The Wood River Valley HarvestFest is coming back to Hailey for its second year on Saturday, September 17. The HarvestFest began last year after organizers of the venerable Sun Valley Harvest Festival chose to not continue their event.
“In 2014 we had a great Hailey component of the Sun Valley Harvest Festival that was a restaurant walk called ‘Swine, Wine and Dine’,” remembers Al McCord, owner of the Wood River Sustainability Center (WRSC). “The organizers of Wood River Valley HarvestFest felt there was a great opportunity to build upon Ed and Heidi’s work, and last year’s turnout was a testament to that.”
HarvestFest this year will, once again, center around the popular restaurant walk, where diners move from restaurant to restaurant in downtown Hailey to sample foods prepared by chefs using locally produced fruits, vegetables and meats.
“HarvestFest is really about showcasing the great array of regionally produced foods we have available to us in the Valley,” notes Ali Long, executive director of Local Food Alliance, the beneficiary of this year’s HarvestFest proceeds. “LFA aspires to connect the Wood River Valley community to our local farmers and producers. An event like HarvestFest gives us that opportunity in a fun, social, and tasty way.”
But HarvestFest offers much more than just a restaurant walk. Starting at 3 p.m., guests will begin to arrive at the Wood River Sustainability Center for a Food Fair.
“The Food Fair is a chance for people to come a little early to ‘will call’ and not only sample some delicious farm-fresh appetizers, but also meet and engage with the folks moving the needle toward a more resilient local food system,” adds Long. “The restaurant walk is from 5 to 7 p.m., but to top things off everyone returns to the Sustainability Center for a good old-fashioned street party with The Kim Stocking Band.” And to sweeten the deal, a Sawtooth Brewery beer tent will be set up in the parking lot at the Sustainability Center to bring a bit of Oktoberfest to Hailey. Sawtooth Brewery is hosting a full weekend of Oktoberfest events on the weekend of the 17th at Ketchum Town Square.
“After last year’s HarvestFest, we heard that the restaurant walk was many people’s first visit to some of the participating restaurants,” adds Long. “We’re excited to have this positive impact on Hailey businesses as an added bonus to our main goal: to celebrate the local farmers and producers of our food. Helping people understand the power a sustainable local food system has to improve individual, community, economic and environmental health is paramount.”
Tickets for this year’s Wood River Valley HarvestFest are limited and will sell out. Purchase tickets at the Wood River Sustainability Center or online at www.woodrivervalleyharvestfest.org.
Jeff Bacon is The Chamber’s membership director. For more information, visit www.haileyidaho.com or call The Chamber at (208) 788-3484.