After a two-year, Covid-induced hiatus, local food event Good Food Fest is set to return.
“We’re passionate about local food and supporting our growers and makers,” says Christy Campli, owner of event organizer Growing Roots Partners. “Good Food Fest is a way to celebrate, support and build awareness around the importance of local agriculture.”
Campli explains that the Good Food Fest aims to attract people who may not go to the farmers market every week but who might be enticed to come out for a big food festival. Since it is held in a rural setting, Campli feels that Good Food Fest brings the people to the farm, gives them what she calls “the real deal.”
In addition to the hundreds of farmers selling their goods, this one-day event also includes a full schedule of activities such as culinary demonstrations; a Pouring Room featuring local brewers, cideries and distilleries; food trucks; live music by Berks County band Frog Holler; kids activities; and live farm animals.
Growing Roots Partners, which organizes Good Food Fest, is a Pennsylvania-based farmers market coordinator that was founded in 2011 by Lisa O’Neill to cultivate community through events that empower local businesses, farmers and artisans. In 2021, O’Neill retired and passed on the leadership of Growing Roots Partners to Campli, an alum of Wyebrook Farm in Honey Brook, Chester County.
Growing Roots Partners currently operates three farmers markets in Malvern, Downingtown and Eagleview, as well as one in West Reading, Berks County.
The event is sponsored by local food champions Kimberton Whole Foods, a family owned and operated independent market that has grown to seven stores since opening in 1987.
“We currently work with over 200 producers in the Greater Philadelphia Area, and this event will serve as an opportunity to educate the community on the wide range of products that are available in our region,” says Terry Brett, founder and CEO of Kimberton Whole Foods.
Campli happily notes the many connections within the scene and, as a result, the event. For example, not only is Frog Holler one of her personal favorites, but one band member is married to a farmer who is part of the Growing Roots Partners network. And in the Pouring Room, Growing Roots partnered with Suburban Brewing Company to exclusively use Pennsylvania-grown ingredients to produce a signature lager just for the fest. For Campli, it’s these connections that make her work so fun and meaningful.
“I’m just excited for the opportunity to showcase our local growers and farmers and food producers in a way that’s fun and that there’s something for the whole family.”
Good Food Fest will be held on November 6 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Kimberton Fairgrounds at 762 Pike Springs Road in Phoenixville.
