Attention! The 4th Annual Boston Local Food Festival is set to take place this upcoming Sunday, October 6th from 11am-5pm. This is a free outdoor festival showcasing local farmers, restaurants, food trucks, specialty food producers and other organizations focusing on healthy food.

Our recent posts have focused on farmers’ markets and why local food is important. People who visit the Boston Local Food Festival will learn about sustainably grown and produced foods, participate in educational activities, enjoy local music and, of course, eat local food. This year, the festival is themed “Healthy Local Food for All.”

Supporting local food promotes a strong local economy and reduces carbon emissions by cutting down food transportation costs. This event showcases foods from across New England, but primarily from Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (DAR) is one of the top sponsors of the Boston Local Food Festival, having supported the event with a grant to make it more accessible to everyone.

DAR is also hosting a forum as part of “Food Dialogues,” a nationally-streamed discussion among farmers, ranchers, industry experts and consumers. Commissioner Greg Watson will co-host “Can New England Feed Itself,” which is a lively discussion on food sustainability in New England, tonight at 6 at Boston’s Trinity Church. There is still time to register!

There is also still opportunity for volunteers. Among other things, this event is committed to being a zero-waste event, which means some people may need help sorting out what to throw out! If you are interested in volunteering, you can fill out the form at http://bostonlocalfoodfestival.com/participate/volunteer-for-the-festival/.

Attendance to this event will surely leave you satisfied. What’s better than community bonding over fresh and delicious foods? Bon Appétit!

Tags: agriculture, Boston Local Food Festival, Commissioner Greg Watson, DAR, Department of Agricultural Resources, farmers, farmers markets, food sustainability, Greg Watson, local, MDAR, sustainability