Join us for a day of great food and community fun as we celebrate the culinary creations of TPSS Community Kitchen users (both current and alumni) and other innovative food entrepreneurs in Crossroads’ network.
Enjoy an incredible variety of mouthwatering sweet and savory eats and drinks from 15+ local food businesses, everything from authentic Latin American delights like pupusas, empanadas, burritos, and tacos to decadent cookies, quick breads, brownies, and other baked goods to delicious vegan creations, healthy snacks, artisanal cotton candy, and refreshing infused teas and sea moss beverages.
Come for the food, stay for live music with Mr. Gabe and a steel drum band, and enjoy free face painting.
About Crossroads:
Crossroads provides affordable kitchen space and free, bilingual business support to equip food entrepreneurs with the skills and resources they need to succeed. For more information, visit TPSS Community Kitchen and Microenterprise Development Program. This fair is not just about delicious food; it’s a chance to support local businesses and celebrate food justice in action.
Calling all foodies! Savor delicious hyper-local food and drinks and support local businesses!
What: The 3rd Annual Crossroads Community Food Fair!
When: Sunday, May 19, 2024, 10am – 2pm
Where: Laurel Ave. @ Carroll Ave. Takoma Park MD (opposite the Takoma Streetery)
Rain or shine!
Meet these hyper-local food and drink makers!
(More vendors added soon!)
Spun Cotton Candy Art
At Spun Cotton Candy Art, we have vivid childhood memories of sugary pink clouds floating on white paper cones. Whether at Coney Island or the “Happiest Place on Earth,” cotton candy was the greatest treat of all — a rare confection, magical and oh-so-sweet smelling! Our team of talented Cotton Candy Artists has reimagined those beautiful “clouds.” Today, they bring joy to events throughout the country by delighting guests and spinning our signature jumbo cones, animals, and other fun shapes in cotton candy form.
ButterQueen Bakery
ButterQueen Bakery is a mobile black-owned bakery specializing in Southern homestyle pound cakes and treats, including gluten-free and vegan pound cakes. Owner Shai Sumpter is a self-taught baker from Southern Virginia with more than 21 years of experience making her loved cakes and treats. She had no idea her childhood moments baking with her grandma would one day turn into a successful business.
Shai started out using the recipes grandma taught her, then she began creating her own flavor profiles and bringing the pound cakes to work events and celebrations with friends. ButterQueen Bakery can be found at various pop-ups and farmers markets throughout the DMV, including Crossroads Farmers Market.
Zion Roar
Zion Roar’s customers have driven all the way from Virginia Beach, VA, to get their hands on these amazing beverages. Local folks can find them at the TPSS Co-op in Takoma Park. Zion Roar is more than a beverage company, it exists to be a sound to help wake people up to take their temples (bodies) seriously.
El Sol
Originally from Guatemala, I have been making food from home in this country for many years. My restaurant, El Sol, used to be in Silver Spring, and now I run the same operation out of a food truck. I have also sold my pupusas and other dishes and fresh fruit drinks for more than a decade at Crossroads Farmers Market.
PowerUp
PowerUp herbal infusions was born out of a desire to help people live longer, healthier lives. With over 40 years of combined healthcare experience, we saw first-hand the cost and burden that chronic illness had on people and the healthcare system. Our infusions are rich and bold in flavor and formulated to enhance overall health and wellness using natural and organic ingredients. Our products provide support for heart and vascular health, promote healthy blood pressure levels, increase energy production, boost the immune system, and have powerful anti-oxidative capabilities. Invest in your health today as prevention is better and cheaper than cure!
Jalapeño Mexican Grill
Jalapeño Mexican Grill is a classic mom-and-pop operation, and we make authentic Mexican food as you might see on the street or in a white-tablecloth restaurant in Puebla or Veracruz. We source fresh ingredients in season from local farmers, and most spices and seasonings come from Mexico.
Our inspiration is our passion for this craft and we enjoy seeing our customers enjoy our food. Our goal in the near future is to have our own restaurant and expand the possibilities for growth. Our food is unique because we add the secret ingredient — love! — to what we do regardless of the effort or time it requires.
Believe N Bread
Believe N Bread started with a dream, savings, and trust with our first tasting at Georgetown University in 2017. We specialize in organic and vegan savory/sweet quick breads, cookie bites, and pies. You can find our quick bread slices and cookie bites at the TPSS Co-op, Crossroads Farmers Market, NOMA Farmers Market, and Farmers Market SW. You can also order through our website and specify the type of sugar, nuts, and flour you prefer.
Being an entrepreneur has been extremely rewarding, with lessons always to be learned. We have met some fantastic people along the way and look forward to the future!
Alcoba Coffee
I am an agronomist turned urban farmer and herbalist, born in Guatemala and living in Maryland for the past 35 years. Alcoba Coffee is a family business; the coffee beans come from the Jalapa Mountain Range in Guatemala where my brother, Donaldo, farms the land made up of fertile, volcanic soil. He then ships the beans to the US where I peel and roast them. Our coffee is available in medium, dark, and mixed roasts.
Little Bites Catering
Little Bites is a small catering company that offers a limited selection of Peruvian appetizers and desserts, as well as some Mexican dishes for private and corporate events in the DMV area. I take care of every detail of my products, I prepare everything by myself and strive every day to offer the best of myself in a professional way. Providing a personalized service that meets all the expectations and demands of my customers is my goal.
Cookie YAY!
Cookie YAY! is a Daddy and daughter all-natural, small-batch baked goods company dedicated to funding the development of young entrepreneurs. The idea was born when an 11-year-old daughter asked her father to help her create a cookie company during the height of the pandemic. Dad, wanting his daughters to develop entrepreneurial skills, went to task. His position as a clinical exercise physiologist took a back seat to the development of a legacy business. Daughter was able to solve the problem of creating delicious-tasting treats for someone with an egg allergy.
Love & Flour Bakery
Love & Flour is Silver Spring’s newest bakery. We bake a wide variety of pastries fresh daily. From delicious savory and sweet pastries to go with your coffee, to custom cakes, desserts, crepes, pancakes, and more. We are so excited to be a part of the local community and hope to see you all soon. Our team of experienced bakers and pastry chefs work tirelessly to create the perfect treats for you to enjoy. We take pride in using only the finest ingredients and preparing everything from scratch. Come visit us and taste the love that we put into every pastry we make
Mansa Kunda
“Mansa Kunda,” meaning “kingdom” in Mandingo, welcomes you to a culinary journey through West Africa. Mansa Kunda wner Hatib Joof and his brother Alieu bring the vibrant flavors of their Gambian heritage to Takoma Park. Savor favorites like Chicken Yassa, Peanut Butter Chu, sweet plantains, and the classic Jollof Rice – a fragrant dish of long-grain rice, tomatoes, spices, and a touch of heat.
