The NWT Agrifood Association is hosting a territorial culinary festival from July 24-27. Here’s what you can expect to experience.
The festival appeared for the first time three years ago, when the association said it realized there was a disconnect between local chefs, growers and retailers.
In an attempt to promote a “vibrant” local food scene in Yellowknife, the association came up with the idea of a food festival comprised of local talent and ingredients.
“We’re going to have music, we’ll have cooking demos, we’ll have food stories being told. We have a lot of food-related activities, some nice and normal, and some a little bit odd,” association executive director Janet Dean told Cabin Radio.
The festival will kick off with a Taste the Unexpected dinner at a secret location on Thursday. That event is already sold out.
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This year’s festival theme is flora and fauna and it will feature four celebrity chefs. Stephanie Baryluk and Jenni Lessard will be sharing a menu inspired by their Indigenous heritage at an event titled From the Lake and Land, while Matt Consiglio and Dave Gillespie will be participating in various events.
There will be opportunities throughout the festival to try locally produced food, including a bagged lunch on Friday that’s free to anyone who registers, though availability is limited to 200 spots.
The lunch will be made using locally baked bread, locally caught and smoked fish and other ingredients from the NWT. You can register via the NWT Agrifood Association’s website.
Other events include a cocktail-making class at the Chateau Nova on Friday afternoon, plus many activities throughout the weekend. Local vendors will also be at the festival all weekend long.
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For a full list of events, visit the culinary festival’s website.
All proceeds from the festival go to the NWT Agrifood Association to support the development of food security and food sovereignty programs in the North.
“We work with farmers and growers across the territory,” said Dean.
“We are looking to develop research farms to help identify varieties that grow best here. We’re looking to help more people get into commercial production.”
As of late last week, the festival was still in need of volunteers.
Anyone can volunteer through the association’s website, via its social media pages, or by stopping in at the downtown Yellowknife Tastes of the North store.
