I’m so excited to head to Loring Park in Minneapolis with my family this Saturday, August 23rd for Chipotle’s FREE Cultivate Festival!
Chipotle Mexican Grill hosts this one-day festival from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and will include cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, live music, food artisans and other activities emphasizing fresh and affordable food made with sustainable ingredients.
Oh, and I did I mention admission is FREE?!?!?
Last month I got to attend a special Cultivate media preview at Parlor in Minneapolis to learn all about this fun event! Here are some of the highlights I learned about:
KIDS ZONE
I know my kids will love the Kids Zone and all the activities including:
APPLEGATE FARM HOT DOG STAND & PAINTING – With Applegate’s worry-free franks – made with just beef, water, salt and spices – parents can say “yes” to hot dogs after years of denial. Bring the kids to the Applegate Kids’ Zone for a delicious snack served up with a side of creativity.
KID’S DRINK STATION – Tree Top will be providing free organic apple juice for the kiddos.
PAINT A TEE – Kids provide the artistic ability, Chipotle will provide the rest. Take home a fun t-shirt complete with animal and plant stencil artwork.
PLANT THE SEED – Get those kids gardening by decorating biodegradable pots and planting some seeds to start their very own salsa garden at home.
THE LOOMSTATE COTTON PIT – Exactly as you’d imagine: a big pit filled with raw organic cotton fluff. Great fun for kids, and really tempting for adults.
INTERACTIVE CHALKBOARD – Giant chalk boards and colored chalk will inspire kids to share their thoughts and drawings about their favorite fresh foods.
Check out this video preview of the Kids Zone:
CULTIVATE EXHIBITS
Chipotle freebie alert! One thing I won’t miss are the exhibits for a special freebie deal:
Visit the five experiences/exhibits around the festival, learn from what they have to offer, and get your program stamped. Once you’ve completed at least four, bring your program to the Info Tent and you’ll receive a coupon for a FREE burrito, bowl, salad or order of tacos and IZZE at any Chipotle!
The five experiences include: The Cinema, Factory Vs. Farm, Guac from Scratch, Fresh Vs. Processed, & GMO Experience.
CHEFS, LIVE MUSIC AND MORE
Several famous chefs from around the country will be speaking and cooking including:
- Andrew Zimmern (“Bizarre Foods America”)
- Amanda Freitag (Empire Diner, “Chopped” and “The Next Iron Chef”)
- Jamie Malone (Sea Change, 2014 James Beard Best Chef Nominee)
- Jack Riebel (formerly Butcher and the Boar, 2013 James Beard Best Chef Nominee)
- Erik Anderson (formerly Catbird Seat)
- Paul Berglund (Bachelor Farmer, 2014 James Beard Best Chef Nominee).
LIVE MUSIC
The line-up includes: Portugal. The Man, Grouplove, The Mowgli’s, Vintage Trouble, Hunter Hunted,and DJ Christopher Golub.
AND OF COURSE, FOOD!
Chipotle’s culinary team, keeping in line with its Food With Integrity mission for healthful, sustainable food, will have a special menu of food for purchase at the festival.
Visit the Artisans’ Hall to sample foods from local artisans including Nikkolette’s Macarons, Bare Honey, Patisserie 46, Philia Foods, Rustica Bakery, and Dunn Bros Coffee.
Cultivate Minneapolis’ Tasting Hall will feature 12 different local brewers and vintners and Chipotle will debut a Cultivate Farmhouse Ale, created in partnership with Surly Brewing Co.For Surly Brewing’s take on the Cultivate Farmhouse Ale, head brewer Todd Haug created a pale, hazy yellow Belgian-style Saison brewed with Pils and Rye malt. Haug added bitterness to the brew with local Minnesota dandelion greens.
Food ranges between $5 and $7 and includes a pork belly or barbacoagordita; grilled chicken or SofritasTM tacos; kale salad; and a jasmine rice bowl with pork and chicken meatballs or organic tofu from ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, Chipotle’s Asian concept.
For more information, visit the Cultivate Festival website! You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
