SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Even though the New York State Fair is still months away, Central New Yorkers got a head start on fairground festivities this past weekend— this time with a global twist.
On Saturday, the New York State Fairgrounds hosted the fourth annual International Taste Festival, drawing a diverse crowd for a celebration of food, culture, music and community. Over 40 vendors from across the region gathered to showcase cuisine from around the world, offering everything from Puerto Rican mofongo to Middle Eastern pastries and European desserts.
One of the standout vendors at the festival was Mamacita’s Fusion Food Truck, owned by Sarah Rios, who participated in the “Foods of the Americas” section. Her approach blends a variety of global influences into a unique culinary experience.
“I would describe my food as extremely unique; we love the fusion of different cultures and flavors. From tacos to authentic Puerto Rican food, Italian and we mix everything in between,” Rios said.
International Food Festival – Maurice Holtzman
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: International Taste Festival brings global flavors to Syracuse
Maurice Holtzman: Even though we’re still a few months away from the New York State Fair opening up this summer, Syracuse’s residents flocked to the fairgrounds this weekend for a different type of celebration. This past Saturday was the fourth annual International Taste Festival, bringing together members of the community for live music, crafts and most importantly – good eats.
Sarah Rios: I would describe my food as extremely unique; we love the fusion of different cultures and flavors. From tacos to authentic Puerto Rican food, Italian and we mix everything in between.
Holtzman: That’s Sarah Rios, the owner of Mamacita’s Fusion Food Truck. Her team set up shop as part of the “Foods of the Americas” section of the festival, with other regions including Tastes of Europe, Asian Creations, Pan African Cuisine and Middle Eastern Treats.
Holtzman: And as promised by an international food festival, there are cuisines from all across the world and a variety of cultures in Syracuse today. Now behind me there are over 40 vendors, so in order to try everything each stand has a $2 sample available for visitors to come in and see what they like best!
Holtzman: One of these visitors was Syracuse University senior Eli Schmeller, who took this as an opportunity to connect with the city.
Eli Schmeller:I think it’s really nice to be able to get in touch with the community as a student. Because I feel like a lot of the time we’re kind of kept away on our campus. We don’t really get to wander out as much. So, when we have big events like this, it kind of encourages us to step outside our comfort zones.
Holtzman: Festivalgoers like Schmeller have been able to enjoy Rios’s fusion food at all four iterations of this annual festival so far. And when I asked her what keeps her coming back, her answer was pretty clear.
Rios:Oh, the crowd! The crowd is always so much fun, the organizers are really really good to work with and we love the entire vibe of the entire place.
The festival was organized into several regional themes: Tastes of Europe, Asian Creations, Pan African Cuisine, Middle Eastern Treats and Foods of the Americas. To make sampling easier for visitors, each vendor offered $2 tasting portions, allowing attendees to explore dishes from many different countries without breaking the bank.
Among the crowd was Syracuse University senior Eli Schmeller, who saw the event as a meaningful opportunity to connect with the city beyond campus.
“I think it’s really nice to be able to get in touch with the community as a student,” Schmeller said. “A lot of the time we’re kind of kept away on our campus. We don’t really get to wander out as much. So, when we have big events like this, it kind of encourages us to step outside our comfort zones.”
For vendors like Rios, the sense of community is a big part of what brings her back year after year.
“Oh, the crowd! The crowd is always so much fun,” she said. “The organizers are really really good to work with and we love the entire vibe of the entire place.”
With the event continuing to grow each year, the International Taste Festival has become a staple of Syracuse’s spring calendar—a chance to celebrate the city’s cultural diversity one bite at a time.
