Vendors Grapple with FoodieLand’s Handling After Bite of Seattle Shooting

A mass shooting erupted at the Bite of Seattle food festival on Sunday, leaving three dead and four wounded. The attack halted the event, leaving grills and fryers running, equipment abandoned, and food spoiling. Vendors reported a chaotic “free-for-all” as panic spread, with no emergency alerts or evacuation instructions received from organizers. The festival’s website was altered after the incident, removing maps and branding, and vendors were later instructed—hours after the shooting—to retrieve point-of-sale systems and return equipment.

Seattle Times

The following night, Bite of Seattle posted a public statement expressing devastation and solidarity with the Seattle community. Early the next morning, organizers texted vendors a link to Empathia, a behavioral-health provider, and a hotline number for free counseling. FoodieLand, which acquired the festival in 2024, has not yet listed Seattle among its past events on its website.

Seattle Times

Vendor sentiment ranged from empathy to frustration. Some vendors felt supported, while others accused FoodieLand of prioritizing profit over safety. Concerns were raised about inadequate security, delayed communication, and the financial impact on vendors who were still unable to work. A number of vendors also noted that out-of-state participants seemed to receive preferred placement over local businesses.

Seattle Times

• “I feel for them as they’re experiencing the same traumatic event as us, but they have to keep moving forward for everyone’s sake,” — Cloris Chou, owner of Los Angeles-based art store Cloris Creates, in a statement Wednesday

Seattle Times

• “A lot of people are traumatized from this and are not able to go to work or not able to run the events that they have immediately afterwards,” — Kimberly Patch

Seattle Times

• “People are still losing money from being there,” — Kimberly Patch

Seattle Times

• “I have always felt supported by the Bite of Seattle team, and it is important to remember that they also experienced this horrible tragedy,” — Christopher Monterroso, of Hawaiian Honey Cones from Waipahu, Hawai‘i

Seattle Times