CitySeed's First Ever Pop-Up Food Fest Friday Celebrates Local Food Entrepreneurs

NEW HAVEN, CT — Whether you're a foodie, a neighbor, or love good vibes and great eats, CitySeed’s first pop-up food hall on Friday is the place to be. Come hungry and ready to support local culinary artists representing a wide range of international cuisine from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Exchange Street between James and Haven, immediately adjacent to CitySeed headquarters at 162 James St.

Bring your family, grab a plate, and celebrate New Haven’s flavor. Entry is free, and the event takes place rain or shine. Vendors include Assiah Tea, Caribbean Home Style Products, Chauncy and Annie Mae’s Poundcake, Meakai Thai, Momma Kiss Kitchen, Mitho Garden, and Salsa’s Authentic Mexican.

All vendors will include at least one CT farm ingredient in their dishes.

This inaugural Friday Food Fest also features a family-friendly interactive drumming and dance performance by Movimiento Cultural Afro Continental and resource tables from the City of New Haven Office of Climate and Sustainability, Save the Sound, CET Resilient Climate Solutions, and more.

"New Haven is a hub of multicultural cuisine, and CitySeed is committed to uplifting the chefs who preserve and share their cultural heritage through food. Friday Food Fest is a celebration of their flavors and an opportunity to support them directly," CitySeed’s Director of Food Business Development Cara Santino said.

CitySeed’s new home at 162 James Street will be New Haven County’s first building dedicated to strengthening our regional food system, from field to fork. Once renovated, the building will contain commercial kitchens, culinary teaching and learning space, community meeting and event space, and infrastructure for local food collection and distribution. The CitySeed building will bring together farmers, food entrepreneurs, non-profit partners, and community members to support and strengthen each other and, in the process, bolster our local food system and regional economy. This event advances these goals while plans for the building’s future are being developed.

About CitySeed

Founded in 2004, CitySeed advances a model of local economy, sustainable agriculture, and well-being through local food. Year-round Farmers Markets bring locally-grown produce and locally-prepared foods to New Haven’s neighborhoods, and expand access by doubling public benefits such as SNAP. Sanctuary Kitchen trains immigrant chefs for culinary careers while bringing the world’s cuisine to Greater New Haven via a catering social enterprise. Food Business Incubation services, including affordable commercial kitchen access, remove barriers to starting and sustaining food businesses, with a focus on under-resourced Black, Latine, immigrant, and women entrepreneurs.

About Movimiento Cultural

Movimiento Cultural Afro-Continental is a non-profit cultural and educational organization located in the vibrant Fair Haven neighborhood of New Haven. Established in 2015, their primary goal is to raise awareness and educate the community of Connecticut about the diverse African heritage and folklore through the art of Bomba. We operate in the Fair Haven and Hill neighborhoods of the City of New Haven, which has the largest black and brown Hispanic population living in low-income and poverty conditions.

For more information about CitySeed and its programs, and to subscribe to updates, visit cityseed.org.