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The bagel, long assumed to be East Coast-exclusive property, is officially making a play for Los Angeles. This spring, one of New York’s most popular carb-forward events is crossing the country for the first time, bringing boiled, baked glory with it.
BagelFest West will debut in L.A. on Sunday, April 12, as the first West Coast edition of the festival that has turned bagels into a full-blown movement. After years of sold-out events in New York, the expansion feels perfectly on brand for a city that loves a good food obsession.
The inaugural festival will take over the Audrey Irmas Pavilion in Koreatown and is expected to draw up to 1,000 attendees and around 30 exhibitors. Think bagel artisans, bakers, schmear specialists and food entrepreneurs all under one roof, generally proving that excellent bagels do not, in fact, require New York water to exist.
The weekend kicks off Saturday night with a low-pressure meet-and-mingle for bakers and bagel-adjacent insiders at Wilshire Boulevard Temple. But Sunday is where things get deliciously serious: a morning, industry-only session is open to chefs, buyers and brands and a public afternoon session from 1 to 5 pm that opens the doors to everyone else.
For general admission ticket holders, that means unlimited bagel and schmear sampling, culinary panels, live demonstrations and front-row access to the festival’s competitive awards. Categories include Best of the West, Best Bagel, Best Sandwich, Most Creative, Rising Star and Schmear of the Year, titles that have previously helped launch brands like PopUp Bagels and Starship Bagel into national prominence.
BagelFest West will also feature a dedicated kids’ area with hands-on activities, so families can make a day of it. The festival is produced by BagelUp, founded by Sam Silverman, known as New York’s Bagel Ambassador, whose original 2019 gathering in Bushwick drew 300 people and snowballed from there.
Presenting sponsor King Arthur Baking Company will back the West Coast debut, reinforcing the festival’s bigger-picture goal: celebrating craft baking as a way to bring people together.
Tickets start at $65, with all-access options available. Consider this your official notice: L.A.’s bagel era has arrived.