A fan-favourite food event is making its return to downtown Peterborough, with a full month of creative dishes and a grand finale to wrap it up.
The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area is bringing back its Mac and Cheese Festival from April 1 to April 25, featuring limited-time offerings from 20 restaurants. The event will wrap up with a Grand Finale on April 25 from 11 am to 3 pm at Quaker Foods City Square.
The festival highlights a mix of classic comfort food and more unconventional takes, with some chefs pushing the boundaries of the dish. Among them, Lola’s Cakes and Coffee is offering a Mac and Cheese tiramisu, marking the first dessert-style entry in the festival’s history.
“People are going to ask if there is really macaroni in the tiramisu and the answer is yes. It sounds crazy, but one bite and you’ll be hooked” said Nino Ante, owner of Lola’s Cakes and Coffee. “It’s the dessert adventure you didn’t know you needed. We decided to push the boundaries and make people smile with every bite”.
Throughout April, residents and visitors can sample dishes and vote online for their favourite as part of the People’s Choice Award.
Participating restaurants include Agave by Imperial, Ashburnham Ale House, The Back 40 Smokehouse, By the Bridge, Cork and Bean, Dreams of Beans, La Mesita, Love You Mean It, McThirsty’s Pint, Pappas Billiards, The Revy, Bar Vita, Riverside Grill, Sams Place Deli, St Veronus, The Boardwalk Game Lounge, The Railyard Cafe, The Vine and Turnbull Cafe.
“Our downtown is home to so many passionate entrepreneurs and talented chefs, and this event is a great way to experience that firsthand. Mac and Cheese fest is a great example of what downtown Peterborough is all about” said Nour Mazloum, Executive Director of the Peterborough DBIA. “Showcasing this talent is a large part of how we’re building a vibrant, welcoming downtown people want to return to all year long.”
The festival will wrap up with an outdoor Grand Finale event at Quaker Foods City Square, where attendees can sample dishes from select vendors and watch as local celebrity judges crown the 2026 Mac and Cheese Champion.
Restaurants competing in the finale include Agave by Imperial, The Back 40 Smokehouse, By the Bridge, La Mesita, Lola’s Cakes and Coffee, The Revy, The Boardwalk Game Lounge, The Vine and Turnbull Cafe. Additional vendors will also be on site with food and beverages.
The finale will be fully licensed for those 19 and older and will also feature live music, family-friendly activities and lounge areas.
The event is supported by the City of Peterborough’s tourism department as part of efforts to strengthen events and community connections in the downtown core.
Voting for the People’s Choice Award opens April 1, with organizers encouraging people to try as many dishes as possible throughout the month before the winner is announced at the finale event.
