One mom with tears in her eyes hugged Abby Helman Kelly at last year’s event and told her, ‘thank you, my little girl can eat anything here.”
It was the Wicked Gluten-Free Expo and it’s designed for those who are gluten-free because of celiac disease or a sensitivity to gluten. Such conditions can mean having to revolve their life around food and it can be particularly tough on children who feel apart from the crowd, experts say.
To Kelly, who puts the expos together each year, it’s a pleasure to hear of the joy in people like that mom.
“I get a lot of thanks. It’s gratifying” she said.
The Connecticut expo, to be held at Mohegan Sun on Feb, 28, 2026, last year drew 5,000 people and more than 100 vendors.
This year it’s expected to be even bigger with more vendors, food trucks and free samples.
Everything consumable will be free of gluten, a substance that can cause severe abdominal pain and other suffering if one is allergic or sensitive to gluten.
There will be no labels that need to be read, as gluten-free Kelly has carefully vetted the vendors as she does the food she buys for her home.
It’s like a “food festival” — carnival food — for those who can’t ingest gluten. Kelly said there will be fried dough, chicken tenders, French fries, tater tots with yummy toppings, Mac and cheese, dino nuggets, empanadas, burritos, barbecue, cornbread and more.
Some trucks are dedicated gluten free and some are cleaned thoroughly and made gluten free for the day, Kelly said.
Kelly, who has been gluten-free for about 13 years, launched the expo business about 10 years ago with zero experience in entrepreneurship or business.
“My mission was to make life easier and a little more delicious for gluten-free people like me. I forged ahead, learning as I went, and making plenty of mistakes, which, in retrospect, are quite funny,” she said. “My whole family now helps to run the expos, and they’ve really grown in scale and popularity.”
Other Wicked Gluten-free expos in 2026 will be held in Philadelphia July 18, and Sept. 19 in Massachusetts. Additional locations will be announced on the website.
Kelly said an estimated one in 133 Americans, or about 1% of the population, has celiac disease and its estimated that up to 83% of Americans who have celiac disease are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other conditions.
There is evidence from other studies that the total number of people with celiac disease (not just diagnosed cases) has increased over time, Kelly said.
According to Gluten-Free New England’s website, gluten is a protein composite found in wheat and related grains, including barley and rye. Those with celiac disease, a disorder in which the immune system attacks normal tissue, eating gluten can cause abdominal cramping, vomiting, failure to thrive, osteoporosis, diarrhea and other issues, the site states.
Many people without a diagnosis go on gluten-free diets because they feel better, including less bloated.
“If you’re not gluten free you sort of know someone who is,” Kelly said “It’s sort of a cultural thing.”
She eliminated gluten because it was causing a skin condition, eczema, she said.
Kelly said that when one person has an allergy or sensitivity to gluten, the whole family often goes gluten-free.
When you’re going out to eat you have to bring everything with you, she said.
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“In general it’s tough,” she said of following the diet. “It’s really difficult to navigate.”
She said one way to tell if gluten is not for your body is to eliminate it from your diet for a few weeks and see if you feel better.
Kelly, a fan of local businesses, said the expo day connects large and small businesses.
“It’s like a vacation day,” for those who cannot safely ingest gluten, Kelly said.
Expo-goers can buy many products, including pizza crust, baking flour, protein bars, pretzels, snacks, mixes, sauces for cooking.
An ice cream truck with product that’s gluten-free and dairy free is expected to be there.
While the expo mainly attracts people from throughout New England, one woman called to say she and her mom are flying in from Texas.
The expo price is $27.50 for adults, $8 for children ages 6 to 12, and 5 and younger are free. Visit https://wickedglutenfree.com/.