Inside Loxfest 2025: A Day of Bagels, Smoked Salmon & NYC Heritage
On Saturday, October 11, under unsteady skies and with a gust of ambition, FultonFishMarket.com realized a long-inspired dream: launching Loxfest, a one-day celebration of New York City’s time-honored bagel-and-lox culture. Held at Pier 16 in the South Street Seaport — mere steps from the original Fulton Fish Market site — the festival fused heritage, flavor, and community in two lively sessions (10:00–12:00 PM and 1:00–3:00 PM).
In stepping into this new chapter, FultonFishMarket.com anchored its digital present to the city’s artisanal past.
“Loxfest is not just about enjoying great food; it’s also about bringing the community together and celebrating the vendors and the craftsmanship behind the perfect bagel and lox.”
Mike Tonetti, CEO of FultonFishMarket.com
That spirit echoed throughout the day, as guests sampled both classic and inventive takes on salmon, smoked in tradition but served with modern panache.
A Culinary Lineup Rooted in All Boroughs
The vendor roster read like a map of NYC’s most respected delis and neighborhood institutions: Tompkins Square Bagels, Zucker’s Bagels & Smoked Fish, GERTIE, Fan Fan Doughnuts, The Paris Café, 19 Cleveland, Cheech’s, Hole In The Wall, Peck Slip Social, Grillo’s Pickles, Cafecito Social, and private chef Crystal Hammonds (trusted by NBA star Jalen Brunson).
Among them, The Paris Café’s Julien Legeard remarked: “Fulton Fish Market’s dedication to quality and tradition mirrors our own, which makes this collaboration especially meaningful. We’re excited for what’s sure to be a fantastic celebration.”
“Fulton Fish Market’s dedication to quality and tradition mirrors our own, which makes this collaboration especially meaningful. We’re excited for what’s sure to be a fantastic celebration.”
Julien Legeard, Owner of The Paris Café
That alignment of values showed in each booth, whether through immaculate slivers of silky Nova salmon or bold smoked innovations paired with locally baked bagels.
The rain didn’t deter true connoisseurs. Umbrellas opened, lines formed, and New Yorkers showed up early — many eager to argue over whose borough makes the better schmear. Local food voices and influencers such as Danny Mondello, Fany Gerson of Fan Fan Doughnuts, and TikTok’s Michelle Park appeared among the crowd, often pausing between bites for impromptu conversations and selfies.
Moments That Mattered
At one tent, a die-hard salmon fan compared textures: silky, fatty, firm. A few steps away, a chef stationed next to a twilight skyline paused mid-slice to explain brine technique. A shared laugh broke out over portfolio pairings: citrus, dill, or classic? One attendee phased out after the second session, but others lingered, talking smoked salt nuances or streaming plans to ship market-fresh salmon to the hinterlands via FultonFishMarket.com.
Even as the crowds thinned and the tents were struck, Loxfest left an impression. It was a gathering that reminded New Yorkers and visitors alike that food is not simply sustenance but a living chronicle. With salted stories, clammy napkins, and the odd drip of lemon juice onto shirt cuffs, Loxfest 2025 felt like the rebirth of something quietly essential.
If FultonFishMarket.com hoped for enthusiasm, it delivered. Beyond the day’s sales and sips, Murals of conversations emerged: Which city borough reclaims its bagel-and-lox crown next year? Would new twists — like smoked halibut or trout — join the lineup? Word of mouth now ripples across Instagram grids and subway lines.
Loxfest may now be history, but its ambition endures. It invited all participants — vendors, guests, even the occasional skeptic — into a shared ritual: breaking bread (or bagel) and tasting the currents of New York itself.
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