Growing Local Fest
The Market is a co-sponsor of “Growing Local Fest,” scheduled for Thursday, June 16–rain or shine!–on the village green.
We’ll have a table next to Home Brew Guru and Market staffer Scott Russell. We’ll be celebrating the Market’s 10 years of active participation in the local economy of the White River Valley.
So what is Local Fest? It’s an outgrowth of the Fiddlehead Festival, which began in Randolph a few years back. Local Fest’s lead sponsor is BALE (Building A Local Economy), a new organization devoted to the development of food, farm and local economy initiatives in the region.
As awareness of the importance of supporting our local economy grows, the organizers saw this festival as an opportunity to celebrate the creativity that is emerging in our towns. The Growing Local Fest features:
- An expanded Farmers’ Market (the South Royalton Farmers’ Market occurs here each Thursday in the summer)
- Many workshops focused on skills-building and learning from local experts
- Noted speakers scheduled are:
- Tim Stevenson, founding director of Post Oil Solutions and winner of the 2010 Vermont Sustainable Agriculture award for work in neighboring southeastern Vermont
- A great gathering of area musicians throughout the day ending with a danceable performance by local band, Haywire
- Lots of information from over two dozen area nonprofits and businesses
- Food to eat… on the spot; food vendors that feature great local food
- Free tastings throughout the Green
- A children’s activity area geared to the theme of the day
- The formal release of the first-ever upper White River Valley “Growing Local Guide”
This is a rain or shine event with the big tent donated by Can-Do Events and the South Royalton School (whose graduation activities follow on Friday and Saturday). The Vermont Law School will also be providing workshop space for some of the indoor workshops.