Savoring the Season: Taste of Keene Returns This Weekend

The Taste of Keene Food Festival is back and turning downtown Keene into a foodie paradise on Saturday, June 7, from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Hosted by the Keene Young Professionals Network (KYPN), this lively event invites you to stroll, sip and sample your way through a smorgasbord of flavors from top local vendors in the Monadnock Region. Now in its fifth year, the festival was first launched during the COVID-19 pandemic as a creative way to boost business for downtown restaurants. Held outdoors for safety, it quickly became a much-anticipated event for the community. "It's really evolved into something people look forward to every year," explained Alana Fiero, president of KYPN. This one-day food festival showcases the best of the region's restaurants, breweries, distilleries and food producers, each offering small portions or samples of their signature items. Guests purchase food using tokens, available through KYPN. Pro Tip: To avoid waiting in line on the day of the event, Fiero recommends ordering your tokens online in advance. Pre-ordered tokens can be picked up on-site at a designated booth or the night before, on Friday, June 6, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. outside Everglow Wellness, 50 Central Square, Keene. (Note: No in-person token sales will occur Friday — only pickups). This year will be their biggest yet with over 40 local vendors. "People are getting creative this year with how they will deliver their food at the festival," said FIero. In years prior, most vendors have had a tent set up, but there may be some food trucks or other surprises in store for this year. In addition to great food, the Taste of Keene offers live entertainment throughout the day: The Evocatives will be playing at the Central Square Gazebo from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Granite State Foam Frenzy and 10 throws for $7 will be happening at The Keene Axe House from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Kilted Colin, a kilted, comedy circus performer, will be performing on Main Street by the Colonial Theatre from 12:15 to 1 p.m., sponsored by the Colonial Theatre. Bob Denson will be playing at the Central Square Gazebo from 1:20 to 2:05 p.m. Keene ArtWalk will brighten downtown Keene June 6 through June 12. Comedy Illusionist Ben Pratt will be performing at the Central Square Gazebo from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. For a full event map, menus or to pre-order tokens, visit www.keeneypn.com or email keeneypn@gmail.com. Don't miss this fun-filled day of local flavor, music and community spirit — right in the heart of downtown Keene!