I took my kids to the Chipotle Cultivate Festival this past Saturday, August 23rd in Loring Park in Minneapolis and we had SUCH a fun time!
Going through all the pictures I took and thinking about all the unique, interactive and educational activities there were, plus the many free samples we got, I’m genuinely bummed that it’s all over. I don’t feel this way about many events – but this Cultivate Festival in Minneapolis was organized so well, and offered so much for everyone, that I wish it could have been all weekend or longer!
There was excellent live music by national bands including Portugal The Man, Grouplove, The Mowgli’s, Vintage Trouble, and Hunter Hunted (which I’m now a huge fan of). My kids were restless and anxious to get to the Kids Zone so I didn’t get to watch the bands up close, but I loved the music they played which we could hear throughout the festival.
First I stopped and picked up some tacos at one of the food booths. There were several, each offering something different: Tacos, Gorditas, Shophouse Rice Bowls and Kale Salad. They offered both meat and vegetarian options as well.
We then enjoyed some free samples throughout the park including Ben & Jerry’s ice cream!
Ben & Jerry’s offered several different flavors including their new Holy Molé, which is cinnamon ice cream with chocolate-covered cinnamon sugar crisps and a molé fudge swirl. Thor LOVED this new flavor and ate every last bite.
There were many other booths to visit including Bolthouse Farms where you could learn about what they offer and new products that will be available soon (hint: they’re for kids!). We got some juice samples too – I didn’t realize how yummy and nutritious Bolthouse Farms juices were – their Mango Coconut Splash was soooo good.
The Kids Zone was the hit of the festival for my kids, of course. They got to make their own t-shirts, pick up a tomato plant to grow at home, enjoy free samples of Applegate hot dogs, Treehouse Farms apple juice, Organic Valley milk and Clif kids bars (which I admit I enjoyed too!), and paint on a big heart-shaped wall.
Heidi spent a long time working on her t-shirt while Thor painted and painted and painted…
My kids were proud of the t-shirts they designed!
Throughout the park there were five educational exhibits and if you visited at least four and got your brochure stamped at each, you could redeem your stamps for a coupon for a FREE burrito or salad at Chipotle. My kids weren’t up to waiting in line unfortunately so we missed out on this, but they were VERY popular and had some very interesting information.
There was SO much more to see, including guest chefs and an artisan hall…we didn’t get to see it all but after a few hours there can definitely say it was a fabulous and rewarding experience. We learned so much about our food and how brands are making foods better and safer for all of us. Brands like Bolthouse Farms, Earthbound Organic and Ben & Jerry’s and of course, Chipotle, made me feel so much better about supporting them and buying their foods. This festival was such a good experience for my kids and me and I really hope Chipotle will bring Cultivate back to Minneapolis soon in the future!
