Roughly 4,000 people turned out for Taste of Keene on Saturday, according to organizers from the Keene Young Professionals Network.
Shadow and Soul Emporium served up elaborate frappes at the 2026 Taste of Keene Saturday.
Vegan Korean meatballs are garnished with herbs at the Monadnock Food Co-Op’s booth at Taste of Keene on Saturday.
Breaking and Trending News Editor
Roughly 4,000 people turned out for Taste of Keene on Saturday, according to organizers from the Keene Young Professionals Network.
Roughly 4,000 people turned out for Taste of Keene on Saturday, according to organizers from the Keene Young Professionals Network.
Shadow and Soul Emporium served up elaborate frappes at the 2026 Taste of Keene Saturday.
Vegan Korean meatballs are garnished with herbs at the Monadnock Food Co-Op’s booth at Taste of Keene on Saturday.
More than 30 vendors at this year’s Taste of Keene festival made a total of $74,000 in revenue, one of the event’s organizers said.
The annual food festival, which drew an estimated 4,000 people Saturday, showcases local food and drink options that people can sample with tokens, Taste of Keene lead Alana Fiero said. A token costs $2, and items are anywhere from one to three tokens. Organizers take 15 cents per token for setup costs, according to Fiero, and vendors get the remaining $1.85. There are no other fees for vendors to participate.
The festival, now in its sixth year, has grown from a small event in 2021 to a major production generating significant foot traffic — and money — in downtown Keene.
And the economic impact of the event goes beyond direct revenue to vendors, Fiero, of The Keene Young Professionals Network, said. Visitors who come for Taste of Keene in the afternoon may stay on Main Street for dinner or a drink.
The average vendor this year made just under $2,000 during the four-hour event, and the top vendor made almost $5,000, Fiero said.
Trumin Nguyen, co-owner of Buba Street Noodle and Bar, said revenue from the festival was about what the restaurant makes on a busy weekday.
“We honestly didn’t know what to expect, but the support from the community exceeded our expectations,” she wrote in an email.
Noble House Ramen was also one of the newcomers this year. Owner Jared Marsh estimated that Saturday’s booth earned between $1,500 and $2,000. He said the booth sold more than 120 ramen bowls, in addition to the pork rolls and pork belly menu items.
“We did well, but probably not as well as some of the other places,” he said.
On busy weekends, Marsh said Noble Ramen House’s revenue is double or even triple the sum it made at the festival.
Still, Marsh said the booth on Church Street got a lot of visitors. Staff ran out of food twice, he said, adding that he underestimated the amount of food he’d need for an event of this size.
The festival also gave the ramen house, which opened on Keene’s Davis Street in October, exposure Marsh hopes will translate to new customers.
“This is huge for our local people who still don’t know about us,” he said.
Prime Roast, which sold cookies and Italian soda on Saturday, made slightly more than Noble Ramen House. Saturday is the coffee shop’s busiest day of the week, and foot traffic at the café during Taste of Keene was in line with average foot traffic, owner Judy Rogers said. Prime Roast’s booth netted roughly $2,500, or about the revenue from half an average Saturday, according to Rogers. She said the booth sold roughly 300 Italian sodas and 800 to 900 cookies during the event.
Rogers credited the booth’s success to balmy weather and the selection of non-caffeinated drinks and cookies kids and adults could enjoy.
“Taste of Keene brings out a lot of local people but it also brings people from outside the area,” she added. “We get a really good exposure to potential customers.”
Breaking News and Trending Editor Liora Engel can be reached at 603-355-8543 or lengel@keenesentinel.com.
Breaking and Trending News Editor
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Thursday, June 10, 1976 Read moreThis day in history, June 10
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.
We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Account processing issue – the email address may already exist
Must be at least 8 characters, not contain repeating characters (e.g., 111), and not contain sequential numbers (e.g., 123).
Receive our e-Edition every Monday through Saturday at 6 a.m.
Our vibrant magazine that showcases lively community members, businesses, entertainment and lifestyle topics every Thursday.
In memory of those we’ve lost.
A look at the week in local sports.
Our quarterly business-focused magazine that highlights the businesses that power our local economy.
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Invalid password or account does not exist
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Must be at least 8 characters, not contain repeating characters (e.g., 111), and not contain sequential numbers (e.g., 123).
Secure transaction. Secure transaction. Cancel anytime.
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
A receipt was sent to your email.
