Celebrate agriculture, food cultures, and local food

CELEBRATE UNIQUE LOCAL FOOD CULTURES, SEASONAL FOODS, LOCAL Agriculture of Greater Lewiston Auburn

This action appeared in our first plan and continues to yield harvests.

Build

Build Food Culture and Identity

Leaders & Supporters of the Work

The Big Why

The Lewiston Auburn metro area is home to an abundance of local foods, unique and diverse food cultures and traditions, culinary talents and food entrepreneurs. In the last ten years restaurants representing a half dozen different world cultures have emerged on Lisbon Street in Lewiston alone. Additionally, Lewiston is the home to a Somali Food Truck and Maine’s only Poutine Truck celebrating Franco-American heritage based out of Auburn. These cultural food assets are all around us, but often not highlighted. Annual food celebrations, such as “Taste the Harvest” led by the LA Metro Chamber, help to bring AWARENESS and SHIFT local RELATIONSHIPS toward LOCAL FOOD, and support the local FOOD ECONOMY. Farm and Forest Tours as the one spearheaded by the Auburn Agricultural Forest and Resource Conservation Group help to connect citizens with local farms, and farmers helping to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of the region’s natural and precious resource.

Milestones

In 2021, Lewiston Auburn Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce hosted “Taste the Harvest” a first of its kind annual farm to table event in downtown Lewiston, helping to showcase local food businesses and culinary talents. The event also helped to build awareness of the importance of the local food economy and the multi-sector collaborative work of the Lewiston Auburn Local Foods Action Plan. This event was held again in 2022 but paused for 2023 and in stead the LA Metro Chamber hosted a month long Eat Local Challenge which helped to celebrate and incentivize engagement with LA’s local food scene. For 2024, LA Metro Chamber brought back Taste the Harvest for it’s most successful year ever and combined with Eat Local Challenge. Ongoing local food event

Dig Deeper

Resources & Additional Materials

Auburn Farm & Forest Tours

Eat Local Challenge

LA Metro Chamber

Taste the Harvest

The Impact of Local Food Festivals on Rural Areas’ Development

January 12, 2023

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from Koszalin University of Technology

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