This is the rare food festival where the ticket actually covers the food, so nobody spends the afternoon doing arithmetic at a stall. Seventeen years in, the chef list is a real cross-section of the city's cooking rather than a barbecue monoculture, and the setting is a botanical garden meadow instead of a parking lot. It is also the best argument going for the free ferry ride to Staten Island.
What to expect
An open meadow ringed with cooking stations, whole animals broken down in the open, and a pour list of craft beer, cider and spirits alongside the plates. Lines move in waves as pigs come off the heat, so it pays to circle rather than commit. Outdoor and rain or shine, on grass, with the botanical garden next door to walk off lunch.
Good to know
- Tickets are all-inclusive: food and the craft beer, cider and spirits pours are covered rather than sold on site
- VIP admission gets in an hour ahead of general admission, when the pigs are freshest off the heat
- It runs rain or shine on open grass, so wear shoes you do not mind on soft ground
- Car-free route: the free Staten Island Ferry from Whitehall Terminal, then a short bus ride along Richmond Terrace
- Snug Harbor's botanical gardens are worth an extra hour once you have eaten
Planning Sep 11–13, 2026 in NYC?
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Common questions
Is the food included in the ticket?
Yes. Admission is all-inclusive, covering the chefs' plates plus craft beer, cider and spirits. You are not buying tastes individually.
What happens if it rains?
It is a rain-or-shine outdoor event on the South Meadow. Dress for the weather rather than expecting a postponement.
How do I get to Snug Harbor without driving?
Take the free Staten Island Ferry from Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan, then a bus west along Richmond Terrace to the Snug Harbor gates.
