By John Andrews, Content Director, Creative Collective
Salem’s 400th anniversary year is already packed with landmark moments. Now, one of the most ambitious celebrations yet is taking shape. Food at 400+, a 12-day culinary and cultural festival running June 11–22, 2026, will transform the city into a living timeline of food, community, and shared heritage. Produced by Salem Food Tours — a Creative Collective member — the festival brings together celebrity chef Scott Conant, 17 local restaurants, seven historic house museums, and a slate of free public programming, making this one of the most accessible Salem 400 events of the year.
Why Does a Celebrity Chef Share a Name With Salem’s Founder?
Here’s the detail that elevates Food at 400+ from a great local festival to a genuinely remarkable story. Chef Scott Conant — the James Beard Award winner, Food Network star, and longtime Chopped judge — is a 13th-generation direct descendant of Roger Conant, the man who founded Salem in 1626.
That connection isn’t just a footnote. It’s the emotional core of the entire festival. Roger Conant left East Budleigh, a small village in Devon, England, and established the settlement at Naumkeag that would become Salem. Four hundred years later, his descendant is returning to that same city to celebrate through the thing that connects all of us: food.
“Salem isn’t just a city I’m visiting — it’s where my family’s American story began,” Chef Conant said in the festival announcement. “Taking part in this 400th anniversary, in the place Roger Conant first established, is deeply personal.”
Additionally, “An Evening with Scott Conant” takes place Saturday, June 13th at the Sophia Gordon Performing Arts Center at Salem State University. The program features a stage interview followed by audience Q&A. Doors open at 6:30 PM, with the program starting at 7 PM. Every ticket purchased directly funds Food at 400+ and its free public programming. Tickets are available through Eventbrite.
What Free Events Are Part of Food at 400+?
One of the most impressive aspects of this Salem culinary festival is how much of it costs nothing at all. The festival’s producer, Karen Scalia of Salem Food Tours, has built a program that balances ticketed headline events with generous free offerings for families and community members.
Free Exhibit at Old Town Hall (June 11–22): The festival opens with a family-friendly exhibit running the full 12 days at Old Town Hall in Derby Square. This serves as the festival’s home base and the starting point for several other activities.
Historic House Museum Open Houses (June 13–14, 11 AM–4 PM): Seven of Salem’s most iconic historic homes open their doors for free with special food-themed exhibits. Highlights include a “Morbid Confections” display at The Witch House, hands-on access to an 1800s Rumford Roaster at The Pickering House, and exhibits at The House of the Seven Gables, The Phillips House, Ropes Mansion, Cotting-Smith House, and The Salem Athenaeum. Grab a free wristband at Old Town Hall and hop aboard the complimentary Salem Trolley shuttle to visit them all.
Free Public Talks (June 13–14): Open talks on food, history, and community at Old Town Hall. Speaker details are forthcoming.
Free Farm Visit (Saturday, June 13, 9:30–11 AM): Take the complimentary trolley from Old Town Hall to Mack Park Farm, where volunteers share the story of this urban farm that grows thousands of pounds of pesticide-free produce each season for Salem residents, food assistance organizations, and local retailers.
Which Salem Restaurants Are Participating?
Throughout all 12 days, 17 Salem restaurants are crafting special dishes and cocktails inspired by historic recipes and ingredients. This isn’t a standard restaurant week — these are custom creations designed specifically for Salem’s quadricentennial celebration.
Confirmed participating restaurants include Ledger, Sea Level, Finz, Turner’s Seafood, Bernadette, Bambolina, Settler, Rockafellas, and The Lobster Shanty, with additional restaurants to be announced. Meanwhile, Salem’s award-winning craft beverage makers are pouring historically inspired libations at Deacon Giles Distillery, Couch Dog Brewing, and Far From the Tree Cider.
For visitors planning their trip, this means you can build an entire week of dining around historically inspired flavors — from cocktails rooted in Salem’s maritime trading days to dishes that nod to four centuries of New England foodways.
How Does the Sister City Connection Fit In?
Food at 400+ arrives on the heels of a landmark moment for Salem. In February 2026, the Salem City Council voted to establish a formal Sister City relationship with East Budleigh, England — Roger Conant’s birthplace. Four hundred years after Conant left that Devon village to found Salem, the two communities are now officially connected.
Karen Scalia of Salem Food Tours helped initiate those transatlantic discussions, traveling to East Budleigh in June 2025 with a letter from Mayor Dominick Pangallo. Subsequently, the East Budleigh Parish Council unanimously agreed to the partnership. The Food at 400+ festival celebrates that full-circle moment, with representatives from East Budleigh and the British Consulate-General in Boston expected to participate.
“Food at 400+ brings together so many threads I love about this city — a chef who carries Salem’s founding family name, a brand new Sister City across the Atlantic, seventeen local restaurants, and seven historic homes all opening their doors,” said Scalia.
For the full story on the Sister City twinning, see our earlier coverage: Salem and East Budleigh Celebrate 400 Years of Transatlantic Connection.
Karen Scalia of Salem Food Tours, visiting East Budleigh, UK in June of 2025. The first time visit was very special, fulfilling a long time wish. She met with local historians and officials, helping prepare for Food at 400+/Salem 400+ festivities.
Food Justice and Salem’s Future at the Table
Food at 400+ isn’t only about looking back. The Old Town Hall exhibit will spotlight Salem’s community-driven work in food justice and food access. Organizations featured include the Salem Food Policy Council, Mack Park Farm, the Salem Farmers Market, The Salem Pantry, and ROOT.
This forward-looking programming matters because it connects Salem’s quadricentennial to the real, present-day work of feeding a community equitably. As Scalia put it, “Food has always been the thing that connects us, and four hundred years in, it’s an honor to give that a proper celebration.”
Furthermore, the film component adds another dimension. Cinema Salem hosts a curated series of food-themed films screening on Wednesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings throughout the festival. Specific film titles and showtimes will be announced closer to the event.
[Image: mack-park-farm-urban-agriculture-salem.jpg – Mack Park Farm urban agriculture visit during Food at 400+ highlights Salem’s food justice work]
Planning Your Visit to Food at 400+
Here’s what you need to know to make the most of the festival:
Festival Dates: June 11–22, 2026
Location: Venues throughout Salem, MA (Old Town Hall at 32 Derby Square serves as the central hub)
Admission: Mix of free and ticketed events. The exhibit, historic house open houses, farm visit, and public talks are all free. Restaurant dining is at individual restaurant pricing. The Scott Conant evening and Cinema Salem screenings are ticketed.
Getting Around: Complimentary Salem Trolley shuttle service connects Old Town Hall to historic house museums and Mack Park Farm on June 13–14.
Chef Scott Conant Tickets: Available through Eventbrite. Note: the venue is at Salem State University, about a 10-minute drive from downtown Salem. Allow at least 30 minutes for travel and parking if dining downtown beforehand.
More Information: Visit foodat400.com or contact info@foodat400.com.
Karen Scalia during a Salem Food tour in Downtown Salem
Frequently Asked Questions About Food at 400+
How much does Food at 400+ cost?
Many of the festival’s marquee experiences are completely free, including the Old Town Hall exhibit, all seven historic house open houses, the Mack Park Farm visit, and public talks. Restaurant dining is pay-as-you-go at individual establishments. Tickets for “An Evening with Scott Conant” and Cinema Salem screenings are sold separately.
Is Food at 400+ family friendly?
Yes. The festival is designed to be accessible to all ages. The free exhibit at Old Town Hall, historic house open houses, and farm visit are all family-friendly. The restaurant programming appeals to families who enjoy dining out, and the food-themed film series includes Saturday-morning screenings.
Where can I get tickets for the Scott Conant event?
Tickets for “An Evening with Chef Scott Conant” on Saturday, June 13th, are available through Eventbrite. The event takes place at the Sophia Gordon Performing Arts Center at Salem State University. All ticket proceeds fund Food at 400+ programming.
Do I need reservations at participating restaurants?
The festival has not announced a reservation requirement, but Salem restaurants can fill up quickly — especially during high-profile events. Booking ahead at participating restaurants like Ledger, Finz, Bambolina, and Turner’s Seafood is strongly recommended, particularly for the opening weekend of June 13–14.
Food at 400+ Festival Partners: Salem Food Tours, House of the Seven Gables, Salem Trolley, Hawthorne Hotel, Finz, Salem Main Streets, Creative Collective and the broader Salem community.
This story comes from the Creative Collective community — Essex County businesses who believe when we thrive together, our whole region becomes more vibrant. We’re entrepreneurs, creators, and service providers across all industries, collaborating to build the community we want to be part of. If you see your business as more than just commerce — as a way to contribute to our regional ecosystem — you belong here. Discover how to join our community →
