Celebrate food, community and sustainability at the ISU Local Food Festival

The festival offers a farmers market style celebration with locally grown and produced foods

PUBLISHED ON 25 August 2024

AMES, Iowa – The Division of Farm, Food and Business Development, ISU Live Green! initiative, Horticulture Research Station and ISU Dining, with support from other Iowa State University departments and organizations, will host the annual ISU Local Food Festival on Sept. 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Iowa State University’s Central Campus between Curtiss Hall and Beardshear Hall.

First organized in 2015, the festival showcases local agriculture and food businesses, community organizations, ISU departments, and student organizations. The Local Food Festival provides the ISU community with an opportunity to source local products and meet the producers, engage with topics such as local food systems, health, wellness, and sustainability, and learn about the initiatives of various organizations and departments.

“The Local Food Festival is a very special event that helps people on campus connect with local businesses and organizations and learn about the many different ways we can all support a more sustainable community, all while tasting and purchasing locally grown and produced foods,” notes Megan Kemp, education specialist for agriculture, food and business development.

The event is free and open to the public. Attendees have four hours to visit the various booths along the sidewalk between Beardshear Hall and Curtiss Hall. The booths will offer a variety of food samples, products for purchase, informational brochures and giveaways. A list of festival vendors and sponsors can be found on the Local Food Festival website.

“The festival benefits both the ISU community and the participating vendors and booths. An important aspect of the festival planning is to provide an easy way for vendors and the ISU community to network and share ideas about local food, healthy lifestyles and sustainability,” said Kemp.

There are also opportunities for vendors and sponsors. Vending allows for the promotion of organizations or businesses during the festival. Sponsorship helps ensure that the Local Food Festival remains an accessible platform for vendors to gain visibility among students, faculty and staff. To reserve a free booth and/or sponsor the festival, fill out the Vendor and Sponsor form by September 8.

For more information about the festival, visit the Local Food Festival website. If you have any questions, please contact Megan Kemp at [email protected].

–Megan Kemp, ISU Extension