The Biggest Names in Food and Social Media Come Together at the 2026 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Invesco QQQ

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 29, 2026--

The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Invesco QQQ (NYCWFF) returns October 15–18, 2026, with four days of celebrity-hosted events, one-of-a-kind creator experiences and culinary programming across New York City.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260929403596/en/

On Sunday, October 18, the spotlight turns to the digital voices shaping what and how we eat today. Bank of America’s FoodieCon® presented by SUNSET®, the Festival’s largest gathering of food and lifestyle creators, brings some of today’s most influential digital personalities off the screen and together at Storied NYC for a full day of live conversations, interactive challenges, tastings, meet-and-greets and more.

This year’s Bank of America’s FoodieCon® presented by SUNSET® lineup includes Nigel Ng aka Uncle Roger ( @mrnigelng ), Holly Barnes (@ savourygirll ), August DeWindt (@ theres.food.at.home ), Ana Sofia Fehn (@ anasofiafehn ), Carson Gillaspia (@ crustbycarson ), Jenn Lueke (@ JennEatsGoood ) , Kevin Noparvar (@ howkeveats ), Denise Nuzzo (@ the_burratababe ), Carmen Perr (@ carmeninthegarden ), Bobby Pombo (@ bobbypombo ), Stephanie Tea (@ stephvnietea ), Sarah Thomas-Drawbaugh (@ healthyishfoods ), Olivia Tiedemann (@ Oliviatied ), Alex Guarnaschelli ( @guarnaschelli ) and Esther Choi ( @choibites ), with additional creators and culinary personalities joining the lineup. Alessandra Ciuffo of@FlavorsbyAlewill serve as the day’s emcee.

“FoodieCon® has become such an exciting part of NYCWFF because it reflects how people are discovering, sharing and connecting over food today,” said Lee Brian Schrager, Founder & Director of NYCWFF. “We’re thrilled to welcome Bank of America as the title sponsor of FoodieCon® and grateful for their support in helping us bring this incredible community of creators and food lovers together in an even bigger way.”

More than a meet-and-greet, the experience will take audiences behind the content through conversations that explore the creator economy and the changing landscape of influence. Sell Smart or Sell Out: The Brand Deal Talkwith Bank of America gets candid about navigating partnerships, negotiating smarter and making the most of what you earn, while Second Course: Biting into a New Career explores the unexpected career paths, leaps and imposter syndrome behind some of today’s favorite creators. The Shift of Influence: Audience in Charge looks beyond follower counts and algorithms to examine how creators are building lasting communities across Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Substack, blogs and more. Meta will also join the conversation, bringing its perspective to the FoodieCon® stage as part of the day’s creator-focused programming.

The programming will also bring the energy of social content to the stage with Cheap Sweep: Ballin’ on a Bodega Budget, challenging creators to build a dish with just $20 worth of bodega finds, and Gut Check: FoodieCon®Edition, the event’s first Fear Factor-inspired food challenge. Guests can also enjoy tastings, photo opportunities, giveaways and interactive experiences featuring a handpicked collection of NYC restaurants, including Joe Calderone of Serendipity3, Maayan Glass of 12 Chairs Cafe, James Kwon of Village Square Pizza, Pedro Moreira of Empanada Papa, Brooklyn Dumpling Shop and Irene Yoo of Yoo Eating. Meta will also sponsor the FoodieCon® Green Room, giving participating creators the opportunity to experience Meta Glasses throughout the day.

As part of the experience, Bank of America cardholders can enjoy an exclusive buy three tickets, get one free offer when purchasing with their Bank of America card, helping more people join the conversations, experiences and creator-led communities that make FoodieCon unique.

FoodieCon will also welcome Wonder, the food app where diners can mix and match dishes from 20+ Wonder restaurants in a single order. Chef Esther Choi will join Wonder at FoodieCon, where guests can sample a dish from her new menu collaboration with Wonder, meet Esther and receive signed copies of her cookbook. The activation will give attendees a chance to experience Esther’s latest collaboration with Wonder and connect with her in person.

Beyond showcasing culinary talent, the Festival remains committed to creating a meaningful impact on the food and hospitality industry. Net proceeds from the Festival will support the Event Zero Foundation and its mission to advance sustainability and environmental responsibility across the events industry, as well as the James Beard Foundation® and its work to lead chefs and the broader culinary community toward a new standard of excellence.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.nycwff.org/foodiecon.

Stay up to date by following the conversation all year long on Facebook and Instagram using @FoodieCon and @ NYCWFF and on TikTok at FoodieConFest and NYCWineFoodFestival.

Press images and interviews are available upon request.

Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Invesco QQQ

The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Invesco QQQ is hosted by and benefits the Event Zero Foundation and the James Beard Foundation. Over the past 18 years, the Festival has generated more than $15 million in net proceeds for its charitable causes. Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is the exclusive provider of wine and spirits at the Festival. BizBash has named the Festival the #1 Food & Restaurant Industry event in New York for 10 years in a row. More information on the Festival can be found at nycwff.org. Follow @NYCWFF on Facebook and Instagram and on TikTok at @NYCWineFoodFestival.

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol, building brands for moments that matter. The multi-generational, family-owned Company has operations in 47 U.S. markets and Canada, as well as brokerage operations through its Southern Glazer’s Travel Retail Sales & Export Division in the Caribbean, Central and South America. In 2024, Southern Glazer’s was recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity and America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women. Southern Glazer’s urges all retail customers and adult consumers to market, sell, serve, and enjoy its products responsibly. For more information visit www.southernglazers.com. Follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram @sgwinespirits.

a21

a21 is a full-service live experience agency, specializing in event operations, production, marketing, corporate sales and brand activations for live experiences. Founded in 2006, a21’s portfolio includes internationally recognized events and festivals in South Florida and throughout the US: Food Network South Beach & New York City Wine & Food Festivals, Sunfest, Palm Beach Wine & Food Festival, Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival, Los Angeles Wine & Food Festival, Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, Heritage Fire and Whiskies of the World National Tours, AMP’s suite of Art Fairs, International Wine & Spirits Competition and more. Learn more at https://www.teama21.com/.

*Invesco is not affiliated with the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival or any of the individuals, brands or companies mentioned; nor should this be construed as an endorsement for any of the individuals, brands or companies mentioned.

**Bank of America cardholders can buy three tickets and get one free with this offer. Limit 10 tickets per event, per transaction. While supplies last.

A star-studded lineup of culinary creators, chefs and food personalities comes together for Bank of America’s FoodieCon® presented by SUNSET®, returning to the 2026 New York City Wine & Food Festival for a day of live conversations, demonstrations and interactive experiences.

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s government on Tuesday presented measures to address the country's housing crisis that has drawn tens of thousands of people to the streets in recent days after the eviction of an 87-year-old woman last week. It remains to be seen if they go far enough to appease protesters.

The coalition led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialists announced the measures after four days of intense protests centered around an encampment in Puerta del Sol, Madrid's most iconic plaza. They were sparked by the eviction of María del Carmen Abascal, who was carried out on a stretcher from the apartment where she had lived for seven decades and has become widely known as simply “Maricarmen.”

The protests have yielded results for Abascal, whose lawyer Beatriz Duro said she had accepted a deal with the company that owns her apartment in the upscale Retiro neighborhood to return home. Abascal, who has been in a hospital since she was removed from her apartment, will return as soon as she is discharged, Duro said. The agreement limits her rent to 30% of her income, meaning she would not pay more than the 500 euros ($570) per month she paid previously.

The government's main decree extends protection against evictions for vulnerable Spaniards until 2030, regulates room rentals, imposes a new tax on seasonal rentals and bans “speculative real estate purchases by vulture funds” until 2028, Housing Minister Isabel Rodríguez told reporters at the presidential palace. It remains unclear how such funds are classified or how large the tax will be, as the decree's full text has yet to be released.

It also offers tax breaks to landlords who rent to low-income tenants, offers interest-free loans to families buying their first home, and protects public housing and promotes its construction, Rodríguez added.

“This has been thanks to the citizen movement. To Maricarmen. To the thousands of people in the streets,” Spain's Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz wrote on social media.

Rising costs and a housing shortage are pricing many Spaniards out of the housing market, despite strong economic growth in Europe’s fourth-largest economy. The protesters have been demanding stronger protections for tenants, measures to combat fraud and a ban on evictions when alternative housing is unavailable.

Parliament has 30 days to ratify the measures, and the government wants to expedite the process and has called an extraordinary plenary session on housing for Friday. The government's coalition holds 152 of the chamber’s 350 seats, so it needs the support of smaller parties across the political spectrum to pass bills. Lack of parliamentary support in late July prevented the approval of similar measures.

The Madrid Tenants’ Union, the organizer of the protest, said it would remain cautious until it could review “the fine print” of the decree.

“The streets, this encampment and all the others currently across the country are engaging in a historic standoff with the government to push it to advance the right to housing through measures that had not been considered. And this continues,” said Alicia del Río, the union’s spokesperson.

The activists, planning more protests for the weekend, will decide later today whether to dismantle the encampment. The regional government, led by the conservative People’s Party, has asked the government delegate to clear the iconic square within 48 hours before taking the matter to court. The protesters have remained peaceful.

Smaller encampments have sprung up in other cities, from Seville and Málaga in the south to Santiago de Compostela in the north and Palma de Mallorca in the tourist-friendly Balearic Islands, drawing international attention to a long-running issue.

Asked about the situation on Monday, Pope Leo XIV said it underscored the need for political leaders to find solutions to the housing crisis affecting many communities.

“Maybe we have to insist that political leaders, authorities find a solution to this, because it’s obviously increasing and oftentimes we only react in the moment of an emergency,” he said, after admitting that he was not familiar with the case. “But we have to try to see what the systemic cause of the problem is and how to help.”

Spain has had a housing law in place since 2023 that regulates rents and protects tenants, as well as allowing rent caps in high-demand areas at the request of local governments.

Spanish media reported that Abascal’s father first rented the property in 1956 and she continued as the tenant after her parents died, during which time there was a rent cap. The building changed ownership in 2018, and Abascal was offered the opportunity to buy the apartment but could not afford it, according to the Madrid Tenants’ Union, which organized Saturday’s protest.

Urbagestión, an investment fund that later bought the unit, raised her monthly rent from 500 euros to 2,650 euros. It subsequently lowered the rent to 1,650 euros, which Abascal still could not afford on her pension, the union said.

The company didn't respond to emailed and phone requests for comment from The Associated Press.

Associated Press journalists Nicole Winfield in Rome and Joseph Wilson in Barcelona contributed.

Protesters camp during a protest at Sol Square following the eviction last Wednesday of 87-year-old Maricarmen as they demand stronger laws to protect renters in Madrid, Spain, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Tourists take pictures of protesters camping during a protest at Sol Square following the eviction last Wednesday of 87-year-old Maricarmen as they demand stronger laws to protect renters in Madrid, Spain, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Demonstrators camp during a protest at Sol Square following the eviction last Wednesday of 87-year-old Maricarmen as they demand stronger laws to protect renters in Madrid, Spain, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Tourists gather in front of protesters camping during a protest at Sol Square following the eviction last Wednesday of 87-year-old Maricarmen as they demand stronger laws to protect renters in Madrid, Spain, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Demonstrators camp during a protest at Sol Square following the eviction last Wednesday of 87-year-old Maricarmen as they demand stronger laws to protect renters in Madrid, Spain, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)