BOSTON’S LOVE FOR PIZZA runs deep —and this weekend, the city’s biggest celebration of it is back. The Boston Pizza Festival returns to City Hall Plaza on June 21 and 22, bringing together more than 30 pizzerias from across New England, the U.S., and Italy for two days of serious slice appreciation.

Now recognized as the largest consumer pizza event in New England, the festival is expected to draw more than 20,000 people to Government Center for a weekend of food, music, and pizza-fueled energy.

What’s New

This year, the festival introduces a revamped ticketing system: a $10 advance admission (or $15 at the door) includes entry and two slices, with optional add-on packages for extra slices. The goal is to make it easier for guests to pace themselves—and their appetite.

Also new this year: the U.S. debut of Molino Scoppettuolo flour, a specialty Italian flour sourced from Avellino, Italy. Every pizzeria on-site will use hand-crafted ovens from the Fiero Group, ensuring a consistently crispy, blistered crust no matter where you roam.

Beer and wine will be available, including pours from Peroni and 19 Crimes.

Pizza from Near and Far

Boston’s local pizza scene will be well-represented, but international names are making headlines, too. Pizza a Vico, an annual pizza festival in Vico Equense, Italy, is collaborating with the Boston Pizza Festival to bring authentic Italian pizzaiolos to the event. It’s a rare opportunity to taste Italian pies made by the pros—without a passport.

Also on deck: the legendary New Haven-based Sally’s Apizza and Boston favorites like Rossopomodoro.

“We’re proud to bring some of the best pizza talent from Boston and beyond into one space,” says Raffaele Scalzi, festival co-director and owner of East Boston’s Pazza on Porter and Next Door. “It’s about showcasing the diversity and craftsmanship behind a food everyone loves.”

More Than Just Pizza

Live music, interactive pizza-making demos from The Dough Connection, and plenty of open-air space round out the weekend’s schedule. Whether you’re there to catch a band, watch a dough-tossing masterclass, or just eat your way through the lineup, there’s plenty to keep the pace lively between slices.

Behind the scenes, co-directors Scalzi and Giancarlo Natale continue to build the festival with a focus on community and accessibility. Both come from Italian-American backgrounds rooted in food and hospitality—something that still drives the event today.

The bottom line? It’s two days of great pizza, with no shortage of Boston character baked in.