Philly Farm & Food Fest 2015

Images by Christopher Landy

On Sunday, April 12, beginning at 11:00 a.m., children and grownups alike are invited to join Fair Food and Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) for the fourth annual Philadelphia Farm & Food Fest presented by Whole Foods Market at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, 1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Farm & Good Fest is one of the country’s biggest and best single-day food festivals and a perfect way to introduce children to the lifelong benefits of healthful, sustainable eating.

“One of the best things about Fest is putting our farmers front and center and letting them interact with both interested adults as well as children, sharing what they do and how they do it in fresh, interactive ways,” notes Ann Karlen, founding director of Fair Food. “This year, we have more opportunities than ever for children to get involved and enjoy a lively day of food and fun.”

Young attendees to Fest can begin exploring the event by catching a screening of local filmmaker Rich Hoffman’s Watermelon Magic, a time-lapse tale that follows the growth of the iconic summer fruit from seed to snack, starring his six-year-old daughter Sylvie; then, they can learn about soil and seeds with the wiggly worms that make compost possible at Cloud 9 Farm’s Plant and Squirm class; join a reading and demo from StoryUp!’s Martha Cooney and Hoenpie Cooking’s Shayna Marmar during Cooking Up Stories, where they’ll prepare their own tortillas for tasty tacos; or, make new friends, such as a live alpaca from Lost Creek Alpaca Farm. Throughout the day, curious eaters will be treated to a wealth of free samples from local farmers and growers, encouraging kids to expand their young palates and maybe even find a new favorite healthy treat just in time for the spring growing season.

Presenting sponsor Whole Foods Market will also offer attendees a complimentary shopping tote, which they can load up throughout the day with samples and products from the 150+ exhibitors. Families are encouraged to explore Whole Foods’ exhibit; pose for a photo at Farm-y Photo Booth, using a variety of farm props to capture a memorable portrait that can be shared via Instagram and Twitter for a chance to wine one of several $25.00 gift cards by tagging their local Whole Foods store and #phillyfarmfest; and sample a mini turkey sandwich made with Koch’s Turkey Farm turkey.

“Over the years, we’ve seen a growing number of families bringing their children to Fest, so we’ve expanded our programming to be more inclusive and engaging than ever,” notes Lauren Smith, the director of development for PASA, which is the largest statewide, member-based sustainable farming organization in the United States. “Whether kids are burgeoning gourmets or just want to know a little more about the food they eat, we can’t wait to welcome them and share the valuable lessons of sustainability and local, seasonal eating with them.”

Farm & Food Fest presents a rare and exciting opportunity for members of the public to get to know their farmers and learn more about how the food they enjoy all year travels from the farm to the market or the table – and to see the chefs and culinary professionals whose restaurants they frequent interacting with the very people who supply their exceptional ingredients.

Tickets for the Philly Farm & Food Fest 2015 start at just $20.00 per person and are currently available for purchase online (children 12 and under will be admitted free). For more information about the Fest, or to inquire about becoming an exhibitor or a sponsor, please visit www.phillyfarmfest.org.

Bon Appétit!

TAD