As a group of girls handed out flowers to passers-by and zombies wearing signs that read "Help me decompose" dragged their feet on Saturday afternoon, drawing senior Jeff Chudy dragged two wheelbarrows containing mobile gardens around the half-mile stretch of First Street between Taylor and Moreland streets.
The first-ever Feast on the Street attracted more than 2,500 people to downtown Phoenix to experience local food, sustainability practices and art.
As part of his art and community class, Chudy tried to show people how easy and practical urban gardening is. He was quickly asked to lead a parade of other mobile gardens, people in vegetable costumes and a bluegrass band.
“I’m interested in sustainability and how we can more easily represent a more sustainable culture,” he said. “It’s been an awesome response. Just walking around, I keep getting these compliments.”
ASU Art Museum senior curator Heather Lineberry, one of the organizers, said the event was about the full cycle of growing food, eating it and then composting. Feast on the Street brought together artists, growers, chefs and food activists, she added.
“We’ve reclaimed the streets for pedestrians and for community gatherings around art and food,” she said.
Phoenicians sit down to eat at Feast on the Street. Downtown Phoenix's feast on the street featured a mile and a half long table that stretched from Margaret T. Hance Park to ASU's downtown phoenix campus. (Photo by Dominic Valente)Organizers have been discussing the event for three years and put it together in the last five weeks. Lineberry was inspired after attending London's Feast on the Bridge and consulted with the artist behind it, Clare Patey, to try to establish a similar event in Phoenix.
Groups of people gathered every 30 minutes to listen to Arizona storytellers share short tales about food.
“The storytellers is something that comes directly from the London model,” Lineberry said. “One of the things that really struck me is that in the middle of all the craziness … there was this really powerful moment of sitting down at the table and hearing someone’s food stories.”
Lineberry said she was very happy with the public’s response to the event and expected it to become an annual happening.
“I’d like (people) to leave with a greater sense of the community,” she said. “I’d like them to leave with the sense of being more conscious about their eating, about eating locally (and) also a sense of tremendous artistic community in Phoenix.”
ASU classes showcased projects and students volunteered at the event.
“It is important that ASU is embedded in the community and that we address the issues of our own community as well as doing research that has national and international impact,” Lineberry said.
Interdisciplinary studies senior Christina Jackson was in charge of the salad-tossing during the event as part of her special events management class. She was also dressed as a carrot for the parade.
Her class has been working on the project since the beginning of the semester.
“We split up into different groups and were in charge of different things,” she said. “I think it turned out really well, and we’re happy with the amount of people here.”
The best thing about the event is that it brought people together through food, Jackson said.
A traditional Mexican dancer balances a plate of bottles and cups on her head as part of her routine at Feast on the Street. Located near ASU's Downtown Phoenix campus, Feast on the Street featured dozens of street performers. (Photo by Dominic Valente)Mandi Wimmer, the event producer, said that by 4 p.m., they had already achieved their goal of 2,500 visitors. Wimmer became involved with Feast on the Street five weeks ago and was in charge of the logistics.
She said she decided to take the job, because she wanted to see community involvement in downtown Phoenix.
“You see people from all walks of life here,” she said. “I wanted to see something in Phoenix that brought people together, and looking out on the street right now, I see that has happened.”
Chemistry junior Michael Baranowski and molecular biosciences and biotechnology junior Zac Heth attended the event together because Heth received a newsletter with the event information.
“I care a lot about community action (and) community involvement,” Heth said. “I thought it’d be a lot of fun.”
He said it was interesting to try food that was not easily available around the University campus. Heth and Baranowski watched some of the bands while they enjoyed their food.
“I’m really impressed with how big it is and how many people really care about the community,” Baranowski said.
Reach the reporter at dpbaltaz@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @dpalomabp
