I’m so excited to head to Loring Park in Minneapolis with my family for the second annual FREE Chipotle 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 year I attended with my family and was so impressed with the whole event, from the live music to the free food samples to the fun Kids Zone.
Want to see what it was like last year? Here’s my review with lots of pictures!
Here’s what you can expect at this year’s event:
Kids’ Zone
The Kids’ Zone at Chipotle’s Cultivate Festival is filled with fun, educational activities that teach kids where their food comes from and why it’s important. Highlights include: a Paint a Tee station where kids can take home a fun t-shirt with animal or plant stencil artwork; the Loomstate Cotton Pit where kids feel like they’re on Cloud 9 – literally; and the Plant a Seed Garden Demo where kids can decorate their own pot and plant an heirloom seed to take home and watch grown. All activities include:
APPLEGATE HOT DOG STAND & PAINTING
Go ahead, indulge. 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.
KIDS’ DRINK STATION
Enjoy free Organic Valley milks, Tree Top Apple juices, and Plum Organics pouches.
PAINT A TEE
Kids provide the artistic ability, we’ll provide the rest. Take home a fun t-shirt complete with animal and plant stencil artwork.
PLANT A SEED GARDEN DEMO WITH SLOW FOOD USA
Join Slow Food USA on the top of every hour from 11 AM – 6 PM for a short family-oriented gardening workshop. Kids will be able to decorate their very own biodegradable pot and plant an heirloom seed, especially suited for Minneapolis’ unique climate, to transplant later in the home garden.
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 this year are the exhibits for a special freebie deal:
Visit the five experiences 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 with Andrew Zimmern,” Canteen in Minneapolis)
- Richard Blais (“Top Chef All Stars,” Juniper & Ivy, The Spence and Flip)
- Gavin Kaysen (Spoon and Stable in Minneapolis)
- Jamie Malone and Erik Anderson (the upcoming Brut in Minneapolis)
- Jim Christiansen (Heydey in Minneapolis).
LIVE MUSIC
Live music by:
Walk the Moon
Atlas Genius
X Ambassadors
Anderson East
Hippo Campus
DJ Christopher Golub
AND OF COURSE, FOOD!
Chipotle’s culinary team has created a special menu available for purchase exclusively at the events. All signature dishes will be made using fresh, sustainable ingredients. ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, Chipotle’s Asian concept, will also serve food during the festivals. An Artisan Hall will offer food from local food artisans, and a selection of local craft beer, wine, and ciders will be available in the Tasting Hall. Each Cultivate event will feature a Cultivate Farmhouse Ale, a Saison-style beer exclusively brewed from a local brewery.
For more information, visit the Cultivate Festival website! You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.