The only gluten-free food festival in the state, GFree Fest, is taking place on March 23 at WaterFire Arts Center in Providence.
Presented by 110 Grill, the festival will feature over a dozen restaurants, bakeries, and food and beverage producers showcasing their gluten-free products. Attendees will be able to shop, eat, sample, and learn more about some of the best and most exciting gluten-free foods from both local and national businesses.
GFree Fest is the brainchild of BJ Mansuetti, founder and co-owner of Ampersand Creative Co., a company that specializes in large-scale community events. Mansuetti’s wife, Robin Dionne, is also a vegan and founded RI VegFest, Rhode Island’s first vegan food festival. The couple were inspired to start GFree Fest after Robin’s help in transitioning Mansuetti to a gluten-free lifestyle.
“I spent nearly a decade in the beer industry before learning that I have celiac disease,” says Mansuetti. “While the diagnosis explained so much about many of the health issues I had been struggling with, it was difficult to suddenly make drastic changes to my lifestyle and career path, and I didn’t know where to start. I know I’m not the only one, and I feel that bringing a large gluten free community together is one of the best ways to adjust to gluten free living.”
For event info and ticket availability, visit gfreefest.com.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.
