2nd Annual Boston Local Food Festival 2011: Celebrate Food We Will

by Abby Hueber

Keep it local, keep it fresh and make it delicious! The mission of the Boston Local Food Festival is to highlight the abundance and breadth of local food and produce that exists within Massachusetts and greater New England. The event brings together local farmers, businesses, health organizations and of coarse, local foodies for a day of appreciation for all the edible wonders that exist right in our backyard!

The idea for the festival originated from the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Boston (SBN), an organization driven to increase the engagement of businesses and community leaders in building an economy that is green, local and fair. The Boston Local Food Festival was created as a part of this mission, in the hopes that this event would help to foster a community of support for our local and regional food systems as well as increase accessibility and availability of local healthy foods for all.

This year marks the second annual Boston Local Food Festival, hosting over 100 vendors and exhibitors from around the greater Boston area. This bustling event is filled with exciting and delicious Festival happenings. Meet your local food growers, cultivators and creators; touch, taste and purchase the fresh produce, healthy food products and goods right from the creators themselves! Enjoy local tastings from well-known chefs and cookbook authors. Expand your culinary talents with education exhibits and demo’s on everything from gardening to nutrition and health to composting and even beekeeping and urban food initiatives! The event is all day and is meant to celebrate the people, talents and planet behind our local food system right here in Boston.

The event also embraces a Zero Waste initiative, striving to have minimal impact on our environment - so remember to bring your own water bottle and compost your food waste (that is if you have any food waste!).

Lastly, Calling all Gardeners - The Festival is hosting a Crop Share; an opportunity to donate one or two items of fresh produce from your garden to be collected by South Boston Grown and the Food Project to be distributed to families in need throughout greater Boston.

So come on out and celebrate the local food culture in Massachusetts, and bring your appetite too, this Saturday, October 1, 2011 from 11am-5pm on the Boston Waterfront at Fort Point Channel.