Eat Real Fest Consumes Jack London Square

Eat Real Fest Consumes Jack London Square

THE EAT REAL FESTIVAL

This year’s version of the foodie festival pulls out all the stops, pitting chef against chef and butchers against butchers.

The East Bay is one of the most dynamic food hubs in the world. It’s ground zero for the slow-food movement, a haven for locavores and freegans, and home to diverse national and international fusion cuisines combining the influences of Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The Eat Real Festival, the annual celebration of the East Bay’s unique food culture, is a packed-to-bursting weekend of family fun, do-it-yourself cooking demonstrations, and local food.

The first night kicks off with Friday Cookbook Cook-off, during which local chefs like Anya Fernald (Home Cooked) and Russ Moore (Camino) try their hand at preparing the latest recipes from the year’s best new cookbooks. Sample local brews and craft cocktails at the Drink Real pavilion and learn how to make your own home and garden ecologically sustainable at the Urban County Fair. Finally, visit the main stage for music performances, chef demonstrations, and the Thunderdome of women-only butcher competitions. Find out, once and for all, who’s the real master—or rather mistress—of the deli. Sept. 23, 1-9 p.m.; Sept. 24, 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sept. 25, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Jack London Square, Embarcadero West, Oakland, www.EatRealFest.com.

Published online on Sept. 19, 2016 at 8:00 a.m.