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Field Guide Festival Celebrates Local Chefs, Farmers & Food

The inaugural two-day event takes a deep dive into Austin’s food scene

Austin has a first-class food scene, and this fall a new event will celebrate the hard work, innovation, talent, ingredients and dishes that make it so exceptional.

On October 29th and 30th, the inaugural Field Guide Festival will host farmers, chefs and people who love their creations at the Rain Lily Farm and Fiesta Gardens to explore the fascinating journey that begins at local farms and ends at the tables of the city’s best restaurants.

The festival is spearheaded by Lindsey Sokol and Trisha Bates alongside Philip Speer and Michael Fojtasek.

Field Guide Festival offers much more than the opportunity to taste great dishes. A thoughtfully constructed program will provide insights on the future of what we eat and the health of our community. Attendees will gain an understanding of and appreciation for the process of creating quality cuisine through an assortment of experiences with food, drinks, farming and wellness.

The impressive lineup includes top Austin chefs such as Amanda Turner and Ariana Quant of Uchi, Edgar Rico of Nixta Taqueria and Phillip Speer of Comedor. Not only will guests get to devour the delicacies of these and more gifted chefs, they’ll also have the chance to peruse produce presented by local farmers.

“Austin hosts one of the most vibrant food scenes in the country, and Field Guide Festival brings our community a fresh perspective on where their food comes from through the close collaboration between local chefs and farmers,” co-founder Lindsey Sokol said in an announcement about the festival. “We invite guests to explore and celebrate the ways their hard work and dedication transforms raw materials into nourishing food. This festival has truly been a dream of ours, and we are so excited to bring it to life.”

Some festival events to look out for include a four-course outdoor dinner featuring Austin’s female chefs, farmers and winemakers, an East Austin 5K run held by the Comedor Run Club followed by a refreshing revival brunch, an all-day tasting event featuring collaborations between farmers and chefs, a farmer’s market featuring local produce, panel discussions between local and national innovators in hospitality and agriculture about the future of food, and live performances by Austin musicians.

“Our goal with Field Guide Festival is to create an exciting food experience for the guests and to connect our local chefs and farmers to one another and to the community. We hope the connections made during the festival will strengthen our local food economy, creating a lasting impact for the future,” said co-founder Trisha Bates. “We want guests to leave feeling happy, healthy and informed about how to eat well daily in Austin.”

The festival lineup includes a 5K hosted by Comedor Run Club followed by a revival brunch. Photo by Matt Rainwaters.

Field Guide Festival has teamed up with Central Texas Food Bank as a long-term nonprofit community partner. With shared goals to provide education around food and nutrition, a portion of the proceeds from the festival will support the Central Texas Food Bank in increasing food security for the community.

Tickets for Field Guide Festival go on sale July 13th and can be purchased for specific events or all-day passes.