At Queens' Citi Field, NYC's BagelFest Returns Nov. 15 for a Sold-Out Bagel Showdown

New York BagelFest, billed as the world's premier bagel competition, takes over Citi Field in Queens on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. The organizers pitch it as the Super Bowl for people who love bagels, and the format is straightforward: show up, taste, and vote.

Dozens of top bagel makers set up at the ballpark, and the festival promises live competitions and unlimited samples. Attendees work their way through the field and help decide which bagels deserve the praise. It is a hands-on way to compare shops side by side that would otherwise take weeks of bagel runs across the boroughs.

The stakes have been real for past winners. At the 2025 edition, Starship Bagel of Dallas took top honors, a result that drew attention precisely because the festival sits in New York, a city that tends to assume it owns the category. The shop's owner, Oren Salomon, says on the festival's site that BagelFest has been the best thing ever for his business.

King Arthur Baking Company is the presenting sponsor, with Manischewitz, Philadelphia and others among the backers. The festival also runs open calls for exhibitors, sponsors and volunteers. Volunteers work one session and attend the other as guests.

Tickets for this year's New York event are sold out. The festival has also grown beyond the city: BagelFest West is planned for April 2027 at Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles. Citi Field is at 41 Seaver Way in Queens, the home ballpark of the Mets.