LEXINGTON, Va. – The second annual Freedom Food Festival held on July 3, 2022, in downtown Lexington, Virginia raised and distributed $28,200 to 14 local non-profit organizations.
Freedom Food Festival is an annual Independence Day themed street festival featuring picnic fare and live entertainment but serves the greater purpose of fundraising for local non-profits. More than 800 advance tickets were purchased online by attendees from six states. Nearly 1,000 additional tickets were purchased on the day of the event. Freedom Food Festival was free to the public and an estimated 3,000 people attended.
The esteemed Freedom Food Festival judges were retired servicemen USAR Lt. Col. Jake Wilson, USN Cmdr. Richard Hastings, and USMC Cpl. Clyde Mull. Together they chose the Backyard BBQ Bowl-Pulled Whole Hog meal featuring Devils Backbone Brewing Company’s Juicy Magic IPA Spiked Watermelon Ball as the winner of this year’s Freedom Food Festival Spoon.
“Rockbridge Area Transportation System was so fortunate to be partnered with the amazing team at Devils Backbone! Their creativity far exceeded anything I could imagine,” said Michelle Watkins, Executive Director of Rockbridge Area Transportation System (RATS). RATS and Devils Backbone Brewing Company were among seven teams of celebrity chefs paired with non-profit organizations to participate in the cook-off portion of the Freedom Food Festival.
A People’s Choice Award was bestowed upon the Rockbridge County High School Golf Team and John Stallard of C.H.E.F.S. Catering Co. Coach David Miller believes the team enjoyed the festival, stating, it’s “always fun to do team building activities and when food, music, and fun are involved it makes for a great day. Winning the People’s Choice award was the icing on the cake.”
Russell Orrison of Perkins & Orrison, Inc., one of the event sponsors, found the festival to be “absolutely great,” expounding, “seeing old and new friends, the term ‘old home day’ has never been more appropriate. We were once again reminded of why we love to be in this place, with these people.”
Serving as celebrity chefs for Freedom Food Festival were Laurie Macrae and Southern Inn Restaurant for Boxerwood Education Association; Jim Jones and C.H.E.F.S. Catering Co. for Friends of Natural Bridge State Park; David Miller and C.H.E.F.S. Catering Co. for Rockbridge County High School Golf Team; Michelle Watkins and Devils Backbone Brewing Company for Rockbridge Area Transportation Services; Lexington Police Chief Angela Green and Sweet Treats Bakery for Lexington Police Foundation; David Faulds and The Community Table for The Community Table of Rockbridge; and Misty Camden and Lexington Golf & Country Club for Yellow Brick Road Early Learning Center. Non-profits providing kids meals, desserts, and non-alcoholic drinks included Hull’s Angels, Inc., Friends of Rockbridge Swimming, Inc., Rockbridge Area Habitat for Humanity, and Team Na-Na Sports, respectively.
Freedom Food Festival Steering Committee includes representatives from Rockbridge Regional Tourism, Main Street Lexington, Chamber of Commerce Serving Lexington, Buena Vista, and Rockbridge Co., Rockbridge County Office of Economic Development, Southern Inn Restaurant, CHEFS Catering, and Boxerwood Education Association. Special thanks to the City of Lexington and Lime Kiln Theater for event support, and to 49 Winchester, Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley, and Acoustic Syndicate for their amazing entertainment.
Sponsors of Freedom Food Festival were Bank of the James, Big Spring Farm, Cattleman’s Market, CHEFS Catering, CornerStone Bank, Devils Backbone Brewing Company, Dynovis, Inc., full circle catering, Hess & Co. Jewelers, Huffman Insurance Agencies, James River Realty, Lexington Prescription Center, Natural Bridge Historic Hotel & Conference Center, Perkins & Orrison, Inc., Southern Inn Restaurant, Spencer Home Center, and University Cleaners.
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