GastroFest 2015 // Erin Thursby

At Somewhere in the City, we wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t give you the low down on GastroFest 2015. The day-long food festival, happening on March 21st, celebrates local cuisine and North Florida’s culinary history. I got a chance to hang out with Erin Thursby, the Executive Director of GastroJax, at March’s Art Walk, and we discussed why GastroJax, and why now.

GastroJax Board of Directors at One Spark 2014: Jessica Fields, Nathaniel Price, Kamron Perry, Rachel Henley & Erin Thursby 

First, let’s talk the difference between GastroJax and GastroFest. GastroJax is a nonprofit organization that’s dedicated to food education. They do events and dinners throughout the year, like the Damn Good Dim Sum Dinner, while GastroFest is set to be an annual celebration of our food culture, showcasing everything from restaurants, food trucks, breweries, pop makers, and more–all in one day.

When I asked Erin why she decided to make GastroFest a reality, she said she felt Jacksonville needed a food festival dedicated to celebrating our local culinary scene. The hope is that GastroFest will show the rest of the world that Jacksonville is a culinary destination, something that Jax residents have known for a while. Like anything in Jacksonville, all it takes is one person to think, “Let’s do this” and it can become a reality. Erin is quick to say she couldn’t do it on her own, and certainly not without a lot of hard work. Erin cites help from her board members, as well as the fabulous start they received at One Spark last year, saying, “GastroFest would have been a pipe dream without the support we got from One Spark.”

The festival is split up into three parts: Taste Vendors, Marketplace Vendors and Education Vendors. It will be all day, from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm in Hemming Park. Entry to the festival is free, but you’ll need Taste Tickets or a VIP Pass to try the food. Tickets are $1.00 each and will be your currency throughout the day. It’s the perfect setup for people with dietary restrictions, that way you get to choose the samples you want to eat and purchase, or you can opt for the VIP Passes which allow you to try everything! In addition to the food, there will be plenty of free programming and movies happening at MOCA throughout the day, with mini-seminars at Down The Rabbit Hole on brewing your own beer; a workshop on making your own bread (presented by the talented ladies at Community Loaves); a Home Brew Competition; Cocktail Contest; Vegan Wine and Cheese Tasting and, oh yeah, SO MUCH FOOD. That doesn’t even begin to cover what’s happening at the Special Events Tent, the Kids Zone (they’ll have bees and chickens), and the live musicians playing throughout the day. Basically, there is something for everyone.

While she told me she wouldn’t, and couldn’t, pick a favorite event from the festival lineup, Erin did say that you must check out the “Food and Social Good Panel” happening at MOCA. In her words, “You don’t hear people talking about all the good that food can do and we want to shine a light on that. Food is a part of our daily lives; it something we have to do, and to do good in the world through making, eating, and sharing food is the best thing we can do as humans.” Don’t forget to say “Hi” when you do go, because you can bet Somewhere in the City will be there, trying everything! For details on Taste Tickets and VIP passes, event times, and the restaurants that will be set up, check out the GastroFest Facebook page or their website! We’ll see you at GastroFest!