Announcing BreadFest 2026
The Main Event: BreadFest
Enjoy a delicious banquet of artisan breads, spreads, and cheeses at the Co-op. You’ll taste and vote on breads entered into the baking competition, plus breads baked by our Co-op professional bakers and other local luminaries.
Enter our sourdough competition for a chance to win prizes valued at over $100, vote for your favorites, and mingle with fellow sourdough enthusiasts. We’ll have adult and youth divisions, and the breads will be judged by a panel of professional bakers as well as the BreadFest attendees.
Saturday, March 28, 12–3 pm, Free
More details about how to register below! Make sure you’re signed up for our Food For Thought bimonthly e-newsletters to stay up to date. Subscribe here and make sure emails from [email protected] don’t end up in your spam folder!
BreadFest Competition Guidelines
REGISTRATION FOR THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.
Please review the information below and reserve your spot by completing the form. There is no cost to enter. These guidelines can be downloaded here.
Requirements
- Bread must be a lean sourdough. (Typically, lean sourdoughs only have these ingredients: flour, water, salt, and yeast/starter/levain.)
- Each contestant must provide two loaves: one whole loaf for the judges, and one loaf cut into roughly 1″ cubes, placed in a resealable bag for public sampling. Please label your breads with your name clearly.
- All entries must meet proper food safety and hygiene standards.
Restrictions
- Breads with added ingredients (herbs, garlic, olives, cheese, fats, sweeteners, etc.) will be disqualified.
- No bread machines allowed.
- One entry per person.
- Breads that are undercooked, damaged, or unsafe will not be judged.
- Breads must be delivered to the Co-op by 11 AM on March 28.
Delivery Details
- Deliver to Brattleboro Food Co-op Customer Service Desk.
- Between 10 AM and 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 28, 2026.
- Online registration deadline: Thursday, March 26, 2026.
Judging and Prizes
- The judges will be evaluating breads on three equally-weighted qualities: Appearance, Texture, and Flavor/Aroma. There will be four prize winners: judges’ and people’s choice for adult bakers, and judges’ and people’s choice for youth bakers
- Judges’ choice winners will receive a $50 Brattleboro Food Co-op Gift Card, and a Lodge Combo Cooker filled with donations from the following generous local vendors: Singing Cedars Apiaries, Vermont Creamery, Ploughgate Butter, and Farmer Ground.
- Peoples’ choice will receive a gift bag filled with donations from the following generous local vendors: Singing Cedars Apiaries, Vermont Creamery, Ploughgate Butter, and Farmer Ground.
- Judges’ feedback will be provided to entrants upon request, but it is intended solely for the guidance of the entrants and must not be made public or shared with third parties.
- The judges’ decision is final.
Sourdough Certification Course For Ages 12-18
Learn to make sourdough from start to finish with Chef Wilson Kondracki — from caring for a starter to baking a crusty loaf. Plus bread dipping oil, grilled cheese, and bread-inspired art with Kate Milliken (BMAC). Leave ready to bake confidently and enter the BreadFest youth baking competition.
Two-day class: Tuesday–Wednesday, Feb 24–25, 10 am–3 pm
Kids Cooking Class: Bread Art
In this class, kids ages 0-12 will create bread in the shape of their choosing: teddy bear, snail, hedgehog, or turtle. While the bread bakes, we will make delicious bread dipping oil.
Friday, Feb. 27, 9-10:15 am or Saturday, Feb. 28, 9:00-10:15 am
Local Flour Pancake Taste and Vote
Try pancakes made with three different local flours: King Arthur, Red Hen, and Farmer Ground. Then, cast a ballot for which flour makes the best pancake. Maple syrup will be available on the side.
Saturday, March 7, 11:30-2:30 pm
