Calling Partners For 2021’s Virtual Eat Local Week
Inspired by last year’s ‘Food Waste’ theme, community members dive into a lesson in canning with Sunshine Canning during 2019’s Eat Local Week celebration.
As we enjoy the apex of summer’s heat and humidity, Transition Sarasota is thinking cooler thoughts as it sets sights on our favorite week of the year! Mark your calendars for March 14-21, 2021, to join the festivities of the 10th Annual Eat Local Week, a week-long celebration honoring the rich local food environment of Sarasota and Manatee counties.
In order to raise awareness around the region’s local food network, we are calling for event partnerships to help celebrate this year’s theme, “Dare to Grow.” The theme aims to inspire community members around the literal topics of growing food in the Greater Sarasota area, and also hopes to encompass the many ways tending a growth mindset intersects with culture and community to create action and awareness around how individual food choices affect the world around us. In stride with our recent capacity-building announcement—the receipt of a $10,000 donation from leading partner Enza Zaden USA Research—we are undoubtedly in the spirit of daring to grow, by way of elevating our impact on the local community’s commitment to a more equitable food system.
Transition Sarasota has chosen to move this year's Eat Local Week to March, as well as take it online for the safety and well-being of our community. We invite community leaders to join the growing roster of businesses and organizations partnering to create independently organized events. This year presents a unique opportunity for out-of-the-box thinking and collaboration as we take the celebration into people’s homes through their digital devices. Virtual event formats could take many forms, including behind-the-scenes tours, interactive presentations, games, picture challenges, or cooking/growing classes with a supply box pick-up. We are open to new and unique ideas of every caliber to bring attention to local leaders and practices that are addressing challenges and inspiring solutions at the heart of growing the local food movement.
We encourage prospective partners to incorporate the event’s theme into their event idea, if possible. As it is a complex concept, event topics could range from innovative agriculture practices, home growing, soil regeneration, sustainable resourcing, improving food access, waste-free living, just to name a few. For Eat Local Week 2021, the events will take a dive into what these topics are, why they matter, and how our community can work towards collaborative solutions.
Year after year, Eat Local Week brings together a dynamic lineup of community advocates to spark dialogue around local food culture, and Transition Sarasota would love to hear event ideas that excite leaders committed to supporting and eating locally. Those interested to learn more about Eat Local Week’s partnership opportunities and responsibilities, please don’t hesitate to visit transitionsrq.org/eatlocalweek or contact Executive Director, Rebecca Brey at exec@transitionsrq.org.