Santa Monica Farmers Market is celebrating their 30th anniversary this weekend. SMFM Founder, Laura Avery, and President of FamilyFarmed.org, Jim Slama, are teaming up for the Good Food Festival & Conference this week. Spread throughout Santa Monica, they plan on educating festival-goers on eating local, sustainability and the philosophy of the “Good Food” movement.

The five-day long festival and conference kicks off Wednesday at the Santa Monica Farmers Market and with an “Opening Symposium” on Thursday moderated by KCRW’s Evan Kleiman, a “Localicious Gala” featuring 30 L.A. restaurants paired with 30 farms on Friday, and a two day street fair on Saturday and Sunday at the Santa Monica High School. We spoke to Jim Slama, the visionary of the Good Food Festival & Conference, about “Good Foods,” Los Angeles and the event not to miss.

What is Good Food?

Since 2006, Jim Slama has been leading the “Good Food” movement in Chicago at the annual FamilyFarmed EXPO. “Laura Avery approached us and we decided to partner up to create the festival,” Jim says. Now he’s bringing his knowledge to Los Angeles. Jim tells us the idea of “Good Food” is grown by family farmers. Grown in a way that respects the environment as well as the animals. “[Good Food] is minimally processed and it retains a lot of the character and flavor of the original food,” Jim adds.

Not Just a Buzz Word

While events on Friday like the “Food Policy and Public Health Summit”, “What’s Working in School Food” and the “Good Food Trade Show” are geared towards participants that are in the food industry or deeply involved in the movement, Jim says the festival is all about how people can learn to be a part of it. Expect to see distinguished speakers like Chipotle Mexican Grill Founder Steve Ells, Founder of Food Day, Michael Jacobson and Founder of Growing Power Inc., Will Allen (Named in 2010 as Time Magazine’s 100 World’s Most Influential People) and more.

Saturday and Sunday will feature the “Festival and Street Fair” at the Santa Monica High School along with food vendors and food trucks serving food made mostly from the produce of the Santa Monica Farmers Market. Jim tells us it’s about getting people involved, “We have a lot of gardening workshops. It’s geared towards the public, getting people engaged in this movement from eating in, to connecting with farmers and learning about growing their own food.”

Leading the Charge

Jim tells us that the Santa Monica Farmers Market has been leading the charge for 30 years by helping and changing the way L.A. eats by moving the whole consciousness of the food to a much more sustainable and local direction. “An event like the Good Food Festival helps people get together and learn from each other; build good relationships to create programs or products that would advance the movement. We’re excited to help facilitate that.”

30 Chefs, 30 Farms

On Friday, the Good Food Festival will host the “Localicious Gala” at the Annenberg Community Beach House featuring L.A. restaurants like Animal, Border Grill, Drago, La Cachette, Library Alehouse and Manhattan Beach Post paired with farms like Coastal Farms, Fairview Gardens, Mud Creek Ranch, Redwood Hill Farm and Tutti Frutti Farms for a local culinary experience. “We’re going to watch the sunset, have amazing food, craft beer, wine and Champagne. It’s going to be a fun event. I would definitely not miss that,” Jim says.

Tickets for the gala is available for purchase here. See the entire list of schedule and locations here.

When?
September 14 – 18, 2011

Where?
Santa Monica, CA

Additional Information
http://goodfoodfestivals.com
http://www.smgov.net/portals/farmersmarket/

Photography provided by Casey Neidorf

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