I’m so excited! Something came up last year and we couldn’t make the Philly Farm & Food Fest. This year we received a pair of press passes and I can’t wait to check out the local & sustainable exhibitors, cooking demonstrations, speakers and (yay!) beers.

The Philly Farm & Food Fest takes place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center Annex from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm on Sunday, April 13th. Kids under 12 get in free, and there’s plenty to do that’s just for them:  watch Watermelon Magic, a family friendly film, and then make & take a craft; sample local & organic treats from five different ice cream & ice pop makers; and shop at the Whole Food Markets mini grocery store.

This is the Farm & Food Fests’s third year— and it’s been growing by leaps and bound each year! On Sunday you can check out:

• shopping! The freshest organic foods from around the region will be collected under one roof— 132 vendors will be sampling and selling their locally grown and produced foods. Meet the farmers, chefs and small business owners that are on the cutting edge of Philadelphia’s flourishing artisan food scene.
• demos on beekeeping, small batch canning, growing native plants and more.
• the Demo Kitchen. Learn from farm-to-table chefs like Chef Barbie Marshall, a Southwest Philadelphia native who competed on FOX’s Hell’s Kitchen; Roberta Pipito, who will prepare a noodle-free, gluten-free “spaghetti,” and Char Nolan, who will demonstrate whole food, vegetarian dishes that can be made for under ten dollars in ten minutes.
• “Great News About Good Food” panel discussion led by hospitality consultant and food blogger Clark Wolf.
• Local Libations Lounge featuring Dad’s Hat Rye Whiskey, Dock Street Brewing Company, Frecon Farm’s Cidery, Paradocx Vineyard (that’s right down the street from me!), Philadelphia Distilling, Sly Fox Brewing Company, Stonekeep Meadery, Subarashii Kudamono (who will introduce a new dry Asian Pear Wine), Victory Brewing Company and Weyerbacher Brewing Company. Maybe I should have Jeff drive.
• Shellfish Salon, a guided tasting of delicious east coast oysters and clams led by Sam Mink, owner of Oyster House. Experience freshly shucked salty beauties from Cape May Salts and Choptank Oyster Company and freshly cooked clams from Heritage Shellfish Cooperative.

 

Now, here are the deets:

General Admission tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Children 12 and under are free.

A limited number of tickets are still available for the timed and guided tastings in the Local Libations Lounge and Shellfish Salon for $15 per person (must be 21 for those and you have to buy the tickets in advance).

Tickets are available at phillyfarmfest.org but I have a pair to give away! Just comment below letting me know who you would take. Entry period closes at midnight on Friday, April 11th; winner will be selected at random.