FRANKLIN, Va. — The Homegrown Harvest Festival is a huge celebration in Franklin offering local food cooked over a fire pit, music and fun for the family.
"Everything is open fire. The fish will be local, the oysters will be local. Everything is local. But it's also the storytelling of the actual food, and the chefs and the farmers," says
Yorkie's restaurant owner Kip Poole.
Poole is one of the Hampton Roads chefs cooking up Fall delights at Goosehill Farm in Franklin, featuring live music, local farm-fresh food, dancing, wine, whiskey and sharing the best Southeastern Virginia has to offer. The event is family friendly with hay rides, and a corn maze.
"We are top three states with the best cuisine there is. How do we get this area bigger by having a kick -bleep- party in the middle of a cornfield," Poole added.
The festival is right up the alley of chef and owner of Commune restaurant, Willson Craigie, who will be cooking at the event. The farm-to-table dishes at his 17th Street eatery are made from ingredients from local farms, and some of the produce even comes from the restaurant's garden in Virginia Beach.
"There's nothing better than sharing a song with somebody, and there's nothing better than sharing a meal, breaking bread, having people sit at your table and come together over food," said Craigie.
The festival is the brainchild of Hubs Peanut company owner Marshall Rabil. His family has been in the peanut business in Franklin since 1954.
"Virginia and Tidewater specifically is a culinary gem," said Rabil.
While fire-roasted vittles are the main attraction, three local charities will be the recipients of all the donations collected at the event, including the Food Bank.
"It really is a celebration of Virginia brands, bands and chefs, all coming together to fight food insecurity at home. We have a manageable population, and I don't think there's any excuse why we can't take care of them," added Rabil.
If you don't want to drive to the festival, there will be a bus to and from the event on Saturday, leaving from Yorkies restaurant in Virginia Beach.
The festival will be held on Oct. 3 and 4 — click here to buy tickets.
