The first Brooklyn BagelFest took place at Bushwick Generator on September 8, between 10 a.m and 2 p.m. with over 300 attendees and over 500 bagels consumed. The festival was put together by the main organizer Sam Silverman, who goes by the nickname The Bagel Borg. 

Silverman describes himself as a bagel-enthusiast, and he decided to host a bagel festival after realizing that there were no bagel festivities in New York City, a city known for its terrible public transportation and delicious bagels. 

“I love bagels. I was very shocked about [Sam Silverman’s] story about how there is not another bagel festival already,” said Jess Forden, one of the attendees, about the festival. “When we think about New York, we think about bagels. We have a festival for literally everything else here.”