Santa Cruz celebrates Food Day: events at farmers market and Charlie Hong Kong

Pledge to “eat real” for Food Day 2012

Wednesday, Oct. 24 is Food Day in Santa Cruz, and there are a couple local events occurring.

Food Day is simultaneously an annual nationwide celebration and a movement for healthy, affordable and sustainable food. People are urged to “eat real;” the goal is to build a movement of Americans who want “healthy, affordable, and delicious food produced in a sustainable and humane way. Last year was the inaugural Food Day, and included more than 2,300 events in all 50 states. Read more at the Food Day website and the Food Day Facebook page.

At 5 p.m. at the Wednesday Downtown Farmers Market (Cedar and Lincoln Streets), Mayor Don Lane is reading a proclamation declaring Oct. 24, 2012 as “Food Day Santa Cruz.” Right before his reading there will be a press conference about Proposition 37 (regarding the labeling of GMOs) with several farmers from the market. The conference was organized by Pesticide Watch. The proclamation’s highlights include mentions of the town’s natural food grocery stores (and the fact that they accept SNAP/food stamps), our many handcrafted artisan food purveyors committed to using local products from organic farms, UCSC’s Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS) and CASFS’ farm apprentice program, and many restaurants being awarded “The Golden Carrot” for serving healthy options.

At the Santa Cruz restaurant Charlie Hong Kong (1141 Soquel Ave at Seabright), on Oct. 24 at lunchtime customers can get their photos taken holding a flyer that says “I EAT REAL” (after signing the flyer). Owner Carolyn Rudolph is sending these photos to folks who will attach them to the petition that the Real Food Movement will present to Congress.  Also, CHK is handing out free samples of coconut rice pudding all day (until they run out), as a gift to customers for eating healthy, sustainable, affordable, fair food.

On Twitter? Follow me @santacruzfoodie

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