FAQs

GFree Fest is a fully gluten free two day food festival at WaterFire Arts Center in Providence, RI, held annually in March. The event features a bar (with gluten free specialty cocktails and gluten free beer!), pop-up restaurants, artisanal food producers, a free book swap, and more. Some restaurants and food producers offer samples, some will sell full meals, some will offer food to go, and some will do all of the above.

Yes! All of the vendors who are participating in the event have agreed to, and understand the importance of, adhering to a fully gluten free menu.

GFree Fest is owned and hosted by a celiac, and all products at the event will be gluten free. All of the vendors who are participating in the event have agreed to, and understand the importance of, adhering to a fully gluten free menu. The food and products that you’ll find at GFree Fest are prepared in a variety of settings. Many of the vendors work in dedicated gluten free facilities, while others work in dedicated gluten free kitchens within larger facilities that are not fully gluten free. Some businesses will be offering gluten free products made in kitchens where, at other times, gluten is also used, but strict cross contamination measures are in place and taken seriously. Some vendors do have celiac and/or gluten free certifications, but these certifications are not always easy or financially accessible for small businesses to obtain - even those who are operating fully gluten free businesses.

To help you, each vendor will display an info sheet at their table during the entirety of the event. This sheet will be a quick way to view how and in what setting their products are prepared. It will also show you which of the Big 9 allergens that they use in their products. With that said, we encourage you to talk with each vendor at the event. They’ll be ready and happy to tell you about their food preparation protocols and ingredients so that you can make the best decisions for your personal dietary needs.

GFree Fest will also host a bar with gluten free alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, including cocktails, beer, mocktails, and more. The bar staff will be fully prepared to answer any questions regarding ingredients.

At the end of the day, we’re serious about two things - throwing an awesome party that brings kind and enthusiastic people together AND avoiding gluten!

Yes - GFree Fest’s 2025 tickets went on sale in June 2024 and are now sold out. We put tickets on sale several months in advance to give you plenty of time to make plans. However, as this event is indoors, we must adhere to the venue’s capacity limits that are determined by city and state laws. This is why we offer three different entry times on each day. By staggering the entry, we’re able to allow more attendees to be part of the event.

We hope that you understand that while we would love to have everyone come to the party, indoor capacities are set for safety reasons, and safety always comes first.

Eventbrite has recently changed their ticket delivery process, and after summer 2024, they may no longer send tickets via email. Tickets are located inside the Eventbrite app, so be sure to download the app in advance and find your tickets.

In order to enter the event, you’ll need to locate your tickets via the Eventbrite ticketing platform.

If you cannot locate your tickets, you can click here to look them up via Eventbrite, using your email address.

If you cannot locate them using your email address, click here for other ways to locate your tickets via the Eventbrite platform.

Due to extensive ticket fraud, we are unable to look up tickets at check-in unless the original ticket buyer is present and has a photo ID matching the name on the tickets. If you’re buying tickets for friends and family, great! Please be sure to send them their tickets in advance, as we can’t look them up at the door without you there.

Please note that each ticket has its own unique QR code (though they may look identical), and we’ll need to scan each QR code individually.

Please arrive for the correct time slot you purchased tickets for. While Eventbrite lists the full length of the event when it sends reminder emails out, YOUR tickets have a date and entry time that you chose. GFree Fest has staggered entry times. Please look at your actual tickets for this info before planning your arrival.

VIP TICKET HOLDERS
If you're a VIP ticket holder, your ticket allows you to enter the event an hour early, at 11:00 am on the day the ticket was purchased for, and stay for as long as you'd like (the event ends at 5 pm both days). You'll receive a swag bag with coupons and samples from our partners. You do not have to arrive at 11:00 am - we will hold your swag bag for you until you arrive. Swag bag contents may vary, but we know you'll love it! Check your bag while you're at the event, as some coupons are valid during the weekend. These tickets are sold out, will not be sold at the door, and we cannot admit people with 12:00 or 2:30 Entry tickets during the VIP hour.

12 pm Tickets

If you’re a 12 pm ticket holder, you can arrive at 12:00 pm or later on the day your ticket was purchased for, and stay for as long as you'd like. The event ends at 5 pm both days. These tickets are sold out and will not be sold at the door.

2:30 Tickets
If you’re a 2:30 ticket holder, you can arrive at 2:30 or later on the day your ticket was purchased for and stay as long as you’d like. The event ends at 5 pm both days. These tickets are sold out and will not be available at the door.

Children who are age 4 and older require a ticket, but children age 3 and under are free!

We deeply appreciate anyone who dedicates their time to share their knowledge and understanding of gluten free living. With that said, this event is extremely expensive for us to host, and with a limited indoor capacity, we simply can’t offer complimentary tickets to everyone who requests them. If you are an influencer with an active online presence and a strong following and you’d like to be considered, contact hello@gfreefest.com in advance of the event. With notice, we may be able to work with you.

Tickets to this event are non-refundable, but you can forward them to a friend if you are unable to attend. Screenshots work, too - so long as we can see the QR code at check-in.

Please note that this event has several entry times over the weekend, and that your ticket is good for entry at a specific time. We cannot allow you to enter *earlier* than your ticket entry time, but you are welcome to enter *later* than your ticket time.

Early entry VIP tickets allow you to enter an hour before the event opens, and they come with a tote bag full of coupons and giveaways from local and national GF friendly brands.

Off-street parking, including handicap accessible parking, at WaterFire Arts Center is free and plentiful! If the lot in front of the building is full, there are hundreds of spots to the sides of the building and around the back.

We love our rescue pugs, but this event is not pet friendly, per the WaterFire Arts Center and the RI Department of Health. There's a lot of food, and the event gets too busy for our furry friends to be here with us. Please leave your pets at home. This includes pets in carriers, strollers, and bags.

Service dogs that are specifically trained to assist with medical conditions are welcome. Emotional support and therapy animals not covered under the ADA and are unfortunately not allowed.

Yes! All vendors are required to be on site for both days. However, emergencies do happen, and occasionally, someone may have to leave, but otherwise, this event is the same both days.

This event is held indoors and will take place rain or shine. There may be a short wait to get in, which we will work through quickly, but plan to be outside for a few minutes and dress accordingly just in case!

Yes! We’ll have a fully gluten free bar with cocktails, mocktails, beer, and more. If you’re planning on drinking alcohol, bring a valid ID.

Of course! WaterFire Arts Center has multiple water refill stations throughout the venue, located close to the bathrooms.

Of course. The WaterFire Arts Center and this event are accessible to those with mobility aids, though the event does get busy. If you use a mobility aid, please look for our security guard outside so that he can direct you to enter the venue and wait in a reserved seating area.

No, we will not have an ATM on site. Most vendors will accept cash, cards, and cash app payments. If you really need cash, there are ATMs nearby.

This venue does not have a coat check or a place to store coats and bags.

Masks are optional. However, GFree Fest reserves the right to implement a mask requirement for this event and we will make the decision to do so if necessary as the date approaches. This event has multiple entry times over two days to accommodate as many guests as possible. In the event that GFree Fest needs to be rescheduled due to COVID-19 or any other reason, tickets will not be refunded and will be valid for a rescheduled date in the future.

Don't be a jerk. We have a zero tolerance policy for rudeness to our staff, the venue staff, our security team, our vendors, and other attendees. We will remove you from the event immediately and without a refund, so please just don't. We’re here to host a fun gluten free party, and we want everyone to have a good time!