The day before the Slow Food fund-raiser, a related event — the third annual OrganicFest — comes to City/County Plaza.
Slow Food emphasizes the pleasure of eating sustainably produced, locally grown food, with special attention to heirloom varieties of plants and animals — an approach that also tends to embrace organics. Pure Food Partners, which sponsors OrganicFest, stresses the health benefits of eating organic foods and believes local sources are the best choice. Organic farming is inherently sustainable, since it tends to emulate natural systems that have been in place for millennia. Both groups shun genetically modified organisms as unproven and potentially dangerous to both people and ecosystems.
And if the slow-fooders appear to have more fun eating, the OrganicFest may have the edge when it comes to entertainment. The daylong lineup of performers amounts to a sort of Green Shindig, with Benjammin’ & Spiritsong, Cool Project, Blue String Theory, Sidhe, Sue Ford and the Extremes, Ginny Waite, Jen Hamel and Vickie Burick, Cindy Sealy, David Lynch & Friends, Carrie Gerstmann, Highlight and Jasmine Sky all slated to appear.
Naturally, vendors of organic food, beverages and other products will be on hand; there’ll also be arts-and-crafts booths and kids’ activities (such as face painting, an Imagine Fun Station featuring projects based on beneficial insects, and a 1 p.m. “Bugs on Parade”). Assorted giveaways, including drawings for baskets of organic foods, will complete the picture.
The free event runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11 at City/County Plaza.
