The Arizona Food Service Network is a connection hub designed for community engagement. Our focus is on the food, food service, and food science communities in Arizona.
The Devoured Culinary Classic is the region’s premier week long annual culinary celebration hosted by Devour Phoenix, and Local First Arizona at several distinct venues in Phoenix, AZ. The goal of the events are to showcase celebrity culinary talent, the fine food and drink producers and purveyors of Arizona while furthering metro Phoenix as a dining destination worthy of international prestige.
— SAVE THE DATE! NEW LOCATION! —
The 12th annual Certified Local Fall Festival presented by Local First Arizona is a free family-friendly event for all ages and an annual celebration of all things local to Arizona. The Festival highlights everything that Arizona has to offer, from one-of-a-kind local shops, boutiques, and restaurants to Arizona-made wine, beer, and spirits.
**This year, the Certified Local Fall Festival is moving to a new home: Hance Park!**
This year’s festival will feature:
> More than 100 vendors with some of Arizona’s favorite local businesses
> Food samples from some of the best Arizona restaurants and food trucks
> The Hensley Beverage Company Beverage Garden featuring Arizona-produced wine, beer, and spirits
> Live entertainment from some of Arizona’s most talented musicians at the Entertainment Stage
> Crafts and activities for kids and families, among other family-freindly activities.
> A raffle with gift cards and prizes from local businesses
> An online silent auction featuring items and experiences, along with staycation packages across the state
> More to come!
Fact: When you support local businesses over national chains, up to 4 times more money stays in the local economy to support local jobs and communities! Take the pledge to #BuyLocal today and become a Localist: localfirstaz.com/localist
The 2016 Certified Local Fall Festival is made possible through support of Nextiva Corporate, Hensley Beverage Company, The Social Television Network, Nextiva, Pride Group, Think! Graphic and Printing, Water – Use It Wisely, Upward Projects, and Duck and Decanter.
Vendor information: To apply to be a vendor, businesses must be an active member of Local First Arizona. Join here: localfirstaz.com/join. For more information, email thomas@localfirstaz.com.
#LFAFallFest
Slow Food Phoenix is holding a boarding meeting on November 15 at 7pm at Natural Grocers in Phoenix. Season dishes will be available, bring your own utensils. All are welcomed.
Natural Grocers, 655 W Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85013
Celebrate the Harvest Season at Uptown Saturday! A true Celebration of Harvest contains these 5 common components: Food, Merriment, Music, Contests and Romance. We will highlight these categories in special pre-Thanksgiving markets. This Saturday we are also celebrating our 2nd Anniversary of Uptown Saturday! This week look forward to:
– FOOD | The Phoenix Ale Brewery Central Kitchen joins Uptown for a Harvest Tasting with Chef Chef Donny Fawcett – sampling Heirloom Bean Hummus with nut & grain lavash, marinated artichokes and their Poached Pear Salad with pickled grapes, market greens, shaved fennel, Goat Cheese and champagne pear vinaigrette. A HUGE thank you to Bob McClendon + Wendell Crow for providing local McClendon’s Select vegetables and Crow’s Dairy goat cheese chèvre for this demo. We are excited to have C-CAP Arizona in the mix, assisting with the demo as well. Also, don’t forget to pick up your FREE Local Thanksgiving Guide at The Information Station – filled with recipes, tips and more!
– MERRIMENT | Enjoy a JUGGLING STILT WALKER from 10am-12pm + Sarah’s ETA Face Painting, by Sarah Schweiger + Big Bubble Bliss + Joy’s Balloon Twisting + Bounce House + Calico Boutique Craft Fair inside the North Phoenix Baptist Church offering unique, thoughtful gifts for the holidays!
– MUSIC | Live music by the 251 Jazz Band!
– CONTESTS | Stop by the Information Station for a chance to win special 2nd Anniversary Raffle Baskets filled with market goodies!
– ROMANCE | Fun Box Photo Booth — snap a picture of you + someone you love (our favorite 3 pics will be featured on our website + social media!)
The Farmers’ Market on Demand LIVE Facebook Feed starts at 9:30am! This is the best way to learn about your local vendors. This week they are featuring: Blissful Bakery, Blue House Coffee Goods, Pure Juice and Sauceman.
As always, find delicious options for breakfast and lunch from Uptown vendors and Food Trucks!
Food Trucks:
Family Squeezed Lemonade Arizona
loca popa
Mi Vegana Madre
Nakia’s Kitchen
Vendors:
Bravo Tango Kettle Corn
Creperie
Gelato 64
JP’s Doghouse
Raimondos
Sergio’s Kitchen
Squarz
The Tamale Store
Thank you for supporting your local market! ❤️
Local First AZ Founder and Director, Kimber Lanning, presents a special discussion about the current climate of the local movement and outlines how Arizonans can reclaim the economy and create more thriving and vibrant communities across the state.
After Lanning’s special discussion, we will hold a volunteer orientation and invite you and your guests to join us. Our orientation will cover our organization’s history and programs in more depth. Learn what volunteer positions are available and how to get involved.
Agenda:
5:30PM – 6:30PM: Kimber Lanning Presents
6:30PM – 7:00PM: Local First AZ Volunteer Orientation
About our volunteer program:
Volunteer with us as an Ambassador to Local First Arizona (ALFA)! We call our volunteers “ALFAs” (Ambassadors of Local First Arizona) because they are dedicated to our mission of creating unique, diverse communities and a more sustainable, resilient economy for everyone!
At Local First Arizona, volunteers are one of the most powerful ways to help us mobilize local communities across the state. The time and passion dedicated from our volunteers aid in supporting our work while creating dynamic ways to empower individuals to ‘go local’!
Shift, one of Flagstaff’s hottest new restaurants, is hosting a collaborative dinner with Chef Sam Williams from Oak Creek’s Indian Gardens Oak Creek Market. Localists can look forward to Chef William’s classic technique and modern plating, as well as his passion and respect for fresh local ingredients.
**Localists can flash their Localist card for a special sweet treat at the end of the evening!**
Make your reservation here to save your seat: https://www.opentable.com/shift-kitchen-and-bar-reservations-flagstaff?restref=231769
Are you a Localist, but don’t have your card? Email jenny@localfirstaz.com to redeem your sweet treat code!
Not a Localist yet? Click here to sign up and redeem special promos and event invites all year long: http://localfirstaz.com/localist
The buy local message is sweeping the nation, but are you doing all you can to stay in front of the curve?
Local First Arizona Director Kimber Lanning will be talking from her perspective as a small business owner and founder of Local First Arizona with vital examples and strategies you can bring directly to your business and your community.
This session will cover:
> Useful strategies to win new customers and drive tourism to your community
> Finding new ways to collaborate and work more collaboratively together
> Developing language to talk more effectively about your business and all that your community has to offer.
This workshop is tailored specifically for locally-owned Arizona businesses
This event is free to attend for Local First Arizona business members. Not a member yet? Click here to join the largest local business coalition in North America: https://www.localfirstaz.com/join/
The buy local message is sweeping the nation, but are you doing all you can to stay in front of the curve? This live in-person session will cover useful strategies to win new customers, find new ways to collaborate, and develop language to talk more effectively about your business.
Presenter Kimber Lanning will be talking from her perspective as a small business owner and founder of Local First Arizona with vital examples and strategies you can bring directly to your business and your community.
This session will cover:
-Telling your story better to win new customers
-Developing effective marketing language that identifies your unique position in the market
-Creative ways to collaborate with other local entities
*Cost: $20, open to current LFA members. Sustaining members email Kendall@localfirstaz.com to sign up.
The City of Phoenix is committed to spending as much of its budget as possible with local businesses and wants to make sure that businesses know how to compete for available contracts. Please join City of Phoenix representatives for an introduction to doing business with the City of Phoenix.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
> What the City of Phoenix buys
> How to register as a vendor
> Current and expiring contracts
> How to respond to a solicitation
> The impact of local spending in communities
This event is free to attend. RSVP to guadalupe.gomez@phoenix.gov
This event is presented by Local First Arizona, Arizona Small Business Association, ONE Community, Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Black Chamber of Arizona, GPGLCC – Greater Phoenix Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Phoenix MBDA Business Center, Pacific Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council, and Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce.
