Event Time:

September 23, 2012  12:00 pm  -  4:00 pm

Simmons Building, East Village (618 Confluence Way SE)

REAP Business Association is proud to host, with the support of Community Natural Foods, First
Calgary Financial, and Calgary Herald, a wonderful event in celebration of local sustainable food and farmers!

The third annual Food for Thought event is a feast for the senses!

This harvest celebration brings together all of the participants in a sustainable local food system (consumers, producers, retailers and chefs) for sampling, live music, learning and conversation. It's designed to raise awareness for sustainably produced food and encourage Calgarians to make more informed daily choices for greater enjoyment and improved health.

Through the use of an interactive display and 20+ sampling stations, we’ll be showcasing producers and businesses that promote healthy, sustainable food and giving Calgarians an opportunity to discover and savour their products. Imagine meeting the farmer that grew the local, organic tomato alongside the independent chef that prepared the gazpacho you are enjoying. Taste the difference and learn more about these businesses' commitment to sustainability:

Station 1: Bite Groceteria & Caffe serving Winter's Turkeys
Station 2: Boxwood serving Greens, Eggs & Ham
Station 3: Anju Restaurant and Lounge serving Leaf Ninjas
Station 4: Casel Marche Group (Cassis Bistro, Vie Cafe, Market 17)
Station 5: Community Natural Foods serving Poplar Bluff Organics
Station 6: Devour Catering serving Top of the Mountain Beef
Station 7: Downtown Food serving Noble Meadows Farm
Station 8: The Cookbook Co. Cooks serving Fairwinds Farm
Station 9: Brava Bistro serving products from Sunnyside Natural Market 
Station 10: The Coup serving Leaf and Lyre Urban Farms
Station 11:  The Cochrane CookHouse (producer partners to be confirmed)
Station 12: Open Range serving Urban City Farms & Old School Emporium
Station 13: Olives Restaurant (producer partner to be confirmed)
Station 14: Red Tree Catering serving Broxburn Vegetables
Station 15: Pascal's Patisserie serving Highwood Crossing
Station 16: Edible Rebellion serving Good2Go nutbars
Stations 17:  Ice Cream Anarchy serving Poplar Bluff Organics
Station 18: The Light Cellar serving raw handmade chocolates with The Saskatoon Farm
Station 19: Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut serving Birds & Bees Organic Wines
Station 20: The Naked Leaf serving fair trade, organic tea
Station 21: Caffe Beano serving coffee, hot apple cider & sweets with Chinook Honey
 

Outside the Simmons Building, along River Walk, sustainable food authors Dee Hobsbawn-Smith (author of Foodshed) and Jennifer Cockrall King (author of Food and the City) will be making presentations and signing books. Michelle Giangualano from Bundles of Energy will introduce us to the new Whole Foods Lifestyle System. Presentations will start on the hour at 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 pm. There will be live music by Raleigh in between presentations.

Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. (30% Calgary Dollars will be accepted at the door only.) They include bite-sized samples from all 20+ sampling stations.

J. Webb Wine Merchant will be pouring beer from Village Brewery, wine from Birds & Bees Organic Winery and Blue Mountain Vineyard & Cellars, and offering organic Santa Cruz sodas at our cash bar. Strictly no minors.

Click here to purchase your tickets online through Eventbrite.

Want to participate but have kids?
Bring them down for the FREE outside festivities.

In addition to the live music, author presentations and interactive display, food and beverages will be available for purchase from the following local vendors:

Village Ice Cream
The Happy Truck
Cheezy Bizness
The Family Fry Guy
Pimento's Pizzaria
Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters

Phil & Sebastian mobile cafe, Pimento's Pizzaria, The Family Fry Guy and The Happy Truck will be generously donating a portion of their sales for the day to REAP to support our ongoing efforts to create a vibrant and sustainable local economy!

Part of National Organic Week (September 22-29, 2012).

REAP would like to thank the following organizations for their generous support:

·         Community Natural Foods is Calgary's premier destination for natural, local, and organic products with three, soon to be four, locations in Calgary to suit your needs. Our dedication is to creating a healthy planet, happy people, and vibrant communities.

·         First Calgary Financial is committed to understanding emerging practices in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), from a social, environmental and economic perspective. CSR takes us well beyond showing leadership in community advocacy; it shows how important it is to articulate and demonstrate how our decisions impact the financial well-being of our organization and all stakeholders, the well-being of the communities in which we operate as well as our internal community and culture, and the physical and natural environment in which we exist.

·         The Calgary Herald is committed to reducing its environmental footprint and acting as an ambassador for environmental stewardship in our community. Internally, our Herald Green Team educates and engages our people in environmentally responsible practices in the workplace and at home, while our weekly Green Guide offers Calgarians practical advice and local tips on how to maximize their green activities as well.

Bullfrog Power, Canada's 100% green energy provider, offers homes and businesses clean, renewable energy solutions. By choosing Bullfrog Power's green energy, you can reduce your environmental impact, support the development of new renewable generation in Canada and help to create a cleaner world for today and tomorrow. This event is bullfrogpowered with 100% green electricity. 

Calgary Coop's roots run deep in the heart of the community as the only truly Calgarian food retailer. We provide the freshest, best quality products at competitive prices, and are the only retailer in Calgary offering an annual membership refund in the form of cash and equity to our member-owners.