ARTISAN FOOD CENTER CELEBRATES WITH FOODSTOCK

DAYTON - This weekend, the Artisan Food Center at the Blue Mountain Station (BMS) will celebrate the 45th anniversary of Woodstock with a festival of their own - Foodstock. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

According to Port Economic Development Coordinator Christine Jarski, the idea for Foodstock originated with a suggestion from Rey Weldert, co-owner of Rey's Roast. The other Food Center tenants were excited at the opportunity to pair music with food and the idea developed from there. Organizers hope the celebration will become an annual event.

"We wanted to have a fun event that would engage the public while showcasing the products being produced at the Artisan Food Center, as well as the vendors participating in the BMS Co-op Market," said Jarski. "It was also important to us that it be a family oriented event."

BMS Market Manager and event chair Melissa Weatherford focused on bringing in activities that kids will enjoy, like the bounce house and T-shirt tie dying - an essential with an event name like Foodstock.

"Most small-business owners will tell you that owning a business is a family affair and we wanted to include the children of our tenants, so the kids will be running a lemonade stand and serving lemonade, iced tea and frozen treats from Numi Gardens," said Jarski.

Regular Market vendors Numi Garden Produce, Little Dipper Dairy Cheeses, Aardvark Granola, Rey's Roast Coffee, Mace Mead Works, as well as other Co-op vendors, will be open for business.

Live music will be provided by Greg Hayward (10 a.m.), Poetry Assassins (11 a.m.) and Heather Stearns (1 p.m.).

Food vendors will include Grain House Grill, Granny's Tamales and Why Not Pizza! Activities will include a tiedye booth, Jumpin'JellyBeanz Bounce House and a kid-run lemonade and treat stand.