New York — It’s official: New York BagelFest is back.
Presented by King Arthur Baking Co., the 2026 event features a stacked exhibitor lineup of more than 25 of the world’s most celebrated bagel brands at Citi Field, Nov. 15th.
“With the World Cup of soccer over, it’s time to turn our sights towards the bagel world’s equivalent: the New York BagelFest,” said BagelFest founder and owner of BagelUp Sam Silverman. “This was the most competitive process in our history, with less than 9 percent of applicants selected to compete. And with BagelFest West 2026 champions entering the fray, the stage is set for the fiercest battle and most deserving champions we’ve ever seen.”
From New York staples to internationally acclaimed bakeries across Europe, Canada, and beyond, this year’s list includes everything from hand-rolled and wood-fired to kettle-boiled bagels. Participating bakeries are evaluated on quality, originality, reputation and the loyal communities they’ve curated.
The event’s signature competitions will showcase the creativity, craftsmanship and innovation behind the top bagel brands. A panel of expert judges and festival attendees will help crown winners across multiple categories, including Best Bagel, Schmear of the Year, Most Creative, Best Showmanship, and Best Bialy. Attendees will cast their votes to determine the People’s Choice, Best of the Boroughs, Best Beyond the Boroughs, Best International, and Rising Star.
“New York Bagelfest is the ultimate celebration of bagel innovation and craftsmanship — widely recognized as the premier bagel showcase in the country and, arguably, the world,” said Jeff Yankelow, director of bakery and foodservice sales at King Arthur. “Each year, the competition reaches new heights as the industry’s most talented bagel makers raise the bar with creativity, quality and passion. Once again, we are proud to be the presenting sponsor of this extraordinary event in 2026 and can’t wait to see the incredible creations, bold flavors and groundbreaking concepts that bagel shops will unveil this year.”
The 2026 BagelFest lineup includes:
Starship Bagel — Dallas (Best Bagel Champion ‘23 and ‘25 (runner-up ‘24); Schmear Of The Year ‘24, runner-up ‘25; Rising Star ‘23; Most Creative runner-up ‘25; Best Beyond the Boroughs podium ‘23, ’24)
Olmo — New Haven, CT (People’s Choice Champ ‘23 and runner-up ‘22, ‘24; Schmear of the Year ’23)
Utopia Bagels — New York (Best Bagel Champion ‘24, with Best of the Borough podium finishes in ‘23 and ’25; Lifetime Achievement Award recipient ’26)
Ess-a-Bagel — New York (Lifetime Achievement Award recipient ’26; Best of the Boroughs champion ’25)
Fantzye — Kingston, NY (Best Bagel runner-up ’25; Schmear Of The Year ’25; Best Beyond The Boroughs ’24; podium finisher ’25)
Hey Bagel — Seattle (Double champion at BagelFest West ‘25, Best Bagel and Best Bagel – Sourdough)
Rise Bagels — Irvine, CA (Double champion at BagelFest West ‘25, Best of the West and Most Creative)
Bagel Market — New York (Podium in Best Bagel ‘23 & ’24; Schmear of the Year runner-up ’23)
St-Viateur Bagel — Montreal, Canada (Best International champion in ‘23 and ’25 and runner-up ’24)
Curley’s Bagels — Sunnyside, NY (People’s Choice runner-up ’25)
Bagizza — New York (Rising Star runner-up; Best of The Boroughs podium finisher)
Bagel Joint — Brooklyn, NY (podium finishes in Best of The Boroughs and Best Bialy, ’24)
Emerald City Bagels — Atlanta (Best Showmanship runner-up, ’25)
Inglorious Bagels — Carlsbad, CA (Best Bagel – Yeasted runner-up at BagelFest West ’25)
Si Si Bagels — Madrid, Spain (Best International podium finisher, ’25)
Dutchman’s — Brunswick, ME
Bagel Uprising — Alexandria, VA
Bagel Boss of Roslyn — Roslyn Heights, NY
Bagel Brigade — India and Texas
Bev’s Bagels — Detroit, MI
Black Seed Bagels — New York
Bodega Bagels — Belfast, Ireland
Pete’s Bagels — St. Petersburg, FL
Pigeon Bagels — Pittsburgh, PA
Schmear Bagel Parlor — Philadelphia
Original Sunshine — Los Angeles
Queen Street Bakery — Ontario, Canada
“Pete’s Bagels has always been inspired by the incredible bagel culture of NYC, so having the opportunity to compete alongside some of the country’s best bagel makers is both an honor and a full-circle moment for our team,” said Colleen Pimentel of Pete’s Bagels.
Attendees will enjoy unlimited tastings and meet the bakers, founders and artisans behind some of today’s most popular bagel shops, all while experiencing live demonstrations, educational programming and interactive exhibits. Additional announcements, including celebrity chefs, culinary personalities, industry talks, entertainment, and growth accelerators, will be unveiled in the months leading up to the festival.
“We’re incredibly excited to return to New York BagelFest after placing third in the Best International Bagel category in 2025,” said Cristian Thomas, Owner of Si Si Bagels. “Coming all the way from Madrid to share new creations with the New York bagel community is incredibly special for us. Last year was unforgettable, and this year we’re coming back even more ambitious, creative and ready to make it crazy!”
For more information on the event, visit the BagelFest website.
