PORT TOWNSEND — A festival that recognizes home-grown food and the people who prepare it is a perfect fit for Port Townsend, according to its sponsor.
The third annual Port Townsend Artisan Food Festival will begin at the Port Townsend Farmers Market at the corner of Lawrence and Tyler streets from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and then will move to Finnriver Farm & Cidery, 142 Barn Swallow Road in Chimacum, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Admission free, donation
The Port Townsend portion is free, while a $5 donation is requested for the evening activities in Chimacum.
“For such a small population, we have a huge amount of local food happening,” said Amanda Milholland, Jefferson County Farmers Market director.
“There is a variety of farmers producing grass-fed beef and quality cheeses, and we want to celebrate what is going on here.”
Milholland said more than 70 farm, artisan food and arts and crafts vendors are participating in the event.
Among activities in Port Townsend will be artisan food-making classes by CedarRoot Folk School; a chef demonstration by Arran Stark, Laurette Feit and Daniel Ratigan; live music by the Unexpected Brass Band and Rhythm Planet; children’s activities by the YMCA and the Port Townsend Library; and food juggling performed by Nanda performers.
“Most jugglers first learned to juggle using apples and oranges,” Milholland said.
“We are connecting the art of juggling with the art of food.”
Food juggling
The food juggling act will be from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the lawn in front of the Port Townsend Recreation Center, 620 Tyler St., which will be the center of activity Saturday.
Visiting artisan food makers will also participate in the event, bringing tea, kombucha, fermented foods and ice pops, among other things, Milholland said.
Chimacum activities
At Finnriver, Joy in Mudville will play live music and Dented Buoy Pizza and Paella House will serve farm-fresh food.
Local cider and beer producers will be on hand, with each experimenting with cheese and jam to find and serve the appropriate pairing combination.
Donations will support the Gimme 5 food assistance matching program.
The program makes fresh, locally grown produce accessible to low-income people. It is a partnership between the Jefferson County Farmers Market and Jefferson County Public Health’s WIC (Women Infants and Children) Program.
For every $10 in food stamps redeemed at the farmers market, the customer receives an extra $5 token and, for every $20, an extra $10 in tokens. WIC and senior benefits are matched 1 to 1.
The Saturday Uptown Port Townsend market operates from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Dec. 17.
Opening June 5 will be the Sunday Chimacum Corner Farmstand from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., which will run through Oct. 30.
On June 15, the Wednesday Uptown Port Townsend on Polk Street will open. It will operate from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. through Sept. 14.
For more information, go to www.jcfmarkets.org.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
