Nueva Esperanza to Host Fifth Annual Paper City Food Festival on Oct. 11-12

HOLYOKE — Nueva Esperanza will host the fifth annual Paper City Food Festival on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 11-12, transforming downtown Holyoke into a two-block, open-air celebration of local cuisine, culture, music, and community.

This year’s festival will also serve a special purpose: a portion of the activities will support Grace “Gracie” Gianna Falcon, a courageous 4-year-old from Holyoke who is battling B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

“The Paper City Food Festival is about the best of Holyoke — our flavors, our music, our small businesses, and our heart,” the festival organizers said. “By coming together this year, we’ll not only enjoy an incredible weekend downtown, we’ll also stand with Gracie and her family.”

The festival will take place on Saturday, from 2 to 10 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. As part of this year’s festival, Nueva Esperanza will host the Walk for Gracie on Sunday to raise funds for Gracie and her family. In-person registration opens 10 a.m. in front of the stage on High Street, and the walk will begin at noon on Suffolk Street.

The registration fee for the walk is $20 for adults, $10 for kids and teens, and free for children under 6. All walk proceeds go directly to Gracie’s family to help with medical bills, travel, and daily needs.