Food & Wine magazine will celebrate its 25th annual Classic in Aspen, CO, by raising $1 million for Farm to Table, a national project dedicated to supporting local farms and encouraging sustainable agriculture.
The title will donate 4 percent of the cost of every Food & Wine Classic ticket sold toward the “Grow for Good” campaign. The annual Classic will be held June 15 through 17.
Farm to Table, an initiative of Earth Pledge, was created in 1995 to address the growing challenges facing American farms by creating demand for local products and by providing farmers with agricultural techniques that will help their operations be more sustainable.
Farm to Table also raises awareness of the environmental, social and health benefits of agriculture and cuisine among food professionals, politicians and the general public.
The American Express Publishing gourmet food title has a circulation of about 950,000.
The magazine plans to raise the $1 million to expand Farm to Table’s programs and services into 25 cities nationwide, open up a West Coast office, save 1,000 to 1,500 farms during a three- to five-year period, create a national network for local ingredients and provide education, tools and technology to small farms.
Food & Wine also will provide a number of opportunities for subscribers, advertisers, restaurateurs, vintners, chefs and the public to support the campaign.
The Food & Wine Classic offers food lovers the chance to learn from chefs and wine experts such as Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis, Emeril Lagasse, Thomas Keller and Danny Meyer.
Additionally, more than 300 vintners will showcase their top wines.
Tickets to the Classic in Aspen are $975 before March 15 and $1,075 thereafter. To register, visit www.foodandwine.com/classic.
