Learn about the origins and growth of the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival, a day-long celebration of community, nourishment, health, wellness, and Black culture. Discover how this festival emphasizes education, storytelling, and raising awareness of health issues. Explore the diverse attractions and future aspirations of this beloved event in St. Pete.
Origins and Growth of the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival
( Credit to: Cltampa )
The Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival, now in its seventh year, has become a beloved event in St. Pete. This day-long celebration of community, nourishment, health, wellness, and Black culture originated from a lighthearted joke between friends. Samantha Harris and Boyzell Hosey, who met at St. Pete's Bethel Community Baptist Church, bonded over their shared love for collard greens.
( Credit to: Cltampa )
Inspired by their success in cooking greens to raise funds for a church youth program, Harris and Hosey wanted to extend that positive energy to the broader community. Their idea to sell greens at St. Pete's MLK Day parade didn't happen, but it sparked the concept of starting their own collard green festival.
In 2017, Harris and Hosey attended the OG Collard Greens Cultural Festival in Snellville, Georgia, which solidified their belief that they could create a similar event in St. Pete. Later that year, they established the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival nonprofit and hosted the inaugural event in 2018. The festival has experienced remarkable growth, with attendance skyrocketing from 1,000 in its first year to a record-breaking 8,000 in the previous year.
Community Focus and Mission of the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival
( Credit to: Cltampa )
The Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival has remained true to its original mission of emphasizing education in food consumption, agricultural science, and improved lifestyle choices. The festival aims to connect people with their community and foster storytelling, as Harris and Hosey believe that stories around food bring people together.
( Credit to: Cltampa )
The organizers envision the festival as a platform for raising awareness of health issues, particularly the alarming rates of heart disease and strokes affecting Black and brown communities.
Festival Highlights and Future Aspirations
The Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival offers a diverse range of attractions to its attendees. Local vendors and food trucks provide delicious eats, while cooking and fitness demonstrations keep everyone entertained and informed. The festival also features a collard green cook-off, live entertainment, fresh collard giveaways, and urban agriculture education.
This year, the festival will have a special guest, two-time James Beard Award winner Adrian E. Miller, also known as 'The Soul Food Scholar,' delivering a presentation. With such exciting highlights, the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival continues to grow and evolve.
Looking ahead, festival organizer Samantha Harris envisions incorporating a live-action cooking competition, while Boyzell Hosey dreams of adding a ferris wheel to provide festival-goers with a panoramic view of their beautiful community. The organizers are committed to keeping the festival free, thanks to donations from locals and sponsorships from organizations like Publix, Johns Hopkins, Bayfront Health, HMC Hospitality Group, and JP Morgan. They also aim to start fundraising for children's scholarships and other local nonprofits to ensure the festival's long-term sustainability.
Conclusion: The Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival - A Celebration of Community, Culture, and Health
The Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival has become a mainstay in St. Pete's Black History Month celebrations, connecting the community with its rich African American history. This day-long event celebrates culture, health, and wellness while promoting education, fostering community connections, and raising awareness of health issues.
With its unique blend of food, culture, and storytelling, the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival continues to thrive and make a positive impact. As the festival grows and evolves, it remains dedicated to its mission of nourishing both the body and the soul.