On the first weekend of September, the Hampshire Dome in Milford, New Hampshire, will welcome an entirely new kind of crowd. Inside its 94,000 square feet and across the surrounding grounds, roughly one hundred vendors will set up shop on September 5 and 6 for the Gluten Never Ever Expo—a two-day gathering dedicated to the gluten-free community. The tagline posted across the event's website and ticketing pages is concise and playful: "Where gluten is never invited."
The expo is the brainchild of Jody Donohue, a New Hampshire event organizer who has spent more than a decade building a network of craft fairs and food truck festivals under the umbrella of GNE Events, LLC. Her Great New England Craft & Artisan Shows and her food truck festivals draw families across the region. But the Gluten Never Ever Expo marks something personal: it’s designed not just for people who choose to avoid gluten, but for those who must—people living with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or related sensitivities. Donohue, who remains the sole contact person listed on the event’s website, has packed the weekend with details that only make sense to someone who has navigated a gluten-free life: designated gluten-free and gluten-friendly zones, and a recipe wall where attendees can share their favorite gluten-free recipes.
The venue itself is part of the story. The Hampshire Dome, located at 34 Emerson Road, is a 94,000-square-foot arena covered by an air-supported roof with an 80-foot ceiling height. It’s a familiar sight to local athletes and families, hosting soccer leagues and golf driving ranges. But the structure has also had a dramatic second act. In 2017, the dome collapsed and was rebuilt that summer, and it has continued to host events since then.
It’s a fitting backdrop for an expo whose very purpose is to offer shelter—not from the elements, but from the constant vigilance that comes with eating in a world saturated with wheat. For those who live with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, every meal can feel like a potential hazard. That’s precisely the anxiety the Gluten Never Ever Expo aims to dissolve. Organizers have designed the event to be a worry-free experience for the gluten-free community.
The programming goes far beyond a typical bazaar. On the center stage, local musicians will perform throughout both days—Clint LaPointe and Dalton Sayball on Saturday, with Liz Tapia and Jordan Holmes taking over on Sunday. In between sets, there’s a discussion with Teresa from UnGrain’d about whether the extra cost of gluten-free foods can be deducted from taxes, a niche but genuinely useful topic for a community that pays a persistent premium at the grocery store. For hands-on types, the workshops are the main draw. A gluten-free sourdough class on Saturday morning teaches participants how to make their own dough and take home a live sourdough starter—a small act of culinary liberation for people who have often been told bread is off the table for good. There will be a wine tasting with Averill House Vineyard, paired with gluten-free snacks, and on Sunday, a bourbon tasting hosted by Cathedral Ledge Distillery that walks participants through the distillation process and what it means for the gluten content of spirits. A free chocolate workshop demonstrates three gluten-free dessert recipes live, and a succulent sea glass make-and-take craft session offers a creative outlet for those who’d rather make art than dessert. For kids, there’s a free bounce house, face painting, and interactive storytime with author Holly DiBella-McCarthy, who will read her book "Dilly Duck Saves the Day" before leading children in a gluten-free food-making activity.
Food, of course, is the beating heart of the weekend. Dozens of specialty bakeries will be on hand—Annie’s Gluten Free Bakery, Blackbird Gluten Free Bakery, Ugly’s Gluten Free Bakery, Sweetness and Honey, and Mimi’s GF Kitchen, to name just a few—alongside prepared food vendors, food trucks serving everything from birria gordita tacos to BBQ, and a cash bar pouring gluten-free beers, seltzers, wine, and mimosas. There’s even a gluten-free waffle breakfast planned for Sunday morning before the doors open to the general public. The vendor list reads like a who’s who of the region’s gluten-free economy, stretching from The Holy Donut of Maine to Lucky Pigeon Brewing Co., and it includes a surprising number of non-food businesses too—candlemakers, potters, seaglass artists, and a gluten-free dog barkery called Power Pup Treats. The presence of crafts and artisans alongside food vendors reflects Donohue’s background; she’s spent years curating craft shows around New England, and she’s bringing that same eye for quality and variety to this new venture.
Advance admission is just $10 for both days, with children ten and under free. Organizers are expecting a large crowd, so timed entry tickets are being sold online in advance, with walk-ins welcome after 1 p.m. on each day. Free parking, free entry Sunday after 3 p.m., and the sheer convenience of having everything under one roof—or next to it, with food trucks and outdoor space available—make it an easy day trip for families from across southern New Hampshire and beyond.
But the deeper significance of the Gluten Never Ever Expo isn’t just the scale of its vendor list or the cleverness of its programming. It’s the simple fact that the event exists at all—that a dedicated community has grown large, vibrant, and vocal enough to warrant a two-day, 100-booth expo built entirely around the absence of a single protein. For those living with celiac disease and for the many more who have adopted gluten-free eating for other reasons, a weekend like this is more than a shopping trip. It’s a rare opportunity to lower one’s guard entirely, to sample freely, to ask questions without apology, and to share a recipe wall with strangers who understand exactly why it matters. The gluten may never be invited, but for two days in early September, everyone else is more than welcome.