28 events planned in Sarasota and Manatee counties Oct. 24-30
With less than two weeks to go before its Oct. 24 start date, the full schedule for Greater Sarasota’s fifth Eat Local Week has been posted online at www.localweeksrq.org, the organizer, Transition Sarasota, has announced.
“From our perspective, this is one of the most hopeful movements of our time,” explains lead organizer Don Hall in a news release. “We fully expect that more people than ever will join in the fun this year. Eating and growing locally are not only profoundly enjoyable; they also have the potential to contribute significantly to the future health, sustainability, and prosperity of our local community.”
Over the past six months, the release says, Transition Sarasota has brought together 23 partner organizations and businesses — farms, restaurants, farmers’ markets, community gardens, government agencies and activist groups among them — to organize 28 events that will be held between Saturday, Oct. 24, and Friday, Oct. 30, at various locations throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties.
This year’s highlights will include a family-friendly Fall Harvest Fest at Geraldson Community Farm in Bradenton on Oct. 24, a Picket for Farmworker Justice at the Bay Street Publix in Sarasota on Oct. 25, a Chefs Move to Schools dinner at Phillippi Shores Elementary School in Sarasota on Oct. 27, a State of Our Foodshed Forum at the Ringling College of Art & Design on Oct. 28, and a grand finale with live music and beer from at least three local breweries at The HuB Sarasota on Oct. 30, the release notes.
Besides these featured events, almost two dozen other farm-to-fork dinners, gardening workshops, farmers’ markets, educational programs, community discussions and hands-on activities will be featured throughout the week “to appeal to people of all age groups and interest levels,” the release adds.
“The mission of Transition Sarasota is to act as a catalyst for rebuilding local community resilience and self-reliance, starting with food,” the release points out.
For more information and to register for events, visit www.localweeksrq.org. Would-be participants also are encouraged to “like” Eat Local Week’s new Facebook page and use the hashtag #localweeksrq when posting to Twitter, the release continues.