Local food shares stage with musicians at festival
Will Jaeger
Intern
Menu choices for travelling musicians and fans are not usually healthy or nutritious, and with streets lined with novelty food trucks, 35Denton offers the same fried and fatty fare as other music festivals. But keeping in mind Denton’s penchant for locally-grown produce and its budding farming scene, 35Denton organizers are incorporating a slice of health heaven into the weekend’s festivities.
The Hive, at 221 S. Bell St., will offer artists and fans a bevy of local cuisine at the 2nd Annual Local Food Festival starting Saturday. Vendors on site will include Cita’s Salsa, Cardo’s Farm Project, Bookish Coffee and Earthwise Gardens, among others.
Ryan Crocker, owner and operator of Denton’s Earthwise Gardens, donated $500 worth of fresh produce to feed performers.
“It’s so they don’t have to eat junk while they’re here,” Crocker said.
One of the artists performing at 35Denton is New Jersey’s Delicate Steve. They use Yelp.com to find quality food while on the road but it’s not a foolproof system.
“You get to some cities where Denny’s has an average four out of five star rating and it throws our game off,” guitar player Steve Marion said.
The Local Food Festival will also feature a local farming photo exhibit, a raffle for free local produce and a taste-testing booth called “Is It Local?”
The 12,000 square foot space is also doubling as a venue, featuring a slew of acts from around the country. Saturday’s performances include Com Truise, Datahowler and Nitemoves.
Festival organizers hope to utilize The Hive for future events, but have no concrete plans.
“That’s up in the air at the moment,” said Kyle La Valley, creative director for 35 Denton. “I have high hopes it will be something even more awesome.”
For more information on 35Denton, visit their website at www.35denton.com. For more information on the 2nd Annual Local Food Festival, visit www.earthwise-gardens.com/local-food-festival/.
