community resources
Beyond Celiac, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Celiac Center, the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America (GIG), and the Garden of Health Food Bank, which receives leftover samples and packaged foods at the close of the event.
FREEDOM FROM GLUTEN 250
Wicked Gluten Fr ee is thrilled to team up with local Pennsylvania business and bakery The Happy Mixer Gluten Fr ee Bakery to celebrate America 250 and “Freedom from Gluten” with a cake cutting ceremony to kick off the festival this year. The first 100 guests will enjoy a complimentary sampling of the specially themed and decorated GF giant tiered cake. Look for local dignitaries and elected officials to join the ceremony.
Kevin and Lisa Mourer, who founded and operate three locations for The Happy Mixer ( Chalfont, Newtown and Wayne) are are returning as a vendor this year and generously are donating the cake for the celebration.
On returning to the festival and why it is important, Kevin said, “When we opened The Happy Mixer, our goal was to create a place where people with dietary restrictions could walk through the door and choose anything they wanted without worry. Wicked Gluten Fre e Expo shares that same mission of bringing confidence, education, and joy to the gluten fr ee community, which is why we’re proud to support it every year.” Lisa added, “Events like this are so much more than a chance to enjoy great food. They’re an opportunity for people living gluten fr ee to feel included, discover new products, and realize just how many options are available to them. As a bakery dedicated exclusively to gluten fr ee baking, it’s incredibly meaningful for us to be part of a day that brings this community together.”
On the America 250th Freedom from Gluten design and special cake, Lisa said, “Our cake celebrates America’s 250th birthday while also recognizing another kind of freedom, the freedom that comes from having safe, delicious food you can trust. We loved bringing those two ideas together in one design. For many families, finding a place where everything is gluten fr ee is incredibly fr eeing, and we wanted the cake to reflect that feeling.”
GENERAL INFORMATION
Tickets for Wicked Gluten Fr ee in Philadelphia are on sale now for $27.50 for adults and $8.00 for children six to twelve years old (with five and under no charge). Timed tickets are used to spread out entree to ensure a great experience for all. Time slots include 10:00am (now sold out), 11:00am, 12:00pm, 1:00pm, 2:00pm and 3:00pm. Timed entree is for arrival, but patrons can stay as long as they would like. NEW this year, from 3:00pm to 5:00pm, look for GF happy hour with special discounts, promotions and features from vendors. All tickets include a complimentary logo tote bag, plus pre-packaged and prepared samples as available from vendors. Complimentary parking is included at the venue.
“Attendees spend the day sampling, eating and purchasing items to take home, all safely gluten fr ee. And for folks who typically can’t eat the food at food festivals, this is a really special day – we see a lot of happy tears,” concluded Kelly. “Greater Philadelphia’s event is packed with wonderful gluten-fr ee businesses and a really supportive community. They make planning this expo such a pleasure.”
Wicked Gluten Fr ee organizes three of the largest gluten-fr ee expos in the United States. Kelly, a Connecticut resident, created Gluten-Fr ee New England in 2016 to help people like herself locate the best gluten-fr ee dining and products. Kelly has ties to the Philadelphia region, with family and friends here – and brought this event to the region in 2024. Wickedglutenfree dot com offers restaurant and product reviews, a dining directory, features, personal stories, and more. More expos are in the works. For more information contact: Abby Helman Kelly (860) 836-5041, abby at wickedglutenfree.com and follow wickedglutenfree on social media.
ABOUT WICKED GLUTEN FR EE AND ORGANIZER
From diagnosis to a national movement
Kelly didn’t set out to build the country’s biggest gluten-fr ee expos. Diagnosed with gluten sensitivity in 2013, she found her favorite foods suddenly off-limits and wished she could simply share a meal with family and friends without worrying about safety. When her youngest children started school, she taught herself website development to create an online gluten-fr ee resource for her home state of Connecticut, then pivoted to live consumer events.
“Many mistakes were made,” she laughs of those early days, “but I knew there was a need, and I was going to fill it.” She rebranded as Wicked Gluten Fr ee in 2018 and expanded across multiple regions. Today the company produces expos in Connecticut, Greater Philadelphia, New England and the New Jersey/New York metro area, with more locations in the works.
For Kelly, the most gratifying part is giving the community a day off from vigilance. “Attendees spend the day sampling, eating and purchasing items to take home, all safely gluten fr ee,” she says. “For folks who typically can’t eat the food at food festivals, this is a really special day – we see a lot of happy tears.” She adds: “I literally get hugs from smiling, happy people holding bags of gluten-fr ee goodies, and that’s what keeps me going. I love this job!”