I'm so fortunate to be part of the planning team for the Mad Gluten Free Fest. The first festival was held June 2, 2024, at Alt Brew in Madison and was an overwhelming success. There were more than 30 vendor booths showcasing local gluten-free foods and resources in the Madison area.

None of us dreamed it would attract so many people. For those who attended, you know the parking lot was full, there were lines for nearly everything, and many of the food vendors sold out in less than two hours. It was an incredible success - we just wish we'd have known so vendors could have been prepared to meet the demand. The good news is Alt Brew did not run out of gluten-free beer!

We know there's a huge need in our community for gluten-free options, and the planning team is looking forward to organizing more events and raising awareness among food providers to encourage more and more options to meet the need. Our dream is to build a shared kitchen in Madison, like FEED Kitchens, that is dedicated gluten-free for businesses that are celiac and gluten-free friendly.

If you don't already, you'll want to follow Mad Gluten Free Fest on Facebook and Instagram.

Stay tuned!​​

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Mad Gluten Free exists to provide value to gluten-free consumers and producers, and to raise awareness among local businesses about providing gluten-free options.