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BQFF's Opening Sizzle
Where: Sweet Cheeks Q
When: 6-9PM
Tickets: $50
Kicking off our inaugural week with an unforgettable party hosted by the one and only Tiffani Faison — James Beard finalist, Top Chef alum, and one of Boston’s most celebrated culinary voices at her restaurant Sweet Cheeks Q in Fenway. Plus special appearance and set by comedian Ashley Gavin!! Come for the incredible food, crafted drinks by Deep Eddy Vodka, beer by Cisco Brewers, and plenty of reasons to raise a glass as we cut the ribbon on a citywide celebration of queer talent, taste, and community.
Big Queer Beer Meet-Up
Where: Dorchester Brewing Co
When: 6-9PM
Free, but RSVP if possible
Dorchester Brewing is throwing open its doors for a fun and sweet evening with BQFF in their stunning glass rooftop taproom. Come hang with fellow queers over expertly brewed beers, tasty bites, and good vibes. Plus, enjoy a queer cake explosion made by pastry chef Robert Gonzalez of Nouveau Patisserie and Fuji Group. Whether you’re sipping something hoppy, malty, or alcohol-free, it’s a great excuse to gather, mingle, and toast to the community.
Big Queer Celeb Chef Dinner
Where: Bar Volpe
When: 6PM for VIP, 7PM for Dinner
Tickets: $250 - 500
James Beard Award–winning chef Karen Akunowicz opens the doors to her acclaimed South Boston restaurant, Bar Volpe to host a truly immaculate dinner party with celebrated guest chefs Melissa King and Gabe Bertaccini for a one-night-only collaboration. Enjoy an exquisite multi-course meal showcasing bold, soulful flavors—each dish thoughtfully paired with craft cocktails and curated wines.
Mon, April 28th
Tue, April 29th
Wed, April 30th
An Incredible Week of Events Across Boston
BQFF's Cocktail Wars: The Finals
Where: Shore Leave
When: 9pm - late
Free, but support your local bartender!
Boston’s fiercest queer bartenders go head-to-head one last time in a no-holds-barred battle of booze and brilliance. With surprise ingredients, a rowdy crowd, and a panel of powerhouse judges from the city’s food, drink, and queer scenes, the finalists from two wild qualifier rounds are back to claim the title. Who will shake, stir, and slay their way to victory?
Sponsored by Absolut and Palm Bay
Girl, PEAS! Why Queer Food Matters
Where: 100 High Street, 9th Floor
When: 5:30pm, starts promptly at 6pm
Tickets: Free but RSVP required
In Automats and tiny studio apartments, at big-city hotspots, small-town diners, Sunday potlucks, and in the pages of cookbooks, queer people in America have been carving out a culinary identity for decades.
Join authors John Birdsall, Justin Burke, Melissa King, Jon Kung, and Erik Piepenburg for a spirited conversation about the chefs, recipes, restaurants, home kitchens, bathhouse snack bars, and unexpected places that have built queer community, fostered family, preserved our history, and changed the way everyone eats.
Books will be available for sale at the event by All She Wrote Books.
The Big Queer Tea Party Throwing Tea to the Sea!
Where: The Boston Tea Party Museum
When: 7-10PM
Tickets: $75
Sick of taxation without representation, our revolutionary forebears tossed tea into the harbor. Now, we’re making waves of our own—with high heels, sharp wit, and a whole lot of queer joy. Hosted by Boston's own queen royalte, Jujubee, this unapologetically fabulous takeover of The Boston Tea Party Museum in the Seaport District is all about sipping tea, serving tea, and throwing tea into the sea, honey!
Expect dazzling drag, an effervescent, high-camp vibe, and high tea bites by pastry chef Mai Nguyen, paired with delicious tea-infused cocktails and a fabulous selection of wines Jordan Vineyard and Winery. A night of queer rebellion never tasted so sweet.
Wed, April 30th
Thur, May 1st
Thu, May 1st
WBUR's Curated Cuisine: Celebrating the LGBTQIA+ culinary community with BQFF
Where: WBUR CitySpace
When: Doors at 6pm, Begins at 7pm
Tickets: $10 - $30
WBUR senior arts and culture reporter Cristela Guerra moderates a conversation highlighting LGBTQIA+ voices shaping the food and wine industry with Mavis-Jay Sanders (James Beard Leadership Award winner), Karen Akunowicz (James Beard Award winner and chef-owner of Fox & the Knife and Bar Volpe), and Arnold Myint (James Beard Award semi-finalist and co-owner of International Market in Nashville).
The evening also features a live cooking demonstration from Sanders and a post-conversation bite for all guests.
Serving the Look: Queer Identity in Food Photography & Storytelling
Where: High Street Place Food Hall
When: 5PM - 6PM (or so)
Tickets: Free with RSVP
There’s no manual for capturing queer identity in food photography—but the team behind Potluck Desserts found their own way. Join author Justin Burke, photographer Brian Samuels, and stylist Catrine Kelty for a lively conversation on crafting visuals that go beyond “just pretty” to tell rich, personal stories. Expect behind-the-scenes insights, creative sparks, and plenty of delicious details.
BQFF's Big Weekend Kickoff
Where: To Be Announced
When: 7PM
Tickets: RSVP Coming soon
Sign off from the week, ring in the fantastic weekend ahead, and have some fun at our weekend kickoff mix & mingle! Welcoming in our out of town chefs, vendors, family, and friends, both old and new! RSVP and additional details coming shortly!
Fri, May 2nd
Fri, May 2nd
Fri, May 2nd
BQFF's Grand Tasting - Day 1!
Where: High Street Place
When: 1PM - 4PM (VIP @ 11:30, EA @ 12PM)
Tickets: Starting at $95
The whole week leads up to our flagship two-day event! The Grand Tasting: Presented by Food Network.
It's an all-out, flavor-packed, high-energy celebration of the LGBTQIA+ culinary scene, where dozens of chefs, restaurants, distillers, winemakers, brewers, and more serve up signature bites and inspired specialties.
Enjoy DJs, legendary talent, and sickening surprise guests.
BQFF's Grand Tasting - Day 2: Drag Brunch Edition!
Where: High Street Place
When: 1PM - 4PM (VIP @ 11:30, EA @ 12PM)
Tickets: Starting at $95
The final day of our festival, and day 2 of our flagship event! The Grand Tasting: Presented by Food Network.
With a slew of new and exciting participating chefs and restaurants, we're serving up brunch vibes for a whole new culinary ballgame. Plus a HUGE roster of incredible queens performing will make this the largest drag brunch in HERSTORY!
Enjoy all new DJs, legendary talent, and sickening surprise guests.
Sat, May 3rd
Sun, May 4th
Queer it Forward: BQFF's Social Hours
Cute Mix & Mingle Moments Across Boston that Support the Community. BQFF is sprinkling a little extra queer magic across the city with a series of pop-up social hours at beloved local venues. These cozy-cute gatherings are perfect for mixing and mingling, while enjoying special sips and bites. Each Social Hour features a curated menu with a charitable twist, benefiting our nonprofit partners BAGLY and Community Servings.
Venues, dates, and times to be announced soon.
All Week Long
And it all leads up to the most deliciously queer weekend of the year: The Grand Tasting
Join us Saturday & Sunday, May 3rd & 4th for Big Queer Food Fest's Grand Tasting! An all-out, flavor-packed, high-energy celebration of the LGBTQIA+ culinary scene.
Stay in the know!!
Subscribe to our mailing list to be the first to learn about BQFF event details.
Before the Week Kicks Off
BQFF's Cocktail Wars
Boston’s fiercest queer bartenders are stepping behind the bar and into the ring. In two high-stakes nights of shake-offs and showdowns, nine competitors will battle it out at each event — but only three from each round will advance to the grand finale. Expect bold pours, surprise ingredients, and the kind of energy that only a queer cocktail throwdown can deliver. Bring your crew, cheer your favorites, and witness the rise of Boston’s next cocktail legends. Proudly sponsored by Absolut.
Round One:
April 8th at 8 PM – Blend
Round Two:
April 23rd at 6:30 PM – Club Café
Opening Night Party
Wednesday, April 30th
Big Queer Food Fest kicks off its inaugural festival week with an immaculate cocktail party hosted by celebrated chef Tiffani Faison, featuring mouth-watering bites, delicious cocktails, and cutting the ribbon to a week of fabulous events hosted across the city.
Sweet Cheeks, Tenderoni's, Bubble Bath, Charming Gardner
Sweet Boy Desserts & Saltie Girl
Opening Night Party
Wednesday, April 29th, 6-9 PM
Big Queer Food Fest kicks off its festival week with an immaculate evening celebration at Boston Chops, Downtown Crossing, inviting the who’s who of Boston’s LGBTQIA+, hospitality, and political circles to cut the ribbon on a week of events hosted across the city, prepared by celebrated chef Tiffani Faison, pastry chef Ben Sidell, and more.
Sweet Cheeks, Tenderoni's, Bubble Bath, Charming Gardner
Sweet Boy Desserts & Saltie Girl
Meet Some of Our Participating Chefs
Detroit
Chef, cookbook author, third-culture culinary innovator, podcast host
Boston
Bar Volpe, Fox & The Knife, Fox & Flight
New York
James Beard award-nominated pastry chef, LGBTQ+ advocate
New Marlborough, MA
Acclaimed chef at Gedney Farm, TV Personality
New York
Owner, Edy's Grocer New York Times best-selling cookbook author
Mexico
NY Times-bestselling author, James Beard Award-winning chef, culinary ambassador
Boston
Para Maria & Rooftop at The Envoy
Incredible chefs from Boston and beyond are taking part in this first-of-its-kind food festival celebration!
New York
Pastry chef, TV personality, judge & host
Mystic, CT
Port of Call & Oyster Club
Boston
Niveaux Pastry, Mason's Steakhouse, Aatma Restaurant, & Fuji Restaurants
Events Across the City to Excite & Unite Us All
From chefs dinners and cocktail parties to queer bar happy hours and riveting panels, discussions, and meet & greets, Boston will be alive with opportunities to taste, savor, and sip on food and drinks crafted by incredible LGBTQIA+ chefs and bartenders.
Celebrity Chef Discussions
Unique opportunities to hear from and meet some of our community's best chefs, winemakers, and culinary voices at chef panels, book signings, meet & greets, and throughout the grand tasting.
One-of-a-Kind Chefs Dinners
Experience collaborative multi-course dinners prepared by acclaimed chefs, sharing their collective experiences through food, celebrating the contributions of the queer culinary world.
Queer Parties, Cocktails & Happy Hours
BQFF is teaming up with queer spaces from Fenway to Dorchester, bringing the good vibes and delicious bites to the entire city.
Additional Event Details Coming Soon!
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© 2025 - Big Queer Food Fest® - All rights reserved.
All events, prices, personalities, performances, venues, dates, and times are subject to change without notice. All tickets are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged, without exception and irrespective of the price of the ticket at the time of purchase. Other than grand tasting events, no one under 21 years of age will be admitted unless otherwise noted. Tickets to the festival are not tax-deductible. Big Queer Food Fest urges all adults to consume alcoholic products responsibly and to use public transportation or rideshare programs.
Proudly sponsored by:
Brand Partnerships & Brand Involvement
Grand Tasting presented by:
