By Sammy Croteau | Arts & Culture Editor

Food festivals are a great way to get outside, get involved with the local community, and find tasty hidden gems. The Boston Local Food Festival, which took place on Sunday, Sept. 17 on The Rose F. Kennedy Greenway, provided just that experience.

The free event, which took place from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., was put on by The Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts and open to food lovers of all ages with a slogan of “Healthy Local Food for All.”

Hundreds of local farmers, restaurants, food trucks, and businesses showed up to promote their products, engage with the community, and provide people with a fun event for the day. The goal of the event was to educate people on the benefits of eating sustainably grown food and engaging with local chefs and companies.

The event itself was a zero-waste event, which means that almost 92 percent of the waste produced at the event was diverted away from landfills. Organizers also pride themselves on being able to offset 100 percent of the energy used to put on the festival.

The event offered people the chance to attend cooking DIY demonstrations, shop for locally grown produce, listen to live music, and participate in other fun activities. Tent vendors displayed everything from freshly harvested vegetables to delicious smelling cookies.

One product was a drink called Sap!, which is a non-alcoholic beverage made from either maple or birch sap collected straight from trees in Vermont. There were also several food trucks at the festival which offered varying types of cuisine, from all vegan menus to freshly grilled burgers.

The Compliments Food Company food truck was particularly popular. The truck promoted positive vibes with dish names such as “We Work Well Together” sliders and “You’re So Sweet” potato fries. The food truck is run by brother-sister duo Bobby and Andrea MacLean and offers both breakfast and lunch options. Their food truck schedule can be found on their website, www.complimentsfood.com.

Roger Williams University has seen its fair share of food trucks at events such as the Involvement Fair and the Spring Weekend Carnival. They provide us with an array of food to choose from.

Sophomore Meghan Knizak offered that her favorite food truck is the the Del’s Lemonade truck.

“They always give out such good cups of frozen lemonade, which is super refreshing if it’s hot out,” she said.

Whether you are eating fish tacos, dairy-free ice cream, or fresh fried dough, the novelty of eating something that was cooked in a car never wears thin.

Roger Williams is also involved with more classic forms of food festivals. For example, the Friday Farmer’s Market that is put on by Commons during the harvest season is a great way to pick up locally grown produce. These markets take place on Fridays from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the quad outside of Commons.

Photo courtesy Amy Lenihan.