Food for Thought Festival highlights importance of buying local

Over 40 organizations and vendors participated in the 13^th annual Food for Thought Festival on Saturday, Sept. 17.  Held on Martin Luther King Boulevard, the festival was hosted by the Madison-based non-profit organization, REAP Food Group.     

According to Miriam Grunes, executive director of the organization, the festival aims to raise awareness about local and sustainable foods, and provide local businesses and organizations working on these issues a forum to exhibit their services.        

The event featured local vendors, workshops and demonstrations held in the Demo Tent.

The highlight for Liz Chapa, one of REAP's chef educators, was the “Local Foods Chef Showdown,” in which three local chefs had 25 minutes to cook up a dish that included “mystery ingredients.” Based on the crowd's applause, the chefs tied to collectively win the contest. 

Other events held in the Demo Tent included “All About Apples,” in which orchardists and preservation experts highlighted a variety of apples and discussed how to enjoy them throughout the year.

The Kids' Activity Tent featured hands-on activities including seedling planting and vegetable-based art projects with presenters from the Madison Children's Museum, Colleen's Art Wagon, and Artterro Eco Art Kits.

The events concluded with a raffle drawing of prizes in keeping with the festival's emphasis on local and sustainable food.

For more pictures from the event, check out the slideshow below.