Sacramento will spend the next week showing exactly why it’s America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital.
The city and its surrounding region produce such an abundance of food at all times of the year that most of it is exported around the world. For those in Sacramento, that means the best ingredients are always available from a local farmer, rancher, vintner or farmers market. Anyone visiting Sacramento has a wide array of restaurants with fresh seasonal ingredients that can be sourced within 100 miles. In fact, several farms deliver produce to restaurants in the morning, and it’s available on that night’s menu.
Sacramento took the title of America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital one year ago, and 2013 marks the inaugural Farm-to-Fork Week, with a series of events highlighting Sacramento’s farm-to-fork fare.
Soil Born Farms Kickoff Event: Saturday, Sept. 21
Soil Born Farms will hold its 11th annual Autumn Equinox Celebration at its farm at 3000 Hurley Way from 4:30 – 8:30 p.m. See the grounds while live music is played and you sample seasonal organic food prepared by some of Sacramento’s most recognizable chefs. Wine, cider and beer will also be on hand, and the celebration ends under the stars.
Tickets are $60 per person, and proceeds benefit the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op. Pick up tickets in advance from the co-op at 1900 Alhambra Blvd.
California Restaurant Association Farm-to-Fork Restaurant Week: Sept. 20-29
Farm-to-Fork Restaurant Week is a celebration of the Sacramento region’s premiere dining destinations, in addition to the bounty of seasonal ingredients found within a 75-mile radius of Sacramento. The 10-day event includes many local and regional restaurants that will feature special menu items for the event.
Locals and visitors alike will have plenty of options at every price and style of cuisine in cities including Sacramento, Roseville, Elk Grove, El Dorado Hills, Folsom, Davis, West Sacramento and more.
Capitol Mall Cattle Drive: Monday, Sept. 23
Farm-to-fork dining isn’t limited to fruits, vegetables and other produce – meat and ranching are just as important. To showcase that, a cattle drive will take 50 cows down Capitol Mall Monday at 10 a.m. Cowboys will drive the cattle across Tower Bridge from West Sacramento and down Capitol Mall in Sacramento toward the Capitol.
See photo and video of the event here.
Farm-to-Fork Legends of Wine: Thursday, Sept. 26
Wines selected by two Sacramentans internationally recognized for their wine knowledge will be poured on the west steps of the State Capitol Thursday evening to highlight the Sacramento region’s rich wines. Darrel Corti, recognized by Saveur Magazine as the man “who knows more about food and wine than anyone else in the world,” and David Berkley, once recognized as “the man behind the White House wine list,” will host an evening of great wines and cheeses.
Tickets are $50 per person and are available in advance online.
See photos and event recap here.
Farm-to-Fork Festival on Capitol Mall: Saturday, Sept. 28
The main event of Farm-to-Fork Week is the free festival on Capitol Mall on Sept. 28. Expected to draw as many as 15,000 people, the festival features live music all day, ongoing chef demonstrations, a kids’ area, wine and beer pavilions and tents from vendors, farms, ranchers, commodities and even tractors on hand from Caterpillar. Grocery stores including Save Mart, Raley’s and Nugget Markets will have booths and food as well.
Check our full event page for a more thorough event description.
Tower Bridge Dinner: Sunday, Sept. 29
Sacramento’s iconic Tower Bridge connects Yolo and Sacramento counties, and it will be the scene for the culmination of the inaugural Farm-to-Fork Week when a table will stretch across it and seat 600 people for a farm-to-fork feast.
Prepared by more than 25 of Sacramento’s chefs, the dinner will be a showcase of what happens when fresh seasonal ingredients meet skilled chefs.
Since the dinner sold out so quickly, the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau will post recipe cards so foodies can create their own version of the feast, and Broderick Roadhouse, a West Sacramento restaurant, will be serving the same menu at 319 Sixth St.
Other Events, Parking and Hotel Stays
The listed events are just a handful of the happenings in Sacramento during Farm-to-Fork Week. See a complete listing of events at Sacramento365.com.
The City of Sacramento has a map listing the various city parking lots so visitors will be able to find the best parking for the events they wish to attend. Note that Capitol Mall will be shut down for some events, and Tower Bridge will be shut down for the dinner. Street parking is typically free on Sundays, and some zones have free parking on Saturdays. Check signage on the streets to ensure you don’t come back with a ticket. Click here to view the city’s parking map.
The Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau has partnered with multiple local hotels to offer Farm-to-Fork Week hotel specials. Check here for great rates in great hotels.
