Good Food Festival and Conference on March 19-21

 

Good Food

FamilyFarmed invites you to join individuals, leaders and businesses that sustain the locally driven Good Food Movement to celebrate the joys of food at the Good Food Festival & Conference. The festival, held on March 19-21 at the UIC Forum, will have samples from local food artisans, workshops, chef demos, and fun learning experiences at the Kids’ Corner. You can also meet Good Food resources, shop exhibitors, buy products, and enjoy lunch at the Good Food Court. More than 100 exhibitors will be at this festival.

The Good Food Festival & Conference began eleven years ago as the Local Organic Trade Show, the first event of its kind. The event plays an essential role in building local food infrastructure and creating lasting relationships that have helped push the Good Food movement forward.

Today, we celebrate the progress of the movement while addressing some of the challenges presented by its success. The demand for local food is greater than the supply, and everyone is more conscious of where their food comes from. Large buyers, including grocery stores, distributors, and institutions, are rushing to keep up with the rapidly changing marketplace.

The Good Food Festival & Conference helps connect financial resources to farms and Good Food businesses; helps grow local procurement capacity; engages local school districts; provides a forum to discuss local, statewide, and national food policy; and educates the public about the importance and impact of Good Food. Unique opportunities arise for growing the Good Food movement with all of these stakeholders networking through our important sessions and trade show exhibits.

Our ten year success story of happenings at the the Good Food Festival & Conference includes:

  • Multiple local procurement relationships begun at the Good Food Festival & Conference
  • Hundreds of new product launches
  • Businesses gaining access to financing
  • Announcements of major local food procurement achievements by Midway Airport, McCormick Place, and Chicago Public Schools

The Good Food Festival & Conference is not just a farmer and industry-focused event though. It’s a celebration of Good Food. Our Localicious Party Friday night pairs local farmers with chefs, brewers, wineries, and distilleries for the local food party of the season!

The all-day Good Food Festival on Saturday gives families and individuals the opportunity to learn directly from experienced farmers and gardeners in our Good Food Commons; hear from thought leader panelists about the future of our agricultural system; watch chef demos highlighting local food; and engage with more than 100 farmer, food business, and non-profit exhibitors.

No other event brings together such a wide range of farmers, food entrepreneurs, food policy stakeholders, sustainable agriculture visionaries, and community members all in one place. Our offerings will continue to be at the forefront of the Good Food movement, and our event will continue to be an important part of growing the sustainable agriculture community in Chicago and beyond.

FamilyFarmed.org is a non-profit organization committed to expanding the production, marketing and distribution of locally grown and responsibly produced food, in order to enhance the social, economic, and environmental health of our communities.

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