Collard Green Festival
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida will host its inaugural fall-themed Collard Green Festival on Saturday, November 19 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the organization’s Woodland Acres Club Farm located at 191 Pecan Street near Arlington Road.
As part of their agricultural programming, nearly 8,000 collard greens have been planted with a purpose to bring the community together in the name of a fun fall festival. Collard greens have long been a staple in Southern homes, and just in time for Thanksgiving, guests can pick their own fresh collard greens from the farm to prepare their own way.
What to expect?
• Pick your own collard greens
• Collard green celebrity and amateur chef cook-offs with prizes and bragging rights
• Family fun zone including bounce houses, face painting, games and Jedis
• Hay ride and petting zoo
• Instant Photo Cube
• JFRD fire hose and Safe House interactive zone
• Live music, dances and performances – All day
• VIP tent and tours
In addition, guests can feast on collard greens and other food and beverages from participating food trucks. Participating food trucks include A Flying Sausage and two Duval County Public School’s student-run food trucks. Both teams, Chop Chef and Fired Up, will be present. These students are involved in various career academies from 10 high schools located throughout the district.
Admission is $5 per family, and includes two collard green bunches to take home. Free parking and bus shuttle from the Winn-Dixie parking lot at the corner of Atlantic Boulevard and Arlington Road.
Special unveiling and announcements at 12:30 p.m.
To register for the amateur chef competition, and for competition rules, please contact Joanne Kazmierski at 904.396.4435 x 106.
Key event sponsors include Chartwells K12, Festival Sponsor and AZB Foods Inc. d/b/a McDonald's, Community Circle Sponsor. Other sponsors include: PRI Productions; Tritt & Associates, P.A; Moe Williams Family Foundation; Legacy Restaurant Group; and Karen’s Kitchen & Catering.
About Chartwells K12, the Festival Sponsor:
Chartwells K12 provides for more than 600 school districts, ranging from large public institutions to small charter and private schools, all with expansive needs. Chartwells K12 is a culinary-focused organization with a mission to extend its passion, dedication, knowledge and enthusiasm into serving each student delicious and nutritious meals. “We know how important it is for children to understand where their food comes from, and to see and taste fresh, wholesome produce that will help to build healthy eating habits that last a lifetime,” says Chef Will Ratley, Regional Chef for Chartwells 12, the food service provider for Duval County Public Schools (DCPS). “We recognized an opportunity in partnering with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida for their Collard Green Festival, to demonstrate to students how this fresh produce makes its way from the farm to their school lunch tray every day.”
Chef Ratley will be participating in the Celebrity Chef Collard Green cook-off!
Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida (BGCNF) is an affiliate of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. BGCNF has played an integral role in Jacksonville for 50 years, providing daily nationally recognized after-school programs in five distinct areas: character and leadership, education and careers, health and life skills, the arts, sports, fitness and recreation, to 3,000 members at 13 Club facilities in Duval and St. Johns County. For more information go to: www.bgcnf.org.