The Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center is excited to share 10 upcoming food policy events happening in NYC this spring. We hope you enjoy them!
FOOD POLITICS: Women in Food
Location: NYU Fales Library 3rd Floor Reading Room (@ 3rd St and LaGuardia Pl)
When to visit: April 26th, 4-6 pm
Why visit: Part of the Marion Nestle Legacy and Impact Series; this seminar will explore “roles, relegation, appropriation, harassment & other aspects of being a woman in food.”
Perfect for: Women in the food system and those who are champions and supporters of women in food.
Further information: NYU Event Calendar, ew52@nyu.edu
Cost: $10 suggested donation
Food and Families in Postwar America
Location: NYPL Jefferson Market Branch (425 Avenue of the Americas)
When to visit: April 26th (Introduction to Food and Families in the Postwar Era); May 3rd (Food at Home: Families as Consumers); May 17th (Eating Out: Restaurant Culture(s)); May 24th (Food and Gender: Mom Knows Best); May 31st (School Lunch: Institutional Food for Children), 6-8 pm
Why visit: “This class is a social history of food and families in Postwar America, focusing on the personal, lived-experiences of people. Over the course of roughly 30 years (1945-1965), the U.S. population grew by over 50 million and the definition of what it meant to be an American family changed in ways large and small. We will focus on the role of different food products and experiences in everyday life, including: the introduction of convenience foods into home kitchens; gendered and racialized approaches to advertising food products; a burgeoning restaurant landscape including McDonald’s and Howard Johnsons; and newly organized school lunch programs. We will also discuss the deep nostalgia that surrounds this particular period in American history, asking ourselves “what do these foods and this time period really mean to us today?””
Perfect for: Anyone interested in American food history
Further information: Class website
Cost: Free
Education and Food Policy Seminar by the Wagner Food Policy Alliance
Location: The Puck Building (295 Lafayette St)
When to visit: April 30th, 5:30-7 pm
Why visit: “Join the WFPA for a discussion about the intersection between food policy and NYC public schools. We will host a panel of diverse experts in the education and policy fields to delve into issues of access, school lunch, nutrition policy and education, food advertising, and more. This conversation will be especially relevant to the NYC community, which serves the largest and most diverse student population in the country, and as food and nutrition become increasingly more important to the American political landscape.”
Perfect for: Those interested in public education in NYC and food policy
Further information: Eventbrite, NYU Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
Cost: Free
Farmers for America Documentary Screening
Location: Project Farmhouse (76 E 13th St)
When to visit: April 30th, 6-9 pm
Why visit: “Farmers for America is a documentary that traces the extraordinary changes coming to America’s food system as more and more consumers flock to farmers’ markets, embrace farm-to-table lifestyles and insist on knowing where their food is coming from. At the center of the film are the farmers, young and old, who provide the spirit and energy to bring urban and rural America together over what both share in common: our food. These farmers reflect nothing less than the face of America. With the average age of today’s farmer at 60, and rural America losing population as the cost of land and equipment soar, this film reveals the people waiting to take their place, the practices they’re championing and the obstacles they must overcome.”
Perfect for: Those interested in farming and agriculture in America
Further information: Project Farmhouse events website
Cost: $10
The Secret History of Bodegas!: Presented by Masters of Social Gastronomy
Location: Caveat (21A Clinton St)
When to visit: April 30th, 7-9 pm
Why visit: “Explore the history of bodegas and their connection to the origins of New York City itself. Hear how wave after wave of immigrants—Germans, Dominicans, Koreans, and more—each left their mark upon this New York institution. We’ll also be uncovering stories some of your favorite bodega products. What exactly is hiding in that Boar’s Head deli meat, and why is it the undisputed king of New York sandwiches?”
Perfect for: Those interested in the history of food in NYC and how bodegas came to be.
Further information: Event website
Cost: $10 advance/$12 at the door (21 and over)
Food and Tech Food Policy for Breakfast Seminar
Location: 2180 3rd Ave at 119th St
When to visit: May 8th, 8:30-10:15
Why visit: Learn about how technology is being used to solve key food system issues in New York City and beyond.
Perfect for: Those interested in the intersection of food and tech
Further information: Center website
Cost: free
Kids Food Festival
Location: The Oculus at Westfield World Trade Center (185 Greenwich St)
When to visit: May 12th and 13th, 10 am-4 pm
Why visit: “The Kids Food Festival welcomes families with children of all ages, interested in learning about balanced food choices in a fun and engaging environment that empowers children to make these decisions for themselves! Appetites of all sizes will enjoy: Balanced Plate Scavenger Hunt; The James Beard Foundation Future Foodies Pavilion: ticketed hands-on cooking classes; Kids Food Festival Community Performance Area; and free performances including cooking demos and live entertainment.
Perfect for: Families interested in teaching children about healthy food choices.
Further information: Event website
Cost: $25 per activity
Spring Fest
Location: Queens County Farm Museum
When to visit: May 12th, 11 am-4 pm
Why visit: “Ever seen a sheep get a haircut? Join us on the farm for this annual May event with sheep shearing and wool spinning demos throughout the afternoon. Celebrate spring’s arrival and pick up flower and vegetable seedlings for your garden. Learn about our Community Compost Program, enjoy in-depth tours with our farmers, and find out how easy recycling can be at the Con Edison Ecology booth. There will be live music, kids’ crafts, hayrides, and tasty local food on the farm all day.”
Perfect for: Anyone interested in farming, food, composting and recycling.
Further information: Queens County Farm Museum website
Harlem EatUp! Festival
Location: Harlem
When to visit: May 14th-20th
Why visit: “Welcome to the Harlem EatUp! Festival, a festival offering an exciting sampling of Harlem’s sights, flavors and sounds, from artists of the kitchen, canvas, stage and streets. Enjoy Dine In Harlem, Eat Up’s signature multi-room dinner party experience, featuring Harlem’s hottest restaurants and chefs hosting some of the biggest national culinary stars in their kitchens. Get your eat on as you spend the day Uptown at The Harlem Stroll, where food, art and culture will converge all in the backdrop of one of the neighborhood’s most beautiful parks. Watch Harlem and national top chef cooking demos on the EatUp! Main Stage. It’s a celebration of culture and good eats you won’t want to miss!”
Perfect for: Anyone who likes food
Further information: Event website
Cost: varies
Change Food Meets…2
Location: Agritecture (40 Bushwick Ave)
When to visit: Wednesday, June 13th, 6:30-8 pm
Why visit: “Meet other people working in and around food – for profit, nonprofit, entrepreneurs, restaurants, chefs – and more! Ten or so people will be selected to give a very short talk about who they are and what they do, one need they have, and obstacles they’ve found that’s keeping them from their goal. At this event, we’re going to be talking about – MONEY. Something we all need, whether we’re a nonprofit program or a food startup. We’ll explore investment and funding strategies – including possible alternative and unconventional platforms – within NYC’s good food and farming world for both nonprofits and startups.”
Perfect for: Anyone working or interested in working in the NYC food system
Further information: Eventbrite, Change Food Meets
Cost: $25
