{"id":1093341,"date":"2026-07-16T18:38:20","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T18:38:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1093341\/"},"modified":"2026-07-16T18:38:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T18:38:20","slug":"a-gluten-free-expo-is-headed-to-the-philly-suburbs-this-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1093341\/","title":{"rendered":"A gluten-free expo is headed to the Philly suburbs this weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"

Love Philly? So do we. Let\u2019s be friends. Sign up for the Billy Penn newsletter today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

No gluten? No problem! This Saturday, over 100 vendors, purveyors, restaurants and bakeries are headed to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA with celiac-safe bites for the whole family. The event, called the Wicked Gluten-Free Expo and Food Festival, will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.<\/p>\n

Abby Helman Kelly, is the founder and owner <\/strong>of Wicked Gluten Free. She got her start in New England \u2014 hence the name \u2014 and began putting on celiac allergy-friendly expos in 2016.<\/p>\n

\u201cPhiladelphia is a gluten-free hotspot,\u201d Kelly said. \u201cThere are so many vendors and artisans and brands and businesses, and the community is really vibrant. At an expo, we always have 100 plus vendors, and it\u2019s sort of an everything expo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Curious diners do not have to compromise with \u201cjust the salad,\u201d but rather can put on their foodie hats and explore different food options without worrying about feeling sick afterwards. Gluten-free rarities like fried chicken, pizza, chocolate eclairs and pierogi will be available. There will also be gluten-free flour and baking mixes to bring home.<\/p>\n

\"\"(Courtesy of Kory Aversa)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe even have some attendees who will roll a cooler through the place, filling it up,\u201d Kelly said.<\/p>\n

In addition to gluten-sensitivities, the expo will also have many nut-free and vegan options. Chefs will be doing baking demonstrations on different ways to make gluten-free bread. Guests can ask vendors questions about tips, brands and recipes. <\/p>\n

The event is not just a food festival, but also a learning event with nonprofits and community resources like Beyond Celiac and the Children\u2019s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Celiac Center. Kelly encourages attendees to bring the whole family, including young ones with food sensitivities.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got a kids area where the kids can play coloring and a really fun photo area,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have a good time, and it\u2019s a big, busy event.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes there are lines at the favorite brands,\u201d she noted, \u201cbut it\u2019s really worth it because it\u2019s a really special day.\u201d<\/p>\n

There will be both national and local brands at the expo. Big names like Jovial Foods and favorites like Make It GF will be in attendance, as well as PA standouts like Skip\u2019s Chicken, The Greater Knead and The Happy Mixer Gluten Free Bakery.<\/p>\n

A&A Soft Pretzel, which has been operating since 1929, will also be making an appearance. The business, which sells at Philly stadiums, has been making gluten-free pretzels since 2020 in reaction to the pandemic.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOur main business was regular pretzels \u2014 was the school cafeterias and PTAs, different functions like that, and we lost all of our business. We lost 90% of business,\u201d said A&A\u2019s owner Anthony Panara.<\/p>\n

\"\"Gluten-free pretzels (Courtesy of Kora Aversa)<\/p>\n

His wife suggested the pivot, after noting there was a demand for gluten-free products. Creating the pretzels took a lot of trial and error. Panara would research recipes, get advice from friends and look through gluten-free cook books. He even set out to make his own gluten-free flour-blend.<\/p>\n

After eight months of experimentation and breaking a few machines trying to mill rice, Panara had his recipe. The final product, he said, doesn\u2019t contain any dairy, soy, preservatives or wheat. What\u2019s more, the idea has been so successful, the team opened a gluten-free store front in Oaklyn.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything at our Oaklyn location is just strictly made and baked, gluten free,\u201d Panara said. \u201cWe get a bunch of stories that people are like, \u2018Oh, this is the one thing I\u2019ve missed.\u2019 You know, 30 years celiac or five years or even just recently diagnosed, It gives them nice peace of mind that they can still come and enjoy something.\u201d<\/p>\n

LesbiVeggies, known for its vegan and gluten-free food, is another local business that will be featured at the expo. <\/p>\n

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\u201cI don\u2019t really know what to expect,\u201d said Brennah Lambert, LesbiVeggies\u2019 owner and chef, who is going for the first time. \u201cI think it\u2019s going to open up my eyes in a lot of ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lambert said that she works to champion inclusivity, especially as a queer and female led-business.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like more and more people are struggling to eat out or kind of just feel comfortable with other people making them food in a certain setting,\u201d she said. \u201cJust the health purposes of the event is really awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lambert said she\u2019s excited to cater to people with dietary restrictions, who are usually given a menu full of items that could make them ill. Bread<\/a>, after all, is usually the first thing that hits the table when you go out.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re gonna do our pancakes,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have a lemon poppy seed pancake that\u2019s really popular, so we\u2019re gonna do those. I\u2019m gonna be cooking them live at the expo, which is gonna be fun as well. And then I\u2019m gonna bring our Calabrian cornbread paired with our oyster mushroom, so just something a little bit different \u2014 really tasty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a day where you can just relax and eat well,\u201d Kelly said. \u201cThat\u2019s really valuable. That\u2019s really fun. That\u2019s really a relief. I call it the best gluten-free day ever because come on in and eat it all. Buy it all. It\u2019s like a vacation. You know, we\u2019ve taken care of all the thinking for you. Come on in and enjoy, and take a bunch of fun food home with you!\u201d<\/p>\n

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