Picture yourself meandering through the wooded paths of Central Saanich's Heritage Acres, with a fine local wine in one hand and a freshly prepared bite in the other. With a friend or loved one, you stroll from tent to tent, connecting with local chefs, brewers, and winemakers, trying to decide what to sample next.

If this sounds like a perfect way to spend your Sunday afternoon, you will want to mark your calendar for next yearB次元官网网址檚 Feast of Fields, organized by the Victoria non-profit FarmFolk CityFolk.

From humble beginnings, the event has now evolved into a full-fledged gastronomic celebration, says Cheryl Johnson, executive director of FarmFolk CityFolk, as the festival marked its 23rd anniversary on Aug. 25.

B次元官网网址淔east of Fields was born to connect the chefs and the farmers who grow and make locally sourced foods or items and connect them to the eaters,B次元官网网址� Johnson said. 

From cheeses to beers and wines, including the local talent needed to showcase these ingredients, everything at the event is locally sourced.

B次元官网网址淭he restaurants we partner with for this event usually have to be within the Vancouver Island area, [while] the wines and the libations have to be at least from B.C.,B次元官网网址� said Johnson. B次元官网网址淚t's one thing to be a local restaurant and source your food internationally, but these particular establishments, for the most part, source all or most of their ingredients locally to create locally curated dishes.B次元官网网址�

This event, along with the other 60 Feast of Fields hosted throughout the province over the past two decades, represents a major fundraiser for the non-profit, she added.

B次元官网网址淲e really rely on events such as Feast of Fields to continue to offer our programs and initiatives across B.C. including in the Greater Victoria area towards strengthening sustainable food systems,B次元官网网址� said Johnson. B次元官网网址淚 think what's really important is if folks are looking for ways to support local, attending a Feast of Fields, eventB次元官网网址� is a great way for them to do that.B次元官网网址�

The festival also acts as a vector of information for those wishing to learn more about the regionB次元官网网址檚 food system, as Johnson highlighted.

B次元官网网址淏esides being a fundraiser for us it is also a really great educational opportunity to help folks learn more about where the food comes from, where they can get local foods and how delicious they can be,B次元官网网址� Johnson said.

In the end, Johnson explained this festival ultimately serves as a way for people to get together. 

B次元官网网址淚t's really an opportunity to immerse yourself in local cuisine while listening to music and just enjoying the lovely weather and the company that you're with because that's what food does: it brings us together.B次元官网网址�

Among the crowd were Sidney couple Daryl and Lorna McIntyre, who chose to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary at the event.

B次元官网网址淎ll the wines are amazing,B次元官网网址� Daryl said. B次元官网网址淭here are no lineups, you just help yourself. Everything is delicious.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淎t other festivals, you sometimes have to wait in a room and everybody's lined up and you can't get to see what is going on,B次元官网网址� Lorna added. B次元官网网址淏ut this is nice and in the open. This is wonderful.B次元官网网址� 

For more information about FarmFolk CityFolk and Feast of Fields, visit .