Join the Slow Food Nation in San Francisco, August 29 - September 1

July 30, 2008

A counter to the "fast food culture" that has been sweeping the globe, the Slow Food movement advocates living an "unhurried life," starting with what – and how – you eat.

Founded in Italy in 1986 by Carlo Petrini, the Slow Food movement has grown into an international campaign to steer people out of the drive-thrus and into their kitchens, by promoting regional foods and food producers, advocating sustainability and biodiversity, and helping consumers connect directly to their food sources.

The movement has a passionate champion in culinary giant Alice Waters, founder and owner of Berkeley-based Chez Panisse. In order to help the movement sprout in the fertile soil of the Bay Area, Waters and Slow Food USA have concocted Slow Food Nation, a four-day celebration of food, festivities, and advocacy in San Francisco.

Held Labor Day weekend (August 29 - September 1) in various locations around the city, Slow Food Nation boasts a range of activities highlighting the connection between plate and planet: gourmet dinners held at San Francisco’s hottest restaurants, a film and lecture series at Herbst Theater, a two-day music festival headlined by Gnarls Barkley, and 15 tasting pavilions at Fort Mason, featuring good, clean, and fair food and beverages from across the United States.

Numerous free activities punctuate Slow Food Nation, including a Marketplace in Civic Center Plaza held Friday through Sunday. Centered by the newly planted "Slow Food Nation Victory Garden" at City Hall, the Marketplace includes live music and entertainment, and a farmer’s market showcasing 60 California farmers and artisans who grow or produce clean and fair food. Purchase goodies directly from these growers to whip up back at the hostel, or grab a bite of "fast" slow food from food booths in the Marketplace.

If you want to get out of the city, lace up your walking shoes and join in one of the free hiking outings offered during the festival, and explore the green spaces outside the city. Or, if you’re feeling more cultural than agricultural, stop in at the admission-free Museo ItaloAmericano in Fort Mason Center to see their special photography exhibit, "Slow: Life in a Tuscan Town," shot by award-winning Italian American photographer Douglas Gayeton.