After drawing thousands of guests and nearly selling out its debut last summer, Foodies Eat First Fest is returning to downtown St. Louis in 2026 with a larger footprint and several new additions.
Founded by St. Louis food content creator Braden Tewolde, also known as @BradENSTL, the festival will expand to two separate weekends this year and introduce a new citywide Foodies Eat First Restaurant Week, designed to spotlight the chefs, restaurants and culinary talent shaping the region’s dining scene.
The 2026 season begins with Foodies Eat First Fest 2.1, scheduled for May 2-3 at Trust in downtown St. Louis. A second installment, Foodies Eat First Fest 2.2, is planned for Aug. 29-30 and will feature an entirely different lineup of restaurants, chefs, mixologists and culinary experiences.
Tewolde said the first weekend is timed to coincide with what should be a lively stretch in the city. With the Los Angeles Dodgers in town and Cinco de Mayo celebrations happening around the same time, he expects a strong turnout downtown.
“Food has always been one of the most powerful ways to bring people together,” Tewolde said. “Especially right now, supporting our hospitality industry means supporting our neighborhoods, our culture and the people who make this city feel like home.”
The May festival will feature four sessions across the two days, with two sessions each day. Each session will feature the same curated lineup of restaurants and chefs, giving guests flexibility in choosing when to attend. Along with food and drinks, the event will include DJs, special guests and other entertainment elements intended to create an immersive, festival-style atmosphere.
Tewolde said the goal is to put hospitality professionals at the center of the experience.
“There is no other culinary event in St. Louis like Foodies Eat First Fest,” he said. “We had people travel in from over 25 different cities to attend the inaugural festival. Knowing people are making those trips to St. Louis is really motivating and makes us want to keep improving the experience.”
Participants for the May event include: Nicky Slices, Good Company, Umoja Food Group, Fufu N’ Sauce, STL Toasted, La Chica Bonita, Crispy Sips, The Moniker, Ozzy’s Market, Chef Bailey & Co., Puddin Puddin, Pass the Past Coffee, Chico Bueno, The Table, Ramblin’ Rounds, Tenacious Eats, Amy’s Cake Pop Shop, Steve’s Hot Dogs, Dad’s Cookies, Trust and 4 Hands Brewing Co.
Early-bird tickets going on sale March 14, also known locally as 314 Day, and the DJ lineup is coming soon. Organizers are planning for a significantly larger event in August, with an anticipated 30 vendors and a capacity of roughly 4,000 to 5,000 attendees. New programming is also being introduced this year, including fitness-focused experiences that expand the festival’s approach to food and wellness.
In addition to the two festival weekends, Foodies Eat First Restaurant Week will debut Sept. 1-13. The event will span restaurants across the St. Louis area and feature special collaborations, guest activations with local food creators and smaller themed experiences, including a micro soul food festival.
The festival also has a philanthropic component. In 2025, the inaugural event raised nearly $7,000 for St. Louis-area tornado relief, and organizers say a portion of every ticket sold in 2026 will again be reinvested in community efforts.
“For me, execution is everything,” Tewolde said. “When I go to events that really deliver on hospitality, I’m more likely to come back as a consumer. The response we saw last year showed people here will support these kinds of experiences.”
Additional details about the August festival will be released June 1, while more information about Restaurant Week will be announced July 1.For more information, visit foodieseatfirst.com or follow @foodieseatfirstfest on Instagram.