Nourish Day in San Diego Celebrates Healthy, Local Food

BY WORLDLINK Guest | September 29, 2011

What is the story of your food? The first Nourish Day in San Diego seeks to answer that question, as well as celebrates local food, local farmers, and the personal and community health benefits of good nutrition.

Nourish Day in San Diego is Friday, October 21, 2011. Following a full day of activities involving local farmers, food experts, nutritionists, restaurant chefs, community gardeners, and students, the day culminates in a free public outdoor event on the High Tech High school campus in Point Loma.

At this special event, a farmers market will be set up for the public to meet local farmers and sample their fresh produce, with farmers speaking on how they bring farm-fresh produce to San Diego County stores, schools and restaurants. The farmers market opens at 3:30 p.m.

At 6 p.m., the 30-minute film “Nourish: Food + Community” will screen outdoors on the lawn at High Tech High. The film tells the story of our food: where it came from and what we should do to better appreciate both its origins and its personal and community health benefits, when purchased and consumed wisely. The film stars food activists and educators Michael Pollan, Jamie Oliver, Alice Waters and Anna Lappée, and is narrated by Cameron Diaz.

Following the screening, at 6:45 p.m., there will be a public panel discussion on local food and nutrition. The panel will include local farmers, farm-to-school experts, school and community garden organizers, farmers market experts, chefs, and others associated with the food system in San Diego County.

During this hour, remarks will be delivered by Seth Nickinson, U.S. Field Director for Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, who will speak on nutrition and community health, as well as the power of the people to generate new ideas concerning food and nutrition in our communities. Visitors are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy the screening and panel discussion, which will be facilitated by Nourish director/producer Kirk Bergstrom.

This is a free family event, and parents are encouraged to bring children as there will be several activities set up for kids. The film is appropriate for all ages.

The October 21 Nourish Day in San Diego is an official event of national Food Day, (October 24), a nationwide campaign for delicious, healthy, and affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way. Thousands of events nationwide in October are intended to inspire Americans to improve their diets and fix our food system. To learn more about national Food Day, visit www.foodday.org.

Nourish Day in San Diego
Friday, October 21
High Tech High
2861 Womble Road
San Diego 92106

Events
3:30 p.m. Farmers market opens on High Tech High lawn, with fresh hot food and fresh produce for sale. Farmers will talk on the importance of farmers markets in the community. Community groups will host food, nutrition, and health-related information tables.

6:00 p.m. Public outdoor screening of short film “Nourish: Food + Community,” starring Michael Pollan, Jamie Oliver, Anna Lappée, and Alice Waters. Narrated by Cameron Diaz.

6:45 p.m. Public panel discussion on local food and nutrition. Local farmers, farm-to-school and farm-to-table experts, school and community garden organizers, farmers market experts, chefs, and others associated with food in San Diego County. Audience participation is encouraged. Includes keynote address by Seth Nickinson, U.S. Field Director for Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.

Free admission

Information: www.HealthyWorks.org (619) 243-5201

Nourish Day in San Diego is funded by Healthy Works, a countywide initiative making systems and environmental changes promoting wellness and addressing the nationwide obesity epidemic. Healthy Works, administered by the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and includes the University of California San Diego, SANDAG, San Diego County Office of Education, Community Health Improvement Partners, and San Diego State University, along with numerous community-based partners. The project is part of the County’s “Live Well, San Diego! Building Better Health” initiative, a 10-year vision for healthy communities. For more information, please visit www.HealthyWorks.org.