Have you heard about the new Artisan Plaza in Cannon Falls? It's just the latest and greatest way to celebrate the creative, sustainable and enterprising local businesses in the Cannon Falls area. And Harvest Fest on Saturday, September 29, 2018 is the perfect time to get acquainted!

From 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, they'll have the local farmers market vendors along with a handful of FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace vendors exhibiting produce and products, plus craft vendors and other great activities. 

Vendors include...

(June 19, 2018) – The Fifth Annual FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace is now accepting applications for food and beverage businesses from Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota for its event Nov. 30-Dec. 1, 2018, Mayo Civic Center.

FEAST! hosts more than 100 juried exhibitors who utilize locally grown ingredients when possible and operate at or near a distributor-ready scale. Exhibitors show, sample and sell their artisan food products to wholesale buyers and consumers during the two-day event. They also participate in a Friday tradeshow with networking and workshop sessions. (2017 exhibitors here).

FEAST! 2018 brings new opportunities for engagement, including a Virtual Pitch Experience and more interaction with wholesale buyers during the Friday tradeshow. FEAST! Restaurant Week returns, with local restaurants featuring FEAST! vendor products. The Saturday festival will once again invite the public to pick their favorite for the People’s Choice Award. Three new award categories, focusing on innovation, social benefit and booths/displays, have been added for 2018.

For inquiries, contact [email protected]

Above: Rosemond and her team from Kalahari Foods, MN at the November 2024 Marketplace

Below, find details regarding:

Tradeshow

Marketplace

Payments

2026 Marketplace (Festival) VENDOR INFORMATION

Interested in becoming a festival vendor? Returning as an exhibitor and want to know what this year has in store? Click here to join our first vendor meeting on zoom at 1PM on July 30. All are welcome!

FESTIVAL BOOTH

FEAST is a curated event, showcasing local food makers who source local ingredients (or are interested in doing so). To that end, applications will be reviewed by a jury of professionals from the FEAST! Network before being accepted. Please review the selection criteria rubric below. In the event that a vendor is not accepted, all fees will be refunded immediately in full. 

See the selection criteria rubric

The Melvin Giles Emerging Food Entrepreneur Scholarship will allow one business to exhibit at the 2026 FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace without needing to cover their booth fee. If you are a new/emerging entrepreneur from MN, WI, or IA, source locally, and demonstrate financial need, we encourage you to apply by August 31. Find more information about the scholarship, eligibility criteria, and the section to apply for it in the application.

Pictured at left: Urban Farm and Garden Alliance leadership team members and Bethel University interns at Victoria Rondo Community Garden. Melvin Giles, for whom the scholarship is named, is standing to the right of the peace pole, second person from left.

REGISTRATION FEES

• Cost: $300 full, $225 early bird
  • Early bird discount available through Aug. 31
• Booth size is 10x10, which includes the following (as shown at right):
  • 8' table with plastic tablecloth, fabric table skirt, and 2 chairs 
  • Pipe and drape
  • Kitchen access: wash sink, prep surfaces, walk-in cooler and/or freezer
  • Small trash receptacle
  • Electricity available IF PURCHASED from Mayo Civic Center (payment link available in September)
• Things you will need to bring include:
  • signage
  • tablecloth or table runner
  • product for display
  • hand-washing station (see blue container and green bucket in the photo at right)
• Things you may want to bring include:
  • samples & compostable sampling supplies if sampling
  • cash box/card reader if doing sales
  • extension cord if you're using electricity
  • swag with your branding and contact info (remember though: no merch sales—only foods and beverages for sale)
  • S-hooks, bungee cords, or similar for your hanging signage (pipes are 2" in diameter)
  • extra table
  • extra trash receptacles
  • anti-fatigue mat for standing on the concrete all day

MARKETPLACE DETAILS

• Registered vendors are encouraged to attend Vendor Information meetings on zoom. Schedule TBD.
• Marketplace load in: FRIDAY 11/6 3-5pm or SATURDAY 11/7 6:30-8:30am
• Exhibitors MUST be fully set up by 9:30am Saturday, Nov. 7
• Exhibitors MAY NOT break down booths until 4:00pm Sat., Nov. 7
• 2026 VENDOR INFORMATION PACKET available by August
• For inquiries, email [email protected]

2027 Tradeshow VENDOR INFORMATION — date and location TBD

The Tradeshow is a 'tabletop' style event, with simplified table displays—no pipe & drape, and space is limited; these are NOT 10 x 10 booths. 

See the selection criteria rubric

TRADESHOW DETAILS

• Registered vendors are encouraged to attend Vendor Information meetings.
• Tradeshow load in: TBD
• Exhibitors MUST be fully set up by TBD
• Exhibitors MAY NOT break down booths until TBD
• 2027 TS VENDOR INFORMATION PACKET (will be available by early 2027)
• For inquiries, send an email to [email protected] 

PAYMENTS

Payment must be received before your application will be processed. When submitting your application you may either pay via credit card or check. 

PAY ONLINE HERE

PAYING BY CHECK: Please make check payable to "Renewing the Countryside" and write "Feast Exhibitor 2026" in the memo line.

Please return check to:

Renewing the Countryside
656 Selby Ave. Unit 102
St. Paul, MN 55104

MATCHING DISCOUNTS

Minnesota businesses can take advantage of cost-sharing programs, and receive up to a 50% match on your exhibitor's fees. 

• Minnesota exhibitors can request a match for your exhibitor fees and some other expenses through the MN Dept. of Agriculture Tradeshow Support Program.   See eligibility information here.

CANCELLATION

50% refund available through Sept. 11 for festival booth fee. 100% refund if application is denied or if FEAST cancels the event.
Fees are non-refundable for cancellation after Sept. 12, 2026.

by Kelli Boylen

Five years ago when Eric and Sarah Underberg started making fermented foods most people had never heard of the idea.

Sarah was interviewed on WHBF-TV on September 20, 2017 and snapped this selfie.

Nowadays, most people have heard of kombucha and sauerkraut, but there are many other products including fermented hummus, kimchi, pickles, salsas, and traditional sourdough bread.

Eric started exploring fermented foods to improve his own health. “My husband started making fermented foods to heal his body after years of abuse from college football and working as a master carpenter,” shared his wife Sarah. “He began making milk kefir and sauerkraut and eating it every day. I was not interested in the beginning, however his passion for spreading the truth about food was so profound that I jumped on board. After about six months of Eric consuming these foods and the almost immediate bounce back, he talked to me at length about how we needed to share this information and food with others. That is when we decided to put everything we had into this business,” says Sarah.

They founded Agri-Cultured in 2012 in Dallas Center, Iowa with a small, licensed kitchen. They started making five-gallon batches of sauerkraut and kimchi.

“It was so important to us that we make the transition to whole food eating so easy, that people didn’t even realize they were eating ‘healthy.’ That’s why we offer the flavors that we do,” she said, adding, “Our company is the “gateway” drug to fermented foods...ie...easy on taste, pairs well with so many other foods and it gives us the opportunity to plant the seed of cultured food.”

by Kelli Boylen

Julie Parisi, founder and owner of Zaza’s Pasta, is not only making local food, she is using local sources for the raw ingredients whenever possible as well!

“We're using only Minnesota and Iowa grown wheat in all of our products. Throughout the whole process we're supporting local farmers along the way,” she shared.  All of their garlic, herbs and vegetables come from Frontier Natural Cooperative out of Norway, IA, whose mission it is to support and strengthen rural communities around the globe.

Zaza's Pastas started in 2010 in a small, one-bedroom apartment in Iowa City, selling at local farmers markets. Zaza’s Pastas has been working out of a commercial kitchen since 2012. In 2015 they started working with some local food wholesale distributors. This has allowed their product to reach farther than she could have ever anticipated.

“We pour our heart and soul into each batch of pasta,” expressed Julie. “We love the ingredients, we love the process and we want you to love what you eat!” Her pasta includes only local, organic and non-GMO flour.