The HomeGrown Festival seeks to engage the community around issues of food security, enjoyment and environmental quality by celebrating good food and local business with family-oriented fun and activities. 

Many indicators point to industrialized food production and globalized distribution systems as significant contributors to the climate crisis and to widespread health problems.

A direct way for people to take action in their daily lives to add enjoyment and to address these serious problems is through buying locally grown, sustainably produced food and products. Buying local food not only addresses environmental quality, but also increases food security and keeps dollars circulating in the local community by investing in the Michigan economy.

Celebrate good food, diverse cuisine, and our local food       heritage and community.

Increase awareness of where to buy local foods and products.

Link farmers, restaurants, retailers, and consumers to foster a vibrant local food economy and community food security.

Highlight locally owned businesses that are good community stewards and that feature sustainable practices and local products.

Engage people in appreciating the many benefits of supporting

a local, sustainable economy.

Build community by creating a celebration of local food that

becomes a defining  cultural event for the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti

area.

Provide people with opportunities to learn more about food cooking and year-round access to local foods.