Sarasota, get ready. Big Mama’s Collard Green Fest is turning 10, and this milestone year is bringing even more flavor, family, and community pride to Newtown.
On Saturday, October 17, 2026, the community will gather at Robert L. Taylor Community Complex for the 10th Annual Big Mama’s Collard Green Fest, a beloved Sarasota tradition celebrating Southern cooking, cultural heritage, local talent, and the legendary power of a good pot of greens.
A Celebration of Food, Culture, and Community
Big Mama’s Collard Green Fest honors the recipes, stories, and traditions that have shaped generations. The festival celebrates the rich flavors of Southern, Cajun, Creole, and Caribbean cooking, with collard greens taking center stage.
At the heart of the event are the “Big Mamas,” the home cooks, family chefs, and tradition-keepers who bring recipes passed down through families, some for more than 100 years. These are not just side dishes. These are stories in a pot.
The festival also features local chefs, food vendors, small businesses, community partners, and live entertainment, creating a full day of food, music, connection, and celebration in the heart of Sarasota’s historic Newtown community.
The Collard Green Cook-Off
One of the biggest highlights of the festival is the Collard Green Cook-Off, where home cooks and professional chefs compete for bragging rights, prizes, and the coveted “Big Mama” title.
Contestants bring their best collard green recipes to the table, and dishes are judged blind by a selected panel. No names. No favorites. Just flavor.
Awards are given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, but let’s be honest, anyone brave enough to enter their greens into public judgment already has nerves of steel and probably a secret ingredient they will never admit to.
More Than a Festival
Big Mama’s Collard Green Fest began in 2016 as a way to bring people together through food, friendly competition, and community pride. Ten years later, it has grown into one of Newtown’s signature events.
The festival supports the mission of Newtown Nation and the Newtown Farmers Market, helping promote food access, healthy eating, local entrepreneurship, and economic opportunity in the Newtown community.
Every vendor, sponsor, volunteer, cook, performer, and guest helps strengthen that mission.
Family-Friendly and Alcohol-Free
Big Mama’s Collard Green Fest is a family-friendly, alcohol-free event designed for all ages. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, family, friends, and appetite, and enjoy a day filled with local flavor and community celebration.
Guests can sample and purchase soul food favorites, support local vendors, enjoy live entertainment, and experience the many ways collard greens continue to connect people across generations.
Join Us for the 10th Year
For ten years, Big Mama’s Collard Green Fest has celebrated culture, tradition, and the people who make Newtown strong. This year, we invite Sarasota and the surrounding community to help us make the 10th annual celebration the best one yet.
Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Location: Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, Sarasota, Florida
Presented by: Newtown Farmers Market and Newtown Nation
Come hungry. Leave happy. Celebrate culture, community, and the greens that started it all.