Thursday, March 12, 2015

The Good Food Festival March 19-21 in Chicago, put on by FamilyFarmed

We've been getting more into whole foods and such (we recently became owners/co-op members of a new Co-op Chicago Market, which in the next year or so will open up a co-op grocery store.  And a brand new Whole Foods will open up in April about 2 blocks from our house!)

So, while looking around for fun things to do this weekend, I noticed this very cool festival of good food happening NEXT week (March 19-21)

http://www.goodfoodfestivals.com/

Basically, it's a combination of organic farmers, restaurant owners, and locavores getting together for an event that will feature over 150 exhibitors, classes and workshops, tours of urban farms, and several "business of good food" seminars.  There's even  a place for people to make pitches to investors.  This will be the 11nth rendition of it, taking place at UIC.

The whole event is three days, but the part that might be interesting to the general food-loving public (that's you and I!) is on Saturday, March 21.  There's a whole host of things for kids to do, including a kid's corner with face-painting, crafts, and a singing farmhand.  There will be bread-baking and charcuterie classes, as well as seminars on milling your own flour, mini-workshops on gardening, farming, composting, and cooking.  There will be discussions about the future of food policy and food activism. And of course, chef demonstrations all day!

And Paul Fehrbach, the chef of Big Jones (which is one of our favorite restaurants in Andersonville) will receive the Good Food Chef of the Year award!  We knew you when!

A full schedule is available here: Saturday Schedule  If you buy your tickets online, you'll save $5 off buying them at the event itself.  ($15)

There's also "Localicious" party the night before, with artisanal local food and drink provided by a number of restaurants and chefs.  The list of restaurants is impressive, as is the party price ($80/ $70 online), but it's a fundraiser for the festival itself, which bills itself as America’s longest running sustainable, local food trade show. So it's a good cause.

The whole event is sponsored by FamilyFarmed, a non-profit organization "committed to expanding the production, marketing and distribution of locally grown and responsibly produced food, in order to enhance the social, economic, and environmental health of our communities." (from their mission statement)

If this sounds like fun, purchase your tickets online to receive discounts on Eventbrite

1 comment:

Strange Party said...

The beauty of the space and food get 5 juicy stars. The place was built with class! I'm no critic, but this place makes you appreciate design and aesthetics. I went to two NY events here. Both times, I had a great experience.